It’s always sad to see couples disappointed by their

wedding photography and it seems like it happens far too
often, so we created a quick guide to avoid some of the
common pitfalls of hiring a wedding photographer

Here are 7 common mistakes to avoid when

choosing your wedding photographer

1. Picking a Photographer without seeing a full

wedding galler
Don’t judge a book by its cover and don’t judge a photographer
by a few good photos

A lot of comments on the internet revolved around brides being unhappy

with their photos. One bride even said she cried when she saw her
wedding photos and ended up hiring a different photographer to try and
recreate some of the moments from her wedding!

If you want to avoid a situation where you aren’t happy with your photos
our biggest recommendation is to look at a couple of your potential
photographer’s full wedding galleries.

One of the biggest mistakes couples run into is choosing a photographer

based solely on the handful of photos from their website or portfolio.
The problem with this is that these are their very best selected photos
(usually 1 or 2) from a bunch of entire gallery of 400-800 photos.

This means that if you base your expectation for your wedding
photography on only those best photos, you’re going to be disappointed
by the other 798 in your gallery. It’s important to remember that there are a
ton of different types of photos that will make up your wedding gallery.
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There are the grand, carefully planned and directed shots, then there's the
getting ready shots, the details, all those candids, the ceremony, the
formals etc.
By looking at full galleries from a photographer you can get a better idea
of what to expect from the gallery you’ll receive from your wedding.

2. Hiring a friend or someone you know that’s a

“photographer
This is a tough one, and while we know some of you have some incredibly
talented photographer friends - letting a friend shoot your wedding always
has its pros and cons.
If you are considering letting a friend be your wedding photographer,
please ensure they really are a professional and have shot weddings
before. Friends always want to help, which means that sometimes they
bite off more than they can chew.
In reality, being the primary wedding photographer for a wedding is
extremely stressful. You have to be diligently organized otherwise you risk
missing out on important moments.
Someone that hasn’t shot a wedding before may get overwhelmed by
the pace or be unprepared when it’s time to capture that important
moment. Lastly, consider the fact that your friend probably wants to try
and experience and enjoy your wedding. If they have to focus on the
photography it will probably mean they won’t get to enjoy a whole lot of
your wedding as they’ll be focused on shooting

3. Hiring someone starting out to save mone

While it might seem like a great idea to hire someone who’s just starting
out to get a huge discount on your wedding photography - this is probably
the biggest pitfall that leads to couples being disappointed in their wedding
photos.
It’s pretty simple, if someone hasn’t shot a wedding before, they just don’t
know what to expect. They don’t know when to prepare for those important
moments, they don’t know how to keep everyone organized for the

formals or they don’t know how to direct and make you comfortable in
front of the camera. They may be a great photographer, but they may not
be able to keep up with the sheer pace and chaos that is a wedding.

Trust us, you don’t want someone trying to gure it out on your
wedding day. If you do insist on hiring someone that is just starting out, at
least ensure they have 2nd shot for another photographer so they know
what to expect during the wedding

4. Not going over your wedding day timeline with

your photographe
Knowing what to expect on your wedding day should be a priority for
both yourselves and your photographer to ensure everything
runs smoothly and no important moments are missed.
Making sure your photographer has a step by step timeline for your
wedding from capturing “getting ready” to the “ rst dance” is critical and
will really make all the difference in the chaos of your big day!
Also be sure that you have planned out the logistics required for getting
yourself and the photographer from one location to another and where to
meet, the last thing you want is your photographer wandering around the
location trying to nd you when you only have an hour to do your formals

5. Not having a 2nd shoote

A lot of people wonder what the point is of having a 2nd shooter at their
wedding and so it’s often the rst thing they try to shave off their wedding
to save money.
But for the small amount of money you might save you are giving up a lot
of value in terms of your photography.
The main bene t of having a 2nd shooter at your wedding is because your
primary photographer can’t be in two places at once! For example, if you
want to capture the moments before the ceremony when the bride and the
groom are getting ready, you need a photographer to be with both of them.
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 During the ceremony, the primary photographer can focus on the bride as
she comes up the aisle and the second shooter can capture the groom,
the audience and wider shots of the whole ceremony. Overall, having a
2nd shooter allows for much greater coverage of the wedding,
prevents any missed moments and ensures the whole photography
experiences is smooth!
3 Reasons you need a 2nd photographer for your wedding
#1 Not even a perfect photographer can be in two places at once
#2 You want to capture the emotions of both bride and groom, It is
important
#3 Even photographer have to eat! And some moments are very short and
give a very little time to capture

6. Not doing an engagement or pre-wedding

sessio
Most photographers include a free engagement session with their wedding
packages! We highly recommend you take them up on this opportunity,
not only because you can get some amazing photos to show off before
your wedding - but because This is an excellent opportunity to get to
know your photographer and make sure you have an expectation
for the experience on your wedding day.
When booking a photographer, it’s really easy to get hung up thinking
about all the amazing photos you’re gonna get and forget about the fact
that you have to be in the actual photoshoot rst!
If you’ve never been in a professional shoot before, it can be a bit
intimidating being in front of the camera. Lights are going off, the
photographer is directing you to get the perfect shot and it becomes a
whole experience within itself! It’s really important that this experience is
fun, and that you get along with your photographer because on your
wedding day, if things are awkward or you feel uncomfortable, it will be
re ected in the photos. At Israar wedding cinema, we always say,
great experiences = great photos.
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 7. Not having a photographer with backup gear/

camera with a backup memory car

A lot of people take this for granted, and 99% of the time they don’t have
to worry because most photographers are covered here. But it only takes
one dropped camera, a dead ash or a memory card to fail to completely
wipe out the captured moments of your big day.
Make sure your photographer has appropriate measures in place for when
things go wrong. When things hit the fan, it really separates the
professional photographers from the amateurs.
Pros don’t even break stride, they go to their bag, switch cameras or
replace a ash and just keep on shooting

You’ll not be disappointed hiring a wedding photographer by avoiding this

fatal mistakes..Guaranteed

Now you also know hiring a wedding photographer by seeing their

portfolio and some previous shoot is not the best way to take this
important decision…You must need a practical experience
of photoshoot with them

How to eliminate worry about your wedding

photography altogether
So you can be relax and enjoy every single moment
of your wedding which means you’ll look more fresh,
attractive and actively involved in every single
moment in your wedding photographs. 

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 While It’s always sad to see couples unhappy with their

wedding photography, what really strikes me is how avoidable
these situations are if couples have some basic information
about what to look for when they chose their photographer.
So the team at Israar wedding cinema decided to compile a
simple yet invaluable guide to choosing the perfect wedding
photographer.
Now We’re covering things like: What to expect, what you
should look for in a photographer and questions to ask
potential photographers to make sure that they are perfect for
your big day.

With so many wedding photographers out there, each

one of them claiming themselves best, it can often be
daunting to nd the right match. It’s easy to get caught up
comparing prices, the number of photos in each
package, or the hours of coverage — but these are only
a handful of important factors when it comes to picking a
wedding photographer.

Thankfully, the Israar wedding cinema team is here to

help
We’re here to remind you that you aren’t just buying
photos in a package. (Remember: You actually have to
be in the photos!) That's why it's important that you
have a good relationship with your photographer and
that the experience is fun and enjoyable.
After all, great experiences equal great photos.
But what else do you need to know before you land on
that perfect photographer? Leave it to us
!

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 Decide what priority photography is

for yo
Taking the time to research photographers, understand packages, and
pick the right one can be a time-consuming process. Amongst all the other
aspects of wedding planning, it can get pretty overwhelming. That’s why
it's so important to decide what the priorities are for your wedding and
gure out where photography ts into that list
All too often, photographers are the last addition to wedding plans, but
leaving it to the last minute comes with an element of risk: often, the top
wedding photographers are booked months — sometimes years — in
advance. If your photos are truly important to you, you may want to
consider booking your photographer in advance — even before things like
venues, what's on the menu, or who's seated with who. (We've even seen
couples select their photographer rst, and then work around their
availability to plan the rest of the wedding.

Think about what style and experience

you wan
When you hear “photography style” you might think of the colours, tone or
editing that are common to a photographer’s photos, but in reality these
factors only make up a small part of a photographer’s overall "style".
While, It’s easy to nd the style of photos you like - you shouldn't stop
there. It’s also important that you consider the experience that goes along
with producing that style of photos
Here’s an exercise to help you out - When you envision your wedding
photography, consider how you feel about these factors
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 Natural vs. Pose

Candid, authentic and in the moment photos are amazing, but their nature
means that they are unpredictable. There's no guarantee you'll get a
particular shot you want. Sometimes having that spectacular timeless
moment of you and your partner dancing in front of the castle is worth a bit
of posing. But, if you aren't set on having certain photos, a more natural
candid photographer may be the one for you

Director vs. Bug on the wal

How much do you want to notice the photographer at your wedding? Are
you ok with them stepping in to direct you or your guests in order to get
certain shots? Are you open to redoing certain shots and investing time
into getting it right? Ever see those owing veil shots? They take a lot of
takes - which can sometimes mean 10 minutes of you posing while
someone throws your veil up in the air over and over! Contrastingly, would
you prefer a photographer that stays out of the way and simply captures
the action as it comes? If you want your photographer to stay out of the
way, are you ok if they potentially don't capture certain moments

Natural vs. Arti cial Ligh

This is more of an experience decision as it really depends whether or not
you are ok with having big ashing lights going off through your wedding.
While natural light is the best when it behaves. A lot of the time lighting
can be complex and unpredictable. Particularly indoors or in dark
environments, photographers are at the mercy of light. Having a
photographer that uses arti cial lighting such as ashes or “hot” lights
means that you will have more consistency in your photos

At the end of the day, different couples want different things out of their
wedding photography. For some, it's that perfect timeless shot that they
can frame and hang on the wall. For others, it's making sure that all the
moments are captured - be it the guests, the food, the venue and all the
little details. Whatever it is that you’re looking for it’s important that you
nd a photographer that shares your vision. Some photographers are
experts at playing the “ y on the wall” and capturing the authentic
moments as they come. While others, focus on “creating” the perfect
scene so you have that grand, spectacular and timeless shot forever. It’s
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 good to discuss your needs with your photographer so you can gure out
if they are a good t or not. If creating that perfect shot is important to you
then you need to be prepared to invest some time on your wedding day
with your photographer making it happen! That might mean multiple takes,
the photographer directing/posing you etc. The opposite being that if you
are looking for a more “documentary” style photographer, you want
someone that won’t bug you too much during your wedding day, but just
be there to capture the moments. If they get that perfect grand timeless
shot, that’s great, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. Whatever you
want out of your wedding photography, it’s good to think about your needs
and expectations so you can nd a photographer who is the right t for
you.
Just remember a photographer’s style isn’t just how their
photos look, it’s the experience that they provide to get
their photos to look that way. Be sure you are on board
for the ride they’re about to take you on, because if you
have a bad experience - it’ll re ect in your photos.

Convey your visio

Unfortunately photographers’ can’t read minds, which means it’s really
important that you convey your vision to them if you have a speci c idea of
what you want for photography at your wedding. A super simple, yet
effective way to do this is to set up a Pinterest board and pin photos that t
your vision. If your photographer can see the style and type of photos that
you’re looking for, then they’ll have a great idea of what you want. It will
also help rule out some photographers because they will say that your
vision doesn’t t their style.

If you have a really speci c vision or a particular shot that is very important
to you. Make sure you convey it to your potential photographers so there
are no missed expectations.

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Don’t judge a photographer by 1
phot
1. It’s easy to get awestruck by some of the stunning photos that
photographers feature on their portfolios - it happens to us all the time!
But try to bear in mind that these photos are often the very best of the
best from thousands of other photos. This is why we recommend you
look through some full galleries from photographers that you’re
considering. This will help give you a more well-rounded idea of how
the photographer captures other parts of a wedding. Things like guest
reactions, MCs speaking or the reception might not be as visually
stunning, but they make up the vast majority of the photos that you are
going to receive in your nal gallery

2. It’s also important to see a photographer’s work in other environments.

How are their shots in lower lighting for things like the dance? Do you
love their indoor galleries as much as their outdoor galleries? How
about direct sunlight (one of the hardest photography lighting
conditions) or even rain

3. Looking through a couple different galleries to give yourself a well-

rounded perspective of a photographer’s style will help ensure that
they can deliver - no matter what happens on your big day

4. Lastly, if you’re planning to have a second shooter, it might be worth

asking the photographer if they have a gallery that was with the same
second shooter. This again will help you know what to expect as
having a different second shooter could greatly change the style and
feel of your nal gallery
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What does your package really

include
When a photographer lists their packages for you, make sure you
understand what else is included beyond the hours of coverage and the
number of photos. For example, a big part of what you are investing in is
the pre and post-production experience that you get from your
photographer. These are things like

1. The consultations leading up to your wedding to get an idea of your

vision, priorities and plan for the da

2. Getting a sneak peek gallery shortly after the wedding to show off
some of the photos rather than waiting many weeks until the full
gallery is done.

3. The editing process - will your photographer include things like skin,
hair touchups, photoshopping etc

4. The time after your wedding until you receive your nished galler

5. If your photographer offers things like prints or albums, what does the
process look like for proo ng (getting to choose which photos go into
the album or are printed)

6. Will your photographer hang on to your photos for a certain amount of

time in case you want to purchase more, or in the rare event that you
lose them and need their backup can you receive copies

7. In addition, some photographers will include a 2nd shooter in their

package or offer it as an add-on. Make sure you nd out! Also, if
you’re unsure about whether a second shooter is right for you - check
out our blog post about why we think having a second shooter is
important!
 

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 8. Most important Ask for a free demo shoot or FREE Pre-wedding

shoot! To get a personal experienc

It may feel like you are bombarding the photographer with questions, but a
good photographer will be enthusiastic about explaining everything that
they put into making sure your wedding photography experience is
special

Read reviews and testimonial

Wedding photography is a huge investment. One of the best ways to

protect yourself is to seek out reviews from customers and vendors that
have worked with the photographer before. Now, if you read any
photographer’s reviews you’ll notice that customers never rave about the
amazing lighting or composure they got in their photos. They talk about
their experience and connection they had with the photographer. How they
made them comfortable, con dent or they didn’t even realize they were
there! Great experiences are how great photos are made - which is why
it’s so important that you nd a photographer that you jive with! To do this,
we recommend that you think about the qualities of a photographer that
you want and try and nd that in their reviews. For example, say you get
anxious and unnatural in front of the camera - we recommend that you
focus on nding photographers that have a lot of great reviews from
customers about how they helped them relax or forget that they were even
in front of the camera! Worried about how the photographer will be with
your kids? Find someone with reviews about making the experience fun
for children
Other great qualities to look out for in review are things like quick
communication, going above and beyond to make their customers happy
or organization on the big day
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In the rare chance something goes

wrong, what sort of backup measures
does the photographer have in place
to mitigate issues
We’ve all heard a story about someone’s wedding where the photographer
dropped the camera or the memory card gets corrupted. And while these
are very extreme circumstances, it’s worth asking your photographer what
they do in the case certain things do go wrong. It might not necessarily be
as dramatic as dropping the camera, but things like ashes burning out do
occasionally happen. It’s certainly worth talking to your photographer
about whether they have had any situations where backup measures were
needed. Whether it’s dual memory card slots in their camera, two cameras
or backup equipment, great photographers will be enthusiastic to share
what they do to make sure your special day is properly captured

Read the ne print, but also discuss

expectation
With the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever it’s
critical that you understand that contractual agreement you are making
when you’re booking a photographer. However, it’s also important to
remember that working with a photographer isn’t like buying something
from a massive corporation. Please don’t forget that most photographers
are solopreneurs, this is their livelihood and how they support themselves
and their families. When booking, try and discuss what you might do if for
some reason your wedding can’t happen. What does that look like? Will
you be able to reschedule and for what dates? In the case that you have
to change your wedding to an elopement, is your photographer willing to
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 give you a refund for the reduced coverage? With this in mind, we believe
that it’s both parties’ responsibility to go above and beyond just signing a
contract and agreeing to the ne print of cancellations, refundability of
deposits etc. That’s why we are recommending to have open conversation
about potential scenarios so that everyone is on the same page and
understanding of expectations. We believe honest and sincere
communication will prevent ever having to fall back on words in a contract.
Having these conversations will help you and your photographer navigate
the uncertain roads ahead together no matter what happens.

Pulling it all togethe

At the end of the day, hiring a photographer for your wedding shouldn’t be
a headache. It should be an exciting and fun process. You can save all the
hard work for your wedding day when you’ve got to actually be in the
photos!
We hope that this guide has given you some perspective on what qualities
you should look for to nd a wedding photographer that’s a good match for
you.

However, if you’re still feeling a bit overwhelmed and would like to get our
FREE Photo session demo, You can call us and book your free spot
right away!
Just click on the green button below, I am looking forward to talk to you

Call us now to book a free photo

session demo

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