ISPWP Industry Tricks For How To Hire YOUR Best Wedding Photographer

Are there any “insider tricks” you should know about how to hire a great wedding photographer and ensure great wedding photos? Besides the age-old advice that you look great when you feel great, there are a few industry secrets from ISPWP wedding photographers that will help with booking the best wedding photographer for YOUR wedding.

Book Early
As soon as you secure your date and your venue, start looking for an experienced photographer. Since most photographers can only book one wedding per day, and some only book one per weekend, your wedding date could be quickly unavailable if it’s a prime date in your area. 

Some photographers limit the number of weddings they book per month, so they can keep up with editing, or take strategic days off for family time. When you find photographers who you admire, schedule meetings with them as soon as possible and begin the winnowing-down process to choose who you feel is the best fit for your wedding vision. A good rule of thumb is to meet with 3 or 4 photographers.

Ask for References
Online reviews may be somewhat helpful, but are you sure that all of the reviews are legitimate. Do you know if they have been edited? Do you know if all negative reviews are included? Asking for references from past clients, and talking to those clients, is one way to get real-world opinions of how the process of working with the photographer was from booking through the delivery of the wedding photos.

Look at Examples of Complete Wedding
It’s easy for inexperienced wedding photographers to post a few favorite images on their website to impress future clients. But to get a better idea of what YOUR wedding photos will actually look like, look at completed wedding albums from past clients, or look at the complete set of images that were delivered to past clients. 

Most experienced wedding photographers will have a certain style that will be consistent from wedding to wedding, and by seeing a few examples, you’ll have a much better idea of the photographer’s style and how YOUR wedding pictures will look. If you do this for all 3 or 4 photographers you interview, you will have a MUCH better idea of the different styles and approaches that each one has, and it will make it easier to choose your favorite.

Ask How Much Experience They Have
It’s true that some newer wedding photographers can be incredibly talented, but ask any wedding photographer who has shot over 50 weddings, and they will all say that they continue to learn and improve with every wedding. With more wedding experience comes more knowledge of handling tricky lighting conditions on the spot, how to handle difficult family members, how to find perfect locations for portraits, how to master increasingly complex camera and lighting equipment, how to improve post-production editing and album production, not to mention years of learning from mistakes and experiments. There is no replacement for experience, it has to be earned over years of hard work.

Don’t be afraid to simply ask the photographer about their experience level. See if they can show you many examples of past weddings. See if they have contest awards or recognitions from past years. Ask for references from past clients. A truly experienced wedding photographer would be happy to share their history and love of photography.

Meet in Person
Sometimes for destination weddings or other circumstances, this can be difficult, but whenever possible you should meet the photographers you are interviewing in person. You will be spending more of your wedding day with your photographer than with any other vendor, so it’s important to know if you are comfortable with their personality and presence. Do they put you at ease? Do you feel confident in their abilities? Having a face to face meeting will go a long way to help you make your decision.

By hiring an experienced and professional wedding photographer, you and your fiancé will have the advantage of being able to keep your focus on your wedding day and your marriage. ISPWP has qualified photographers in your location! Check our directory to find a wedding photography professional in your area.

Photo by Jesse La Plante, Denver Colorado wedding photographer.