Important Factor #2 When Searching for Your Wedding Photographer - Photographic Approach
This is blog post number 2 in a short series delving into the most important factors you should consider when searching for your perfect wedding photographer.
Missed Part 1? You can find it here.
In this post I am going to concentrate on photographic approach. The final post in the series will look at cost so don’t forget to come back for that one!
What do you mean by “photographic Approach”?
By “photographic approach” I’m talking about how your photographer will approach your celebration. For example, some photographers will arrive with a bounce in their step and will be a cheerleader throughout the day. They might be extremely chatty with your guests, keeping the energy high and getting the party started in the evening.
Other photographers may take a quieter approach, documenting events as they unfold naturally. They will offer a more discreet approach perhaps even disappearing into the background whilst expertly capturing candid images of you and your guests.
Of course every photographer is different and many photographers will fall somewhere between these two extremes, able to take control when required (e.g. during the formal photos) but being much more unobtrusive during the inevitable emotional moments.
How do we determine a photographers approach?
The simplest way would be to ask them! That being said, to be completely sure of a photographers approach you may want to ask to view a full gallery of a recent wedding. Request access to a gallery showing a celebration which is similar in feel and atmosphere to your own (the more details you can give your photographer at this stage the better). You should be able to get a sense of how the photographer approached the wedding by looking at the photographs they captured.
How would you describe your photographic Approach?
I am very much a documentary photographer, preferring to approach celebrations discreetly and capture candid moments which tell the story of your day. I would therefore very much put myself at the “unobtrusive” end of photographic approach spectrum - I’ve even been referred to as a “photographic ninja” on more than one occasion!
I would say, however, that directing the group photos is where I come into my own. As a huge introvert, it may surprise you to hear that I have no issues telling large groups of people what to do. My inner teacher tends to take over during this part of the day - mainly because I want to make sure the group photos are dealt with quickly and efficiently so you can get back to the important business of celebrating!
This approach also translates through to the couples photos. I know how uncomfortable it can feel having a camera pointed directly at you so my approach during this part of the day is to provide gentle guidance and encourage you to just be yourself whilst I busy myself finding the best angles and backdrops.
Do you have an idea of the type of photographic approach you want from your wedding photographer? My advice is to get to know your photographer as well as you can and I would definitely recommend meeting face-to-face (either in person or virtually over Zoom). You want to make sure that you feel comfortable with them as, lets face it, you’ll be spending a lot of time with them on the day!
If you have any questions about photographic approach then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. In the third and final blog post in this series I’m going to be looking at something that is a very important consideration to many couples - cost.