How to Vet Photographers
I often ask couples what type of photographers they have chosen, so I can best direct them during the walkthrough. Here is an article by Laura Newcomer and borrowlenses.com that gave some helpful insight into how to choose from the many photographers.
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In-demand wedding photographers often book their schedules up to a year in advance, so it’s important to start looking for a photographer as soon as possible. Most sources recommend nailing down your photographer approximately 11 months before the wedding date.
No matter when you start looking, here’s how you could go about it. Get clear about what you’re looking for. Before you start vetting wedding photographers, it’s important to spend some time thinking about what style it is you’re hoping to achieve.
Style Do you have a particular style in mind? Wedding shoots tend to focus on one or multiple of the following styles:
• Traditional. This style tends to work from a pre-planned shot list and focus on posed photos. It can be useful if your wedding is structured in a traditional way, if you’re working with large groups, or both.
• Photojournalistic. This style focuses on capturing the events of the day candidly as they arise, rather than emphasizing pre-planned shots.
• Fine Art, Vintage, or Fashion. Photos shot in these styles tend to be similar to traditional shots except that they’re more stylized; for example, they might use sepia tones, unusual backgrounds, dramatic lighting or poses, and so on.
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The article suggests that you should budget about 15% of your wedding budget on photographer. And, once you have an idea of what you like best, use Instagram hashtags with the style you like best and see what you find!
