Choosing your wedding photographer
Why have a wedding photographer?
First things first: the why. I think you would agree that we live in a world where we’re surrounded by images in every aspect of our lives. Our camera rolls are miles long and our phone storage is at max as we capture the big and small moments of our lives in photos. And aren’t they the most amazing and serotonin-inducing things to look back on? So the importance of fantastic wedding images is hopefully not lost on anyone: They will bring back treasured memories for a lifetime to come.
That’s why I’d like to talk about who to choose next.
Who to choose?
Here, I’m going to outline three main questions to consider when choosing your wedding photographer. Then I’m going to take you through how you find the photographer that’s right for you.
To start off with, there are three things to look at:
- Photography style: Their style, compositions and colours/pre-sets
- Photographer personality: Will you “gel” on the day, so your photographer adds to the joy on the wedding day?
- Photographer attitude: Are they unobtrusive, working around you and your wedding day, or do they need more input on how to get the images you’re after?
Working out the style that appeals to you most can seem slightly overwhelming to start, but the trickier part tends to be figuring out how a photographer will make you feel and how they will impact your wedding day! So let me suggest what you can do to find out all three things next.
How do I choose?
I would like you to look at the two images above. They’re of the same room, at a similar time of year, by two very talented and lovely photographers in the same price bracket. They’re both extremely high-quality images, but the style is completely different. Look at the colours, the capture and the edit. Working out which style (and there are many, many different ones, I only chose these two as they’re taken from the same angle by amazing photographers!) that suits you is simply a matter of looking at lots and lots of wedding photos.
Here, Instagram is your friend! The images on the grid are normally a true representation of the photographer’s style, and once you’ve found your venue, stalk the photographers tagging your venue, to see who appeals to you most in the place you’ll be celebrating.
Next, follow their stories when they show their faces on social media and what they say; and also the ‘about’ page on their website. How do they talk about capturing the day? Do they dictate early on how they need the day to run to capture the images? Can you work with their ideas and timescales to get the images you want?
Finally, I would suggest that your venue is going to have the most fantastic insight into how the photographers work on the day. They will know how they work, what their images are like, and also that all-important attitude and personality!
Any photographer recommendations?
Taking all of the above on board, we’ve got six recommended photographers here at Stratton Court Barn, that all give you the best possible experience, where we would hand out five out of five stars for image quality, personality AND attitude every time!
Let me give you a quick round-up of our recommended photographers:
MT Studio (Monika): Cinematic, immersive images. Monika will be there to quietly and gently capture your entire day as it unfolds, with an incredibly flexible attitude, fluidly working with and around all other suppliers and your wedding day. She loves couple portraits, and will often sneak you off in the early evening – when no one notices that you’ve gone! – when the light is soft and gentle, and will give you a little bit more guidance here, so you get those really natural shots that still show you off movie-star style.
Lucy Noble Photography: Images saturated with colour and detail and a whole lot of fun. Lucy is the QUEEN of detail and room shots, and can make any space look utterly special! Always quick to smile and laugh, she will make everyone comfortable in her presence, and will work her way magically and quietly through drinks receptions and evening partying to capture every fun emotion and moment among your guests.
KJA Photography (Kimberley): Modern, bright images. Kim is the bridesmaid you never knew you needed! Energetic, fun, bubbly and quick to dive in to help with the small things and the big, she will seamlessly become your best friend on your wedding day. And if you’ve got a dog, she’s for you – there’s nothing she loves more than a wedding dog! Other than, perhaps, a big field. She lives for dramatic field shots too!
Dale Stephens Photography: People-led images that capture true emotions. The true essence of documentary-style photography, that’s what Dale is all about! It’s not about the “stuff” and it’s not about staging. For Dale it’s about preserving the feelings, core moments and guest reactions on your wedding day, for you to look back on in years to come. Like a silent ninja, he’ll be everywhere and see everything, and like me, has a tendency to well up at heartfelt moments in the speeches!
V&H Photography (Vicki and Helen): Authentic, contemporary images. Vicki and Helen are a true power duo, who perfectly complement each other to get the most stunning results! One is funny, one is detail-orientated (I’ll leave you to figure out who is who, haha!) and together they’ll make sure you have the best time while capturing your day perfectly. To quote one of their favourite quotes: “The photographs are about the wedding. The wedding is not about the photographs.” (But the photos still end up magazine-worthy somehow!) Read all about their fantastic tips on how to get the most of your wedding day – and photographer – here!
Gemma Randall Weddings: Light and airy, modern and bright images. Gemma is all about the storytelling, and will tell it with heart and warmth. Her style and composition comes from a heavy background in fashion and styling photography, but with weddings, she gets to add an extra layer of romance! She will coax you to go a little bit further, guide you a little bit more, but in the loveliest way possible, and the end-result is always breathtaking.
Does this help? I will summarise below!
Choosing your wedding photographer
In conclusion, have fun looking at LOTS of wedding photos! Figure out what style of photography appeals to you most, and then work out if there is a recommended photographer at the venue that suits that style – or explore further, and put effort into finding out how the photographer works on the day! Use Instagram to your advantage, and never hesitate to ask your coordinator about any insights. After all, we want you to have the most amazing wedding day, but we also want you to have equally amazing wedding images that let’s you cherish the memories forever!
Warmest wishes,
Karin
