Picking a perfect wedding photographer in Newcastle to capture those priceless moments is very crucial. Here we discuss the most important points that you should keep in mind before hiring a wedding photographer.
Budget:
There can be nothing more annoying than finding your perfect wedding photographer to then discover they are way beyond your budget!
Here is a link for a complete guide to wedding photography prices to give you a good idea of what you can get for your money – the average is £1,500-£2,000.
Discuss how much you can afford and what you want to spend and always keep that in mind as you continue your search. Most photographers have starting prices on their website and those who do not just ask for quick quote to see what the going rate is.
I agree £1,000 upwards sounds a huge chunk of your budget, your photos are one of the most important things to invest in, they are what you will be looking at in 20 plus years’ time! See if you can shave your budget somewhere else to give yourself as much money as possible for this. You get what you pay for.
Photographers also have different agendas, for some it is an additional income to their main job, for many it is their sole income and a few who do it purely for love, passion, and interest!
This does not mean that the part time hobbyist doing it as a second income is any less good than full time pro, they may just not have quite the same level of experience, high-quality equipment, or liability insurance etc.
Chose a style: of wedding photographer
Now the difficult bit begins in searching for your ideal wedding photographer! Your preferred photography style really is one of the most important things to consider. There are a few different styles to consider.
Do you want candid, classic, a mix of colour and black-and-white, creative, contemporary?
Some photographers will do a selection of all those styles and others have their set format and do not deviate from their ‘style’.
Normally one of the styles above will jump out at your straight away. Create a list of the photographers you like and then find out a little more about them.
Weddings are extremely fast paced, full of action and events that only happen once so you will want to pick a photographer with a few years of wedding photography experience.
Google and Bing are good research sources but just because the wedding photographer is listed on page one does not mean they are the best, keep ploughing through the pages, not all wedding photographers pay for expensive advertising. You can also search sites such as Find a Wedding Photographer
One of the best ways to find a photographer is to ask friends for recommendations. If anyone has married recently and you loved their shots, find out who their photographer was. Other places to get recommendations from are your venue, social media, and online reviews.
Reviews, Reviews, Reviews!
An experienced and acclaimed wedding photographer will have plenty of reviews from clients they are happy to share with you. Reviews are such a useful and trusted view of other people’s experience and thoughts.
A trusted wedding photographer will be proud of these reviews and share them on their website for all to see. Read them carefully and they will reveal a great insight to what the wedding photographer does above and beyond just taking pictures, there is a lot more they do!
Of course, seeing a gallery or portfolio is vital! Their website will showcase a gallery or ‘best of’, but what you really need to see is a full wedding album. Some photographers will display this in their client’s section, but, if not you should ask to see a complete collection not just their three or four best photos from each wedding.
The photographs should tell the whole story of the day, they should flow chronologically, and all be equally as beautiful. You want each photo to be consistent in quality and look. You may realise that you do not like the way the wedding photographer shoots in low-light or their style when it comes to the formal or group photo shoots does not fit yours.
Venues:
There are some different opinions on the benefits of a wedding photographer having shot at your venue before. If they have been there before then they will know all the best places to get great shots, they will have experience of the venue the staff and the lighting issues.
The flip side being they may also stick to the same routine, places, and angle of shots that they do every time without being creative. A wedding photographer who has never been to a venue before will do a recce of the venue and will try out lots of new places, angles, and creativity that perhaps other photographers have missed.
Some wedding venues will provide a list of recommended photographers, have a look at them but also shop around and do your research. Many photographers have blogs featuring their weddings or they have a client section where complete real wedding images can be viewed.
Personality:
I personally believe this is another one of the most important choices in finding your perfect wedding photographer. Your photographer is going to be spending a whole day with you, from getting ready right through to your dancing at the end of the long day. They will be with you at some of your most intimate and emotional moments.
You need to feel relaxed, comfortable, and happy in their company. Meet them face to face and make sure you gel! The more natural and at ease you are with each other the more natural and relaxed your photos will be.
Here is a link to a list of questions to ask your wedding photographer, there are many and you would be wise to have your own compiled ready for your meeting or consultation. Do not be frightened to ask questions as it is your money you are spending.
You need to know what kit they use, do they have backups, do they have a back up plan if they are ill and cant make it, how long till you get your images, and so on…
Bonus Tips!!
When you ask them why they are a wedding photographer watch them. Do they get excited and happy as they reveal their passion and love for what they do or are they just paying the bills!
Most importantly make sure you LOVE your photographers work, can you imagine them being at your wedding and fitting in with your guests and that whenever they post a new wedding on Facebook you are blown away and can’t wait for it to be your turn. That is a definite way of knowing you have booked the right person!