Everything You Need To Know About Hiring A Wedding Photographer

Now that the date is fixed & you’ve found the man of your dreams, it’s time you find someone who captures the most memorable day of your life in its truest essence i.e. a great wedding photographer! Finding a suitable wedding photographer is easier said than done. Especially when you have a pool of exciting options available at your disposal, it gets difficult to pick just one. While there will be one who has a big name in the industry and expertise in bridal portraits, there’ll be others who have little recognition yet have such impressive portfolios & a flair for clicking amazing photos.

Well, that’s what we’re here for! To help you know how to hire the best wedding photographer for yourself, we’ve put up a complete wedding photographer hiring guide. Scroll through and make the most of it!

Ultimate Guide to Hire the Best Wedding Photographer

Know your wedding photography needs better

1. The Kind Of Wedding Photography You Want

CANDID PHOTOGRAPHY

• Candid photography is more spontaneous and less posey.

• It tends to capture the people and emotions in a much more realistic way.

• This type of photography requires more skill, experience, planning and technical know-how.

• Candid shots are hard to shoot and consequently cost a tad bit more.

TRADITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

• Traditional photography is generally staged (posey).

• It involves the photographer taking over the whole and sole charge.

• It tends to capture a large part of the wedding, ensuring no moment or person is missed.

• Such shots cost less.

2. The Kind Of Wedding Videography You Want

CINEMATIC VIDEOGRAPHY

• The idea behind cinematic videography is quite similar to candid photography.

• It involves more creativity & storytelling in documenting the events.

• It tends to capture the wedding, it’s star cast (you & important people) and surrounding emotions in a 20-40 minute video.

• This type of videography requires specific equipment, cameras, drones and technical knowhow.

• It is a costly affair.

Here’s how Cinematic Videography looks like.

TRADITIONAL VIDEOGRAPHY

• Traditional Videography is one of the oldest forms of videography.

• It involves less creativity besides documenting every single minute of the event.

• In the case of traditional videography, the entire wedding function is filmed for at least 2-3 hours.

• This type of videography requires a typical video camera and some basic equipment to shoot continuously

• A traditional video costs less.

3. How To Set The Budget For Wedding Photography

• Know your total wedding budget.

• Chalk out an approximate percentage of the total budget you’re willing to invest in wedding photography
  (Usually, couples spend 5-10% of the total budget on wedding photography)

• Do elaborate research and shortlist a few photographers you like (on the basis of their quality of work)

• Know the market prices
  (Just FYI: On average, photographers charge Rs. 15000 for Candid Photography, Rs. 18000 for Cinematic Photography, Rs. 9,000 for Traditional Photography, Rs. 10,800 for Traditional Videography, Rs. 18,000 for Pre-wedding, Rs.10,800 for Wedding Album per day)
  Note: The prices and quality of work may vary from photographer to photographer.

• Once you know the market prices, you’ll have a clear idea about whether they fall within your set budget or exceed it.

• In case the prices fall within or near your set budget, you can consider your original budget as the final budget.

• However, if the market prices exceed the budget you have set, you can either re-evaluate the budget or make some compromises & allocate a maximum amount of it to your favoured services.
  (For instance, if you’re an ardent lover of candid photography and have a total of Rs. 1 lakh budget for wedding photography for a two-day event, you can allocate the maximum funds to candid photography and keep the remaining amount for other services.)

4. What You Need Before You Start Searching For A Photographer

• Have a defined wedding photography budget.

• Know your estimated guest list.

• Gain clarity on your wedding venue(s).

• Know the finalised event dates.

• Decide if you want the photographer for all the ceremonies or only the selected ones.

• Know whether you’re booking the photographer from groom’s side and bride’s side separately or both sides together.

5. How To Find The Right Wedding Photographer

• Skim through profiles of popular wedding photographers in your city at:
  • Online wedding planning portals such as Partyboks
  • Social Media Platforms
  • Wedding Albums of your newly-wed friends & family members

• Understand the quality of their work and the wedding style they specialise in.

• Shortlist the ones that you like the most (at least 5-6 of them).

• Meet each one of them in person to check out their portfolios and know about their work experience, prices and cancellation policies better.