Choosing an alternative wedding photographer can be one of the most challenging yet important things you do in preparation for your special day. This is especially true if your wedding is going to be different from the traditional wedding.
What Alternative Wedding Photography Is
To begin with you should understand that this type of photography will offer you a different approach to your wedding pictures than what you’d receive from a traditional photographer. There are a lot of different sub-genres (e.g. indie, boho, pagan, Gothic, Disney, vintage) that these weddings consist of but the one thing that they all have in common is they’re anything but traditional. These weddings are typically laid back, progressive, and modern. Sometimes they may even be a bit risqué.
How to Find the Right Photographer
To find the right photographer you’ll need to invest some time into doing some research. While your friend may suggest a photographer it’s quite possible that your artistic tastes are different than theirs. When this happens you could discover that this really isn’t the right photographer for you after all. This is why you’ll want to take some time to look at a photographer’s portfolio to see what their style really is like. If at all possible, you should ask to see any photos they’ve shot at the venue you’ve chosen for your wedding.
As you take the time to find the right photographer keep in mind how much experience they have. This will tell you how much effort they’ve put in to perfecting their individual style. It’s also important to look closely at this style because you never want to ask a photographer to change their aesthetic approach to suit your personal tastes. Doing so will make everyone miserable which will then result in some horrible photographs.
Once you find someone whose portfolio you love, make sure that you meet with them for either a consultation or an engagement shoot. This is your opportunity to make sure that everyone gets along well – something that’s important since they’ll be at your side for 75% of your wedding day.
The Bottom Line
Now that you know what to look for in an alternative wedding photographer hopefully the process of finding this person will become somewhat easier for you. If it doesn’t, you should know that you’re not alone in putting a lot of time and effort into finding the perfect photographer for your wedding.