Nashville weddings

Must Read Wedding Advice: Find Your Style, Then Hire Your Wed Photographer

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Hindsight is 20/20.  Even with all of the planning, it's hard to avoid the "wouldas" and "shoulda's".  One way to minimize the regrets is to start with sound advice. 

Today, we share a recent conversation held with Donald Yeager of Donald Yeager Photography.  Our goal was to find out how you can keep from looking back with regret and really capture the details and memories you want to keep from your wedding day.  Bookmark this post and refer to it as you interview wedding photographers and make your wedding photography decisions.

Finding Your Wedding Photographer 101: Expert Q&A with Donald Yeager Photography (www.donaldyeager.com/)

ABG: There are some brides who are a little more in-tune with what they like and know it when they see it. But for those who aren't sure, what's the best way to find and pick their photographer?

Donald Yeager Photography (DYP): In my opinion one of the most important aspects of wedding planning is the choice of a photographer, because once it’s all said and done the photography is what will remain forever to document the emotions and details of the day. That being said, no bride should rush into making this monumentous decision. I’d recommend that to begin, with brides should feel free to immerse themselves in wedding images. Blogs (like ABG, of course), magazines, websites, and et cetera are all excellent places to begin research.

While seeking out images, take actual notes of the images that you have an emotional reaction to (print them, bookmark them, cut them out and keep them in a binder) as this will help you to identify your own personal style. When you have a nice stack, look through them all and find the common denominator. Usually, one type of photography will stand out from the rest, and while most brides will have a bit of a mix, you will see some kind of majority forming in your favorites pile. For example, you may find that the majority of the images you like the best are documentary or photojournalistic in style, such as the first look between the bride and groom or the flower girl and ring bearer flirting. Or, you may be more drawn to images with post-processing artistry, such as added textures or color enhancement.

After you have established what you are drawn to, start seeking out photographers who present images that are harmonious with the style you love and schedule interviews.

So how many photographers should a bride interview? 3? 5?

I don’t believe there is a magic number to how many photographers you should decide you want to meet with. However, if the number is hovering around 10, I’d strongly suggest the bride re-examine her style and how that it is compatible with her selections. It can be really tempting for a bride to meet with ten photographers whose styles differ in hopes of identifying the style of photography she wants, but I find that generally counterproductive. In the least ideal situation, you may could end up hiring a photographer solely based on their personality, but later discover that their style doesn’t quite mesh with what you envisioned. This is an important decision, don’t rush it. It’s good to take time to evaluate, re-evaluate, and even if everything feels right at the meeting, to walk away and think on it before signing a contract.

Hiring: During the decision process, what are questions the bride & groom need to ask? How, from a photographer's perspective, would you like to be "selected" to be their photographer (chemistry? similar hobbies or interests?)

Bridals magazines, websites, and planners will give you an extensive list of specific questions to ask photographers like what coverage entails, packages, second shooter availability, ect. Since this information is widely available, I am going to recommend some different advice. Just spend some time with your photographer and get to know one another on a personal level. This will help you better judge if your personalities are compatible. Remember, you are hiring this person to follow you around on the most important day of your life. Wouldn’t it be better to hang out with someone you get along with and know personally than someone you don’t know at all?

DYP: The bride's family's roots are in Cuba, and she is very proud of that heritage.  She used a book that was full of images from her family's native land as a guest book. 

From a photographer’s perspective, the same rules hold true. The better I can get to know my clients personally, the more they are willing to show emotion and allow me to authentically capture their wedding. I love when I show up on a wedding day and I really know who my bride and groom truly are. It enables me to better capture each little nuance from the day; from a bride’s tattoo that her father has never seen...

... to the finally crafted homebrew beer that the groom spent months perfecting.

DYP: The bride took hours upon hours to hand-make each program.  She wanted everyone's program to be a little different so she meticulously coordinated so that one program would not look identical to another.

ABG: We just love this ABG bag spotted behind the scenes at a Donald Yeager Photography wedding!

Once the contract ink has dried, how can the couple best work with a photographer to get everything in place for the big day and to make sure the wedding day itself is best captured?

I think that communication and honesty are key—if open communication exists from the get go, I feel that the bride and groom will be all the more comfortable with sharing their expectations and desires. If they are working with a wedding coordinator—a wonderful investment for any bride and groom to make—that professional can help facilitate the exchange of expectations. I always ask my couples if there are certain must have shots or locations that they’d like to see, and I’m always honest with them about the realities of timing and will not hesitate to let them know if something is not feasible.

DYP: This is an image of the bride and her son, Justin.  We were getting a couple of shots of the bride and groom when all the sudden he wandered over and just wanted a hug from his happily married mother.

I try to be game for anything and everything, because being spontaneous and having fun usually produces the best shots. I also advise my couples to remember to be flexible with their day—know that things may go awry, things may not go to schedule, things might not be perfect—but with flexibility we’ll make sure that the very best moments are captured. Either way, it all comes down to trust and good communication on both ends, and that’s why starting, and keeping—a dialogue from the day we meet until after they marry is absolutely necessary.

The next picture is from after an epic engagement session - Ben and Amanda insisted that we head over to their house so they could make Ben's family world famous lasagna rolls!

Thanks for all of the honest and helpful advice!  These are great pictures that examplify how finding the right photographer and establishing a good comaraderie with your photographer can really pay off. 

For more gorgeous pics, visit Donald Yeager Photography and view his gallery.  You'll also find more of his favorite pictures on his blog. 

All photos by Donald Yeager Photography

About the Author:

Tabitha

Blogging is something I’ve enjoyed doing for years. My interests lie mostly in lifestyle related topics like fashion, style, design, food and weddings. When I heard Ashley was looking to bring on new members to the ABG team, I jumped at the opportunity - I can’t think of a better way to stay involved in weddings than to write about them and to stay in touch with the trends and new ideas. Lucky for me, Ashley likes my blog and trusts my experience to bring me on and so far, it’s been a blast.

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send   Posted on August 11, 2010 | Filed under: Advice & Planning, Photography & Videography