SO YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED AND IT’S TIME TO FIND THE BEST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER; WE’VE PUT TOGETHER OUR TOP 5 TIPS TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR PERFECT MATCH!
When couples come to see us, they’re often unaware of what to ask their (prospective) wedding photographer/s. As a team of Montreal wedding photographers and videographer who have been through this process countless number of times, we know finding the perfect wedding photographer/videographer is not an easy task. Here are a few pointers to help steer you in the right direction:
1. FEEL A CONNECTION! FIND THE RIGHT FIT!
The Photographer’s Work: Does the look and feel that you had envisioned for your own wedding match the look of the Photographer’s portfolio? Whether you consider your self an artistic person or not, it’s important that you are able to envision yourself and your loved ones in the photographer’s body of work. When you look at the photographer’s work do you see you and your loved ones in their photos? Does their style fit with how you imagine your day being captured? A photographer will not only be capturing your precious moments, they will also be editing them to bring out the best of your pictures. Make sure you connect with the photographer’s style because that is one of the major reasons for why you’re hiring them. Don’t hire one photographer expecting them to shoot like someone else’s work that you’ve liked.
Meet your photographer: I can’t stress how integral it is that you actually connect and have things in common with this person or team. You want to have a wedding photographer that makes you feel comfortable when it comes to having your pictures taken or your video filmed.
Professionalism and Experience: This relationship has to be balanced with a photographer who is also professional, assertive and mindful about timing and schedule. Pick someone that you trust and you can work with.
2. LOOK FOR CREATIVITY
Style: Don’t be captivated by the latest and most popular trends in photography – the key here is to look for a wedding photographer whose work feels “timeless and creative” versus “trendy and creative.”
Ask to see a full wedding day gallery to get the creativity, perspective and the the editing style of the photographer.
(This image above was actually captured inside the couple's walk in closet, it is just so important for the photographer who can take pictures and turn everything ordinary into extraordinary with the use of our perspective, composition or use of light).
3. WEDDING ALBUMS, COFFEE TABLE BOOKS AND PRINTS
Who’s doing the work?: Is the work being done in-house by your photography team or outsourced to a third party? Find a photographer who is mindful about the book making and designing process. At Luxury Moment Photography, your photographer will be the one who will design your album.
Express yourself: Every book should be unique in order to reflect your individual personality. Be wary of standard template designs that force you to compromise your sense of aesthetics.
All our wedding albums, coffee table book, prints and canvas are all customized and design by us (your luxury moment photographer) and handmade and ship all the way from Italy. Head over to our Vimeo Video for more details : https://vimeo.com/247062886)
4. LOOK FOR QUALITY OF THE WORK
Sharpness: Is the photographer able to achieve that nice, sharp, clear and brilliant image with great detail? Although photographers will often use creative techniques where a soft focus is applied, it is important to keep an eye out for sharpness and clarity.
Exposure: Do the images look either too light or too dark? Often photographers will over- or underexpose a photo on purpose but pay attention to little details like the tones in the bride’s dress – do you see enough detail? Also be mindful of the subjects’ faces. Are their skin tones flattering?
Lighting: Look at an image and make a note of the way it makes you feel. Lighting establishes the mood, so as you look through a photographer’s work, they should have a considerable amount of range. It's equally important to see if your photographer has a good knowledge on lighting techniques (Such as using external flash or and gel to create different kind of mood and creativity).
Framing/Composition: The subject matter in a beautifully framed photograph is as important as the background. The background of an image can sometimes be filled with wonderful little surprises, and subtle nuances to accentuate the subject matter.
5. EXPERIENCE, RELIABILITY, PROFESSIONALISM AND SOCIAL PRESENCE
How many years in the business? We have seen a number of photographers move, shut down, and eventually move on to other careers. When investing in your wedding photography, you want to ensure that your photographer is a professional and going to be in business for years to come. Look for some reliable, award-winning and a photographer who have a very active social presence.
Are they recognized in the wedding photography industry?: For Luxury Moment Photography, it is important for us to get recognized by some of the legendary world-wide wedding professional photographers, and that is the reason why we are proud members of WPPI, PWPC and few other recognized photography organizations. We have also continuously participated in few international wedding and portrait photography online and prints competitions. Our lead photographer, Betty Ma is a 4 time winner of the most prestigious international wedding & Portrait photography competition (WPPI) with 3 silvers awards in both wedding day and pre-wedding category and a second place in the pre-wedding category.
Workflows and security: We have implemented workflows using softwares/programs that keeps both the photographer/videographer and client engaged and connected with one another. Any one of our clients can simply log into their personalized client gallery and with a single click, they can view, download, share and order their album with ease.
Delivery in a timely Manner: Many of our couples asked us this question during their pre-wedding consultation, "how long does it take to receive my final professional edited pictures and video?". And we have heard so many different stories about how couples have not yet received their wedding day edited photos and videos a year after their wedding.
At Luxury Moment Photography, we truly understand the excitement of receiving your wedding day pictures and video and that's the reason why we can assure you that, all our wedding day pictures take approximately 4-6 weeks (or 6-8 weeks during August and September weddings and 2-3 weeks for engagement session photoshoot). As for your final edited full wedding day video, it will take no more than 3 months.
The ability to capture your story in a fine art and story-telling way
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Welcome to our Montreal wedding photography blog. Please visit our wedding portfolio here and my engagement portfolio here. We are an international award-winning, published Montreal wedding photographer also specializing in portrait, corporate, maternity and boudoir photography and deeply passionate about destination weddings. We shoot primarily in the Greater Montreal and Toronto area but also love traveling for work! Some destinations we have shot in are Quebec and colorful Mexico as well as California, Las Vegas/Nevada, New Orleans, and Asia. Since 2016, we have shot over 100 weddings and continue to love what we do so very much. When you’re always surrounded by love, happiness, and contagious, happy energy, what’s not to love? We are currently booking for 2021 weddings, so message us soon with any inquiries you may have about your portrait or wedding photography. Contact us here or email us info@Luxurymomentphotography.com.
Much Love,
Luxury Moment Photography