As you move along in your wedding journey, you’re going to see hundreds of options in each vendor category. I’m not going to lie, it’s gonna be hard to sift through the noise and pick out the best option for you. In today’s digital age, marketing is a fickle thing to navigate, and anyone can claim they are good or great at something.

Choosing the best wedding photographer is a critical aspect of your wedding planning. Your photographer can make or break your entire wedding experience and how you remember this day for the rest of your life. They’re the vendor you’ll spend the most time with, so you’re going to want someone who makes you feel AND look good on your wedding day.

There are a few red flags you should be aware of when hiring your wedding photographer. This post will guide you through key warning signs, helping you avoid common pitfalls and ensuring that your wedding photography is everything you've hoped for.

Styled Shoots

This first red flag can be hard to spot, but you need to at least know of its existence. Styled shoots are controlled environments where a bunch of vendors get together and create content. That’s it.

These are not real couples who are getting married on their wedding day. Additionally, they’re scheduled around times when lighting and location will look their best.

Be cautious if a photographer's portfolio is heavy on styled shoots but light on real wedding photos. Styled shoots are controlled environments, often used to showcase a photographer's ideal work, but they don't necessarily reflect the photographer's ability to capture the dynamic and spontaneous moments of a real wedding. It's crucial to see a variety of real wedding photos to gauge the photographer's skill in capturing authentic moments, managing different lighting conditions, and dealing with the unpredictability of a live event. One way to mitigate this is to ask to see full wedding galleries. More on that in a bit.

Lack of Communication

Are you one of those people who gets frustrated when you have to wait DAYS or even a week or more for an answer to an email? Yeah, me too.

Effective communication is vital in ensuring your wedding photography meets your expectations. If a photographer is consistently slow to respond, unclear in their communication, or seems disinterested in your vision, it could signal potential issues down the line. A photographer who listens and engages with your ideas while providing clear and timely responses is more likely to understand and deliver on your wedding day vision.

No Public Reviews

Public reviews provide insight into a photographer's professionalism, reliability, and quality of work. A lack of public reviews can be a red flag, suggesting the photographer may lack experience or have a history of unsatisfied clients.

While every professional may have a mix of positive and negative reviews, the complete absence of feedback should prompt further investigation and caution. However, this is totally fine if you know the photographer is just starting out AND their pricing reflects that.

Bad-Mouthing Other Vendors

Professionalism is key in the wedding industry, and a photographer who speaks negatively about other vendors can be a red flag. I am shocked at a few wedding photographers I’ve seen who do this constantly on social media. It’s just a bad look.

This behavior indicates a lack of respect and ability to work with others. Ultimately, this could lead to conflicts or a negative atmosphere on your wedding day. Choose a photographer who demonstrates respect and professionalism towards colleagues and clients alike.

Hidden Like Counts on Instagram

In the digital age, social media presence can provide insights into a photographer's popularity and authenticity. If a photographer hides like counts on Instagram, it could indicate they've purchased followers to appear more successful or experienced than they are. Genuine engagement and a transparent social media presence are indicators of a photographer's true reach and reputation.

Inability to Show a Full Wedding Album

As we briefly touched on already, seeing a complete wedding gallery is essential to understand a photographer's storytelling ability and consistency throughout an event. If a photographer can't show you a full wedding album, it might indicate a lack of experience or inconsistencies in their work. Ensure the photographer can provide comprehensive coverage, demonstrating their ability to capture the entire narrative of a wedding day. Most importantly, ask to see examples of images later in the day, when the lighting isn’t perfect. How do they handle these situations?

No Direct Contact With the Photographer

There’s this thing in the wedding industry called associates. This is when a company hires out multiple photographers/videographers and assigns them to different jobs.

There are A LOT of these types of companies, and in general, I’d recommend avoiding them. There is no way to guarantee the quality of work when you don’t know who you’ll be working with on your wedding day.

Knowing who will be capturing your wedding is crucial. If you cannot have direct contact with the photographer who will be at your wedding, it could lead to misunderstandings and a mismatch in expectations. If you do hire one of these companies (I get it, especially if it’s cheaper), ensure you can communicate directly with the photographer, not just a representative or agent, to build a rapport and clarify your vision.

Lack of a Contract

A clear and comprehensive contract is fundamental in defining the expectations, deliverables, and terms of service. Keep in mind, this is to protect you AND the photographer.

If a photographer does not provide a contract, it's a significant red flag. The contract should detail the services provided, timelines, payment terms, cancellation policies, and any other critical aspects of the agreement. Ensure everything is in writing to avoid any misunderstandings or disputes, even if they are just starting out.

Emphasis on Awards Over Work |

While awards can signify recognition, they shouldn't be the sole basis for judging a photographer's quality. Since we’re just uncovering the hidden truths of the wedding industry in this post, here is another.

Most of these ‘awards’ are paid for. Yup, even on sites like Wedding Wire and The Knot. Fun fact, I signed up for a free Zola account and forgot about it and didn’t do ANYTHING with the profile or website. I was still mysteriously awarded a “Best Of“ award at the end of the year, despite having done nothing.

Yeah… these don’t mean much.

Some photographers may emphasize their awards over their actual work, which can be misleading. Focus on the photographer's portfolio, communication style, and reviews rather than just their accolades. Genuine quality and a good fit with your vision are more important than a list of awards.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, your wedding photographer is possibly the most important vendor you’re going to hire throughout the planning process. Because of this, I strongly believe you should be knowledgeable and well-equipped as you’re trying to wade through the waters of hundreds of photographers, when it may be hard to tell the difference between them.

Use this blog post as a guide along with my other resources, and you’ll be well on your way to planning an amazing wedding and getting creative, unique photos and films as well.

If you’re engaged and happen to be getting married in Colorado, let’s connect and talk about what we can do for you when it comes to wedding photography and videography. We’re a pretty cool team of creatives who DO NOT fall into these red flags above, so we’re a pretty great choice ;)

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