Avoid These Top 6 Wedding Photography Mistakes
Top notch wedding photography doesn’t just happen, it comes from doing your research and learning how to avoid these top 6 wedding photography mistakes.
Using the stories and real-world experiences of others who have been through the process, and learning from them, is of potentially very high value. We have compiled our list of the top several mistakes to help you steer clear of them and thus ultimately be beyond totally pleased with your wedding photographer and your wedding photographs.
HOW TO AVOID THESE TOP 6 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY MISTAKES:
#1 CHOOSING BASED PRIMARILY ON COST
Budgets absolutely matter; we understand that as well as anyone. However, the difference between mediocre and awesome is often relatively modest. Why does this matter? Because the wedding photography is just about the only thing you’ll be buying for your wedding that will last forever, these are your memories for a lifetime and for generations beyond.
We suggest filtering your top 2 or 3 photographer candidates based on how well their message, artistry, and style resonates the most with you. Then contact each and follow your heart. We have seen time and again that rearranging some of your overall budget moving a few simple things around is often the difference between that “pretty good” photographer and the photographer that will make your dreams come true for forever.
#2 WAITING TOO LONG
Your photographer can only book one wedding on any given day. If you want to avoid the disappointment of being told that your top choice is already booked for your day, start working on selecting, and contracting with your photographer immediately after locking down your date at your venue. Most photographers will spread the payment dates such that most of the total won’t need to be paid until later, thereby allowing you to lock in with your favorite photographer right off. In other words, the longer until your wedding, the wider your choices likely will be. It isn’t unheard of to contract with your photographer 14-18 months before the wedding. If it is closer than that, don’t lose faith and absolutely still start with your top picks. By fluke or chance they may still be open.
#3 GOING WITH A FRIEND INSTEAD OF A PRO
If this isn’t on your radar, skip right along. If this IS remotely a thought of yours, you will not want to miss this information – ‘Professional Wedding Photographer vs Professional Photographer’!
#4 UNDER-APPRECIATING THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF A 2-PHOTOGRAPHER TEAM
Yes, a solo photographer ‘can’ do a good job photographing your wedding. We know, we’ve done it in the past. It all boils down to your not knowing what shots were missed by having had just one photographer. Now that we at Russell Caron Wedding Photography photograph only as a two-person team every single wedding we photograph has several incredible images captured by Liz as the second photographer, with her own unique perspective (that allows us to be in two places at the same time), that simply wouldn’t exist had there been just one photographer. Be certain to ask your photographer about how their 2-photographer approach works.
#5 NOT CHOOSING FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS
There are many multiple-specialty photographers that add weddings to “the list” of things that they do for little more than to improve their bottom line. A true specialist in a field is highly focused in that field…an expert and leader in the genre. Choosing a photographer who is primarily a wedding photographer and full-time in that field pretty much means you’re finding the best of the best, a true specialist in their realm. The chances are that their service and quality will be tops. Refer back to item #1 above and use this criteria to help you filter to get to those top choices.
#6 NOT HAVING SPENT ENOUGH MONEY ON THE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY
In poll after poll, not having spent the right amount on the wedding photography comes in as the #1 post-wedding regret of brides from coast-to-coast. How much should be spent? There’s more on that in ‘Wedding Photography Regrets’, and also ‘7 Reasons Why Hiring an Amateur Photographer for Your Wedding is a Huge Mistake‘.
Also, this article by The Knot, ‘Top 20 Wedding Photography Mistakes‘, adds even more insight to this!