Your wedding is the most important day of your life, and a photographic record of it is crucial. You’ve read all the magazines and checked out all of the local photographer’s websites, but how do you separate the facts from the fiction? Our guide will help you understand and disregard the most prevalent myths in booking a wedding photographer.

Myth 1: The more photographs the better.

Many wedding photographers offer packages based on the number of photographs that you will receive from them. Imagine for example you are considering booking a wedding photographer who offers packages of 200, 500 and 1000 photographs, then ask yourself “which of these packages will include the most important moments and most gorgeous shots from our day?”.

The answer, of course, is “all of them”. The greater the number of photographs in the package, the greater the number of photos you will receive which were simply not good enough to feature in a smaller package. Do you really need 30 pictures of Mark and Lisa from work? Do you really want to pay for that?

On top of this, if your photographer is pressured into meeting a minimum number of shots, then they’re likely to be snapping away without really taking the time to consider the stories and moments that are unfolding around them. Timing is everything in wedding photography, and your photographer needs the breathing space to assure this.

As with so many things in life, your wedding photographs should be of high quality over quantity.

Myth 2: You don’t need to book a professional.

“Uncle David’s just bought a new camera, and last week they showed his picture on the telly after the weather! Let’s ask him to photograph our wedding.”

This might be a tempting proposition, especially if you are on a budget and feel like you can’t afford to hire a professional. The question to ask yourself here is, can I afford NOT to hire a professional?

Your wedding day happens once. When it’s gone it’s gone, and with it the only opportunity you will ever have to photograph it. You need to be certain that the person you trust with capturing your day is up to the task.

Wedding photography isn’t just turning up and taking a few pictures, it’s about reading the room. It’s about anticipating all the key moments before they unfold and being ready to capture them. It’s about being able to follow a plan, whilst knowing what to when circumstances change without hesitation.

If uncle David can do that, then go for it. If not, hire a professional.

Myth 3: I need to request the RAW files from my photographer.

This is a popular opinion recently, but what does it mean? What is a RAW file?

RAW files are the unprocessed data captured by a camera’s sensor. They are the modern-day equivalent of a camera film or negatives captured by older film cameras. They have not been scrutinised by the photographer and have not been processed.

A RAW file is one of the ingredients for a great photograph, but do not make a great photograph alone. This is akin to going to a top restaurant; but eating the uncooked ingredients instead of the cooked meal. Eurgh…

A professional wedding photographer will select, ‘cook’ and deliver the best images straight to your table. You trust their vision and their experience. That’s why you’ve hired them. Trust them also to deliver only the images which they are happy to share with you.

Myth 4: The group photographs will only take a moment.

It’s time for the group shots! Imagine this: we need the bride and groom’s parents first. Where’s dad? Oh, he’s at the bar, I’ll go and get him. Okay next we need the wider family, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers… where’s dad gone? Oh, bar again…

This sounds like a nightmare to manage, but it’s something that your wedding photographer has done hundreds of times before. That said, there’s no changing the fact that this exercise will take a fair amount of time.

It’s a good idea to let your photographer have a list of the group shots you need before the day so that nobody gets left out, and you can allocate an appropriate amount of time to taking the photographs. It’s also worthwhile assigning an usher the job of “group shot shepherd” to help gather your family and friends – your photographer may have a list, but will not recognise any of the people on it!

Our last advice to you is simply to ask your photographer. Just talk to them and they will be happy to answer your questions. All your wedding photographer really wants if for you to love your wedding day and help to preserve your memories of it in a meaningful way.

If you have not yet chosen your wedding photographer, Kept Photography would love to talk to you. Check out our website today.