“David Bostock, a wedding photographer, has just been awarded his Fellowship in Wedding Photography, making him 1 of just 4 photographers in the UK to achieve this. David, therefore, knows exactly what it takes to be a 5-star wedding photographer. He shares with us exactly what couples should be looking for when choosing a photographer, what to ask, what to look out for in photographers’ portfolios, and what red flags to be aware of, and he shares with us the wedding photos he submitted that won him his fellowship.
There is no doubt that after the chaos of 2020, postponed weddings, and socially distanced ceremonies with a handful of guests, 2022 shows once and for all that weddings are firmly back. It’s been a hectic year for all wedding suppliers, particularly wedding photographers.
Wedding photography is essentially an unregulated business, so how does a couple choose from thousands of wedding photographers?
Over the past 14 years, I have met thousands of couples planning their weddings, so I will attempt to spotlight what couples should be looking for when choosing a photographer.
You may already have an idea of what style of photography you like, but what sort of photos you hate is equally important.
Couples always tend to tell me they want ‘natural’ photos and nothing too posed, but it’s important to really think about what this means. It’s rare, but not unknown, for couples to have no posed photos at all. Usually, couples want a small number of family groups photographed and some shots of them together as a couple in addition to the candid shots and natural reportage photos.
What are the 3 main styles of wedding photography?
- Reportage photography, also known as photojournalistic or documentary photography, is all about capturing spontaneous moments or emotions in an unposed manner.
- Traditional wedding photography is primarily posed and directed, and captures family groups as a formal record of the day.
- The contemporary style of wedding photography has more of a magazine editorial or fashion feel.
My experience tells me that couples often want a blend of these three styles. Ultimately, you must be able to imagine yourself as a couple in the images you see from a particular photographer for it to be a good match. If you want 20 family groups, don’t pick a pure reportage photographer, for example. If you want candids and totally natural unposed images, don’t pick a photographer whose main style is traditional posed images.
Instagram can be a good place to view many photographers’ images to give you an overview. A good tip is to search for hashtags by your wedding venues, such as #HEDSORHOUSEWEDDING or #SAVOYWEDDING, and then start to check out the photographers whose images you love.
I would start with personal recommendations. If you know someone who got married recently (even better if it was at your wedding venue), ask them who photographed their wedding and if they were 100% happy with the images they received. If they were, then I’m sure they will be more than happy to show you their wedding photographs.
Next is venue recommendations. A wedding venue will often have a curated list of photographers who work there regularly and know the venue well. It’s essential, however, to check when the last time the photographer photographed a wedding was, as some venues have lists of photographers they haven’t changed for years, or they just include photographers paying them a commission for being included in the recommended suppliers list. A quick check on Instagram or the photographer’s blog should hopefully show you the last images at the venue. However, this isn’t a hard and fast rule, as some busy photographers use only the quiet season to update their blogs.
Most, if not all, professional photographers will have a website (https://davidbostockphotography.co.uk/). This is a good way to view a snapshot of wedding images from them. Use your gut feeling to tell you if you want to spend more than 15 seconds on the photographer’s website. You will know which photographers’ images connect with you.
Once you have a shortlist of photographers you are considering photographing your wedding, it’s time to start probing to see if they fit you. Follow them on social media to get a feel for their latest images. I would advise having a shortlist of at least three photographers (possibly more) and then booking a face-to-face meeting with them or a Zoom call. You should ask if they photograph the weddings solo or with a second photographer. If they are a 2-photographer team, who is the other photographer? You want to ensure they use a qualified professional photographer as their second rather than an assistant with a camera or a trainee. Ask to see three full wedding galleries from start to finish, as you want to see all the final several hundred images the couple received, not just the photographers ‘best of’ picks on their blog. If a photographer doesn’t let you see all the final photos, it’s a potential red flag. Of course, it is critical that you like their personality and connect with them as they are a big part of your days and there with you and your guests for 8-10 hours on the average wedding day.
If you want it (and I would wholeheartedly suggest a couple does!), see if your photographer also offers wedding albums alongside their digital files. It breaks my heart to see a couple booking a digital file collection without a professionally designed wedding album. As the years pass, a wedding album goes up in emotional value. Every one of my clients has a wedding album included in their wedding collection.
Check out the online reviews from your shortlisted photographers on Google, Facebook, and wedding sites, including supplier reviews.
Ask your photographer their backup policy if they cannot photograph your wedding on the wedding day. What would they offer you as a backup plan?
Ask to see a copy of the wedding contract before you book your photographer. You don’t want any nasty surprises with payment dates down the line.
As a photographer who takes professional photography qualifications seriously, I always suggest couples consider using a wedding photographer who is qualified with the Master Photographers Association (MPA), the BIPP, or SWPP. The photographers will have their images scrutinised by other professional photographers to get their qualifications, and they must usually prove they hold professional insurance.
I was honoured to have just been awarded my Fellowship in Wedding Photography from the Master Photographers Association, making me just 1 of just four wedding photographers in the UK to achieve this. I chose to submit images from weddings in the home counties and London. Whilst I shoot all photos in colour at my weddings on the latest Canon professional mirrorless cameras, I chose to make my final panel all black & white. I have a passion for monochrome images, although my clients get a mix of colour and black & white in their final edits from me.
Here is a link to the story behind my Fellowship Panel https://davidbostockphotography.co.uk/master-photographers-association-fellowship-david-bostock/
