Google “how to choose a wedding photographer” and you’ll find pages of advice. I’ve read a lot of it and you know what? It’s confusing! Here’s the thing – there are so many talented wedding photographers out there. So where do you even start? And more importantly how do you feel confident that you’re making the best choice for you, and that you won’t regret it a year later.

Before scheduling a single meeting to choose your perfect wedding photographer, here are 5 things to consider!

1. What’s their approach, and is it going to drive you crazy?

Yes, I put this before “Do you love their work”. Why? Because I believe it’s the most important thing to consider when choosing a wedding photographer! Your photographer is not only with you for most of your wedding day, but they’ll drive a large part of the day’s “flow” and timeline. So choosing a photographer with an approach that doesn’t vibe could drive you crazy, and result in images that you don’t love.

What does that actually mean?

Here’s an example of how two different photographers would approach photographing a moment like getting ready on your wedding day.

Photographer with an Editorial / Hands-on Approach (Getting Ready)

• This photographer will likely direct / recreate moments during getting ready, such as putting your dress on, or having a best man put your jacket on.
• Pros: Lighting & Posing is prioritized.
• Cons: Interrupts natural emotion & often takes more time.

Photographer with a Documentary / Hands-off Approach (Getting Ready)

• This photographer will not pose moments during getting ready, unless asked. Instead they position themselves to get the most flattering light & angles, and document what’s happening as it occurs naturally.
• Pros: Photos feel organic & emotion is prioritized. Often takes less time.
• Cons: Not ideal for couples looking for a “magazine-type” look for their day.

How to determine a photographer’s approach

• Read the Wedding Experience page on the photographer’s website.
• Read Reviews! Past clients will tell you if they loved how their photographs looked “like they were in a magazine” (hands-on / editorial) or if they loved how comfortable, natural & authentic they looked & felt (hands-off / documentary).
• Look at their work (we’re getting to that next)! You’ll pick up quickly whether a photographer’s style is hands-on to prioritize editorial content, or hands-off to deliver authentic emotion.

So, before you start thinking about the types of work you love, which approach vibes with you – Hands-On / Editorial OR Hands-Off / Documentary?

2. Do you LOVE their work?

It’s time to get to the good stuff…let’s head to those Portfolio Pages! But let’s face it, this in itself can be overwhelming. If you find yourself with 8 tabs open, looking at portfolios and having a hard time figuring out what you love, here’s a tip that I heard from another photographer.

Instead of focusing on what you WANT, focus on what you DON’T WANT. Just like when you get your hair cut, sometimes it’s easier to tell your stylist “I’m not sure exactly what I want, but I definitely don’t want to look like XXX”. 🤣

How to figure out if you LOVE their work?

We wedding photographers love to throw jargon around like “Editorial”, “Light & Airy”, “Documentary”… I’ve even done it here!! None of that matters.

Right now, grab a sheet of paper and look at those photographer sites you have open. Hopefully you’ve already narrowed them down to only include photographers who align to your preferred approach! Next, write down 2-3 words to describe what you “love” about that work. And then write down 2-3 words about what you “don’t like” about that work.

Here’s an example of what your list might look like (these are my words… remember, just come up with your own!)

Pro Tip: Remember that photographers show their best work in their portfolios and Instagram, so that’s a great place to see if the majority of their photos hit your “Love” words, and not your “Don’t Like” words.

You should of course ask to see full wedding galleries before you hire someone, to see the full range of their capabilities and what you can expect from your wedding day including family portraits, detail photos, and more traditional photos that they may not highlight in their portfolio.

3. Are they Reputable?

A lot of couples stop at #2 and start interviewing photographers. But I’m going to share a couple more important considerations before choosing your wedding photographer. This one seems pretty straightforward, yet I’m still shocked by the horror stories I hear about photographers (or any wedding businesses) flaking out on couples!! It’s absolutely horrible.

How to determine if a photographer is reputable?

• Reviews
• Talk to other vendors
• Search local Facebook Wedding groups to see if their name pops up

4. Small Business vs. Large Company?

This topic deserves a separate post, so I’ll stick to the high points here. To be clear, I’m defining a “large company” as any photography business where you could get a different lead photographer for your wedding. Also I’ll start with this disclaimer – I’m a small business & “solo-preneur” – but I’ve also worked for photography companies.

So why would you choose one over another? I’ve listed a few pros & cons of both below, but either way it’s best to start with whether the business is reputable.

Hiring a Small Business – Pros

• You’re hiring the company owner to show up & photograph your wedding. There should be no surprises with what they photograph vs. their portfolio.
• You have a single point of contact throughout your entire client experience.

Hiring a Small Business – Cons

• Your wedding photographer does everything – which means sometimes (especially on weekends when they’re photographing), you might need to wait for an email response.
• Obviously if your photographer gets critically ill or is unable to photograph your wedding, a replacement will need to be found. It’s important to ask your photographer about their procedure in this unlikely event.

Hiring a Large Company – Pros

• Hiring a larger company can be cost effective, especially if they bundle services together. A word of caution based on my experience – the more services that are bundled, especially if they’re barely related, the lower the quality usually is.
• Hiring a larger company may mean quicker turnaround for your images, especially if they have a separate editing team. Once again, look at reviews and confirm the maximum delivery turnaround time for your images.

Hiring a Large Company – Cons

• With some companies, you don’t know who your photographer’s going to be until a few weeks before your wedding. Instead, I’d recommend confirming who your photographer will be before you hire the company, and viewing that photographer’s portfolio and full wedding galleries. Most importantly, make sure their approach aligns with what you want, so you don’t regret your choice later on.
• This one’s a bit controversial but I’m going to share it because it could greatly impact your photography. Most large companies hire contractors to photograph weddings and pay them a fraction of what they charge couples for the day.
  
  Why do you care? Well, it comes down to how invested your photographer is in you! For some photographers, this is their career and they give it their all, and LOVE the couples they work with! And for others, it’s is just a job and they’re “phoning it in” till they can get to the next wedding.
  
  So… how do you find the great photographers out there? Meet them and look at their work. In a nutshell, don’t hire a larger company until you confirm who your photographer’s going to be!

Like I said… this topic deserves a whole post because there’s a lot to it! But with that said I’ll wrap it up cause we’re in the home stretch!

5. Are they in Budget?

Last and definitely not least, before you start firing off emails to your short list of photographers let’s make sure they’re within your price point. Head over to each photographer’s Wedding Experience Page, or their Contact Page. Many photographers customize coverage for their couples, but will list a range that most weddings fall within.

Here’s a good rule – unless you’re having a very intimate wedding (i.e. eloping with 20 of your closest friends), you’re likely going to need more than their “starting coverage”. So if they’re already a stretch at their starting price point, make a decision if they’re worth the splurge or if you need to move on to the next photographer on your list!

PHEW… that’s a lot of info, but I hope it’s helpful in your search for the perfect wedding photographer! In case you’re looking for more great tips on how to choose a wedding photographer, check out this article on Wedding Wire. I thought this one did a great job of highlighting the important things to look for when you’re searching for your wedding photographer.

If I can be of any help, even if my approach or style doesn’t align with yours, don’t hesitate to reach out! I’m always happy to help out a bride, groom or anyone looking for a great photographer!

Cheers & Happy Planning!

Gen

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Gen Palmer is a Premier South New Jersey wedding photographer who documents authentic photography for real couples. Gen documents weddings around South New Jersey and Philadelphia.

Gen loves working with couples who cherish relationships over things, and who value printed photographs to display and enjoy their memories every day. Sound like you? Reach out about your wedding!