How I Picked My Wedding Photographer
I closed my first post saying that there are many things I am excited about my wedding and its planning. The very first thing I was and still am excited about it is the wedding photographer. Photography has always been one of my passions, and I usually prefer to be behind the camera, as opposed to being in front of it.
I was personally having a bad time finding the perfect person because none of the portfolios I was consulting looked “right”, nor “perfect”. Don’t get me wrong, they were great portfolios, but none of them fit me nor made me scream with joy or as a representation of myself. I completely understand the importance of a good picture, especially after seeing my graduation picture (absolutely awful). One advice I want to give you is not to sacrifice nor underestimate the importance of not only having a great photographer, but also having a photographer that could take pictures that reflect your style. At the end of the day, you are the one who is going to pay for it, look at those pictures, and especially pose!
One of the very first questions I ask when it comes to hiring a photographer would be to see their portfolio (duh) but not only that. I ask for both professional and pictures taken for fun, pictures that have no client-influence whatsoever, pictures that were taken only for his/her own pleasure. I compare those pictures and that gives me an idea of their personal style, and how their personal style is being integrated in the pictures they take under contract.
Another suggestion I have, if possible, is to take a trial session with the photographer you are considering. I took two trial sessions and I went with the one I enjoyed the most. Now, I am not a wedding planner wizard, nor I am a famous photographer that has an audience, but I want to share my experience as to what completely sold me to Rachelle Dana as our wedding photographer.
So I never believed in destiny, but she was suggested to me on Facebook. She had just moved in the area, and she was offering free short photoshoots to couples for her to get to know the area. I was tagged in the post and I made the waitlist. Then, she either had a cancellation or a moment of her time opened up, and she contacted me a few hours before asking me if I was available.
She found the perfect place, a little beach in Fort Story. I am actually considering to go back there myself to take pictures of the area. I was in love: imagine a small, almost empty beach at sunset. Not bad at all for someone who just moved to the area! Then she shared some details of herself, and asked us some questions like how we met, just to conduct a little of small talk. But definitely not too much to take away time from the shoot. She made us feel comfortable and then she started giving us directions.
But they were general directions, so that we had room to put our own personal interpretation in it. For example, she said things like “why don’t you walk away and then walk back to me and you guys talk to each other” or stuff like “what about a piggy back ride”. It was her job to capture the perfect moment in a situation she created. She did not ask us to act, to pretend happiness, to fake a smile, to fake a pose. She just asked us to be us.
The finished product was awesome. I am in love with the pictures, and I sort of have the feeling that love irradiates out of her pictures. And that is what I want at my wedding.
Wanderlust Arts 