How to compare wedding photographers

Comparing wedding photographers is both an art and science. Granted, you have to like or even love their photos first, but there are many other factors to consider when comparing wedding photographers.

So here are my tips as a wedding photographer for comparing, and ultimately choosing a wedding photographer for your wedding day. None of these are hard and fast rules, they are simply things to consider during the decision making process.

Do you love their photos?

This can be personal and subjective. Ultimately a photographer can produce photos which are technically perfect, and yet you may still not like them for some reason. It might be the colour grading, or the photos don’t move you.

Photographers may capture creative images that don’t appeal to you. Personally I don’t like the use of coloured flash gels for creative effects. I also don’t like transplanting skies on a wedding photo or adding a fake sun flare or sunset.

Many award winning photographers do, and many couples want these fantastical looking photos, but for me they come at the price of authenticity, and probably missed candid photos opportunities!

Replacing skies is when a photographer takes the original sky or sunset and replaces it with a more dramatic or colourful sky in Photoshop.

Personally, I would like my clients to look back at their wedding photos in 30 years time and see the real sky and conditions on the day, not a foreign sky downloaded from a stock library.

While loving their photos is extremely important, it is by no means the only thing to consider.

The problem with judging a wedding photographer on their limited visible public portfolio is that every single photographer out there will only put their best photos in a portfolio. These photos may have been taken 10 years ago and often there is no indication of this.

They were probably taken on sunny days at the most epic locations, in the most favourable conditions. These will not be representative of what your wedding day will look like ultimately (even at the same venue!).

There are many factors that contribute towards a great wedding photo, but the truth is that many of these are not actually in the control of the photographer. That includes the prevailing weather and lighting at the time, the willingness and participation of the couple and bridal party, and of course the backdrops of the chosen locations.

It is not practical to look at over 600+ photos from a wedding at the early stages of comparing photographers. It would take over an hour just to assess each photographer.

That is why virtually all photographers (including myself) choose the best photos from their favourtie weddings to put forward as their ‘portfolio’.

Higher budget weddings with more guests or in more exotic locations offer more appealing and beautiful photo opportunities. That is particularly true of detail shots such as reception rooms and decorations, but also the available scenes for couples portraits.

So please don’t judge a portfolio on the scenery, location, weather, attractiveness of the couple or other details, but try to look beyond that. Remember, your wedding is your wedding and it will be completely different.

Is one photographer more prepared than the other?

Not in terms of photography skills, but have they made contingencies for when things might go wrong (and things can and do go wrong from a ‘gear’ perspective all the time).

On an average wedding day most of the time you will never know the difference between a truly prepared and professional wedding photographer and a wannabe. But what happens when it rains during the ceremony for example? Do they have a collection of nice white umbrellas for the wedding party and rain covers for their camera on hand?

If they drop a camera or lens do they have a backup on hand ready to go, or will they have to pull out their smartphone?

At the very minimum a professional wedding photographer should have at least two camera bodies on site and backup lenses for both wide and tight focal distances, and shoot to two memory cards at the same time. These things are simply not negotiable for a professional wedding photographer.

I recommend asking (1) What procedures and backup strategies do you have in place to ensure photos are kept safe from the wedding day through to delivery? (2) How many times have you shot in the rain and can you explain how you dealt with this? (3) What happens if you can’t make it due to illness? (3) How many cameras will you be bringing and are they all the same professional ‘grade’?

Are the photos technically sound?

This may not be something that is apparent without a technical appreciation of photography, but most of this is just common sense.

Are all photos in an entire gallery sharp and in focus, are they composed well, relatively straight and vertical and for couples portraits in particular, free of distracting or unappealing backgrounds such as other people, cars or objects?

Do the photos look like the were taken in a hurry or with care and composition?

Are the photos too dark for your taste or too bright? Do the colours look good, or do skin tones look unnatural or unappealing?

Is there enough colour and contrast in photos or do they look flat or lifeless? Is the colour balance correct, are skin tones about right or are they too warm (orange) or too cold (blue)?

Finally, are many of the photos grainy and look like they have noise in them? This is a sign the photographer has allowed the ISO setting on their camera to go too high (perhaps not compensating with a slower shutter).

A grainy but sharp photo of a special moment is better than no photo at all, but generally speaking most of the photos in the gallery and especially the reception photos should be clear, sharp and free of noticeable grain. If they aren’t, ask the photographer why this is the case and whether this is their style and/or why they didn’t use flash or extra lighting. You won’t see this is their portfolio photos, it’s much more likely to be noticed in full wedding day galleries that include the reception stage.

This can sometimes be a creative choice by the photographer, so be sure to ask the photographer for explanation on why a particular photo was edited that way, if you are are unsure.

In fact, if there are photos you really don’t like in a photographers portfolio, ask them why they included them and what the background story was. There may well be a valid explanation, such as the couple specifically requesting that to be included etc.

Are there enough photos to tell the story

There should be enough photos delivered in the final gallery that tells the story of the day from start to finish, with all the detail and moments in between. This will depend on the scope of the photography coverage though, so try to find out how long the photographer was booked for if you are comparing sheet volume.

As a general rule, anywhere from 40 to 70 photos per hour is about the norm with 50 photos per hour the general average (from my observations).

To the contrary, I would also be suspicious of photographers offering extra “value” by providing anything more than 80 photos per hour. I would question how many of these extra photos are really needed, and whether less photos might be more appropriate. If the photographer always works with a second shooter or as a couple, then that might explain why more photos were delivered per hour.

Also watch out for guarantees of 1000+ photos where this may actually be 500 photos but 500 photos also delivered in black & white!

Modern mirrorless cameras can capture more photos per hour due to their superior focus ability and exposure simulation. While there are still wedding photographers that use older DSLR style cameras (and swear by them) just be aware that in general terms they won’t be able to deliver as many photos as a photographer shooting with newer mirrorless cameras (all things being equal!).

Is the photographer taking flattering photos for the actual subjects?

Shooting group photos too wide and too close results in distortion of subjects (especially at the edges). Shooting too close to a subject also distorts their facial features, and is commonly seen in selfies taken on a mobile phone camera.

When looking at family group photos for example, they should all mostly be (in my opinion) straight and consistent with flattering lighting (whether natural or with flash).

At the bare minimum, the couple should be looking at the camera and not blinking or looking elsewhere in every family group photos, and ideally every subject.

Family group photos should not be captured close to the subjects with a wide lens, unless there was no other choice at the venue/location (for example due to poor weather).

There should not be many photos of guests eating food or holding tissues at cocktail hour unless the client specifically requested these.

Where photos are taken during the day, subjects should generally have their back to the sun and not be in direct sunlight unless it was unavoidable, or unless it’s very close to sunset, and this was a creative choice. This is of course unavoidable at stages like the ceremony if it’s taking place at midday, but in particular couples portraits should not be captured in direct sunlight unless very close to sunset.

Are all photos delivered in focus

Check for critical focus on couples portraits and family group photos. For candid photos that can’t be retaken the photographer may deliver photos that are slightly out of focus on the subjects eyes because the photo is still ‘telling the story’. But these photos should be few and far between. Don’t be afraid to zoom in on photos on a large screen and see if you can make out individual eyelashes for example.

You aren’t looking for one out of focus photo to discount that photographer completely, you are just making sure that the vast majority of photos have correct focus (normally the closest eye to the camera of the subject being captured).

Don’t give too much weight to ‘top’ searches

While it is tempting to Google a phrase like ‘top X wedding photographers in brisbane’ to find curated lists of the best photographers, the actual results can be influenced by premium sponsorship’s, advertising or other payments.

There is no ‘official list’ of the best photographers within a particular city, region or state. Probably the closest thing might be state awards issued by reputable organisations like the AIPP. However, the vast majority of wedding photographers are not eligible to enter these awards as they are not members of these associations.

How to compare couples portraits

It helps to know how long the photographer was allocated for the couples portrait session. This way you can judge whether the quality and quantity of photos looks about right.

Bear in mind that couples portraits normally only yield less photos per hour (on average) due to the extra posing and composition required, and stringent selection. If you feel there are not enough couples portraits in a particular set, it may because of time constraints on the day, so check with the photographer first. Often couples will ask for only a few photos to be captured of them, over 10-15 mins.

Another major factor is the time of day couples portraits were taken. Some morning weddings may dictate that couples portraits are taken at midday. Unless it’s a cloudy day, this is the worst possible time because of the harsh, high contrast light and shadows which means couples generally need to stay in the shade or have their back to the sun. Neither of these options are as ideal as shooting nearer sunset or even sunrise when the light is much more flattering.

Bear in mind that as photographers we often have little say in the timeline of the day (although we try to influence it as much as possible to improve outcomes, in most cases trying to have the ceremony start earlier than planned due to time constraints).

Finally, if there are particular photos in a photographers portfolio that look absolutely stand out amazing, just check with them whether they were taken on a real wedding day, or whether this was a stylised shoot with models posed, instead of real wedding couples.

You really need to know the back story

To compare complete sets of photos between photographers, it is critical to understand the backstory. In other words, what did the bride and groom request for their photography and what actually happened on the day to affect it?

Sometimes couples will ask for specific types of photos, which may even be outside the photographers normal style. It helps to know the complete backstory of the day (without revealing anything personal of course) so you can appreciate why things happened the way they did.

For example, at one recent wedding in Brisbane it started to rain during our couples portraits session (it was an outdoor garden wedding). While we intended to shoot more couples portraits later, the couple felt they had enough in the 12 minutes we had shot for. They were more than happy to join their guests in celebration than stay in the rain.

Other times couples will request ‘props’ to be included in photos such as signs or personal momentos. These may not always be the photographers choice or suggested by the photograper.

At a recent wedding I was asked by the couple to take a photo of the bridal party running down a hill so they could Photoshop a dinosaur in the background. If you were looking at the gallery without this back story you would really wonder why that photo was in the final gallery!

Are you looking at the best quality images like for like?

It is very difficult to compare photos unless they are high quality, which means at least 5000 pixels and a high JPEG quality. I don’t recommend looking at photos from Facebook or Instagram because they are heavily compressed and especially in the case of Facebook, even colours and exposure changed once uploaded.

If the photographer’s portfolio is not already in high resolution then it makes it very hard to compare. You may need to ask for a high resolution gallery to be made available.

Some photographers have printed portfolios in an album or photobook for you to view in-person. These will often look better than photos viewed on a computer screen or mobile phone, so be aware of this bias when comparing with other photographers online. A printed photo somehow just always looks better than viewing it on screen.

Do you like their style?

A photographer’s style is hard to define in words. It is everything about them, and how this impacts on the finished photos, from the way they interact with guests to what they are naturally drawn to.

Style also includes how they both shoot and edit their photos, and might range from dark and moody to light and airy and lots in between!

A common trend these days (and I say trend because it is a relatively new thing) is to desaturate colours in photos (and especially greens, but sometimes all the colours).

Photographers all vary in the amount of black and white photos delivered. Often they will deliver black and whites in addition to the colour versions, but bear in mind some photos only work in black and white.

If on the other hand a large proportion of photos are only provided in black and white, then you should consider whether this is appealing to you.

Only you can ultimately decide the style, look and feel that appeals to you by viewing multiple complete galleries together with the back stories of those weddings (including the total number of hours coverage).

How do they compare with inclusions?

When comparing photographers price is always a factor. However, different photographers do things differently. Some include pre-wedding site visits, and others like to do these on the wedding day itself by arriving early.

As a basic rule, the more preparation and planning the photographer does before the wedding day, the smoother everything will probably go.

Photographers that visit locations before the wedding day such as the ceremony and reception venues are going to be better prepared. This all takes time, and is important to consider when comparing photographers.

Also consider whether digital files are included, and at what pixel resolution (pixels at the longest edge) not the DPI value, as this is not relevant for digital files. Higher is better, and what you really want is maximum quality and pixel resolution digital files.

If your photographer includes albums or photo books it can be very hard to compare without seeing these side by side (which is not practical). Therefore, this is something that is extremely difficult to compare objectively.

Have you met them in-person or via video chat?

Meeting someone ‘in person’ (or via video chat) is a great way to get to know your photographer before the day. It just means one less thing to worry about. But it actually goes both ways, because it allows your photographer to see what your personality and style is like. They may also learn things about you that helps them plan the wedding photography more appropriately (for example a big height difference!).

If you are comparing photographers and can’t decide between two, consider meeting them both first via video chat or in-person. This will hopefully make the decision easier!

Have you seen an entire gallery of photos from several recent weddings?

This is hands down the best way to compare photographers. I recommend looking at two complete galleries of photos from any photographer you have shortlisted (once availability and pricing is confirmed). They do not need to be identical weddings to yours in terms of guest numbers, locations or styles, but some similarity may help.

Take into account critical factors such as the number of hours coverage, whether the photographer was shooting alone or with a second shooter (or perhaps had an assistant), and the prevailing weather conditions on the day.

I would also recommend choosing the galleries yourself, rather than galleries offered by the photographer if at all possible, and the photographer allows this.

Consider both the quality and quantity of photos. It may be useful to get some background from the photographer about what the client requested on the day too. Just because there are no ‘getting ready’ photos for example does not mean the photographer neglected to take these!

It is almost always because this was something the couple simply didn’t want captured. The same can be said for off-person detail shots like dresses, rings and shoes. Some couples just don’t want those things captured.

I recommend looking at every single photo on a large good quality screen, and this will take 30-60 minutes to do properly, as there should be hundreds of photos to view.

Flexibility is important

When booking a photographer, take into account their postponement and cancellation policies. You might move interstate before your wedding for vocational reasons. There are many reasons why your wedding date/location might be changed. Try to find a photographer that has a reasonable deposit policy and provide flexibility with booking changes.

Try not to allow pricing to be the ultimate deciding factor (even though it often is!)

Most couples have a budget for their wedding and this includes professional photography. I would recommend choosing the photographer that is right for you. This might mean going with a photographer that is cheaper or more expensive than your original budget.

Photography pricing varies wildly between photographers and sometimes it just comes down to availability or supply and demand. Photographers who have more availability are probably going to be priced less expensively. Veteran photographers who have been shooting weddings for many years will tend to be on the more expensive side, as they have more forward bookings and experience.

Be wary of very inexpensive photographers or those offering discounts or special offers that seem too good to be true, and be sure to do some Google reverse image searches on their images to make sure they have not been ‘borrowed’ from other photographers portfolios. I have seen this happen with some Brisbane photographers, so it probably does happen everywhere to some extent.

Read every online review carefully and with a grain of salt

Reading reviews when comparing photographers is probably one of the easiest aspects of comparing photographers, and is probably the first thing that comes to mind.

Reviews are impossible to ignore these days, so be sure to check out reviews across all platforms such as Google Reviews, EasyWeddings, Facebook reviews etc.

Looking at their overall rating as judged by actual couples who have hired them and been through the process is a very valuable comparison tool.

In situations where the photographer has a poor review, be sure to read the photographers reply and don’t be afraid to ask them about the situation. If they have not replied to a bad review with their side of the story, then ask them what happened. Another warning sign might be multiple, lengthy bad reviews, particularly in a short time period.

Try to match up the persons first name who reviewed the photographer with their portfolio, to make sure the review is real and genuine. If the review is nothing more than a rating e.g. 1 star without any written context, it may well be a fake review.

Conclusion

I wish you all the very best with choosing a wedding photographer, as it is not a straight forward task. Take your time, but also consider that the longer you delay making a decision the greater the likelihood of your first pick being unavailable!

Therefore, the first thing to do is to start early about 12 months before your date (if possible). Most couples book wedding photography in my experience about 9 months before the date - so starting at 12 months will give you an edge.

Try to start the enquiry process as soon as you have booked either your reception or ceremony location, and have locked in the date. Even though most wedding photographers require a deposit to reserve the day, often just by chatting with them via video chat or even enquiring on a date they may actually hold that date for you.

Don’t be afraid to start the process of enquiring early on! The more galleries and photographer you meet, the clearer things will become.

In conclusion (just my opinion!)

(1) Make sure you look at complete sets of images from several weddings on a large screen (not your phone) (2) Find out the background to each of those weddings from the photographer to help you understand how and why things happened as they did (3) Look beyond the opulence of the venues or locations (4) Ensure you are comparing ‘like for like’ in terms of inclusions (4) If you can’t decide between two photographers, meet them via video chat before deciding (5) Choose your ideal photographer and book them asap!