Nelson Wedding Photographer - How to Choose The Best Photographer for Your Wedding
Where Do You Start? How Do You Choose Your Wedding Photographer?
Choosing the best wedding photographer for you can be one of the more difficult aspects to navigate when planning a wedding. It's definitely worth being thorough in your research, but it doesn't have to be too time consuming or hard. I've compiled a few hints and a list of questions to help guide you in working out who you'd like to work with, to help you on your way!
A quick disclaimer, I am a Nelson wedding photographer and have tried to be super unbiased 🤣 I've thrown my bit right at the end so you can skip out when you've read the info you are after
xxx Lula
1. Get looking ASAP!
Lots of photographers book up a year in advance or more, so get in quickly to start your enquiries.
2. Explore your options.
Viewing images on websites and social media will give you an insight into the photographer's style, try looking for hashtags mentioning your wedding location+photographer. Ask your recently married friends for recommendations, visit wedding expos (I am hanging out for a Nelson wedding expo, people! Let's manifest one...), utilise Google, and ask your venue and celebrant.
3. Style and aesthetic.
Consider the style and aesthetic of the photographer's work. Do you prefer a more candid, photojournalistic approach, or do you like more posed and traditional shots or a combination? Make sure the photographer's style aligns with your vision for your wedding photos.
4. Reviews and testimonials.
Read reviews and testimonials from past clients to get an idea of the photographer's professionalism, work ethic, and overall experience. This can provide valuable insights into whether the photographer is a good fit for your wedding.
5. Flexibility and adaptability.
Some wedding days do not go exactly as planned, and you'll want a photographer who can adapt to changes and unexpected situations, just in case. Ask about their experience in handling last minute changes or challenges and how they handle them.
6. Narrow them down.
You can narrow them down by working out which images and also whose words really speak to you. Put them on your list if you are feeling their vibe.
Your grandbabies may one day be holding one of these photos, telling their children, "This is your great-grandparents on their wedding day!"
Once you have a shortlist, it will be less overwhelming to find out who will be the best fit for you.
7. Consider your budget.
Some photographers have their prices on their website, others don't. Some will share them when you enquire, others would rather share with you in an in-person consultation.
8. Contact them.
Ask them if they have your date available. From here, it's a great idea to chat with them in one form or another and see if you hit it off.
They will be near you for most of your wedding day, so they have to be pretty fabulous as people!
Choosing the best Wedding Photographer for you
Questions to Ask Your Potential Wedding Photographer
- Are you the photographer that will be shooting my wedding?
While many photography businesses are run solely by the photographer who will photograph your wedding, some utilise associate photographers and some are larger establishments who
have multiple photographers, you will want to view images from your specific photographer rather than from the umbrella company.
- What procedures do you have in place for keeping files and images safe?
This is a big, important juicy one! Stories of lost wedding images are heartbreaking. One backup is not a backup, it's not enough. Backup equipment is also important on the day.
- Can I see a full wedding gallery you have shot recently?
This gives you a more realistic overview of their work.
- What do I need to know in regards to your contract/deposit/terms of booking?
Wedding photography contracts are long and boring and maybe a little intimidating, but they are very important in protecting you both and making expectations crystal clear.
- What is included in the package?
It helps to know what you are after, photographers deal in digitals, prints, albums, and/or wall art. Many people choose digitals but it is definitely worth considering albums too - some
photographers have special access to professional labs that output phenomenal quality products, such as Queensberry. Will I need a second shooter?
You made it to my bit, hey, I am no longer being unbiased from here, kk?
Velvet Moon Photography by Lula, Nelson wedding photographer
If you've made it this far, I'd love to tell you a little about me and the business I freaken love. I am personally a little alternative, but you will find me equally comfortable and reassuring in Catholic Church ceremonies, boho weddings, Pagan handfastings, beach weddings, Marae weddings, Burning Man style festival weddings, and I am not even kidding - I have had one, prawn farm weddings.
And everything in between! Which is a lot, that's quite the spectrum.
I am mostly a documentary style photographer but I do also love getting on in there and creating with my clients. Being responsive to my clients and their flow means that I am not stylistically in a box and I adapt to fit the people I am creating for. That's YOU.
I love my deep jewel tones. And I am obsessed with high contrast black and whites, and I can tell you right now that is 100% due to Ilford's Velvet Stipple photographic print paper that I used learning to print images in the darkroom. Nostalgia. If I can't hallucinate the smell of the darkroom chemicals, I'm not post-processing right 😏
I'd love to chat with you if you think our vibes would fit well and you dig my work xx I bet I'll dig your wedding too.
xxx Lula 🌛
SOME LINKS FOR YOU:
MY APPROACH TO WEDDINGS IS HERE
