This is the last post in my three part series about how to pick a wedding photographer. This last post revolves around the human element of the photographer – the actual person (or people) you’re hiring! (See the last two posts about film versus digital photography and different styles of photography)

The Day Of

The actual person has a huge impact not only on your wedding photos, but your whole experience leading up to the big day. Your wedding photographer is with you for hours on your wedding day. And they’re with you for all of the intimate moments. They’ll be there as you put on your wedding dress. Your photographers will be the only other people watching your first look. They’ll stand up on the dance floor during your father daughter dance. They’re present for a lot of the day and you want to make sure you love them – not just their work – but their personality.

Personality

Your consultation with your photographer is kind of like a first date. You need to walk away from that experience thinking “I’m excited to see them again!” And honestly, the photographer has to feel a similar way. You want your photographer to be over the moon to be photographing your day. Their excitement and enthusiasm will only make your photos that much better.

Responsiveness / Professionalism

Beyond their personality, how do you feel about their emails? Their response times? If they’re not responsive before you’ve even booked them, is it going to get any better once you’ve actually paid a deposit and they no longer need to “impress you” with their turn around time? Do they come off as easy to talk to? Are their emails polite? Do they use the correct punctuation and spelling? (I’m terrible with commas…) I know we’re not necessarily in corporate cubicles, but it personally irks me when people don’t use any punctuation or capitalization. Another factor of this is how long it is going to take them to return your images to you. What do you think is reasonable? Ask them ahead of time to manage those expectations before you’ve paid them a deposit.

Values

What about their values? I remember when we found our wedding photographers, I was so drawn to the way that they loved each other. Their website made me want to get to know them. I love the tidbits they shared about their lives on social media. And when they started growing a family, I was excited that I was supporting that. The way they lived didn’t seem lavish or over the top, and that made me feel good. I knew that we were supporting a dream and a family, not the next brand name item in the closet. That’s just me and my personality – so take that with a grain of salt. Find a photographer that values the same things that you do – someone that you want to be friends with.

Were these posts helpful in helping you decide how to pick a wedding photographer? I’d love to know! Share on social media or pin an image to pinterest. Or, reach out and send me an email! emily [at] theganeys [dot] com.