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What is a wedding photographer worth?

What is a wedding photographer worth?

Wedding photographers come in every variation; the 'point and click', the 'staged' style, the HD glossy magazine worthy, and they all have their place in the market, and price themselves accordingly. If you're on the fence or undecided about whether a photographer is worth the expense or wondering what you'll really get out of it, take a read of this blog before you make your decision.

Should I even have a photographer for my wedding?

If you're on the fence about even having a photographer, the chances are it's not a huge priority to you, which is fine but my main tip for anyone thinking about not having one is first consider who you are now and who you think you might be in a few years. If you're not certain either way, then hire a photographer anyway because you can ignore the pictures for now, but you can't recreate your whole wedding in years to come. Friends and family aren't with us forever and your wedding photos could well be the only ones that exist of your whole family together.

If having pictures of your big day isn't a huge priority, then by all means go for a budget photographer who will capture some lovely images for you to look back on. You might find a student, or new to the industry professional, looking to create a portfolio, which could be a bargain but you might not get every picture you hope for. Point and click, or 'reportage' style, could work well for you as they're low pressure, not too cheesy, not too staged - again ideal if you don't like the idea of posing for ages.

There are so many photographers in the mid-price range, how do I chose?

Mid-price range photographers have lots of different styles and yes there are loads out there so narrowing down who to meet with, let alone deciding who to chose, is a toughy. My top tip for this is look at their social media feeds, look for the galleries, this will give you a good feel for the way they like to shoot. Then go for the one/s that most appeal to you, whose previous couples seem like your kind of people or best represent you. Then look at their reviews and recommendations. Have they been shortlisted or won any awards? - any photographer who wins an award will have been up against stiff competition.

Some photographers love using lots of filters and lighting to create mood, or use old fashioned techniques that might come across a little cheesy. If you don't like someones style, then move on. Don't expect a serious dark and moody photographer to suddenly turn around and do whimsical; unless they can demonstrate through their galleries that they have range, they won't pull it off.

Why do some photographers charge so much?

Top price photographers are targeting what they do to people who really value amazing images. People who want the big glossy album and will have one of the pictures made into a canvas. If this really isn't you then don't worry but don't ask for them to be something they're not and don't be surprised when photographers refuse to budge on their pricing. Top end photographers are often more like artists and with that comes passion and sensitivity about what they offer. They can take rejection quite personally, but they will also always do an amazing job.

With the sheer number of photographers out there it can be tough to know where to start, so looking for recommendations is key. If you need help or advice on what you're being told I can help you sort through the responses and make recommendations, based on my experience and understanding from working with many photographers over the years.

The long and short of it is that a photographer is worth whatever you are prepared to pay for them. As with all things if you want expertise and award-winning photographs you will need to pay for it. If you're not really fussed, then yes you'll find a cheaper one but they won't necessarily offer the full service you might expect and they won't have the skills or equipment of the higher end ones. You wouldn't ask Annie Lebowitz to do your family portrait and expect her to only charge a couple of hundred quid so don't ask it of highly skilled and experienced, but not quite so famous photographers. X