Photographers

Hi there,

I'm going to answer in two ways - as a former bride (I got married in April 2017) and as a budding photographer.

As a former bride: I really wanted to capture my day - there was so much that I missed because I got stuck talking to people and saying hello to people etc. Also, seeing the images even now bring up so many emotions of the day, that it's worth the expense. We had some romantic-y shots (which I wasn't looking forward to) but my favourite is during the ceremony where I had just kissed my husband for the first time and I messed up my lipstick - I'm fixing it and he's chuckling away and it's just an adorable candid photo that makes me happy. There's some with my sisters and my friends too which are great mementoes of the day.

On friends & family - we try to get a mate to do our DJing (not photography but a friend doing a favour all the same) and he ended up messing us around and saying he couldn't make it 3 months beforehand. I wouldn't go with a friend doing your photography, just because it's harder to pull them up on things like making sure they get certain shots, they show up on time etc. Unless you have a contract and they're an actual photographer.

Now from a photographer point of view - I'm looking to build up my portfolio as a wedding photographer and I'm offering to do weddings for free (couples have been paying for travel, but my time for free). I'd be happy to talk to you further about this via PM or email.

Hope this helps!

Harps

Hi there,

I'm going to answer in two ways - as a former bride (I got married in April 2017) and as a budding photographer.

As a former bride: I really wanted to capture my day - there was so much that I missed because I got stuck talking to people and saying hello to people etc. Also, seeing the images even now bring up so many emotions of the day, that it's worth the expense. We had some romantic-y shots (which I wasn't looking forward to) but my favourite is during the ceremony where I had just kissed my husband for the first time and I messed up my lipstick - I'm fixing it and he's chuckling away and it's just an adorable candid photo that makes me happy. There's some with my sisters and my friends too which are great mementoes of the day.

On friends & family - we try to get a mate to do our DJing (not photography but a friend doing a favour all the same) and he ended up messing us around and saying he couldn't make it 3 months beforehand. I wouldn't go with a friend doing your photography, just because it's harder to pull them up on things like making sure they get certain shots, they show up on time etc. Unless you have a contract and they're an actual photographer.

Now from a photographer point of view - I'm looking to build up my portfolio as a wedding photographer and I'm offering to do weddings for free (couples have been paying for travel, but my time for free). I'd be happy to talk to you further about this via PM or email. Contact me at ***********@*****.***

Hope this helps!

Harps

I'm a wedding photographer but I was also a young bride who couldn't afford a wedding photographer many years ago! I was the only photographer among my friends (this was in ye olden days of film!) so one of my husband's friends came up from Birmingham to photograph our wedding.

The photos are good for an amateur - back then most amateur photographers were better than some of the people who claim to be "professional" today. Photography was an expensive hobby and we had to be good at using the equipment to avoid wasting film. However, I didn't like the way I looked on the photos and have never displayed a single one. I keep them in an album.

My advice is to consider what you want as the final product. If a few snaps would keep you happy then ask your friends to take photos and share them with you.

If you want photos that look professional then book a real wedding photographer. A wedding photojournalist will be able to take them without you posing for ages.

The wedding photographs gain emotional value as time passes and those that were at the wedding over time sadly pass away. The photography is a great snapshot in time that captures your wedding day, and is something to show your children and hopefully grandchildren.

I have been in photography a long time and I have never known someone who has regretted having a good photographer...they have regretted having a poor photographer or not having one at all...truth is that perceptions change on the subject....what you think you want now is possibly not what you would have wanted to have had in 5 years time......

Go with it........I do not honestly believe that you will be disappointed......and over time, even more grateful that you did.....

Peter

I am not going to run down professional photographers but its got so easy to get in to wedding photography that you really have to be careful, if it looks too cheap then there is a reason for it, buyer beware, too many scammers about as well which you will have to worry about.

Make sure you see hundreds of photos from each wedding and not just the handful they post on facebook.

Find 3 photographers that you like and go from there. If you need any help or advice along the way then just shout

Oh before I finish, my son got married and he didn't want a photographer, no matter how hard I tried to get him to agree he wouldn't have one, so I set up a few cameras on remote guess what is hanging on his walls

Sorry for all the questions, I am very grateful for the advice. A lot of photographers seem to take very romantic/posed shots, which is really not something we want if we go for a photographer. Would I be able to say to a photographer what type of pics we want or do you have set styles you like to shoot?? I guess what I want to know is can I say what photos I want even if its not what the photographer thinks would work or want to take??

Thanks x x

There are 100s of people shooting weddings and many styles so you should be able to find something that suits you both but don't book a photographer based on their description of their style as Bruce said you need to look at many of their real wedding shots to get a true picture of what their style actually is. I have yet to see a photographer describe their work as staged or posed.

In your other post you said you were not sure if you even needed a pro as you do not like your picture taken - but I would say that is exactly the reason that you would need an experienced pro and not someone who has just started and still building a portfolio. I read in your other posts that you have kids so in your case its not just about the two of you also your venue looks fantastic and is going to look great in the shots, it would be a shame to not have any shots that do it justice.

I never thought twice, I see a photographer as essential, photos are a window into the past, they help us recall the moments that matter even when the memories have become fuzzy in our heads. Look for a photographer that specialises in a reporting style, where they take photos of what is going on without posing you.

All you have after your wedding are your memories and your photographs. Like everyone else has said, invest in them.

You spend most the day with your photographer, we're with you from getting ready to first dance, that's a really long time! So you should find a pro you can be comfortable around. Someone who gets who you and your husband are.

I know a lot of photographers, us included, like doing something different, not the same poses for every couple. At the end of the day your photos are yours, and they should show who you are as a couple, and if you're not the romantic type then why should your photos be?

Get on pinterest, find a few photos you like, and send them to photographers, see if their style fits with yours. Some photographers will have space left for 2018, we do, so don't worry about it being 'short notice'.

There are so many wedding photographers to choose from, if you do a little research, there is bound to be one or two photographers whose style that you prefer above others. They don’t all have to be romantic and what you don’t like. Lots of documentary or journalistic photographers out there also, and some able to create some amazing images that have a wow factor that arent necessarily romantic.

I get a lot of couples who come to me who say they really shy, and many who say they don’t like their picture being taken (mostly grooms for some reason!), but on they day they absolutely love it! Make sure you find someone who you get on with and can laugh with, and you feel at ease with. If you feel awkward with your photographer, then this will show in your photos.

The Hitched suppliers section is a good place to start for looking at different styles.

I wrote a few articles that might be useful to have a quick read if you still have questions.

https://www.jeffsham.co.uk/blog/2013/4/How-Much-Should-You-Pay-For-A-Wedding-Photographer

https://www.jeffsham.co.uk/blog/2013/1/Should-Your-Friend-Photograph-Your-Wedding

https://www.jeffsham.co.uk/blog/2017/10/please-dont-make-this-mistake