Picking the right photography for your wedding has become an art form. Couples today want to know more about the wedding photography styles and packages that are offered before they sign a contract. We’ve got the styles you need to know and the questions you should ask before hiring a wedding photographer to capture those special moments on your wedding day.
We’ve got the tips you need to pick the right wedding photography style.
Picking Your Wedding Photography Style
Here are some wedding photography options you want to consider before signing a wedding photography contract:
- Photojournalism: This popular wedding photography option is all the rage right now. This real world approach to photography created by news media photojournalists captures your wedding in real time. Rather than posing for pictures, the photographer follows you, your wedding party and guests throughout the day, capturing amazing real time shots to depict your wedding story through pictures.
- Traditional: This tried and true photography art form pumps out posed photographs that you’re most likely to use in a portrait wedding album. Photographers work closely with the bride and groom to take pictures of the wedding party and wedding guests, adjusting the background and telling people where to stand.
- Portraiture: An offshoot of traditional photography, portraiture shots work to emphasize the people of your wedding while using unique angles. Example: Picture a couple embracing farther away to also capture the beautiful garden in the background.
- High Fashion: A growing wedding photography trend is using a photographer that can make your portraits more artsy and glamorous while also focusing on your dress. Think high fashion magazine cover shots as examples.
- Natural Light: Forget the camera flash that has your Dad blinking furiously after each shot. Photographers can use natural daylight to create more natural shots at any time of the day. Warning: These photographers must be prepared to deal with lighting and other issues that Mother Nature might throw their way on your day.
- Illustrative: An engagement photo staple, illustrative photography involves placing a couple in an interesting and visual place while allowing the couple to act spontaneously while capturing real life moments on camera.
Wedding Photography Questions
The traditional photography art form is still popular for posed shots used for wedding albums.
Make sure you ask these questions with each photographer before you make a hiring decision:
- Are you available on my wedding date? Start with this question and that will save you a lot of time.
- Are you the photographer shooting my wedding? If the answer is no, find out who is and ask them these same questions.
- How long have you been shooting weddings and how many have you photographed?
- Have you shot at my wedding ceremony/reception venues before?
- Can I see a portfolio of the most recent weddings you photographed?
- Will you work closely with my videographer/DJ/florist/wedding coordinator to get the shots you want?
- What’s your wedding photography style?
- Can you handle the wedding photography style I want?
- Do you take pictures in color and black and white?
- Can I give you a list of specific shots we want taken?
- What kind of equipment do you use and will you have backup cameras handy if one fails?
Photography Fallbacks
Weddings are tricky. Ceremonies or receptions typically run past their scheduled times. Knowing this, you have to make sure your photographer and his or her contract allows for such delays. Make sure the photographer will stick around if the allotted time runs over and ask what kind of fee, if any, is charged for extra time in the contract. Also confirm your wedding photography business has liability insurance and offers a refund/cancellation policy if the wedding has to be rescheduled. Make sure your photography business also has a backup plan in place if your hired photographer becomes ill on the wedding day.
Ask About Assistants
Even Batman needs Robin, so don’t be afraid to ask for a photography assistant. If your wedding will accommodate 50 or more guests, it becomes much more difficult for one photographer to capture that special “I Do” moment at the altar and turn around and get the tear forming in your mother’s eye in the next shot. Assistants can help cover all the special moment photography ground at a wedding.
Natural light and portraiture wedding photography can emphasize both a couple and beautiful scenery.
Photography Packages
It’s important to be educated and know exactly what you’re paying for so you’re not disappointed with the final results. The following questions should be asked about photography packages:
- How many packages do you offer and how do they differ?
- Can I customize a package if I like aspects of different packages?
- Will you offer a photo booth option at our reception?
- When will we be able to review proofs?
- Will you retouch or adjust photos at our request?
- What’s the date we will receive our photos by after the wedding?
Now that you’re confident you have a wedding photography plan in place to capture every special moment of your wedding, it’s time to plan an amazing reception that can accommodate your guests at The Roberts Centre. The Roberts Centre’s wedding event planning staff can help you with all of your wedding details and help provide the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos. Contact us today at 937-283-3272.
