Top 6 Tips To Find & Choose Your Perfect Wedding Photographer - Nottingham, Derby & Sheffield Photography Near Me
How to Find Your Perfect Derby, Nottingham & Sheffield Wedding Photographer
Once the confetti has been swept up, the cake has been eaten and you have just got back from your honeymoon stepping off the plane in to a blitz of East Midlands drizzle your attention will naturally turn to the exciting countdown to receiving your wedding photographs!
You will want to look back at all those amazing memories from your big day as soon as possible, especially those ‘wow’ shots that your photographer set up as the sun went down and you just know are going to be something really special!
For all of these reasons whether you are getting married at a wedding venue in Nottingham, Derby or Sheffield it’s so important you choose the right wedding photographer.
If you have just started looking it can be a bit overwhelming so these are my tips to help you focus on what really matters.
Always Ask To See Some Full Wedding Galleries
This is really important. Never book your wedding photographer based on their website portfolio or Instagram feed alone.
Whilst they are certainly a good indication of their technical ability and style, if a photographer has been in business for ten years and their portfolio contains 100 photographs then thats likely to be the best 100 pictures they have ever taken over a decade and thats not representative of what you can expect to receive as a full gallery for you wedding day.
It’s also easy to be ‘wowed’ by a few stunning images which may have involved a lot of setup but just as important are what all the other 100’s of photographs taken throughout your wedding day will look like.
Ask to see some of their recent full wedding galleries, engagement shoot galleries and sample albums, that way you can see how your wedding photographer will cover your full day from start to finish, how creative they are and whether the balance of candid and posed photography they produce is what you are hoping for.
2. Meet Your Photographer In Person
Once you have set your heart on a chosen photographer I strongly recommend catching up with them for coffee and a chat in person to talk through your plans and vision for your wedding day before paying deposits or signing contracts.
I always tell my couples I’m going to be with you for the whole day, from morning until night, it’s so important that you get to know a little about me and that we all click so you can both relax knowing we will have fun and I will get the best out of you both on the day.
I have never met with a couple yet and we haven’t hit it off straight away but it’s still nice to have that reassurance that you have made the right decision.
It’s also a good chance to ask lots of questions, have a look at their printed work, some sample albums and portfolio.
3. Set Your Budget And Stick To It
Before you even start to look at The Wedding Photographers out there, agree between you Both how much you want to invest in your wedding photography and try to stick to it. It’s easy to be tempted by a super low price Packages but in truth if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Don’t be swayed by offers of thousands of images. Anyone can take thousands of snapshots (and your friends and family almost certainly will do with their phones) but remember, this is your wedding. You have spent a long time and a lot of money planning it, it’s a once in a lifetime event and it can’t be repeated, wedding photography is all about perfectly capturing those special moments with beautiful quality pictures not quantity. For all day coverage I aim to provide around 500+ fully edited images in your final gallery.It may also be very tempting save some money and use a friend, family member or a student to photograph your wedding day but think very carefully first. They are unlikely to have professional equipment with backups or the experience to deal with the unexpected. For example, if it rains all day you need the confidence that you can relax and enjoy your wedding knowing your photographer will have a “Plan B” ready to go as well as the equipment and creative technical ability to still produce stunning wedding photographs that you will look back on and cherish.
4. Decide On The Style Of Wedding Photography You Like Best
Every photographer works differently and has curated their own style over time.
I would describe my style of wedding photography as relaxed reportage, lots of candid photography capturing your day just as it happens.
I do suggest some natural posing to create stunning ‘wow’ shots, beautiful family group photographs and natural fun bride & groom portraits but there is never anything awkward or overly staged.
I also love to use off camera flash to create gorgeous twilight photographs and capture dramatic sunset scenes if the weather permits.
Some photographers are more traditional and that usually involves much more posing, direction and may look a little more formulaic. Deciding how you want your photographs to look will really help when narrowing down the options.
5. Check They Have Backup Photography Equipment
Whilst you are quite rightly not Really interested in the specifics of what cameras a Wedding photographer will use, what is important is resilience.
I use two professional camera bodies and a third backup matched with professional lenses and lots of lighting kit. All three of my professional cameras have the ability to save your photographs to two memory cards simultaneously. If one memory card corrupts half way through the day there is no need to panic, I have the second one and all of your photographs are all safe.
Imagine someone photographing your wedding with one camera and either the camera or lens fails or even worse the single memory card corrupts or develops a fault with the loss of all of your photographs… it doesn’t really bare thinking about.
6. A Few Final Things To Check With Your Chosen Wedding Photographer
Do they have public liability insurance as most venues will ask for a certificate?
Are there any additional costs not included in the package you need to be aware of?
How long will it take until you receive the full wedding gallery and album?
Do they have sample albums for you to look through to get a feel for printed quality?
Is all day coverage really all day coverage?
Do they provide a sneak preview gallery?
I have a questions and answers section on my website here where I cover all of these issues.
