The Ultimate Guide to Regret-Free Wedding Photos
If you’re planning your wedding, I’m willing to bet that you’ve heard some advice to the effect of: “Your photographer is SOOOO important, be sure you get a good one.” This advice, solicited or no, is well meaning, but can often add stress. This is especially true if the person offering the advice also shares their own tale of regret.
When it comes to wedding photography, I’ve heard more regret stories than you can imagine. From last minute cancelations, to photos that aren’t remotely as good as the photographer’s portfolio, to missing important moments, to wildly unprofessional behavior on the wedding day. People tell me these stories all the time, usually accompanied by “we don’t want that to happen at our wedding, which is why we’re talking to you.”
I’ve been a wedding photographer for 15 years and I teach other wedding pros about customer service. I’m going to share my best advice on how to save yourself from wedding photo regrets.
And no I’m not going to just tell you to spend more money. (though that can help in some situations)
Tip #1: To pick the right photographer—always ask to see full galleries.
When you’re initially looking for your wedding photographer, you can and should let vibes be your guide. Your wedding style, your favorite colors, and the photos that inspire you are unique. Your photographer is not just one piece of the puzzle on the wedding day—they are involved with every part of your day. their job is to preserve everything about your wedding so you can enjoy remembering your day years into the future. The look and feel of the photos are something that you alone can know if you love or not. I suggest looking at wedding photographer’s websites and compiling your favorites based on your gut reaction to their photos.
Once you’ve found a few photographers whose work makes your heart skip a beat—now what? The next step is to inquire with each photographer. This will likely be the only way to find out if they have your date available, and for many photographers, you’ll have to inquire to receive a full price list.
After you inquire—this is where it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Every photographer is their own small business owner so their process and pricing might be wildly different than other similar photographers in the same market. It can feel like comparing apples to oranges, and a lot of people get stuck here.
Here’s your next step: Ask each photographer you’re considering if you can see a few full galleries from weddings they’ve photographed.
Any professional should be able to easily provide this for you, in fact many photographers will be eager to show you a more in depth look at their work. If someone can’t or won’t provide galleries, that’s a red flag.
Why do you have to ask? Why don’t photographers just provide links to full galleries on their websites so we don’t have to go through this? The short answer is privacy. Most couples are comfortable with some of their photos being displayed on their photographers website or even being published in a magazine—but every single one of a thousand or so photos of every significant person in a couple’s life is a little much to share with the internet at large.
Also, wedding photographers, like every business owner, like to put their best foot forward. Their websites and social media are going to contain their best-of-the-best photos, because you’ll be comparing those photos to other photographers’ best. When you ask for a full gallery, you also get to see the less-than-perfect moments images that are still worth including because they are part of the couple’s story. Seeing how a photographer you’re considering captures imperfect photos is, of course, the point. I don’t care if you’re the best photographer on the planet, a wedding day is several straight hours of photographing everything that happens. There’s no way for every photo to be completely perfect.
When you look at full galleries, here’s what you’re looking for:
Do the photos match the portfolio I fell in love with? Do the colors change dramatically after sunset or when a photo was taken indoors? Do some of the photos look haphazard or unfinished? You want to be sure that all the photos from the day are up to your standards, not just the ones that get featured on Instagram. Wedding photographers in today’s day and age often participate in “styled shoots” which are awesome because they can help fill in artistic gaps in their portfolio BUT, occasionally this means a photographer has a GORGEOUS portfolio or perfect Instagram grid, but can’t actually take photos that are up to the same quality on a wedding day. Full galleries are a way of checking their work.
Does it feel like I got to see everything? Are there plenty of photos of guests, candid moments, and people getting ready? Are there close up, medium, and wide shots of important moments like the ceremony? To be fair, not every wedding has every element (sometimes couples don’t opt for coverage that includes getting ready, or a grand exit for schedule reasons), but this is why multiple galleries are key—each one should feel like you got to see the whole day. When you see your own gallery, you want to remember what it felt like to be there, so thorough coverage of every part of the day is what you’re looking for.
Would I be happy if this was my wedding gallery? The full gallery is the product you’re purchasing, so viewing a full wedding gallery is the closest you can get to seeing exactly what you’re going to get before your wedding.
Tip #2 Before you sign the contract, look for hidden costs, and verify that you feel comfortable.
Chances are, after looking at full galleries, you’ll have a really good intuitive sense of which photographer is at the top of your list in terms of style. Now it’s time to make sure you like the way they work, including how they listen to you, how much trust you feel, how comfortable you think you’ll be in front of their camera, and which package, collection, or coverage time is right for your wedding.
When reviewing pricing, here are some things to consider:
Do you get the full resolution image files of each photo with your initial investment? There’s a common photography pricing model that charges clients a certain fee to take the photos, but then the images themselves (either printed, digital, or both) cost extra. I personally feel that this pricing model is not appropriate for Wedding Photos. (It makes a lot more sense in a portrait session where you’re picking between multiple similar images). On your wedding day, you’re going to want ALL of the photos, because you don’t know which ones will be most important as time goes on. When you’re forced to pay per image after your wedding, you end up having to make really hard choices about irreplaceable memories, and often spend additional thousands of dollars so the photographer doesn’t delete photos you’re on the fence about. Watch out for language like “ordering appointment” which can indicate that you’ll have to view your images under supervision (and potentially be pressured to shell out for them). Fortunately most wedding photographers do include all the images, but it’s important to verify before signing your contract, especially at lower price points. (Libby Dollar Photography always includes all of your final image files with every wedding package)
How many hours do you really need? Typically, photography is booked way before you’ve made your wedding day timeline. Sometimes it can be hard to know if you need 6, 8, or 10 hours before all the details fall into place. The good news is, most photographers will let you increase your hourly coverage but not downgrade it, so if you can’t decide between two packages, ask if you can book the one with less hours and upgrade later. It’s also worth noting that almost all wedding photography coverage is continuous, so if you’re trying to reduce hours to fit into a smaller package the only hours that can be cut are at the beginning or end of the day.
Does your package include physical products? The most important thing you’re getting from a photographer is the art they’re making for you. That’s the part that only they can do, so if your budget is tight, it’s a better bet to invest in a photographer who is going to make high-quality images for you, rather than one who includes the most prints and albums.
Before booking, verify that you’re able to print your images on your own and/or order prints and products from your photographer after the wedding when your budget may allow for more flexibility. That said, don’t plan on just taking your gallery to Wallgreens. Professional photographers have access to professional print labs that don’t sell to the public, so if you’re looking for great heirloom quality prints, it’s a good idea to order through your photographer or ask them if there’s a lab they recommend.
Remember that price doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the photos Quality is subjective. A photo that takes your breath away might make another couple say “I don’t get it.” But, what price does reflect is the time and attention your photographer is able to devote to you. A photographer who is great at customer service is going to spend time finding out about you, learning what makes you comfortable in front of the camera and what photos you would be most thrilled to see. They’ll also need to speak with your planner (potentially multiple times) to make sure the day goes smoothly, potentially do a site visit of your venue, find out about your other vendors and tag them in social media posts, and any number of other important tasks like improving their craft, upgrading their gear and software, properly backing up your photos and paying for taxes and insurance. A budget photographer may have a process that delivers excellent photos, but they are unlikely to be able to customize any part of their process if you have any needs or requests that differ from their usual client.
Tip #3 Once you have your photographer booked, clearly communicate your wants and needs.
Wedding photographers are artists, so you may have heard the advice to pick the one that aligns with your vision and then just stand back and let them do their thing. While there’s some truth to this, (no one does their best work when they’re micro managed) the art that’s being created isn’t just for their portfolio or a gallery—its art that is for and about your unique life. Your input and your priorities are information your photographer needs to do their best work for you. You just don’t want to end up saying: “Hey copy these photos on my Pinterest board,” because copying grinds the creative process to a halt. This is both because the photographer may feel like you don’t trust them if you’re asking for overly specific copy images, and also because copying another photographer’s work isn’t actually possible. Instead, try communicating the following with your photographer.
How to get the best out of your photographer:
Tell your photographer about your favorite photos in their portfolio. Is there one image of theirs that you imagine yourself in it? What drew you to them over other photographers? Is it the way they capture candids? The overall colors in their portfolio? A particularly emotional moment? An epic landscape shot? By letting the photographer know why you chose them and what you like about their work, you’re not just letting them know how to please you, you’re also building trust.
Be upfront about your worries and insecurities. Most people are worried about looking good in photos, but “looking good” can mean different things to different people. If you’re worried about your arms or double chin or bald spot, say this out loud to your photographer. This helps us know exactly how we can be part of your solution. Believe it or not, we don’t see your perceived flaws the way you do—and probably don’t even notice them at all. If something about your look is going to bother you later, speak up at the shoot, or even sooner. A lot of people think photoshop can do anything, but it’s way more important to get it right when we’re shooting. Posing, camera angle, and lens choice can do way more to make a photo flattering than photoshop ever could.
Tell us about any wedding drama. Unfortunately, even with the perfect plan, your wedding can sometimes be stressful. Your photographer is the one vendor who is around you all day on your wedding day, so cluing us in to anything that’s affecting you can help us help you. If you have stepparents that don’t like to be around each other, for example, telling your photographer keeps us from causing a potential scene by cluelessly lining them up together during family photos. It’s also always good for us to understand your headspace. How you feel in your photos is how you look in your photos, so if you’re managing a situation in your head that might come out on your face. If we know what’s going on with you we can better be a part of your team.
Tell us about the photos you have in your head. Imagine yourself on your first wedding anniversary. You sit down at your coffee table with your spouse and pick up your wedding album. You’re feeling all the squishy newlywed feelings and you want to look at your photos and remember what one of the most significant days of your lives felt like. What images come to mind when you close your eyes? For some it’s an amazing portrait of you and your partner looking stunning with the gorgeous venue you carefully selected behind you. For some it’s the candid photos of family and friends smiling their genuine smiles or making that face only they make. For others, it’s a specific moment of the day, like the kiss at the altar, the first dance, or cutting the cake. Whatever it is, let your photographer know what you are most looking forward to seeing. They might just spend a little extra time on that shot, and it definitely won’t get missed.
Last but not least, remember that the only thing that matters about your wedding photos is how YOU feel about them—whether that’s when you first see them or on your 20th anniversary. It’s easy to feel pulled in different directions by all the different wedding inspiration that’s out there, but try to remember that at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is what you personally like. Following your gut on what you like might make you a trendsetter too! I’m sure the first person to use disco balls or pampas grass in their wedding decor felt like they were going against the grain—but they set the biggest trends of the last decade. Maybe your unique touch is the next big thing—and your photos will tell the story.
This article was written by Libby Dollar, and cross-posted at www.visitthevenues.com