How to Work with an East Sussex Wedding Photographer

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How to Work with an East Sussex Wedding Photographer

Wedding memories should last a lifetime. Do you need an East Sussex wedding photographer to capture the moment? Here’s how to work with your photographer to get the best results.

So you’re engaged — and you’re on the hunt for the right East Sussex wedding photographer!

Choosing the right person to capture your special day is one of the most important activities on your wedding planning checklist.

You’ll keep and cherish these photographs for years to come. They’re not just pictures — they hold precious memories and will be looked at for many decades! Remember that when making your decision about who to hire. It’s tempting in todays digital age to ask a friend with a snazzy camera to take photos for you. And if you only want a few snaps then that might be fine. But you have to consider the fact that they will want to enjoy the wedding too, so are unlikely to shoot constantly throughout the day, and lots of moments will be missed. A professional photographer will also have the thousands of pounds worth of equipment to cope with the changing light conditions throughout the day, that an ordinary ‘point and shoot’ camera just couldn’t cope with in the same way. The images you’ll receive from your photographer will simply be of a much higher standard.

So if you have questions about how to work with an East Sussex wedding photographer, look no further. I’ve put together a guide for brides and grooms, covering everything from finding the right photographer to best practices for your wedding day.

Set Up an Engagement Session

If you have a photographer in mind for your wedding, it’s a good idea to hire him or her for an engagement session, too.

This will give you a chance to meet and grow comfortable with your photographer before the big day.

During your engagement shoot, you’ll get a feel for how the photo shoot works. Plus, you’ll be able to see if you, your fiancee, and your wedding photographer work well together. It’s really important that you feel relaxed with your photographer, so this is the ideal opportunity to get to know each other better and get used to having your photo taken.

Consider your engagement session an investment. Not only will you cherish the photos of this special milestone, you’ll also have a chance to meet your photographer and make 100% sure that they are who you want to hire to shoot your wedding. Some photographers (myself included) offer the engagement shoot as part of the package, so you might not need to pay any extra for this.

If anything goes wrong during the engagement shoot or if you’re not as happy with the photos as you thought you would be, it also gives you time to discuss this with your photographer. Remember: an engagement shoot can be redone. Photos from your wedding day cannot.

You can also use photos from the engagement session to point out things you like or don’t like about what the photographer captured. You may be self conscious about something that the photographer would not even notice (for some reason my nose seems to look bigger when shot from the right than the left for example!). So the engagement shoot gives you the chance to try out different shoot angles etc.

Make note of these things so that your photographer can incorporate your feedback into your wedding photos.

It’s All in the Planning

Meet with or call your photographer a week or two before your wedding to discuss the final timetable and plans for the day, as these are likely to have changed since you first booked your photographer.

It’s likely you’ll have already agreed a start and finish time, but you photographer is likely to be flexible if your times have changed. Its important that the photographer knows the running order and times of the day so that they are prepared.

Maybe you don’t care about the “getting ready” photos but you want to make sure to have ample time for the bride and groom session. You’ll need to plan your day — and your photographer’s time — accordingly.

It’s also important to provide your photographer in advance with a list of the ‘formal’ shots that you want, so that they can make sure that no-one is forgotten on the day (it’s easy to get caught up in all of the excitement and miss someone who’s nipped off to the loo). We recommend that you have no more than 5-10 formal shots, as each takes 2-3 minutes to get everyone together, and everyone starts to get fed up and fidgety after 20-30 minutes of standing around for the photos!

Make your expectations clear to your photographer, and ensure that you are both on the same page.

Planning ahead and making your expectations clear — and providing the time and opportunity for them to realistically be met — is what will ensure that you love your wedding photos.

Set the Right Scene

Like the rest of your wedding plans, the photographer you hire should have a style that flows with the scene you’re trying to set.

If you like light and airy photos, don’t hire a photographer whose work is typically dark and moody. And don’t host your wedding in a dark, industrial, masculine-type setting.

Look for places to shoot that have plenty of light, are protected from the weather, and are private.

The style of your photographer, the colour scheme of your wedding, the decorations you place, and the site where the event is hosted should all fit together well.

Perhaps you could create a mood board with all the different details of your wedding and make sure you’re painting a picture that represents you well as a couple.

Create a scene that you want captured in your wedding photos to last a lifetime. Do some trendy photos, but also make sure to capture a timeless wedding portrait look that will remain a classic throughout the years.

Setting the right scene at your wedding will ensure that the same look is translated through into your photos.

Leave More Time Than You Think You’ll Need

If wedding photos are of the utmost importance to you, set aside extra time for them! Your photographer will be able to produce the best possible images if he or she has ample time to shoot and doesn’t feel rushed.

This is one area of the day’s agenda where you don’t want to skimp or squeeze. Working with a wedding photographer is much easier if you leave them plenty of time to work their magic.

Ask Your East Sussex Wedding Photographer for Advice

Your wedding photographer wants to produce images that you’re happy with. Creating an open dialogue with them will give you both the confidence to create images you both love and admire.

Keep in mind that this person likely has a lot of experience and shoots weddings regularly, so relax and enjoy yourself, and trust your photographer that they will capture the day as best they can.

Attending so many weddings has surely taught your photographer a thing or two, and they probably have very helpful advice that they’re certainly willing to share, like recommendations of local florists or bands, so feel free to ask them for it.

Following these tips for working with an East Sussex wedding photographer will set you up for photographic success and ensure that you receive the wedding photos of your dreams.

 

Questions About Jennifer Smith Photography?

If you have any additional questions about working with an East Sussex wedding photographer, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 07736466004 or info@jennifersmithphotography.co.uk.

Browse around my site to learn more about me and get a better feel for my photography style. Also, feel free to browse my blogs to see photo galleries of past weddings.

For some extra help in the planning and hiring process, check out my blog post on ‘Hiring your Sussex Wedding Photographer- 10 Things To Ask’.