Expectations To Have From Your Wedding Photographer (+ How To Evaluate)

Booking a wedding photographer is like entering into a very intimate relationship. You will spend a lot of time with this person before, during, and after your wedding. Faith and trust in your photographer can make or break this vital relationship. Although you should share any visions you have regarding your wedding images, you will need to put a lot of trust in your photographer. Feeling confident you can have the following expectations from your wedding photographer will result in better wedding images and relieve stress for your day.

They can Choose an Appropriate Location for Shots

Your wedding photographer should take the time to scout the reception location or areas around your ceremony site. Your photographer needs to constantly be evaluating lighting, wind direction, scenery, and space constraints to find the best places to photograph. Once all of these things are considered, they will know which spots are primed and ready during any part of your day, for any portrait time.

The best way to evaluate a photographer’s ability to choose appropriate locations for shots during your wedding day is to review their full day wedding galleries.

They Know the Appropriate Timing for Portraits

Lighting is key to creating beautiful images. Of course, using the sun’s natural light will produce the best lighting setting, but that does not mean the sun’s light will give you the same results throughout the day. Your photographer will work with you ahead of your day to discuss a timeline that will best take advantage of those gorgeous outdoor golden hour portraits. Or when to sneak outside to take a sunset or night-inspired photos. But, most importantly, they will also know how to take portraits no matter what timing the day requires or what sunlight is available.

Now that you have reviewed full day wedding galleries from potential photographers, the best way to evaluate their ability to maintain an appropriate timeline for the day is to ask what their planning process is. Do they develop a photography timeline with their clients? Do they seem to understand time requirements for different parts of a wedding day?

They Know How to Pose

Taking photographs may feel very foreign to you. However, your wedding photographer poses in all shapes and sizes in front of their cameras daily and should have the knowledge and experience to produce the best images for you. You should be able to trust your photographer is posing you in the most flattering way possible. While posing, not only does a photographer need to consider what is most flattering for you, they also need to be evaluating how the light is illuminating your face and what is in the background. Also keep in mind that wedding days typically have limited time and limited perfect lighting. Therefore, by trusting that your photographer is posing you most advantageously, and has the expertise and experience to do so in a quick manner, you will not be wasting any potentially perfect portrait taking opportunity.

The best way to feel comfortable and confident that your wedding photographer will know how to pose you is to book a portrait session with them ahead of your wedding day.

They Know How to Edit Photos Consistently

The editing process is a big part of your photographer’s style, probably one of the biggest reasons you hired them. You will want to trust your photographer’s creativity during editing. As they edit, they will know which images will look stunning in black and white, in color, or cropped, and which to add special effects to. Trust that your photographer will use their skills to make each image spectacular.

Again, reviewing full day wedding galleries will give you an insight into whether or not your photographer can edit a full day of photos to have a consistent look. However, you can also evaluate their editing talents by asking for any special images they can create on your wedding day. For example, do they offer to create twilight photos?

They Can Print Your Photos

Your photographer has probably spent years determining where to get prints made and has a long-term relationship with a reputable printing company. The worst feeling in the world is to take one of your stunning images, order a large photo from a place that doesn’t specialize in printing, and be unhappy with the results. For example, the colors are off, the print looks blurry, or it is dull and dark in appearance. Your wedding photographer should know the best options for obtaining high-quality heirloom keepsakes from your photos. They should also knowledge to be able to help you determine what size print would be best for your wall art and which images will look best in your album. Having all of this print knowledge also means that they know how to best edit and prepare photos for print.

Ask any potential photographer if they offer prints and albums and to see examples.

“Yes, I want Pink Spruce Photography to capture my wedding!”

(if that sounds like you, send the following inquiry my way, and I will be in touch)