3 tips to choose the right photographer – use our 3P rule

One of the most important professionals you will ever have to book for your wedding. 

So let’s see how to choose the right photographer.

Your wedding photos and videos are something you will keep forever. Surely, you will show them to your friends and family. You will display them in your home or maybe even on social media, where they will live for eternity.  Or until you delete them if you have a digital galley.

You might hear from some brides that they were sorry to spend a big portion of their budget on photos and video and now they never get to see them. Others might say that they were let down by their photographer and that the photos were not the quality they hoped for. And then there are those, who cannot be happier about their photographer and the final results. Well, you want to be THAT bride and avoid the drama with just a little bit of research.

All you need to consider is Ellwed’s 3P rule! Read further to see how to choose the right photographer:

We had the pleasure of interviewing one of the destination wedding photographers from Canada. Read the interview below to see what Janice of Janice Yi Photography, has to say about our 3P theory to choose the right photographer.

“My name is Janice and I’m a destination wedding photographer based in Toronto, Canada. I love photographing weddings because it’s such an amazing day to be a part of. And as a photographer, I can document and capture those moments. My clients can look back on the photos and be reminded of not only how that special day looked, but how it felt. I love traveling as well. The opportunity to visit new places, meet new people, experience new cultures, and see the world through the eyes of a child again. So, it was natural for me to combine my love of weddings with traveling. I’ve photographed weddings and couples around the world. From Mexico, St Kitts & Nevis, Jamaica, California, USA, U.K., Iceland, Italy and also Greece. I’d love to continue documenting amazing stories in new places.”

Price

First things first. Decide on the price you are willing to pay for wedding photography and cinematography. Because prices vary in every country and if you’re planning a destination wedding, be prepared for different prices than ones from your local suppliers. Do small research, “ask Google”, and click on some random sites to get an approximate feel for the prices in the country you are looking to get married. You also have a choice of a destination photographer, who can maybe travel with you from home or anywhere in the world. Prices tend to be higher for high-end photographers, with better-quality products and services. However, you should know what matters to you the most. Is it the price or is that the service & product quality that matters to you more? All these things are of course personal decisions you need to consider before you even contact any suppliers. Maybe, if you are lucky you can get it all, at a good price and the quality you are looking for!

Let’s see what Janice Yi thinks when we ask her about the price.

How does the price affect the final product when choosing the right photographer.?

“Pricing does have an effect on the final product. But it’s not necessarily directly proportional in the sense that the more you spend, the better photos you’ll get. The opposite is also not necessarily true – the less you spend, the worse your photos will be. However, pricing is usually a good indicator of the amount of experience a photographer has. The more years of experience a photographer has, the more likely they will charge more for their service, time and talent. At the end of the day, your wedding photos are one of the few things that will help you remember the day. If it’s something important to you, you need to decide what’s the most you can afford to spend in order to get the best value, not the cheapest price. “

Product

Scan the web, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and so on to see as many wedding photos as you can handle! Pick those that appeal to you the most and keep them in a special folder to show to your photographer. If you don’t have a specific photographer in mind, you can always ask your wedding planner to suggest you someone. Since they usually need to work with many different professionals and can understand who is good at their job. You can also check the credits for who took the photos you like and contact those photographers directly. Once you have booked one, make sure you know exactly what you want. Show and explain your vision. Communication here is key to ensuring the best final result. Checking a photographer’s website, reviews and portfolio is a must. Explain which photos/products from their site you like or even which you dislike. If there are many things you dislike about that photographer’s products or even his/her website, it may not be the best fit for you.

What would you say is the most important thing for a photographer to know about their clients, to produce the best quality of work?

“I think the most important thing for a photographer to know about their clients, is whether their client’s vision for their wedding day photos matches with the photographer’s. Every photographer has a different style, and it’s not really something they can emulate from other photographers. If a couple is looking for wedding photos that feel very editorial and high fashion, they probably won’t work well with a photographer with a documentary approach. Similarly, if a couple wants natural coverage of their day and doesn’t want to be posed too much, they probably won’t feel good about working with a photographer who’s highly artistic and likes to create lots of poses.”

Personality

How important is it to get along with the photographer? Well, we would say it’s quite important for you to have a good relationship with your photographer. The wedding photographer is one of the professionals who will get quite personal with you. They will have to pose you, tell you what you have to do, where you should stand and what you are doing wrong. All this is because they see you through the lens differently and if they do not say when you look your best, they are not going to get the best results.  Therefore, you need to know and trust your photographer to get the result you have envisioned. You can understand all this from the first meeting, a phone call, or a video chat. If you feel that they are not focusing their attention on you, then you know something is wrong.

Janice, you have a lot of experience with many different clients. How important would you say is for a photographer to have a good relationship with their clients?

“I think it’s really important that you get along with your photographer, or at least, feel comfortable in their presence. You don’t have to be friends for life, but this is someone who you’ll spend a lot of time with on your wedding day. So feeling comfortable with their presence is key for your photographer to get those great photos where you are just being yourself. and if you find you have similar tastes and interests, that’s even better. It’s like people you become friends with, often you find you have things in common, and you make a connection with them. If you feel connected to the photographer you work with, you are more likely to trust them, and trust is essential in producing beautiful photographs – again, it helps you to be just you.”

Amy Levin-Epstein from The Knot, formed the right questions to ask your wedding photographer. Read these questions from their blog and make a list, which will be specified for your needs before you talk to a photographer.

Wedding Cinematography

A similar theory applies also to wedding video/filmography. Although, many photographers can provide you also with the video, make sure it’s the quality you like. Ask to see some examples from previous customers and be specific about the style you like. Is this more cinematic (movie-like) or more documentary-style? Always make sure you have an example or two, to show them what you like. Check their website, as well as YouTube or Vimeo for wedding videos, and pick only the ones that appeal to you the most.

This was our 3P theory – Price | Product | Personality on how to choose the right photographer.

And remember, this is your one special day and you need to capture it in the best way possible.

XOXO