Picking the perfect wedding photographer is almost as important as agreeing to spend the rest of your life with the right person. After all, most of us will only get married once, so why not get it right on your special day? Professional wedding photographer Mick, owner of the award-winning Best Photography Dublin, is on hand to help you make the right choice and avoid a wedding day disaster.
Trust Your Gut Instinct
If you are blown away by a prospective photographer’s portfolio and your heart is telling you to go for it, always trust your first instinct. If what you are seeing is exactly what you are aiming for, don’t leave just because the fee is €200 more than you were planning to spend. Provisionally book your day as you may be left disappointed and regretting your decision if later on they are unavailable.
Don’t Be Swayed By Price & Never Book Over Facebook
Unfortunately, professional photographers don’t work a full wedding day including the album with 500 photographs for a bargain of €600. Booking a cheaper photographer can be hit and miss. You might end up getting some great photographs, however, I have heard many stories from couples being very disappointed with their end result due to inexperienced workmanship and inadequate equipment.
True story – one couple I know in person booked a random wedding photographer from Facebook and ended up saving a couple of hundred euro on the package. However, they never got any of their wedding photos – and ended up in a legal battle. They will never EVER get those tender moments captured on camera back.
By booking accredited professionals you will have a guarantee that you will get quality images. You will also avoid disasters such as shoddy equipment breaking on the day (I’ve seen a camera worth €3,000 failing in the middle of the ceremony) and inexperienced photographers missing vital moments such as the first kiss (yes, I’ve seen a photographer who missed the first kiss at a wedding I attended as a guest – he later said he ‘didn’t know’ it was coming and was on the other side of the church shooting candid pictures).
Once you receive your wedding photos it will be a bit too late to turn back time. Food for thought – photographs last forever. One day your children will show off your album to their own children.
Recommendations & Good Reviews Matter
If you expect great customer service and want to have peace of mind that your photo shoot will be in safe hands – do your research! Recommendations and reviews matter as you will get a first-hand insight into how your chosen photographer has worked with couples in the past. Tried and trusted is always a winner. My grandmother from Germany used to say: When you want the comfort, quality and reliability of Mercedes, you need to pay for the Mercedes. Was she right or wrong..?
Ask Lots Of Questions
Ask ask ask! The more questions the better in this case. Personally, I love meeting my clients and getting a sense of who they are, talking, explaining everything in detail and answering any questions they have! If someone is too busy to make time to meet with you at your convenience, this is a clear flag that they will not be very helpful or creative on the day either. Be clear and tell the photographer what your expectations are and ask how they are going to achieve what you are looking for. And again – trust your gut feeling after meeting your wedding photographer. Make sure you make the right choice for you and don’t be rushed into making a decision.
Organisation Is Key On The Day
Remember the more time you set aside, the better the results of your outdoor photo shoot. For instance – the ideal scenario is to have 30 – 45 minutes alone with the couple – just the three of us – usually on the way from the church to the venue. A good photographer will visit your photo shoot locations before your big day and do all the essential homework. That way we never waste our client’s time on the wedding day and they get the most of it.
Have Fun
It’s all about capturing one of the most important days of your life. Having fun while shooting on the day is very important so make sure you choose a wedding photographer that makes you feel comfortable – because having fun cannot be staged! What starts with choosing the right wedding photographer ends up being a living memory of your special day.
Founder of Best Photography Dublin, Mick, discovered his love of photography in 1996 when he got his first camera. He strives for perfection and his determination pushes him to focus on each and every little detail. He loves capturing lives while having fun with the people he works with to build a long-term relationship and the award-winning photographer’s clients highly recommend him to friends and family because their expectations were met on every level. Contact Mick for more details and see his portfolio at www.bestphotographydublin.com
