Just as Monet and van Gogh had distinct artistic styles, so does every single photographer. No one is going to be exactly alike. How boring would that be? As a couple, you and yours have your own style, and the trick to finding the perfect photographer for YOU is finding that one photographer whose style compliments yours. There isn’t a hierarchy of professional photographers, it’s more like a cooperative. We are happy to refer you to a photographer who will better suit your needs if we’re not the perfect fit. In order to ensure that you love your photographs, here’s a simple starting guide to finding your perfect photographer:
1. Do your research!
I cannot emphasize this enough. If “finding a photographer” is just another checkoff on your wedding to-do list and your best friend’s friend’s cousin Suzie recommends this “fabulous” photographer, check it out before you go ahead and book an appointment. Maybe Suzie’s definition of “fabulous” photography is selective color and matching pleated khakis. To each their own. But that might not be your idea of fabulous, and if you solely relied on word of mouth, you’ve just wasted your and the photographer’s time. When researching photographers, check out all of their available galleries, not just their best-of portfolio work. What do you notice? Do they favor a faded, vintage look, or are they all about intense contrast? Do they tend to shoot with natural sunlight, are their portraits primarily staged and traditional? My best suggestion is to simply look at all the photographs, and pick your favorites, from multiple photographers. Then look at the similarities. Once you know your style, you can match it to your ideal photographer’s style. This allows a lot of time to be saved in the long run, and a much easier/more fun experience, since you both already know the kinds of images you’re going to love.
2. Managing expectations.
You can’t make Snow White look like Sleeping Beauty with all the Photoshop in the world. Your photographer may be a miracle worker, but there is a limit to the magic of editing. After a certain point, it just looks fake. When you look back at your wedding photos, you want to remember how you looked that day, not how you wished you looked. This isn’t the time to change your eye color, whiten your teeth, shave your arms into sticks, or replace the chapel backdrop with a scene from Star Wars. Okay, that last one might be kind of cool…but you get the point. Loving your photos starts with loving yourself, on a day that’s all about celebrating love! You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be yourself, because self acceptance and practicing self love emanates a beautiful glow that will shine through your photographs. It also makes the whole experience a whole lot more fun for everyone.
One way to manage you and your photographer’s expectations is to discuss a general idea of how you want the whole process to go. Are you committed to an engagement session as well as the wedding and a first look? Do you want your photographer there for when you are getting ready, to capture every detail? Or would you rather have a photographer who just captures the major moments? Giving your photographer a general idea of a schedule helps them plan for your wedding, and being open to their suggestions helps them give you exactly what you’re looking for. Some photographer’s shoot for 8 hours on your wedding day, others just for 3, it’s all up to you and the look you’re aiming for. Discussing these details with your photographer before the wedding will help everyone stay on the same page.
3. The relationship between price and value.
You don’t expect the same quality from a $5 throwaway camera as you do from a $1500 Canon DSLR, right? As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Hiring a quality photographer is an investment. This isn’t the place to compromise, these are the photos that make your special day immortal. These are the photos that hang in your house for generations, the photos that you and your grandchildren and your great great grandchildren treasure forever. You can’t have a wedding re-do when you realize the discount photographer forgot to capture the moment of your first dance, or that your whole ceremony was blurry. It’s all about price versus value. If you don’t care if your photos look professional, then you can hire a low budget photographer. But if you want photos that capture the essence of everything you felt that day, that reflect you in your best light and glow with the love you felt that day, then you need to make a fair investment. It’s hard to put a price on art, but if you catch yourself trying to decide to cut the photographer or the napkin holders, just remember the relationship between price and value. It’s an investment in one of the most important memories you’ll ever make.
Interested in booking with Kendall Lauren Photography for your wedding or trying us out for FREE? Give us a call today at 425-220-5252 or email kendall@kendalllauren.com, I would love to meet you!
Kendall Lauren Photography 