A few thoughts when choosing your wedding photographer from Staffordshire Wedding Photographer Stuart James
When you’re booking your wedding photographer, there are so many things to consider.
You’re looking at the style of the work (which is a post all of its own!), the quality of the work, the person behind the camera and amidst all of this, you have no real way to guarantee, and you don’t know if you’re doing the right thing!
Experience is so valuable in all situations, but of course, when planning a wedding, it’s the first time for you, so where do you start?!
Choosing Your Wedding Suppliers
When choosing all of your suppliers for your big day, everything has to be perfect. Of course, it’s a balancing act; weighing up the supplier you desire and want while trying to control the budget, aiming to find that perfect status quo.
However, while you can see what a finished cake will look like, and have trials for your hair and makeup when it comes to your photography, it is all about trust!
Your wedding is the most important day for you and your friends and family and ensuring you get the record of the day you desire is of the utmost importance.
Of course, you have to get it right when you’re choosing your supplier, but as an experienced wedding photographer, I’ve had to get it right every single time I’m photographing a wedding…whatever the weather, whatever unforeseen circumstances occur. Years of experience has given me the skills to be able to cope, adjust and control situations, ensuring the wedding stays relaxed and fun for everyone! It’s never just about taking the photos – pressing the button is the simple part! It’s about knowing what to do, in any situation. But more than this, it’s being prepared.
Choose an experienced, trusted wedding photographer
From photographing weddings for the last 15 years, I’ve come to understand the difference I can make to a wedding day. Whether it’s words of support or guidance, or helping parts of the day flow, helping ensure everything runs perfectly.
Of course, with the best plans in the world, things can always go awry, which is why backup is important.
When it comes to equipment, we use the best cameras and lenses available, with spares both with us at the time of the shooting, and also in the van too. Accidents happen after all ;-)
But more than this, knowing that I am personally backed-up whatever happens is terrific. I’m part of a vast group of photographers, who all support each other – so whatever happens, you are guaranteed the wedding story you have your heart set on!
Have the day you want, with the memories captured in your story
Talking with you before the wedding and planning everything with you, not only allows me to understand your day but what matters to you!
From the guests that matter the most, even to details that mean a lot to you, it’s ensuring everything is taken care of within the overall story.
When all of my couples leave us with their finished wedding story, I want them to have a narrative they will cherish, treasure and of course share! Sharing your day and your experience with your loved ones is what photographs are about after all!!
As mentioned above I’m going to be bringing a big post together about style, trying to demystify the terms used by the wedding industry, but also explain why I capture weddings the way I do.
Principally for me, wedding photography is about capturing the story of the wedding. A documentary love story. The start of the journey for you both, or at least the beginning of the next chapter.
Combining the beautiful and natural visual narrative, with the “wow” portraits, both nighttime and daytime, together with the essential historical family images, provides you with a photographic memory that allows you to relive every detail and emotion of your day. Something you can enjoy now, but cherish for years to come; passing those feelings and the story down through generations.
The way I photograph a wedding brings together all of the critical elements of recording the day but primarily keeps everything real. Keeps everything relaxed and natural; I capture you enjoying your day, not turning your day into a photo shoot.
Enhancing your documentary love story with audio and film
Taking the narrative of your day further, adding in emotion invoking slideshows, especially with audio from your day, can help transport the viewer right back into the wedding day. Enhancing the photographic story is something I spoke about on my Facebook Page last week, talking about the options to add to our film coverage to your day. I’ll be writing up a post about this soon, but if this is something you’re thinking about, please do get in touch!
How to choose the right photographer for you and your wedding!
So to try and draw this to a useful conclusion, when you’re looking for your wedding photographer, you are always looking to find the following:
- a style of photography you like
- captured by a person you want
- at a price you can afford!
When you have balanced these and assured yourself from the years of experience and the testimonials available to view, you have found your photographer!
I do hope this helped! Please sign up for the weekly emails I’m bringing out, with exclusives from within the industry, and also a few special offers too!
