7 Tips to Help You Find the Perfect Wedding Photographer

Are you getting ready for a wedding? There’s so much to do and so much to plan!

All weddings, even small ones, need great wedding photographers. While you could recruit one of your friends to take photos, a good wedding photographer will make sure that you end up with perfect and well-edited results.

Do you know how to find a good wedding photographer?

Keep reading to learn our top seven tips for finding a wedding photographer that will give you the photos of your dreams. And you can also click the following link and read some experts’ tips on how to create stunning clearance linens.

Ask Around

It’s likely that you know someone (or someone who knows someone) who’s gotten married recently. Why not ask for word-of-mouth recommendations for wedding photographers?

Getting real-life opinions on photographers and looking at results is a great way to start your search. If you love someone’s wedding photos, ask who they used!

If you don’t know anyone who’s gotten married recently, take your search to social media. Most local classified pages on sites like Facebook are great places to ask for recommendations for services.

People will direct you to their favorite local photographers so you have a strong starting point.

When in doubt, talk to your wedding planner or venue. Many people who are used to weddings know all about the local wedding photographers, and they can point you in the right direction. They may also work with photographers and arrange better deals for their clients (though this isn’t a guarantee).

Use Search Engines

Are you too shy to ask about individual experiences? That’s okay. Instead, start with your favorite search engine.

Search engines will give you local results for the service that you’re looking for. You can input a query like “best wedding photographer near me” or “best wedding photographer in [your city] and you’re sure to get dozens of results.

Not all results are going to suit you, but this allows you to look at websites and start narrowing down your options.

Read Reviews

While word-of-mouth reviews are more personal, you can also use online reviews when you’re looking for your new wedding photographer.

The internet has made finding reviews easier than ever. People love to talk about their experiences (good or bad) with professionals in all industries, so use these reviews to your advantage.

If the photographer has a professional business page on Google, it’s easy to find reviews under their listing. If not, look at their business Facebook account or sites like Yelp.

It’s harder to find reviews for independent workers than it is for large companies, but it’s worth the effort.

Know What You’re Looking For

Before you make your decision, you need to know what kind of photographer that you’re looking for. It’s easier to do this if you look at examples of wedding photography.

For this, we suggest making a mood board on a site like Pinterest or Canva. Collect wedding photos that you love and try to see what they have in common.

You may think that all wedding photographers are alike, but this isn’t true. Some specialize in photos that look vintage (potentially even with film), while others love the hyper-modern look.

Some photographers love doing outdoor beach weddings and others are great for low-light indoor events. Photographers have specialties and preferences.

Also, look at editing styles that you like. Edits can sometimes make or break the photo, so knowing what you’re looking for regarding color, filters, contrast, and more can help you determine what skills you need from your photographer.

Look at Galleries

Once you know what you’re looking for, start looking at the websites of the photographers that you found before.

All good photographers have galleries of photos that you can see as examples of their work (for example, you can see some beautiful photos at https://www.catherinejgrossphotography.com/maine-wedding-photography/). Most also have social media profiles.

Photographers won’t have all of their photos available because they need clients to pay for photos, but they should have a wide range that shows their skills and preferences.

Compare their galleries to the photos that you’ve saved to your imageboard. Does someone match up?

Email or Call

Once you’ve narrowed your list down even further, it’s time to reach out to the photographers in question. Keep in mind that your initial email or phone call won’t be as informative as the next step (an in-person meeting), but it will give you that initial connection and let you know whether or not this photographer is a viable option.

If you message your potential photographer online, use polite language to query about your wedding. This isn’t the time to go into specifics, but you can ask about whether or not they’d be willing to consult with you about your wedding.

You can also take this time to ask about their availability and whether or not they’re accepting new clients. If you’re having a wedding during peak wedding season, you may have more trouble finding a photographer who’s available.

Do In-Person Meetings

After that initial contact, arrange an in-person meeting (or several meetings depending on how many photographers you like). This is when you get to have a detailed conversation.

Many photographers will bring additional photos with them that aren’t in their online portfolios. This gives you a better idea of what they’re capable of.

When it comes to questions to ask a wedding photographer, it’s best to plan ahead of time. What kinds of things are important to you regarding photography?

Don’t be afraid to ask about the wedding photographer cost. Photographers know that their services are expensive, and they don’t want anyone to get sticker-shock. Many photographers offer several different packages at different prices, so be sure to ask what their price gets you.

Ask about whether or not they use a helper or if they offer video services. If they use film, ask if they also provide digital photos to make sure that there are no problems (after all, film isn’t as reliable).

All photographers will be happy to answer any questions that you have.

Find Your Perfect Wedding Photographer

Finding a wedding photographer isn’t hard, but finding the right one is more of a challenge. Use these tips to find a wedding photographer that can give you the photos of your dreams that you’ll love to show off on social media and around your home.

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