How To Choose A Wedding Photographer

Best advice on how to choose a wedding photographer

One of the biggest questions couples encounter throughout the planning process is how to choose a wedding photographer who will capture their special day in the way they want to remember it, and check all the boxes that are important to them. The photographs are one of the few things you will have—beside your own memories—to remember and share your day for generations to come.

Budget and availability play a big role in who you book. There are other points to consider in making your decision, too. Style, experience, and compatibility are key to ensure the person you hire will capture your day in the way you want your story told.

I photographed my first wedding in the spring of 2009 at lovely Eolia Mansion at Harkness State Park. It was a favor for a friend, and let me tell you, I’ve learned a lot since then! I didn’t start shooting weddings officially until 2017, when I launched my photography business, Courtney Cania Photography. I captured a few weddings as a solo photographer, and then spent close to three years as a second photographer, creating work under other photographers’ brands, before returning to wedding photography as a lead.

Second shooting was such a fun, low-pressure way to learn about the industry from award-winning pros. I learned everything from posing, organization and planning, lighting, and essentially everything it takes to help a couple make their wedding day photography a beautiful experience. I’ve captured both low-key intimate events and grand affairs.

Wedding photography is the best genre of photography in my opinion. Yes, the stakes are high, and it’s an honor to be alongside couples on their most exciting, happiest day, at the most beautiful locations in New England. I’m truly living my dream!

Envision Your Ideal Wedding Photographer and Collection

I think back to when I planned my wedding. I had never planned a wedding before. I had zero clue about any of it beyond what I could find on The Knot and in the bridal magazines that I poured over endlessly. It’s hard to know what you want, or what questions to ask, not only about wedding photography, but wedding planning in general.

When you envision your ideal wedding photographer and collection, what images come to mind when you see yourself flipping through your future photo album? What do you expect will be included in your investment, and which moments do you want captured to take into the future with you?

Important questions to determine expectations of your wedding photographer:

• In general do you and your partner like posing for portraits? Are you willing to devote 30 minutes for portraits on your wedding day?
• Do you want to be able to celebrate with friends and family at your cocktail hour, or are you okay spending that time making portraits? If you want to be at your cocktail hour, I suggest a first look!
• How important are family photos and photos with your bridesmaids and groomsmen?
• Do you prefer candid images over posed, smiling-at-camera images? Do you prefer a mix of candid and posed images, or more of less of one type or the other?
• Do you prefer bright, happy images or emotional, dramatic images?
• Do you like images with a vintage artsy vibe, or a clean, contemporary look?
• If you’ve seen the presence and work of photographers at weddings you attended, what did you notice or prefer about the experience and the images?
• What do you intend to do with your wedding images? Do you want to print wall art or albums? Or do you think you’ll mostly want to share digital files with friends and family? Do you want the rights to print the images on your own?

Style

Beyond the many styles of wedding photography, some photographer styles are a mix of more than one, or do not fit neatly into a single category. With various editing trends, it’s important to choose a photographer who will produce images in a style that you will enjoy throughout the years. Many photographers will not provide RAW, unedited files, even at an additional cost, and their copyrights do not legally permit re-editing by anyone else.

Styles of Wedding Photography

Traditional

Traditional wedding photography incorporates a hands-on approach from your photographer with lots of direction, guidance, and posing for couples, family, and wedding party portraits. The classic, big moments of the day are captured as they occur (first kiss, cake cutting, dances, etc…) with some guidance from the photographer, and images are typically edited in a natural way.

Photojournalistic/Documentary

The photographer acts as a fly on the wall, hanging back and capturing your day without any involvement. Your images will be comprised of authentic, undirected moments, captured as they did in real life in whatever location and lighting condition was available. Sometimes photojournalistic photographers break from this style for the couples, wedding party, and family portrait portion of your day.

Lifestyle

This type of wedding photography is a blend of Documentary and Traditional wedding photography, with a goal to capture authentic, natural moments and portraits, yet there is some involvement from the photographer to direct, control the light, and choose locations.

Fine Art

This style of wedding photography may be a mix of other styles, such as traditional and editorial, and often involves medium format, and the “look” of film, when a film camera is not actually used. The environment, scenery, motifs, and decorative elements are incorporated into the artistry of your wedding collection. This style of wedding photography is driven by beauty and the ideal, are often bright, pastel in tone, and described as ethereal and airy.

Light & Airy

More of an editing style than an approach, Light & Airy wedding photography is very similar to the Fine Art style. Images take on the look of film without being made on a film camera. While Light & Airy is an editing style, there are techniques photographers need to employ to get the bright look. This involves choosing locations with lots of open shade and light, keeping within certain color palettes, and exposing for shadow detail while retaining highlights. Light & Airy style may overlap with Traditional, Fine Art, and Lifestyle approaches to wedding photography, as well.

Editorial

I find this style the hardest to define! I think of it as an elevated form of Lifestyle wedding photography with more style and edge. It’s what you might see in a luxe wedding magazine: lots of angles and exaggerated posing. Rarely are the subjects both looking at the camera. There’s emphasis on storytelling, fashion, and details.

Dramatic/Cinematic/Moody

There are subtle differences across these styles, but in essence, this style is best known for its chiaroscuro, deep shadows and contrasting highlights. Images are evocative, dynamic, and may be made from natural or created light, such as off-camera flash. Subjects are often illuminated with bright, dappled, or moody light, against a dark background. The light itself tells a story in addition to the subject. You sometimes see this approach paired with documentary and editorial wedding photography.

Things to Look for in Determining the Style of Work Produced by Photographers

In addition to the aesthetic look of a photographer’s portfolio, consider the content of what they photograph. None of the following are negative to see in a portfolio, but what you see represents what the photographer likes to photograph, and what you will likely receive in your gallery. Photographers live by the mantra: show what you want to shoot. From the client perspective, what you see in a portfolio is what the photographer wants to capture.

• Are you seeing lots of images of wedding details, such as flowers, jewelry, wedding attire, ceremony and reception decor?
• Do you see mostly images of people? Are they posed or do they appear to be candid moments?
• Are the subjects looking at each other or looking at the camera?
• Are the images close up, wide-angle?
• Is everything in focus or is there a single subject where the rest of the scene is blurred?
• What are people doing in the scene? Are they joyful, tearful, exciting images, or are they more quiet, pensive, thoughtful images?

Ask to See Full Galleries

You may not be able to fully discern a photographer’s style and get a strong sense of what your wedding photography collection will look like just by looking at their website and social media. The portfolio is a highlight reel. Ask to see a few full galleries from recent weddings, as this is the best way to get a broad overview of the photographer’s work, and see the images that never make the cut to be shared online.

It’s important to note that model releases for weddings do not extend to guests, so often a photographer won’t post images publicly of guests, especially children, online.

Approach & Process

A photographer’s approach is how they photograph a wedding day and create the images you see in their portfolio.

In terms of style, a documentary photographer will likely hang back and not interfere with the moments and flow of your day. This is intentional and with the purpose to create images as naturally and authentic as the moments themselves. Some documentary wedding photographers will make exceptions for their approach to capture family and wedding party portraits, and intentional portraits of the couple. When working with a documentary style photographer, don’t expect to be posed.

On the other end of the spectrum, Lifestyle and Traditional wedding photographers will take a hands-on approach documenting your day to ensure there is time carved into your timeline to photograph key moments from getting ready to a grand exit. They will pose, direct, and guide you throughout all moments except for your ceremony and most of the reception. The posing may be anything from choosing locations, positioning you in the best light, directing your body movements, where to look, and what to do.

A photographer’s process covers not only how they capture your day, but the planning put into the entire client experience, from contracting to educating clients about what to expect, help with planning, and setting you up to have the best wedding photography experience possible. Just as how everyone has varying degrees of organization, some photographers may be more granular in their process and client education than other photographers.

It’s wise to ask the photographer you’re interviewing about their approach and process to ensure it jives with what you are seeking, and your comfort level thinking through all the details or keeping plans loose.

Investment

By now you’ve seen that you can spend as little or as much as you want on wedding photography. Experienced photographers set their prices based on their cost of doing business in conjunction with how many weddings they book per year.

Your photographer works at least 40 hours on your total experience, though they may only spend 8 hours with you on your wedding day.

While a $5000 sticker price may set your jaw agape, remember that your photographer will not only spend a full day with you, but travels to your venue, spends hours in communication with you and your vendors, includes time photographing and editing your engagement session, writes contracts, designs albums, finely tunes timelines, and sources top-notch second photographers to ensure you have a wonderful wedding experience.

After your wedding day, your photographer spends another 10+ hours editing and perfecting your photos. I’ve estimated the time that goes into shooting one full-day wedding at between 40-50 hours. In addition, your rate goes toward business overhead costs such as marketing, studio rent, business licenses, insurance, and more.

Empathy for your budet

I had a tight budget for my own wedding back in 2011. Even if rates are justified, the investment may be out of reach. There are talented photographers at every budget and each offers different package options. Be sure to see what’s included in your package rate, such as digital files and print rights, additional costs for a second photographer, travel, and albums.

What’s Included & Turnaround Time

Each photographer will include something different in their packages. You’ll want to compare their offerings according to what’s important to you. Do you care about having an engagement session? Will you use those images for a save-the-date invitation or your wedding website? Is having a custom album a priority? What will you do with your images? Are you interested in wall art? Do you care most about having a photographer who can serve up a list of trusted vendors? Vendor recommendations are especially important if you aren’t receiving professional planning help and planning an elopement or wedding in a different state.

When will you receive your images?

It’s wise to ask upfront when your final image gallery will be delivered. Will you wait two weeks or two months to see the images from your day? Many photographers send a “sneak peek” which is a handful of images that are delivered to you just after your wedding, and sometimes on the same day!

What to look for in package offerings

• Solo or additional photographers
• Engagement session
• Print rights
• Wall art and albums
• General number of images delivered
• Help with photography timeline, vendors, and planning

A note about your timeline

While you, your planner, or your venue will determine the ceremony and reception start times, your photographer has to determine when to fit in certain photographic moments. These photographic moments include getting ready, a first look, portraits, the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and exit. Your photographer will need to block times for capturing your ceremony and reception details set up before guests arrive, portraits of the couple, family, and wedding party. I work closely with couples to build a timeline that allows me to capture all these moments in union with your planner and venue/vendors. This is a big part of my role beside making the images. You want to select a photographer who has experience and a process for capturing these moments, is well organized, and open to collaborating with your creative team.

Why you want a second photographer

There are sections of a full-coverage wedding day that are best documented with two photographers present. A single photographer can’t be everywhere, and there are two of you! Especially during the getting ready portion, a first look, and the ceremony, having two people photographing provides alternate perspectives and assurance that you moments are captured completely.

When you pay the additional fee for a second photographer, or choose a package that includes two photographers, you receive the value of:

• More images, more angles, more creativity.
• Both celebrants and sides of the wedding party are documented getting ready.
• More images of guests mingling at cocktail hour.
• More time for your lead photographer to capture the beautiful wedding details and decor you spent hours planning.
• Second photographer assists the lead to ensure all family photos are captured, and helps wrangle family members.
• A built-in back up for the rare and unexpected event in which your lead photographer can’t make it to your wedding.

The lead photographer typically hires and contracts with a second photographer independently from your contract, unless the photographer employs an associate as part of the package. The lead photographer culls and edits the second photographer’s images and provides you with a seamless gallery.

What I saw, and what she saw! The images on the left are my images, and the shots on the right are the second photographer’s images.

Review the Contract

Before you sign on the dotted line, you want to read and understand your contract. With the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020, the wedding industry was turned upside down, and both vendors and couples felt the heartache and wallet sting of wedding cancellations, new logistical hoops, and unusual scenarios that had everyone questioning what to do if either the photographer or the couple had to cancel last minute. Both parties should enter into an agreement knowing what happens in the scenario of a cancelled wedding, as a result of a act of nature, or unexpected event.

Important Sections of Your Wedding Photography Agreement and Contract

• Ensure key dates, locations, and names are all correct
• Liability Insurance – The contract may not state this, but you will want to ask about insurance if your venue requires it.
• Model release – Signing this allows the photographer to share and use images of you as outlined in their contract.
• Make sure the items that are advertised online–engagement session, print rights, number of images delivered, turnaround time) are all there!
• Payment Schedule – This is not always in the contract, but you’ll want to know how much and when you are expected to pay!
• Cancellation policy – What happens if either party needs to cancel or reschedule?

Experience & Reviews

Word-of-mouth, online search and reviews, and vendor referrals are the top ways that my couples learn about me, and likely the methods you are using to find your wedding photographer. Most-likely you are going to trust your close family and friends and their firsthand experience with a photographer at their wedding, or a wedding they attended. You can read reviews online to get a gist of what the photographer is all about and what to expect. That said, you really want to 1) weigh the authenticity of the reviews, 2) look to see when the reviews were posted, and 3) see who posted them. Always trust your gut feeling. If something feels “off” do a bit more digging.

When reviewing a photographer’s portfolio, you may want to look at the following things:

• Does the photographer shoot a breadth of weddings?
• How many weddings has the photographer photographed, and are the weddings like the one that you are planning?
• Does the photographer have experience photographing at your venue, or experience with the area?

Compatibility

Your photographer will be with you all day long! It’s important to actually like them, and want them at your event. Having a face-to-face meeting, a phone call, or a video chat will help you get to know your photographer before you book, and decide pretty quickly if they are someone who you will enjoy working with.

The next step will be to take advantage of an engagement session or any type of in-person meeting, such as a site visit, before your wedding day. Again, this will help you feel comfortable with your photographer ahead of your wedding day.

Questions to ask yourself when gauging the compatibility of your photographer with yourselves as a couple:

• Do you like your photographer? How important is that to you?
• Can they wrangle your family and friends?
• Are they organized and detail-oriented?
• Are you on the same page in terms of moments captured, important aspects of wedding photography, posing and capturing candid moments?
• Do you feel comfortable having them as part of one of your most important/intimate moments of your life?
• Do you think they will play well with others? The wedding photographer interfaces with site coordinator at and other vendors, will they work in a professional and approachable manner to help ensure your day goes smoothly?

Final Thoughts

There is a photographer out there for every type of wedding, every couple, and every budget. The best way to find the right photographer for you is to determine your priorities and develop a strong sense of what’s important for the way you want your story told and your unique wedding. A good photographer will prioritize finding clients who are a good match over filling up their schedule. Because in the end, if everyone is satisfied and feels good about the relationship and the work produced, everyone is happy!