5 Tips To Help You Choose Your Wedding Photographer

Let’s face it, Google Ottawa Wedding Photographer and you will be bombarded with web page after web page of great photographers who can handle your wedding. So how do you find out which one is right for you? Follow these five tips to help you choose your wedding photographer, and before you know it, you and your perfect photography match will be saying “I do” to secure your wedding date. 

1. Do your research

Googling and searching Facebook for photographers in your area is great start, but word of mouth really pays off here. What better way to find out how a photographer works than by asking someone who has worked with them, or reading a review of what they say about them. Regardless of how you find photographers, look at their photos to find a style that you like. Look for consistency throughout the pictures. A website will show you their best photos, but search their social media pages to see more general pictures and to see how they interact with customers. Find someone whose photography style and personality matches your vision. 

2. Set up a meeting with the photographers 

The photographer is the only vendor from your wedding that will be with you all day. You need to be compatible and comfortable with this person. That’s why we always recommend an in person meeting. This is also why we recommend doing an engagement shoot. Not only should you like the photographers images, but you should also like the photographer. 

3. Compare packages 

When it comes to photography pricing, no two packages are the same. Figure out your must haves so that you can make an educated decision by comparing exactly what you are getting for your investment. If you are unsure of what you need, how can you compare prices? This exactly why we don’t list our prices on our website. (We wrote an entire blog about it here.) A word of caution here, don’t choose your wedding photographer by price. You often get what you pay for. (When was the last time you got something good for cheap?) Find photographers whose work you like and narrow it down by your budget. Your photos are your living link to the day. In a few years you will forget what your cake tasted like, or what songs you asked the DJ to put on your ‘must play list’, but your photos are forever. Shop by budget, not by price. Do you really want to trust a lifetime of memories to the lowest price? 

4. Check the contract

While reading a contract is definitely not on the weekend fun list, it is necessary to read it so that you know EXACTLY what you are getting. How many hours will the photographer be working? Is there a second shooter? What time will they be starting? Are you just getting digital images or just prints? Who has the copyrights for the photos? We did a short post about some of the more important contract points. You can read it here.

5. Post Production 

Technically, the post production details should be covered in the contract, but it is a big enough section to warrant its own spot on this list. It will often take your photographer at least a month to deliver your wedding gallery. Why? We have to upload huge unprocessed files, then colour correct and edit them. It’s not unusually for most photographers to spend upwards of 40 hours preparing a single wedding. It can take even longer if you are getting married at the height of the wedding season when photographers are really busy. Here are some details about the process you should ask: 
How many images should I expect? 
Will the images be hi-res or low res? 
Will I get to select which photos I will receive? 
Can I have the photos resized to a specific size and is there and additional charge? 
Can I print the photos myself or do I need to purchase prints from the photographer? 
Can I have images retouched / Photoshopped? How many images? Is there an additional fee? 

Selecting your wedding photographer might be the decision that makes the biggest impact on your wedding and your memories of the day. Make sure you budget enough money to get what you want, (usually about 15% of the total wedding) and enough time to secure the photographer you want. (Many photographers book a year in advance.) 
If you have any questions on how to select your wedding photographer, click below to book a meeting with us. We would be happy to help you out.

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Hope to hear from you soon! 

Guylaine and Gord 
Avalon Wedding Photography