Wedding Snaps….

So… we were married on 2/06/2018, yes… 2018!!! It’s now over a year since we were married and I/We haven’t gotten even one printed! How long was it before you had your wedding photos printed/hanging around your house?

Drop me a comment!

Unlike selecting your other wedding vendors (music, flower arrangements, cake), photographs aren’t things you can hear, smell, taste or even see at first—it’s a big decision, possibly the biggest, because this will be one of the ways you remember your big day…. FOREVER! You don’t really know what you’re getting until months after when you finally receive your photos/videos. That means careful research and selectiveness regarding professional skills, artistic style and personal demeanour are extra important when choosing your photographer.

How did you choose your photographer?

If I had the chance to do it again, I would have done A LOT more homework before settling for my photographer. However, my circumstances sucked and I hope not many others out there cop what I did. So… It was months before my wedding BUT I was absolutely devastated when my photographer told me she couldn’t do it as she was moving down south (I so would have flown her up to Cairns), so I got to searching for photographers from the Tablelands & surrounds. It sucked because on top of that, I also had everything else to organise. I pretty much just went off reviews and had a few stalks of her Facebook page and made a decision.

FYI – my first choice was Sarah Jay, who did my maternity shoot for my first bubba. Check out her photos, her page is A-MAZING!!! CLICK HERE!

In choosing your photographer, don’t base your decision solely on what you see in their highlights gallery or Facebook like I did. For good reason, photographers show prospective clients a portfolio of their best pictures, all from different weddings, so you’re seeing the best of the best. The problem with that is you won’t get a well-rounded idea of their work. Ask to see two or three full galleries from real weddings they’ve shot (not someone else at their company) so you can get a better idea of what your complete collection of photos might look like after the wedding.

If you see that the full gallery photos are just about as good as the ones chosen in the highlight gallery (that is, they’re all so good it’s impossible to choose!), you’re on the right track. And ask to see at least one or two complete albums of weddings that are in similar settings to yours. For example, if you’re planning an indoor affair with dark lighting, don’t just look at weddings shot outdoors in natural sunlight. And if you’re planning to say “I do” on a beach at sunset, you’ll want to see examples of that.

When reviewing a photographer’s album, look for the key moments you want captured: Did they get photos of both the bride and the groom when they locked eyes for the first time? Also look for crispness of images, thoughtful compositions (does a shot look good the way it was framed, or is there too much clutter in the frame?) and good lighting (beware of washed-out pictures where small details are blurred—unless that’s the style you’re after). It’s also very important that you detect sensitivity in capturing people’s emotions; make sure the photographer’s subjects look relaxed, not like deer caught in headlights. While you two are important, of course, you want to see smiling shots of your friends too.

Don’t underestimate the importance of liking and bonding with your photographer. This is why I initially chose Sarah Jay! Our personalities just meshed, she even made my husband ridiculously comfortable (and that doesn’t happen)! You need to look at the following: Are their mannerisms off-putting? In order to get the best photos, go with a pro who has a firm grasp of social graces but is bold enough to go out hunting for great images and who, above all, puts you at ease and doesn’t irritate you in any way.

Remember: They’ll be shadowing your every move, and the more comfortable both of you are with the photographer, the better the photos will turn out. Likewise, you don’t want the photographer to offend or annoy any guests, but to shoot them in their best light in an unobtrusive way. To get the best photos, your photographer needs to be assertive enough to seek out great moments, cajoling enough to coax relaxed smiles and natural stances from guests, and calm enough to be a positive force. They should ask lots of questions and be a good listener. 

I got lucky… VERY LUCKY, as my second choice, Rachelle Angela Photography wasn’t too shabby. She made us feel comfortable in every way which was a massive plus!

All jokes aside – I had a list for everything! Songs I want played to photos I want taken – I had a whole file of lists that were for the vendors of our big day and then more for every other little thing that was involved on the day! Having a checklist ensures that you don’t miss something you want and wish later you would have gotten. Always bring that to their attention, like if someone is coming from out of state, have that list ready so they don’t get overlooked on the day of because it’s chaos. Seriously! your big day will be one of the most chaotic days of your entire life!

Aquo Xx