How to Choose a Wedding Photographer in Yorkshire

There are a lot of decisions to make when planning a wedding. Venue, dress, flowers, food, music, guest lists… the list seems to grow every time you tick something off it. Choosing your photographer can feel like just another box to tick, but it’s worth giving it a little more thought.

Your photographs are one of the few things from the day that you’ll keep forever. Long after the flowers have gone and the last song has finished, they’ll be what brings the day back to you. Not just what it looked like, but what it felt like.

So, how do you find someone who’s right for you?

The obvious place to start is with the photographer’s work. But rather than asking yourself whether you simply like the photographs, think about what it is you actually like about them.

Maybe you’re drawn to photographs that feel natural and unposed. Perhaps you love beautiful portraits with a little more direction, or you prefer images that feel more cinematic and editorial. You might want a mixture of all of these.

There isn't a correct style. Your wedding is personal, and your photographs should be too.

One thing I would recommend is looking beyond Instagram and asking to see a full wedding gallery. A photographer can have a collection of twenty amazing images, but a complete gallery shows you much more. You get to see how they approach the whole day, from getting ready in the morning through to the ceremony, speeches and evening celebrations.

It also gives you a better idea of how consistent their work is.

This is probably more important than it sounds.

Imagine looking through your photographs in ten or twenty years. What do you want to see?

Of course, you'll want the big moments: walking down the aisle, your first kiss, cutting the cake and your first dance. But you'll probably also want the things you didn't notice at the time.

Your dad trying not to cry. Your best friend laughing during the speeches. Your grandparents chatting in the corner. Your friends completely losing themselves on the dance floor.

Those little moments are often the photographs that become the most valuable.

For that reason, I think it's worth finding someone who doesn't spend the entire day trying to manufacture moments. There should be some photographs where you're given a little direction, particularly when it comes to portraits, but there should also be plenty of room for things to happen naturally.

Your photographer is going to be around you a lot.

They'll probably meet you when you're feeling nervous before the ceremony, be there when you're surrounded by family and friends, and spend time with you when you're trying to take five minutes away from the madness of the day.

You don't need to become best friends, but you should feel comfortable around them.

If you're not naturally comfortable having your photograph taken, this becomes even more important. The right person should be able to put you at ease without making you feel like you're being directed through a modelling shoot.

A relaxed photographer will usually get more natural photographs simply because you forget they're there.

It's obviously helpful if your photographer knows the venue, but I wouldn't make that a deciding factor.

A good photographer should be able to arrive somewhere they've never photographed before and quickly work out where the best opportunities are. Light changes throughout the day, weather can completely alter a location, and sometimes the best photograph is taken somewhere you hadn't considered at all.

This is particularly true in Yorkshire, where you can have four seasons in the space of an afternoon.

A little rain doesn't have to ruin anything. In fact, some of my favourite photographs can come from conditions that weren't originally part of the plan.

It's completely understandable to have a budget for photography. Weddings are expensive, and every couple has a different amount they'd like to spend.

When comparing photographers, though, make sure you're looking at what is actually included rather than simply comparing the headline price.

How long will they be there? How many photographs will you receive? Are the images professionally edited? How will you receive them? Are albums available? What happens if something goes wrong?

There are plenty of photographers at different price points, and there isn't one correct amount to spend. The important thing is finding someone whose work and approach feel worth the investment to you.

After all, you can't redo your wedding photographs.

If you're serious about booking someone, ask to see a full wedding rather than just the highlights.

Look at the boring bits as well as the spectacular ones.

How do they photograph a dark ceremony room? What do the family photographs look like? Are the speeches captured well? What happens when the sun goes down? Do the evening photographs still have energy?

A complete gallery tells you what you can realistically expect from your own wedding.

It also helps you see whether the photographer is good at telling a story rather than simply producing individual beautiful images.

One of my favourite things about this job is knowing that I'm often photographing moments the couple aren't aware of.

You're talking to one of your friends, and something funny is happening behind you. You're outside having a few photographs together while your guests are enjoying themselves inside. You're listening to a speech and don't see the reaction from the other side of the room.

You can't be everywhere at once.

That's why I think good wedding photography is about more than simply photographing the events as they happen. It's about paying attention to everything going on around you.

Years later, those photographs can show you parts of your wedding day that you never actually got to experience.

Before you book, make sure everything is clear.

Ask about the hours of coverage, how many edited photographs you can expect, how your images are delivered and how long you'll wait for your finished gallery. If you're interested in an album or prints, find out how those work too.

It's also worth asking about things that aren't quite as exciting, such as insurance and what happens if your photographer is unexpectedly unable to attend.

You probably won't need any of this, but knowing it's covered means one less thing to worry about.

This is probably the biggest piece of advice I could give.

Your wedding isn't a photoshoot.

There will be a little time set aside for portraits and family photographs, and that's a good thing. It's often one of the few opportunities you'll get to step away from everything for a few minutes and spend some time together.

But the majority of your day should be about being with your people.

Eat the food. Have a drink. Talk to your friends. Dance badly. Laugh too loudly. Enjoy yourself.

The photographs should happen alongside all of that.

Ultimately, I think the best photographer is someone whose work you genuinely love, whose personality you feel comfortable with and whose approach fits the way you want your day to unfold.

Don't choose someone simply because they have photographed your venue before. Don't choose someone because they're the cheapest. And don't feel like you have to follow whatever style happens to be trending on Instagram.

Look at the photographs and imagine yourselves in them.

Imagine looking back through them years from now and remembering the people, the laughter, the nerves, the ridiculous moments and all the little things that made the day yours.

That's what your photographs are really for.

I'm based in Sheffield and photograph weddings for couples across Yorkshire and throughout the UK. My approach is relaxed and unobtrusive, with a mixture of natural moments and photographs where I'll give you a little direction when it's needed.

If you're planning your wedding and think we'd be a good fit, I'd love to hear what you've got planned. Have a look through my wedding photography and, if you like what you see, get in touch.

I'd much rather hear about the two of you and what you're planning than simply send you a price list.