Places like The Knot, Wedding Wire, and Green Wedding Shoes have a lot of opinions… most of them totally helpful!!! But as a photographer (not a journalist writing articles for the Knot), I sometimes have to deconstruct what these blogs tell couples. After all, these blogs don’t take into consideration that all couples and all wedding needs are different. There’s no blanket statement on what you NEED or don’t need for your wedding.
Here are some common things that actually might not matter when hiring your photographer.
#1 If they shot at your venue before
If they truly are an experienced professional photographer that shoots primarily weddings, THIS DOESN’T ACTUALLY MATTER.
What?! Really? Yes, really.
Here’s why: most venues are really similar from a photography standpoint. Your wedding is indeed unique and your photographer wants it to be all about you. Your venue and your photographer’s creativity is unlike any other, but hear me out.
Wedding venues are MADE with photography in mind. Every inch of venues are gorgeous, hence why you’re choosing to get married there, right?!
It means we won’t have trouble finding perfect spots to take pictures, even if we’ve never been there before.
Photographers always do their research before your wedding. We google wedding pictures at your venue for inspiration, we stalk your venue online, and we make sure we talk with your coordinating team to make sure we know everything we need to know before the day.
So we know where the best spots are for pictures, we can predict what the sun is gonna do, and we know the backgrounds we want to use.
Every wedding is different anyways, so even if they’ve shot at your venue before, things are gonna look and be different. There’s no way to prepare 100% for that, so needing your photographer to have worked there before might not actually be a benefit.
Plus, your wedding should be all about YOU. If a photographer shoots at a certain venue all the time, it could mean they start taking cookie cutter pictures and stop trying to add your unique spice to the photos. Your wedding becomes like everyone else’s and your authentic relationship might not come through as much because to them, it’s a repeated process. Creativity could go out the window.
#2 If they will scout the venue with you
Don’t hate me, but TBH, photographers don’t need to scout the venue in order to produce insanely beautiful wedding pictures. I only scout 5% of my venues before the day of. Yep, that’s right. And no— I’m not “winging” your wedding. Instead, I’m being practical and strategic. Here’s why:
I used to always scout venues with couples— we picked the best places for their group photos, romantic photos, etc. But the thing is… things are SO different on the actual wedding day, and sometimes you have to roll with the punches. Rarely do we end up taking pics in ALL of the exact spots we found while we scouted. And that’s okay! You’re still gonna get insanely beautiful photos that make sense for you.
I personally arrive at the venue earlier than needed just so I can scout it out on the day of and officially meet the other vendors/establish expectations. This is because lighting changes often (which is the #1 most important thing for good photos). Scouting before is not gonna allow you to really know what the lighting is gonna be like on the wedding day.
Additionally, venues move things around day to day. Meaning your wedding day is going to look incredibly different than the day you go scout together.
However, I always try to scout places like campgrounds or nature areas if the couple is getting married at a nontraditional venue. If you’re getting married somewhere other than a regular venue, then scouting is a good option for you so you’re all on the same page on where things are gonna be, because it’s not as clear as at a regular venue.
#3 Hiring a Second Shooter in Order to Get “The Shot”
Don’t get me wrong, having second shooters at my weddings can be a lifesaver, and can truly make your wedding run smoothly when you have one. There are plenty of benefits and times where it makes sense to have a second shooter, but plenty of couples that flat out don’t need one… and they truly could’ve saved the money and spent it elsewhere (like on a wedding album that displays their memories for generations).
If you have a wedding like this, you should get a second shooter:
you are getting ready at a separate address from your fiancé(e)
you are not doing a first look
activities are happening simultaneously
But if these things don’t really qualify, ask your photographer if it’s really necessary to have a second photographer. Unlike videography, photographers are not stagnant. We move around quickly and can capture all the reaction shots and get the perfect “down the aisle” shot with just one person. If they know what they’re doing, you might be able to save the money.
#4 Price tags = how good they are
Price does not necessarily equate experience, talent, directing ability, or anything else.
There are incredible photographers out there who are dirt cheap and a ton of millionaire photographers that in my opinion, suck.
Don’t let the price tag fool you into thinking they’re worse or better than they are. That’s why it’s important to have a flexible budget if you’re able to, so you can find a perfect match for YOU.
Finding a good fit in your photog is and will be the most important thing when hiring! This is a hard thing to figure out, but check out this blog post and see how you can cut through the clutter.
Also keep in mind that there are SOOO many things that go into pricing, but overall you can count on professionals giving you expert knowledge, skill, and a unique and personalized experience beyond what’s listed in your package. Just so you get an idea, here are some San Diego average photography rates. Though keep in mind that this may not be true for specific individuals.
Common Price Tiers
$500-2500 = Side hustler, newbies, beginner photographers
$3000-5000 = professionals
$6000-8000 = very experienced professionals
$10000+ = best of the best
#5 If they have a ton of awards or publications
Most professionals have awards, features, or publications from prestigious wedding or photography publishers. However, when couples go with one photographer over another simply because one has more awards, it really makes me sad for the couple! They could be missing out on someone INCREDIBLE. Here’s why…
Newsflash… publications are skewed.
Like most things in the media, publications have their own agenda. They have their own style, and only feature photographers that match that style 100%. So if a photographer doesn’t match the publisher or the awarder, POOF! No award. Even if they truly have the best photos!
While they’re shooting your wedding, they might not be focused on YOU as a couple. They could be thinking about how they can make your photos look the perfect for THEM. Which is a bummer for you, because it means they could fail at showing off your love in the most authentic way. Personally, I would much rather make the photos perfect in the eyes of the couple, not for Instagram follows or Wedding Wire posts.
In order to get published, you often have to actively seek out publishers. They don’t go around awarding the most talented, most authentic, most loved-by-clients photographers.
So while photographer #1 is busy trying to get published & famous,
photographer #2 is out there practicing their creative skills & serving their couples so they can have the best experience ever.
Of course, take what I say with a grain of salt, because this is a blanket statement. I know photographer #1 probably cares about being the best they can be for their couples too!
My point — just because one photographer has more awards doesn’t make them a better photographer, a better fit for you, or makes clients the happiest.
