When it comes to deciding on your photographer, the choice isn’t always clear. There can be a lot of trust involved with your photographer to make sure that they follow through on providing photos that you will look back on for years to come. So, how do you know if you’re choosing the right person? Well, we’ve asked Photographer and Blogger Lloyd Dobbie what to look for when choosing your photographer.
Hi Lloyd, what should couples look for in a photography package?
Decide what it is you need as an end product. Do you want your photographer with you all day or perhaps just for the ceremony and reception? Will you want your images delivered in high resolution on a disc or would you also like prints or perhaps an album? If you have a specific requirement in mind, don’t be afraid to ask a photographer to customise their services to your needs.
How much should I pay for a good photographer?
As in any walk of life, the more experienced and more in demand a person is the more they are able to charge. There are vast differences in the cost of wedding photographers but as a rule of thumb if it sounds too cheap it probably is. As a guide, if you are looking for a ‘good’ photographer to cover your day from bridal preparations to first dance then you should expect to pay upwards of £1,500 for attendance and a disc of images.
How can I tell if a wedding photographer is ‘good’?
You’ll need to put in some time looking at websites and online portfolios. Look for examples of work taken from a variety of weddings not just a handful. It’s easy to put together an attractive website but creating depth and a body of work that demonstrates experience is hard to fake.
You could also try searching for a particular photographer by name to see what is being said about them by fellow industry professionals and who is recommending or referring them.
Are two photographers necessary?
Most weddings only call for a single photographer and most wedding photographers do indeed work alone. However there are some occasions when I recommend to my brides that I arrange for a second photographer to work alongside me. These would include:
- larger weddings, that is when the guest list is above 150 or so, just to make sure we capture as many of those attending as possible
- When my clients require a large amount of formal/family photographs and shooting them all might start to affect my ability to cover the rest of the reception in the allotted time
- When the couple require coverage of the groom’s preparation as well as the bride. Quite often the groom and the boys will have a lunch before the ceremony and ask for some photos of the event. I have also been along to the barbers on the wedding day with a groom to capture him and the best man having a wet shave.
How do you research good shots for your wedding reception photos?
Like most research, whether looking for holidays, restaurants or wedding venues the best place to start is online. Google, Pinterest and websites like WeddingDates are good places to find images of your venue during the reception. It may seem obvious, but if you enter keywords like ‘images of xxx venue’ or even more specific terms like ‘ images – wedding – reception – xxx venue’ then you should quickly find a variety of good photos for that venue. It might also be a good way to find a photographer too!
Lloyd Dobbie is a London based photographer working across the UK and Europe. You can see more of his work here on his website and keep up to date with his latest wedding work by visiting his blog.
