Tag: photographer

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOU

Posted on by Jenny in Blog

One of the biggest challenges when sourcing a photographer is how on earth you know if they are the right person for YOU. Not your sister, not that other couple that got married at the same venue or even that GORGEOUS shoot you saw on insta. I’m gonna take a punt here and guess that you’ve probably never booked a wedding photographer before. Google says there are 24,500,000 results for the search term ‘wedding photographer London’ so don’t worry, that sense of deep overwhelm creeping up the back of your neck is totally appropriate given the circumstances!

Here’s the good news, I’ve been doing this a while now (ahem, over ten years!) and after many, MANY shoots, worked out a pretty simple formula to know if you have found the right one for you. Perhaps shockingly it might not be me! I want you to find the photographer you like as much as I want to find the client I want so read on and let’s see if it’s a match!

THREE GOLDEN RULES

1. STYLE


Do you like their photos? Sounds obvious but there’s a lot of styles out there so if you’re not sure yet try googling ‘dark and moody’ ‘light and airy’ ‘documentary’ etc. Add your area to find local photographers and make sure their portfolio is right up your street before you book because that is what you will get. Gone are the days of hiring a photographer and sending them a list of every single shot you absolutely must have (thank god!) Nowadays we are entrusted to deliver a set of images that show your day, with your friends and your family however that unfolds. Most of us have spent many years honing our style – both in terms of shooting and editing – and that is what we will deliver. After all – you wouldn’t hire a cartoonist to paint the Sistene chapel would you!

2. BUDGET

    Again it sounds obvious but for the love of god please don’t pay someone more than you can afford. There really are photographers out there for all budgets. I’m always happy to offer bespoke quotes based on ALL your needs including budget. I also offer payment plans so it’s always worth asking, if you really love someone’s work, be open about what you want and what you have and they will offer you what they can within those parameters. Every wedding is different and – full disclosure – I kinda hate that I have to offer ‘packages’, I’d much rather hear what YOU want/need and find an amount that works for us both.

    3. PESONALITY

    Would you have at least two pints (glasses of wine, cups of coffee, shots of tequila – whatever your poison) with your photographer? If not, I’m sorry to say they are not the one. Getting married is a big deal, you spent a lot of time and energy planning this day – the last thing you want is for some weirdo photographer to start singing the virtues of Brexit over group photos! Check the vibes before the day.

    What’s the Bang For your buck?

    Posted on by Jenny in Blog

    It’s no secret that wedding photography is one of the biggest investments you will make when planning a wedding. It’s almost impossible to preach how incredibly important this is as a wedding photographer because I am of course entirely biased, BUT, hopefully this little pie-chart will explain what your money is going towards.

    From the moment you book me I am on call to support you with supplier ideas, table layout issues and anything else that might pop into your head. It is important to me that we get on personally as much as professionally so when it comes to your wedding day you’ll know I’ve got your back.

    Lots of people are surprised that the actual photography bit is not the biggest but, as with any kind of creative endeavor, style and aesthetic is about more than what you do on the day. Every professional photographer you meet will have honed a style and workflow over the years, meaning they can deliver you a fully curated gallery complete with images that not only look incredible but have been individually processed to look their absolute best and formatted for use as you wish – from on the socials to large scale prints from the moment you hit download.

    When all is said and done the dress won’t always fit, the food will all be eaten, the flowers will dry out and the only tangible memory will be your photos so honestly – if you’re looking to cut corners this is the one place I would think long and hard about scrimping on.

    BUT I’M ON A BUDGET!?

    Don’t worry – there are so many ways to get what you need within the budget you have. My absolute best advise on this is to be clear and honest – both with yourself and your photographer. Avoid asking ‘what’s your lowest price’ this depends on so much and most of us aren’t out to get as much money out of you as possible. This is our art and our passion and we WANT to make you happy – as well as pay our rent.

    Let them know what you want; what bits of the day are most important to you to capture? Do you want prints, an album or just downloads? What is your budget? Don’t be afraid to lay it all out on the table – if we can’t do what you need for the money you have we’ll tell you and likely recommend someone who can. It’s not a barter system, it’s just a flat ‘can I do what they need for what they have and cover my costs/make a profit’. Bottom line is we need to know how long you want us to shoot for and what you want after the shoot as this dictates how much time/effort we spend and therefore need to be compensated for.