Book Your Photographer and Venu First
It’s a good idea to hire a photographer like Rachel Ross Photography as soon as you’ve booked your venue. As a guide, you should aim to hire them around nine months prior to the wedding, or a year, if your photographer is particularly popular and in high demand.
Ask Your Friends For Recommendations
If you have any recently-married friends whose wedding images you adored, ask them who took the images. You could also ask your wedding coordinator or reception site manager for recommendations.
Decide on The Style of Photography
Do a little homework and research the photographic styles you like. Perhaps you want a vintage design with washed-out tones and a dreamy, nostalgic vibe, or you may favour a brighter look with lots of vibrant colours.
Check portfolios on their websites – all good photographers will include examples of their work – and then email each of the photographers who share your aesthetic to see if they’re available on your wedding date and to ask about their photography fees. If the response is positive, schedule an initial appointment with each one.
Talk to the Photographers
Before your first meeting, the best wedding photographer will send you a link to a wider portfolio of their images. Make sure the collection includes current weddings that they have shot from beginning to end, rather than a “best of” highlight reel from dozens of other weddings.
This is a more precise method of evaluating the quality of the photographer’s work. Also, ask whether the photographer has ever recorded images at the venue you’ve booked and, if so, request sight of those images.
When you meet the photographer, establish who’ll be taking photos, where and when. Even with solo photographers, it’s not uncommon for them to delegate recording images of the groom getting ready to an assistant while she or he concentrates on the bride and bridesmaids, for example. If this is the case, make sure that you’ve seen the work of all the photographers who will actually be capturing your wedding images.
Discuss Payment
As intimated above, some photographers will charge a fixed rate or by the hour and then bill you separately for any pictures or albums you want to keep.
Most photographers will have a price list that lists the various packages they offer at different price points. Make sure you understand exactly what’s on offer and how long the photographer will be with you, as well as whether there will be a second shooter, which will give you a greater number of photos throughout the day.
Go with Your Instinct
Once you’ve assessed each photographer’s work and costs and narrowed down your alternatives, it’s time to make your final decision. Remember that you’ll be spending your entire wedding day with this person, so you’ll want to make sure you’re fully comfortable with them. Do you and your fiancé like them, and can you get along with them?
Schedule a Test Run
An engagement photoshoot is often a great idea—it’s a good chance to get to know your photographer and start to feel at ease having your picture taken, especially if you or your partner are camera-shy.