Type ‘wedding photographers near me’ into Google and I bet you’ll be swamped with choices. That’s because there are so many talented wedding photographers around these days, especially in Dubbo and the Central West where I’m based. It can be overwhelming not knowing where to start and who to contact first. But there’s a few simple steps you can follow to help making choosing the right photographer a BREEZE.

1. Look for Full Wedding Galleries

We as photographers often tend to post our best work on Instagram, and most of the time you don’t get a sense of how a full wedding looked. Things like details shots, ceremony or reception images are sometimes overtaken by beautiful portraits, so when you’re going through a wedding photographers website, make sure you check out galleries from start to finish. This will give you an idea of what a full wedding looks like with them and how they capture different parts of the day. See if you can imagine yourself in the photos you’re looking at!

2. Make Sure You Like Their Style of Shooting and Editing

This might sound obvious, but it’s probably the most important one. If you want a photographer who’s work is light, bright and more on the candid side, find someone who does just that. Don’t approach a photographer who’s moody and who likes to give a lot of direction and ask them to edit their photos in a bright way. We work hard to create work that’s consistent and artistic, so please don’t ask us to change it. Sure there’ll be instances where we can work with you to slightly alter something to suit the colour palette or the lighting, but for the most part you’re hiring us based on the work you see online. If what you see isn’t quite what you were looking for, I’d much rather you find someone who’s work you love.

3. Read The About Me Section on their Website

Your photographer is the one vendor you spend the most time with on your wedding day, so it’s important to hire someone you actually like and get along with. When you’re reading about them on their website or watching their stories on Instagram, see if you can picture yourself having a conversation with them in real life and if you could be friend IRL. The last thing you want is to feel awkward on your wedding day. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, hang out for a coffee and chat casually first to see how you match and go from there.

4. Find Out What’s Included in Their Packages

Some photographers will showcase it online and others will share it with you once you inquire with them. Either way, when you’re deciding who you want to go with, think about what value they are bringing to you for the investment you’re about to make. Think about the amount of coverage they include, how they will work with you in the lead up to the wedding, when you’ll get sneak peeks, just for some examples. They should be making you think you can’t live without them! 

All these things should help make your decision much easier. Because let’s face it, it can be hard finding the perfect wedding photographer for you! But by thinking about all these things first, it’ll help you choose the right person for you AND it’ll make your day more enjoyable!

Let me know in the comment if this article was helpful and if you have or will use these tips to choose your wedding photographer!