Choosing Your Wedding Photographer: 3 Things you MUST do Beforehand

Overwhelmed with all the wedding photographers out there? Not sure where to start, or who to choose? There are so many wedding photographers, each with their own style. Some different types of wedding photography include illustrative, fine art, fashion, natural light, traditional (posed), and photojournalism. You may find that you lean specifically towards a certain type of photography.

All of that said, here are 3 things I highly recommend doing before choosing your wedding photographer:

3 Things to Do Before Choosing Your Wedding Photographer | Christine Chang LA Lifestyle, Wedding & Celebrity Photography www.christinechangphoto.com

1. Look at his/her website portfolio.

This may sound completely obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people contact me that don’t take time to look at my photos. They’ll meet with me and then say what they are looking for, which happens to be completely different than the style of photography showcased on my website. Before considering a photographer, look through their portfolio!

One time I did an engagement session and afterwards the girl (she was really sweet) called and said, “I know it’s not your talent, I just feel like we’re smiling really big and laughing in all the photos. I’m looking for more editorial photography.”

Most of the photos on my website are candid moments with people smiling and laughing. She didn’t know what she was looking for until she started doing research and actually did a shoot. It’s common to not know exactly what you are looking for when you start the wedding planning process, but once you start looking, you’ll become more clear.

3 Things to Do Before Choosing Your Wedding Photographer | Christine Chang LA Lifestyle, Wedding & Celebrity Photography www.christinechangphoto.com

2. Meet with the photographer.

Choose a wedding photographer that you vibe with and like being around. If you are in a different city as your photographer, hop on Skype or a phone call with them. It’s like online dating. When I used to online date, I would ALWAYS hop on the phone with the person before meeting up with them. It’s hard to tell if you truly vibe with someone over email, but you can DEFINITELY tell over the phone. No hiding awkwardness or creepiness (I’m only a creep sometimes, I swear). It’s worth it to take the time to meet. If you connect, it will show in your photographs. Chemistry and connection is a huge factor in choosing your wedding photographer.3 Things to Do Before Choosing Your Wedding Photographer | Christine Chang LA Lifestyle, Wedding & Celebrity Photography www.christinechangphoto.com

3. Ask if you can see a complete set of images from at least one entire wedding they have shot.

It’s easy for a photographer to showcase their BEST photos on their website, but what makes a photographer truly good is their RELIABILITY TO GET A GOOD SHOT. How many shots are good? 1 out of 10? 1 out of 100? 10 out of 10? They take great natural light photos, but what about the night time reception photos with flash? Ask to look through images from an entire wedding. Any photographer who is confident will gladly send you a link. This can be a huge factor in helping you choose your wedding photographer. Make sure to look through an entire set of wedding photos!

3 Things to Do Before Choosing Your Wedding Photographer | Christine Chang LA Lifestyle, Wedding & Celebrity Photography www.christinechangphoto.com

 

Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

Choosing your wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning your wedding. The photos are what you will be able to refer back to for years to come! Make sure you take the time to review a potential photographers portfolio, meet with them and browse through an entire set of images from a wedding day.

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This Post Has 4 Comments

  1. Jen Pack

    My fiance and I are in the process of looking for a wedding photographer, so I really appreciate this information on how to choose the best one. I like how you point out the importance of asking to see a complete set of images from one entire wedding they have shot. I imagine that it would also be a good idea to set a budget ahead of time and make sure you stick to it. Thanks for the insights!

    1. Christine Chang

      Hey Jen! Thanks for taking the time to tell me! Good luck with the planning process. 😉

  2. Finn Stewart

    There are so many great photographers out there that I don’t know how my fiance and I are going to choose just one. That’s why I really like your advice about asking if you can see a complete set of images from one entire wedding they have shot. This will let us see all the shots they are capable of for our whole wedding day.

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