Finding the right wedding photographer

Trying to find the perfect wedding photographer can be a little daunting, with so many to choose from how do you know you have found the one? Jonathan Ryan of Weddings By Ryan.com advises that once you have done your research, some investigation and made contact with a few different photographers, there are some questions you should ask before making your final choice.

First of all, make sure you meet the photographer face to face if you can. Jonathan adds, 'I always advise potential clients to come to my gallery to meet with me and view my work as often finding the right wedding photographer is down to whether you actually like the photographer'.

Questions to ask when finding your wedding photographer…

1. Do I like this person?
   It is important you feel relaxed and at ease around your photographer and you can see them fitting in with you, your family and your big day.

2. Do I like their work?
   Sounds simple, but make sure their work fits in with the style of wedding photography you like.

3. Can we see some of your pictures?
   OK, nobody is going to choose a wedding photographer without seeing their portfolio (you weren't, were you?) but notice a key word in that question your pictures. What you want to see is the photographer's own work where they were the main or only photographer. It's fine for them to get experience assisting another photographer but there's a world of difference between pictures taken while a guest at a friend's wedding or while assisting an experienced pro and their own unaided work.

4. Can we see a whole wedding?
   Cherry picking is great and you'll want to see your photographer's top work but no single day is going to match their 10 best ever shots. Ask to see a whole day. Either on screen, in print or (best of all) in a sample album just like it would be delivered to you.

5. Will you be our photographer?
   This is only really a question for the big studios but it's worth asking of everybody you meet. It doesn't matter if they show you an amazing portfolio of their own beautiful work if they are going to send somebody else on the day.

6. How would you describe your approach?
   Another obvious one - if you tell a photographer you want a hands off guy who lets everybody do their own thing and capture the moment then it's pretty likely that will become their specialty. If you say your favourite is a lady who knows how to take control of groups then hey presto, instant expert. Ask them to describe their approach (are they bossy, friendly, invisible?) and see how that matches your expectations. It's a good idea to have an idea of what sort of wedding photos you'd like in advance - plan your perfect wedding photos!

7. Can you…?
   Everybody's wedding is different. Everybody has different expectations. If there's something that's important to you then don't be afraid to ask the photographer if they will be able to capture it. And follow up too. 'Can you take pictures of our fireworks?'. Sure, no problem. 'Great, can I see some examples of your fireworks pictures?'.

8. What else do you do?
   Plenty of great wedding photographers balance their wedding photography with another full time job. It's worth asking if they are full time or not though. If they aren't then you may want to make sure that they aren't over committed and that your pictures will get the care they deserve. Actually, even if they are full time it's worth checking a couple of things. A photographer who shoots 100 weddings a year may be great because she's so popular and in demand. It may also mean he's overworked and will rush things. A couple of questions should enable you to tell which is which.

9. Do you work on your own or as part of a team?
   This one's tricky. Some photographers prefer to work alone and some prefer to have an assistant, a second photographer and a tea boy in tow. Both approaches are fine (though if you're planning a quiet intimate affair then you may not want a 6 person team!) - just be careful that they don't tell you there will be 'two photographers' if one of them will be a trainee! And if the photographer favours the large team approach then ask them again 'which of these pictures did you take?' and 'who will be there on the day?'

10. How long will it be before we see our pictures?
    There is little worse than coming back after a two week honeymoon and being told that it will be 'another month or two' before you see your pictures. Even a busy photographer should be able to show you the images within 3 weeks of the wedding. If not they may be over committed - either to another job or other clients.

11. What do you do if it rains?
    Or snows, or your camera breaks down or a herd of llamas invades the wedding? A professional should have an answer to these (except maybe the llamas). Backup cameras (and lenses), planning for wet weather, extra lights in case the pictures need taken indoors, file backup strategies and dry clothes are just some of the reasons why professionals charge so much for their services.

12. What would you like to eat?
    Seriously, I generally shoot for 10 hours and it's always nice to know whether I'm going to get dinner or bring my own.

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