There’s so much choice and to think about when choosing your wedding photographer. We’re based in Essex, and there’s probably well over a hundred wedding photographers in the county – so maybe you just search online for ‘Essex Wedding Photographer’ or ‘Wedding Photographers in Essex’? That sounds easy right? But if you’re reading this blog post you’ve probably already done that are just as confused as when you started!
I think the first thing to say is that every wedding photographer is different and not every photographer is the right fit for every couple. Of course the best starting point is to look at websites and make sure you like the style of photos – but there’s a lot more to think about when choosing someone to capture your wedding day.
What’s the wedding photographer’s style?
There are different styles of wedding photography and each photographer works differently. The most common types of photography are documentary (or reportage), creative, fine art and traditional.
We have a documentary style which means that for most of the day we’ll just be capturing things as they happen in a natural way – making sure the photographs we take are unique to you and reflect the atmosphere of the day. This is how you get those spontaneous moments – and often some of the best photographs are taken when people don’t realise.
That doesn’t mean we don’t take any staged or posed photographs. You can have as few or as many as you’d like – and you’ll see lots of examples on our website of posed photos either of couples or group shots. But we aim to make sure you are posing for photos for as little of the valuable time on your day as possible – we get it, you want to enjoy the day with friends and family, not standing around for long periods feeling like you’re on a photoshoot!
How are the images edited?
Again, all wedding photographers have a different style of editing and what you like is a matter of personal preference. You can edit to get very dramatic photographs and it can entirely change the mood of the moment. Fashions change and over the last 15 years, digital photography has provided an opportunity to edit photos in so many different styles.
Some photographers prefer a vintage style, whilst others create a moody atmosphere by editing highly contrasted dark skies. The options are endless, but we try to keep the colours and tones as natural as possible.
Of course we edit every single photograph we deliver to you, and tweak things to get the balance of colours and light just right. Sometimes an individual image can look amazing with dramatic editing, but overall we want you to be able to look back on your wedding photographs for years to come and get a true feel for what the day was like.
The style of wedding photography is like most things which come in and out of fashion – and our tastes change over time. So by keeping our editing style natural, you’ll be able to remember the colours and feel of your big day, without feeling the photos have become dated.
To help you decide what you like, it’s always a good idea to ask to see example galleries or albums of whole weddings that a photographer has captured. This will help you get a better feel of the wedding photographers overall style – not just looking at individual images of key moments.
Will you get on with your wedding photographer?
On your wedding day your photographer will be around you more than any of your other suppliers, and in fact, more than many friends and family. So it makes sense to ensure you get on with your wedding photographer.
It’s your day, and a good photographer will just fit in and will make an effort to not be too prominent. But in our experience, couples often ask us about anything they’re not sure of on the day. It’s also not unusual for us to help with little things like the groomsmen getting their ties or pocket squares right, or how the bridal party should hold their flowers.
A wedding day is meant to be one of the most important and enjoyable days of your life. We try to make sure you’re relaxed and don’t feel uncomfortable having your photos taken. With our wedding packages, we include a pre-wedding shoot and planning meeting which gives you a chance to get to know us and what to expect before your wedding day. Whilst you get some great photographs from these sessions, we find that it’s even more valuable that you’ll have spent time with us and are comfortable in front of the camera.
Does the wedding photographer know your wedding venue?
All photographers have to shoot weddings at a new venue for the first time, and sometimes this can mean you get unique and different perspectives. We’ve been fortunate to be asked to photograph destination weddings at some amazing venues abroad and across the country, and when we’ve not been there before we make sure to research the venue and have a good look around to find the best places for photographs in advance of the wedding day.
We’ve photographed hundreds of weddings across Essex and often many times at individual venues. This definitely helps knowing the staff, how things run and where there are particular locations for portrait shots to help you get the most from your venue.
So feel free to ask us about any wedding venues and hopefully we can answer your questions. You can see just some of the venues we photograph at regularly on the wedding venues page on our website.
What coverage do you want and what’s your budget?
We understand that wedding photography is a big investment, and only one of a number of big costs for your wedding day. We try to be very transparent about our pricing and offer a range of packages providing different coverage.
As wedding photography is such a personal thing and will be something you cherish for years after the day itself, it’s important you don’t just choose a photographer based upon cost alone. Think about the style of editing you like, and whether you get on with the photographer and you can see them being around on your wedding day.
It’s also important to check exactly what is included with your package as different photographers offer a range of services and products. But perhaps the main thing we’d recommend is to check whether you get copyright to print and use the photos however you like. It sounds obvious, as they’re your photos, but some businesses retain full copyright and only allow prints and albums to be ordered through them.
Top Tips
- Take your time choosing the right photographer for you – ask questions.
- Ask to see full galleries of weddings – not just a few photographs.
- Make sure you get copyright license to print and use photos as you wish.
- Speak in person - get to know the photographer before the wedding day.
- Make sure your photographer is a professional and fully insured.
