How To Choose a Wedding Photographer or Videographer
So you may be at the stage where you’re starting to look for a photographer or videographer to capture your wedding. You may have the following questions:
How do I choose a wedding photographer?
How do I find a wedding photographer?
Who’s the best wedding photographer in my city or area?
What are some questions or things to ask when hiring a wedding photographer?
How much does wedding photography cost?
These are all very valid questions to have when planning your wedding and looking for a photographer or videographer. This guide is meant to help answer those questions and point you in the right direction of your search. You can also reach out and ask me directly in an email or through the contact form on my page as well.
Let’s start off on the 1st question or topic.
How do I find a wedding photographer?
The first thing I recommend doing is thinking about what kind of photography style you like. There are many different styles of shooting, and also different styles of editing as well. Some of the more typical styles that you may find are
light and airy
dark and moody
vibrant/true to life
fine art
black and white
film / vintage
the list can go on forever
You can also look at different shooting styles:
editorial
documentary/journalistic
traditional/posed
artistic
blended styles and more!
You may find that you want a blend of these shooting and editing styles and that is okay too! There’s no right answer, and the style that your friends or family prefer may not match your preferred style. If you don’t know what style you prefer don’t worry, it’s not a crucial thing. My suggestion is to create a Pinterest board or mood board (essentially a collection of images that you like). You can search online via social media platforms or google to help you. This is one thing that I ask all my couples to do, so I understand clearly what their vision is.
For example, you can go onto instagram and search #weddingphotography or #weddingphotographer. This may give you a broad range of posts from photographers, planners, venues, etc. You can also use the google image based search as well to look for different styles. If you want to narrow down your search, you can use a more regional based approach such as #torontoweddingphotographer or #torontoweddingvideographer , and you may come across some potential people that you would like to hire to capture your wedding day. This can be applied to any different area.
I’m on instagram if you’d like to check out my page: www.instagram.com/mattstrattonphotography
If I were to summarize my style, it’s a mix of documentary photography with a touch of editorial. 95% of the wedding day for me is documentary which means I let the day play out as it happens and capture it organically. The editorial piece comes in where I might direct the getting ready portion a little, and also during the bride and groom portraits, where a few poses may have an editorial or fashion based flare. My editing style is warm and vibrant.
You can also search more generic terms like #backyardwedding #cityhallwedding #brewerywedding or others to find styles if you’ve already booked a venue.
Another option is to search on sites like The Wedding Wire and The Knot. These sites can also provide reviews and approximate pricing as well for vendors.
Once you have a style in mind, move on to the next step.
Decide on a budget. How much does wedding photography cost?
Deciding on a budget can influence greatly who you will hire as a photographer or videographer for your wedding date. Although some people don’t like to think about costs, creating a plan and discussing it with your partner is an important thing. Wedding photography costs can vary greatly, from the low end like $500 up to $10,000 $20,000 and sometimes more in the higher end luxury market. My piece of advice to you is the photographs of your wedding day are meant to last a lifetime, and you don’t necessarily want to shop on price and get the least inexpensive option.
Photography is an heirloom that you can pass down to family generations, show friends, and keep as a memento that will bring you back to those feelings you had on that day. Wedding photography is a worthwhile investment.
Things that can influence the costs are:
hours of coverage
if there are any engagement sessions, bridal boudoir sessions, or pre wedding events like a rehearsal dinner
albums, slideshows, videos and other deliverables like a customized usb key with images on it
printing rights and image rights (check with your photographer and contract so you are both on the same page about this. Some photographers offer the ability to print yourselves, other photographers offer prints only through their studio)
Typically in the Toronto and Greater Toronto Area, photography can average between $2000-$5000 for coverage, but can vary greatly depending on the options you select and deliverables.
My services start at $2,500 and typical clients spend $3,600. I provide custom packages if you don’t see something that matches your needs.
Finding the best photographer or right photographer for you.
Once you’ve considered your preferred style and budget, it’s time to actually look for vendors. My suggestion is to find them through sources like
Ask your friends, or others you know who have gotten married (friends often have similar values as you would, and their recommendations could align with what your needs are)
If you’re working with a wedding planner, they are often connected to vendors that they have worked with in the past
Google (and also look at customer reviews)
Instagram/Pinterest or other social media
Facebook groups (Toronto & GTA Wedding Source, other other local bride and wedding vendor connections)
Once you’ve found some photographers whose style you like, check out their website, portfolios, their about page, read up on who they are and see if you can get a feel for who they are as a person. This is one vendor who you will spend pretty much the whole day with an it’s critically important that you get along and have a great relationship with. This is why I recommend reaching out to ask questions, and set up a meeting (phone call or video). During this meeting you should get to know each other, someone who just talks about price or what their selling/offering is not the best approach to take in my opinion. I really enjoy getting to know the couples that I work with. I love to hear their stories about where they are from , what they do for work, how they met and much more. After this meeting you’ll likely have a good indication of who you connected with as a person and who your preferred photographer is. Remember that it’s not just about the photographs or videos, it’s about the service that this studio will provide to you, how they will make you feel and how they will serve you as a couple.
Finding the “best” photographer in your area is a very subjective thing, because they can offer different services, they have different styles and also price points. This is why it’s not recommended that you shop around solely on cost or pricing. Look at the whole service offering, look at reviews. A photographer doesn’t just provide photos, they provide an experience and service that is unique.
I’m a hard worker in general, and I’ll work my butt off on your wedding day to make sure you get the wedding day you deserve. I’ve often found myself providing guidance if your day is running behind, and pride myself in being a calming presence for couples.
Here are some questions that you might want to ask your wedding photographer
How long have you been a photographer?
You generally want to know how experienced your photographer is. While skill level and artistic talent doesn’t necessarily equate to experience, this can be an indication if your photographer is new to the industry or is very experienced. Some may have worked for other studios, and learned the craft as a lead or second shooter for another company.
When I moved to Toronto in 2016 I met a wedding photographer and videographer. I was able to learn the craft over the next 4 years and the owner has become my mentor. I started my business a few years later and have been building ever since.
Will you be there on our wedding day or will someone else be shooting our wedding?
There are various sizes of studios or companies when it comes to photography and videography. Some studios are larger, and employ a lot of people. You may align with this , or you might align with a smaller boutique studio, where you are dealing directly with your photographer and building a relationship with the person who will document your wedding day. Both approaches are fine, it just depends on what you and your partner value/prefer.
I provide a boutique experience, where I’m your main contact prior to the wedding day and am your main photographer/videographer. I have found this is the best way to build a relationship and get to know the client.
What is your backup process?
This is important to know. Some photographers shoot with dual card slot cameras, so once they click the shutter, they have two copies of the images. This can prevent potential for loss of images or files. Some photographers store images on computers, external hard drives, and via the cloud.
I shoot with dual card slots, backup to an external hard drive when I get home, and also upload to the cloud so there are around 4 copies of your files.
How would the final images be delivered? Are there any restrictions in terms of prints or printing?
Again, this can vary greatly between studios. Some prefer a physical delivery of prints, usb or hard drive keys, or via an online gallery/link.
In terms of prints - some photographers provide printing rights to the couple, others have restrictions about prints and require you to only order through them.
An important thing to note about printing is that it’s not recommended to print your photos through big box stores like Walmart or Costco or your local pharmacy down the street. Often times the equipment is not serviced or used properly, or the printer and paper is not adequate at all. You may end up with poor quality prints and it’s always recommended to print through a professional lab or your photographer. They can guide you through the printing process and ensure high quality options. I’ve seen too many wedding photos printed poor quality printers and paper, it’s not how you want to show your wedding day.
My current delivery time is 6-8 weeks, and I provide high resolution files which you can print if you wish. I do have a print store that you can purchase print products from as well.
What is your cancellation policy? (this is increasingly important to know as the world goes through the covid 19 pandemic)
This pandemic has been rough on both couples and businesses. Policies can vary greatly from your vendors, so I would advise to understand what that means for changing/cancelling your wedding day because of restrictions. It’s also just as important to know about cancellation policies in general (non covid-19 related).
Due to the nature of the pandemic, I’ll try to be as flexible as possible for my clients. When we have that first phone call, we chat about the details of my policies.
Can we see some full galleries of previous weddings?
Most photographers put a smaller selection of photos on their website and don’t necessarily show a full wedding that is delivered to a couple. There are various reasons for this because of marketing choices, website load speeds, personal decisions, privacy requests and others. You can ask your photographer to see a full wedding gallery if that’s something that you would like to see.
Absolutely you can see some full galleries, glad to show you :)
Are you familiar with certain religious ceremonies and customs? (If religious affiliations apply)
It’s always a positive if your photographer has had past experience with certain religious ceremonies, as they understand what to look for, things to capture, and what to expect.
I’ve had the experience to capture many different ceremonies and wedding celebrations (Christian, Nikkah, Chinese Tea Ceremonies, and much more).
There you have it, my guide on how to find a wedding photographer or videographer that is right for you. If you’re interested in booking, you can head over to the Contact Page and get in touch!