6 Things Your Wedding Photographer Won't Tell You

Wedding photographers are the best. I am one and I love talking to other wedding photographers and getting to know and be friends with them. It's fun to hear about the love stories we witness every weekend from the perspective of the person capturing it forever! Now, while your wedding photographer is probably great, there are some things they probably aren't telling you...

1. We are artists at heart, and sometimes we do weird things.

We are business owners and we have to be professional before the wedding so you don't think we're too weird and won't hire us. However, when the day comes don't be surprised if we randomly lay on the ground or hide behind a tree or partially climb a tree for the perfect angle or frame. So while we may be subdued in the planning meetings, our true artist comes out when we actually start capturing.

2. We spend a lot more time on you than you think. 

We love you. In all honesty a great wedding photographer will not accept your wedding unless we do, because if we don't like you it will show in your pictures. So, not only do we spend the time in our consultations and on your actual wedding day, but we spend HOURS researching you and your style. We scroll through your social media pages to learn more about your likes and dislikes, we find your pinterest boards and try to learn what style you prefer. We stalk your fiance, your bridesmaids, your parents, your fiance's parents. We meet with your other wedding vendors and share information so we can all learn more about you. Is it creepy? Yes. That's why we don't tell you. 

3. You're probably getting more than you paid for.

Again, we love you. And because we love you we love making you happy. If that means editing a few more picture than you paid for or staying an hour or two longer than expected we will do it. At no charge. We love to go above and beyond just to make you smile!

4. We've got our favorite shots, you're probably going to have a picture that looks a lot like someone else's.

Photographers have a go-to pose or angle they like to include with every wedding. It's called the "Money Shot." It's an ultra-flattering, super-simple photo that is guaranteed to produce a great shot. It's called the "Money Shot" because if for some reason all the other photos suck (they won't, this is hypothetical.) you are going to have at least one great photo. Like this:

 5. Please treat my second photographer with respect.

My second photographer is so much more than an assistant. She is a trusted fellow artist that I count on to help capture the memories of your day. I wouldn't bring her with me if I didn't think she could handle it. Don't treat her like a glorified coat rack, treat her like a photographer. In all honesty, her job is probably harder than mine because not only does she have to help capture your day, but she has to do it while holding my stuff, so...

6. I feel undervalued when you start the conversation with "What are your prices?"

Please at least pretend like that's not the only thing on your mind. Say "Hi!" Say "I love your portfolio!" Say "You come highly recommended!" The scariest part for a business owner is when we tell your our prices because we don't want to scare you away before we have a chance to convince you of our value.