DAIRY OF A WEDDING PLANNER - CHOOSING THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER!
Photo By: John Nassari
So I am super excited as my wedding plans are moving along nicely! Now that I have my dream venue set and my wedding date set my net point of call is my photographer.
Now as a wedding planner, photographers are one key aspect that a bride should never scrape on. Photography is everything, these photos will be your wedding day memories forever and they should be something that make you look utterly fantastic!
Being in the industry myself I know so many fantastic photographers so this was a very difficult choice for me to make.
In order to help me narrow it down was to think about these aspects:
The Rosewood: Who would best capture the stunning architecture of the building and the rooms of the rosewood all decorated out? Who would compliment the venue itself as well as capture event the most delicate of details? You have chosen your dream venue for your wedding so of course you want to get photos of you on your big day in front of the doors or on your way in, walking down the pathway to your future husband.
Photo By: Rosewood Hotel
My Fiancé: My fiancé was a huge help, as he didn't know the people in the industry he was my fresh pair of eyes, at the end of the day we both need to like the style of photographer that was going to be chosen and it was good to talk over what he expected from the photos as well as how well he got on with the photographer himself.
How they will make me look: I must admit, I have never been great in photos, especially posed photos, so for me it is important that the photographer can capture me at my very best. So when I look back in years to come I can see that once upon a time I was beautiful. You don't want to look back on your photos and think "oh god you can see all my imperfections, I look terrible!" (Of course this will be a point to cover upon choosing a make-up artist.) The photographer that I want would be able to make me look picture perfect without looking too edited.
Photographers Personality: This was very important, we need a photographer that was going to be able to handle a variety of guests at the wedding as we have a mix of cockney english, filipino and high class Jewish family members. Now you wouldn't think about it, but guests can be very demanding with photographers, from wanting personal shots, group photos and just not turning up for their set photo with the bride and groom (remember the bride and groom would have set out a list of the important photos needed - this takes time to capture all) We also wanted a photographer that is going to be very creative with their shots and capture the vital images without being too in-our-face. You want to get on well with your photographer as they are their right from the very beginning until the very wee hours of the morning after.
Some of the photographers that Josh and I considered were:
- Jay Anderson Photography - a relaxed, down-to-earth photographer who loves his work, enjoys capturing fun and loving moments of every wedding. - Kate Nielen Photography - A beautiful lady who really has a keen eye for detail, brighting up even the greyest of days with her impeccably smooth photos. - Fiona Campbell Photography - a fun and exciting photographer who has a natural element to her shots while expressing all the elegance of the day. - John Nassari Photography - a sought after global photographer who creates a beautiful story with his artistic photography, making sure he encapsulates each detail from table decor to the first kiss.
After looking over portfolios online with Josh we decided we loved John Nassari. Now as a planner I would urge you to meet all the photographers of your choice to get to know them personally. For me I had met most of the chosen, so for me it was more about who I thought Josh and the family would really like having, plus having an input from our jewish side was of course a key element in our choice.
My Consultation with John Nassari:
As John is one of the most sought after Wedding Photographers in London who also works across the world for some of the most prestigious families. I was lucky enough to meet John on several occasions through events but as Josh had never met him I really wanted them to get together.
John invited us both to the lovely Mosimann's private club treating us to the deluxe experience so we could chat over a lovely cup of tea. When we first arrived John got us comfortable and had a chat with Josh over photography, as josh loves photography anyway this was a great connection for them.
Photo by Getty Images
Also chatting about travel and the places we had all been to created an even closer connection. What we enjoyed was that rather than heading straight to business John took his time to get to know us as a couple. Once settled down and tea had arrived, John showed us some of his personal portfolios and some of the weddings that he had captured and talked us through how he sees weddings, what he believes should be captured and his style. He loves to be in the thick, joining the guests in the celebration and connecting to everyone which he said brought out smiles, it was important for him that guests felt comfortable in front of the camera and with him in order to capture that moment of pure happiness and fun.
We both loved this concept, for me I do really want my suppliers to join in and enjoy themselves as it creates an even deeper relationship. John then spoke to us about our budget and what it was we were looking for from a photographer, what are the style of photos we would really want and the type of people that would be there; giving us a chance to really express our needs and desires and how we see our wedding turning out.
John then asked us about a videographer, we stated that we had separated our budget for a photographer and videographer but had not yet decided on one. Now for those of you that have seen or know of Nassari, he has recently launched his videography side with a brand new concept, 360 videography.
360 is where John shoots a 360 degree shot of the entire room that then has buttons where you can see either images or video of the day! Very impressive software indeed!
Check out this perfect example!: www.johnnassari.co.uk/flash/luxury_brand/Tour
After showing us examples John gave us a package price for both photography and videography, of course...it was a no-brainer. Both Josh and I loved his work and of course him! He is such a laid back guy with an incredible gift, an eye for detail and such passion for his work, one of the loveliest men I have ever met.
After coming out of our consultation Josh turned to me and said "He's the one." Just like your dress, you will find "the one" although for me it did not take long but don't fret sometimes it can take time to find the right photographer for you.
Just to show off Nassari even more you must see these incredible images!
Not sure who your ideal Photographer is? Fist ask yourself, what is your style? what is the type of photography that you like to look at?
This is what you must think about, what personality fits you as a couple. If you are unsure Pinterest wedding photography styles and see what comes up, take note of what people are doing in photos and then when you start your research you will photographers that match what you like.
Here are a couple of styles to look for:
Poser: Poser photos are very traditional wedding shots also known as Portrait Photos, for example the shots of the two of you, friends and family directly in front of the camera as well as various backdrops. Most traditional portrait photographers will be able pose the bride, groom and guests in beautiful group photos such the ceremony altar, outside or on a grand staircase. However, some will move further into the creative realm by having couples and their guests pose for a portrait shot using props such as signs, using furniture, or in a specific location such as the hotel reception or in front of the sunset by the sea for you destination brides!
Photo By: Jay Anderson Photography
Moment by Moment: Instead of a series of posed photos, these consist of spontaneous pictures of people, decoration and the action. Shots may include the lavish ceremony layout before people arrive, action shots of your friends and family boogying on the dance floor or you and your bridesmaids laughing hysterically at speeches with champagne at hand. With a documentary styled photographer, you will rarely see people looking directly at the camera, they tell a story and capture moment by moment.
Artistic: This particular style of photographer will hold more of a fine art expression to their photographs, they will take shots from their point of view and get very creative with it. The photos can be anywhere from dramatic to totally gorgeous, but given the look of an old fashion photo, a vintage touch or even something from a film! Some artistic photographers will use motion in their work, keeping it all natural you can find shots such as the couple in the street still but with the world in motion around them. Not all photographers who take an artistic approach will shoot portrait styles, so if it's important for your family to have some posed shots, I would recommend looking for someone who does both, or consider hiring a second shooter for the portrait sessions.
Photo By: Anna Pumer Photography
You will find that many wedding photographers can offer a variety of shots from artistic to moment by moment, as well as mix between black & white and colour images. If you do have a special style look for photographers that specialise in it.
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