Wedding photography is arguably the most important investment of your wedding day. I guess coming from a photographer you could argue that I am biased, but the wedding photos are all you’ll have left in years to come to look back on what will no doubt have been the best day of your life.
There are often many guides to questions you should ask a photographer as you are considering who to hire but have you ever wondered what sort of stuff we want you to know or want to ask you?
I’ve put together a list for you below that should help you on your way to understanding our side of the industry a bit more.
YOU’RE GOING TO WANT MORE THAN JUST “CANDIDS”
Ok, so those that know me just spat their milk out in disgust as I am renowned for my unposed and candid style. Let me expand on this if you will.
Through the day I usually hang back and let things unfold naturally, I’ll usually be chilling with the bridal party and having a cheeky natter in the hotel room as you’re all getting ready whilst quietly snapping away various bangers that will end up looking mint in your gallery.
However, there are certain things that sometimes need a hint of direction. For example, if you want your father to have the first look in your dress or the bridesmaids, it’s better to have you placed in a good spot in the room with natural window light, get rid of a bit of clutter then give whoever is going to have the first look a prompt to enter the room. That way I am prepared to properly capture those moments.
There are also many other times in the day when this is applicable, not least with group shots and couple portraits.
Candid all day is possible and I would say 85% of your album will be. Allowing for a little bit of direction in certain moments will guarantee that your requested photos are all included in the gallery and not missed, and I am brilliant at making sure they all look as natural as possible.
Having said all that, couple portraits with me only last 15 minutes and in that time I mostly just let you both catch up and have a quiet moment away from all the chaos and the various aunties who want to congratulate you on saying “ I do” and just observe what you do together naturally for the most part whilst firing off some epic photos.
A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY QUOTE IS NOT A DAY RATE
Sometimes, a package price can look eye-watering if you think of it as a day rate. You need to consider that in the same way your wedding wasn’t planned in a day, you would have spent hours making various decisions on many details to make this the most perfect day ever, our photography packages don’t just account for “on the day” either.
A lot of the best professionals out there will have spent years perfecting their craft, spent an arm and a leg (and probably thousands of pounds) on expensive photography gear and all the editing software, computers, marketing, website, and the list goes on!
Not only that but the process we go through from when you first enquire, consulting with you, answering your call at one in the morning because you’ve had a mental breakdown over the colour scheme and you want some advise from us, pre-wedding shoots, everything after the wedding including the copious hours of editing and admin to make sure the final product is perfect.
When we price up our packages, all of the above is taken into consideration and accounted for. This leads me onto bemoaning the fact that this industry is full of people not valuing their work highly enough hence making the others look “expensive”. If the statement “ you get what you pay for” was made by a wedding industry professional it wouldn’t surprise me.
All that, to say, don’t think of our price as a day rate. It’s an investment for the whole process from planning to the album and beyond.
WE NEED TO EAT TOO!
The whole being fed thing has forever caused so many debates on both sides of the fence, clients and photographers alike will argue till the cows come home over this subject.
I am not really trying to fuel the fire here and give an opinion on whether or not you should feed us, but the general assumption unless I am told otherwise is that I will be provided with a meal. (Some venues ensure we are fed off their own back to be fair)
Some photographers insist on it in their contract, some will not. Personally, I have no issue with a couple telling me there is no budget in place for my meal but please make sure whichever decision is made in this regard that you make a point of telling your photographer. If I am told, I will bring a packed lunch with me (or find the nearest pub to the venue and go grab a bite there).
The timing of food is also important. The sooner we eat (usually at the same time as you and your guests will sit down for your wedding breakfast) the sooner we are able to make sure we are available for the speeches and set up accordingly. I’ve been at some weddings where the food came out to me after everyone else had been fed and no sooner had I sunk my teeth into the delicious and juicy beef, I was called up to the main room to photograph the speeches. It’s literally the only break we will have in a long day of standing on our feet, so enough time to eat the food is greatly appreciated!
WE WOULD PREFER AN UNPLUGGED CEREMONY
This topic has also been known to cause a divide in the community. Please understand that our preference to not have a bunch of phones sticking out of the aisle recording your ceremony or taking sneaky snaps of how gorgeous you look in your dress is nothing to do with ego. It’s more for your benefit.
The best photos of your ceremony are those without clutter and distractions. It just does not make for a good photo if a random arm is in the frame with a mobile phone in its hand.
We totally get that those exciting moments are a desirable time for guests to want to document and absolutely encourage them to take multiple photos and tiktoks throughout the day. But the ceremony is one place you could do without the distraction. You’re paying us a lot of money to professionally capture this moment for you, you and your guests deserve to soak it all in and enjoy it without worrying if it has been documented-it’s why we are there after all!
GROUP SHOTS-PLAN THEM WITH CARE
I think I can speak for the whole photography industry when I say that group shots are a logistical pain in the bum. Whilst for many of you, a vital part of the wedding album, and though I am inclined to agree that they should exist, spending up to an hour chasing uncle John away from the bar and rounding up the strays is not a fun or practical way of getting the group shots finished to allow you to enjoy the party sooner and to allow me to get important candid photos of everyone you love enjoying themselves.
My advise to all my couples is to have a pre-wedding zoom call with me to go through the order of the day and while we are there we can discuss who you want in the groups.
It is also really important that you entrust a best man or maid of honour who knows these people by name on the day so they can be called out efficiently and organised.
I recommend no more than 10 combinations and a 20-30 minute turnaround at the most on the day. It is very doable and by far the most effective way to get the group photos done!
Usually, I advise the bride and groom with the bride’s family then the groom’s family, then with the bridal party and groomsmen then one large group shot of all the guests then maybe other important family members or close friends and you’re done!
Communication with your photographer is so important leading up to the wedding. Making sure we know who’s important, what details you want to be captured, what special surprises like a love letter you’re giving your spouse to read on the morning of the wedding, sentimental jewellery and planned events like a sparker exit or fireworks. As much information as you can think of is so useful to us on the day so that we can be aware of what and who needs to be included when we are taking photos during the day.
UNCLE BOB
Every wedding has at least one uncle Bob and they are a photographer’s arch nemesis! As well as dimly lit hotel rooms with a horrible orange tinge!
Who is uncle Bob? He’s the guy that has a DSLR camera and brings it with him just in case the professional misses any shots and usually tends to get in the way of some of the important shots like the first kiss, the cake cut or the first dance.
Like with the unplugged ceremony-whilst, I always encourage everyone at the wedding to document the day as they see fit, I really cannot stress enough that people getting in the way of an important shot or standing behind me during couple portraits and getting their own version of the photo with a smartphone and distracting my couple is simply not something that should ever happen, or stood next to me at the group photos which leads to half a set of eyes looking at them and the other half looking at me and is a nightmare when it comes to editing!
Remember, you’ve paid a lot of money for the pro to turn up and document these once-in-a-lifetime moments. It’s so important that we are allowed to execute the job without the distraction of competing for your attention.
WE LOVE STAYING BEYOND THE FIRST DANCE
There are so many confusing packages out there to choose from in terms of how long a photographer will stay. Usually, a full-day package will involve between 10-12 hours of shooting time which will include “up to the first dance”.
Most of us will usually stay beyond the first dance. Some of the best parts of any gallery I have delivered have involved guests throwing some mad shapes on the dance floor and generally having a really good time. I love being part of the party vibe and getting in the thick of it with a wide-angle lens. If in doubt, ask your photographer how long they’ll stay and check their portfolio includes party photos. Most of the ones I speak to or have worked with all agree that staying beyond the first dance is always worthwhile.
Once we feel we have enough action shots we will then say goodbye and let you get drunker and enjoy the rest of your night!
WE LOVE SOCIAL MEDIA PRAISE AND KIND WORDS
Most wedding photographers get into this job for the love of the craft and the love of weddings. We want to turn our passion into a living and of course, we love getting paid to do something we enjoy doing.
However as much as I like seeing my bank balance go up when I am paid an invoice, my biggest thrill usually comes after I deliver the gallery and I get an excited text from my couples saying how much they love the photos and how awesome I am.
It may seem trivial to most, but if you spend just a minute sending us a text and praising us for our work, it means the world to us.
Not just a text, but if you’re excitedly sharing your favourite snaps on social media, tagging us in them so your wonderful friends know it was us taking those photos is a great, free way of helping us reach a wider audience. Most of my bookings come from word of mouth or someone sees my photos being shared by a couple or the venue and enquires.
Finally, the reviews or kind words, a quick few lines on google reviews or for the website really goes a long way to helping us grow the business and find more amazing couples like you who want to have incredible photos taken at their wedding as well.
