Photography top tips

By Dawn Dutton

Choosing your wedding photographer or videographer is right up there with choosing Mr Right. To help you make the right decision, top Northland photographer, Dawn Dutton, has some tips to make your wedding day a fabulous one to remember.

Lots of brides start by telling me they aren’t photogenic. But my response is always the same; when have you ever been photographed a thousand times in a day, by an experienced professional, while you’re wearing a designer gown with perfect hair and makeup?

You are going to look amazing, end of story. But finding the right person to capture that for you is an important decision and it’s worth considering a few key things before booking a photographer or videographer.

1. Fall in love with their work.

The best photographer is one whose work gives you an instant emotional reaction. Fall in love with their style in the same way you fall in love with your dress.

2. Look at lots of photos!

Professional photographers and videographers will have a website (not just a Facebook page) and won’t just show you a ‘Greatest Hits’ collection but a full wedding day (preferably at your venue). Make sure the work you are shown comes from real weddings, with all the pressures that come with a fast-paced wedding day. Ask them to view real clients wedding albums and look at a few photographers albums if possible

3. You get what you pay for.

In Northland there is a huge variation in price for wedding photography and video - some charge under a thousand dollars, some over $4,000. Mostly you’re paying for the experience, reputation and skill of the person behind the lens. A top photographer can make a low-budget wedding look incredible, but an inexperienced one can make even the most lavish one look very disappointing.

4. Seek out word on the street.

Ask friends and other wedding suppliers to recommend a photographer or videographer, or give you feedback on those you are considering. Ask to see their wedding albums

5. Book early

Photographers and videographers are usually the next thing booked after the venue. It’s not uncommon for good ones to be booked more than a year in advance, so make sure you book early. Start looking early. Top professional wedding photographers are in high demand, especially in the height of wedding season (dec-march), and many of the best photographers will be booked up a year in advance.

6. Avoid hiring friends or family

It may be tempting to get a family/friend to do your photos, because they are “good” with a camera, and wont charge you much, just consider if they have the technical knowledge to deal with all the lighting situations that you will face on your wedding day. Will they be willing to spend all day working and not participating as a guest, and do they have the ability to edit and present your images beautifully.