Luckily for me, I knew what kind of photography style I wanted for my own wedding. What I didn’t know was how in the world I was going to find the perfect photographer! It’s even harder when you have no idea what kind of imagery you’re drawn to. If that sounds like you and you’re already feeling overwhelmed, keep reading to learn how to decide which photography style is right for you!
Tanya of Tenth and Grace says, “The easiest way to determine the right photography style for your wedding is to expose yourself to a wide range of photographers and see what types of images resonate with you the most. Do you swoon over light and airy film images or do you gravitate toward dark and moody photos? Do you love romantic posed portraits or prefer a more candid photojournalistic approach? Instagram is a great place to discover a wide range of styles, or you can search recent weddings at your venue to see how different types of photographers have captured a wedding day there. Try to envision yourself and your wedding in a photographer’s work. And no matter which photography style you decide on, make sure you see full galleries from your photography prospects so you know how they capture a complete wedding day!”
“The most important thing when deciding on what photographer you want to work with is connecting with their work. You may like multiple photographers from different styles, which is absolutely okay. At the end of the day, you need to pick whose work you see yourself in. If you can picture yourself and your fiancé in the images of the photographer, they’re going to be a good fit for you. Don’t try and change your photographers style though, we can only see the world through our own eyes so if you love a light and airy photographer’s ability to capture emotion, but want your wedding photos to be darker and moodier, find a darker and moodier photographer who also captures emotion like that. Asking someone to be something their not never ends well.” remarks Rebecca of Rebecca Yale Photography.
I always tell couples to forget about simply comparing photographers on paper. You should base your decision on so much more than a photographer’s prices and offerings. Your selection should be much more based on the photographer’s artistry and personality. Katie Grant adds to this idea by saying, “I’m a firm believer in, “when you see it, you’ll know it”. If a photographer’s imagery speaks to you and moves you to the core, if you keep going back to their page and scrolling through their galleries or Instagram, if you keep comparing back to them…then you know. I don’t think it’s always down to ‘style’, per se…there is so much more to emotionally connect with and I think that is more important. Connect with them and their vision and you’ll naturally find your style.”
Couples should be 100% sure about their decision to book their photographer. You don’t want to take too long to book and risk another couple snatching up the date, but you don’t want to be too hasty unless you’re absolutely certain it’s the photographer you love. There’s nothing worse than buyer’s remorse, especially when nearly all photographer retainers are non-refundable. Ask any important questions and review full galleries before booking to make sure this is your perfect match!
Cavin Elizabeth is a wedding film photographer based in San Diego, California. Her wedding work has taken her all over the United States and abroad. In addition to being a photographer, Cavin is an educator and an avid blogger of wedding planning tips for brides and grooms. She authored the book A Bride’s Guide to a Picture Perfect Wedding, which teaches couples how to make wedding plans that are best for photography.
