Wedding photographers UK - professional shots or reportage?

Seek a wedding photographer online - UK - USA

Weddings tend to be seasonal, so many of the best UK wedding photographers will be heavily in demand during the popular months. The best course of action is to book early, and you should aim to start looking no later than eight to ten months before your big day.

If you are hoping for the maximum level of reassurance, trust word-of-mouth when selecting your wedding photographer. Speak to any friends or relatives who have married in the last couple of years, and try to look through their wedding albums to see if the pictures match your requirements and expectations. Find out if they were happy with the service they received, and whether the price was reasonable. It is best if the photographer is local to the area of your wedding, so you may need to get in contact quickly, lest he is inundated with bookings.

You could also use your other wedding supply companies to help find an appropriate professional photographer. Discuss your needs with your florist, caterer and officiant as they are likely to have contacts who can provide photography services. They have attended hundreds of weddings, and may be able to recommend photographers who have most impressed them. Certainly, if you have a wedding co-ordinator, lean on them to help you find the right person for the job.

Wedding photographers advertise their services in various ways. Wedding fairs are extremely useful in this regard, and there are likely to be plenty of competing photographers in attendance. This allows you the opportunity to look through their portfolios and to see which styles suit you best. There are also a plethora of photographers advertising in the classified sections of wedding magazines. They tend to select a photograph that most represents the work they do, so you may be able to narrow the search down to the ones which seem most similar to the kinds of pictures you are hoping for. It is also possible to find good photographers via online searches. Specialised websites provide this service, such as findaweddingphotographer.co.uk, which provides regional lists for both the UK and the US.

However you find a wedding photographer, you must make appointments to meet with them — you should aim to see many examples of their work, and discuss your personal expectations. If you are interested in candid shots, or photojournalism, it would be best to hire a photographer who is experienced in these areas. Many photographers will tell you that they are able to provide all the shots you require, even if they have not got past examples to show you. Go with your instincts if this happens, as you are likely to be disappointed with the results if you hire them in blind faith.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Wedding Photographers