Picking the Right Photographer

So you found the right life partner and you two want to take the leap. Planning a wedding comes down to priorities. Even if you have unlimited resources, you are designing an event that should reflect your taste and style.

There are so many choices to consider. Like where would be a significant place to stage it? Are you a tent person or a ballroom person? Do you prefer ranunculus or roses? All of this is fun to consider but one thing is for certain. It is going to be a swirl of a day. I am not sure I spoke to everyone at my own wedding.

One side note. A great way to connect with your favorite people is to have a wedding weekend. Rehearsal dinner, wedding day and a casual brunch Sunday morning. This gives you lots of ways to see everyone.

Still it is a really fun blur. All that is left are the photographs when you head of to the Amalfi Coast for your honeymoon. Picking the right photographer is important. He or she will spend a lot of time with you as the event unfolds. There are roughly two kinds of photographers.

One group, the posers, need a lot of your time to make sure your bouquet is in the right place. They will spend the day telling you to come here, turn this way, look that way. They are great at making your wedding seem like a fashion shoot. It is a confection and you become a model.

The other group are photojournalists. They are quietly seeking the decisive moments that tell the story of your day. Natural movement, predicting when great moments will occur and rolling with the punches. These shooters are close enough to capture the action without becoming the headline of your one and only wedding day.

Photojournalists are trained to thrive on the blur of the day. They love capturing the unexpected and telling the story of this unique time in your life.

The best compliment a photojournalist can get is, “I hardly knew you were there.”

I try to do a mixture. 90% photojournalism and %10 editorial. I strive to keep the formal shots under an hour so you don’t get bogged down. And there is an art to seeing beautifully.

I hustle at your wedding. There is a lot to cover. Details like your shoes, the invitation suite, your gown. Images that convey a sense of place. Moments like getting ready, waiting with your dad before the ceremony, the first kiss, the exultant ceremony exit. There is the first dance, toasts and then the party. And, of course, the unexpected is the best.  

The question comes down to do you want to pose at your wedding or have your natural moments and connections captured?

Finally, your wedding photographer should be fun and positive. I love photographing weddings.