When you’re looking for the perfect wedding photographer for you, one of the most important things you should do is to ask them to view a full wedding gallery.  Or better yet, ask to see MULTIPLE full galleries.  Why?  This is where you will be able to really see the difference between photographers.

Instagram feeds and websites can be very deceiving.  Anyone can take a handful of decent photos on the wedding day or at a styled shoot and curate them for a stunning Instagram feed… but what does the full gallery from that day look like?  Would you want to book a photographer who delivers 10% swoon-worthy photos and 90% garbage?  Or would you rather book a photographer who delivers a completely consistent, cohesive gallery for the entire wedding day?  The only way to tell how good your photographer really is is by looking at full wedding galleries.  So before you sign any contract, be sure to ask them for a few to browse!

As you’re viewing full wedding galleries, here are some questions to keep in mind:

• How many photos am I receiving in total?
• Does the entire gallery look consistent + cohesive from start to finish?
• How does the photographer tell the story of the day? What are their strengths? Styled details? Bride + groom portraits? Candid moments? Does their storytelling style match what you want from your wedding photos?
• Do you like the overall editing style? Are the greens really green or are they seafoam/grey/blue in color? Are the skin tones realistic or are they too orange/red/pink or muddy? Are the images completely washed out? Are they too saturated?
• Will you like this editing style in the future or will you regret it down the road because it’s a fad right now? It’s okay to be critical! Your images should be something you’ll love forever.
• How does the photographer approach the formal posed portraits, including the bridal party + family formals? How many images do they deliver?
• Are the images sharp + in focus or are they mostly soft focused? Does this matter to you?
• How does the photographer light and photograph the reception? Do they seem to know how to navigate multiple lighting situations – not just natural light?

It’s important to dive deeper into the work of your wedding photographer to ensure that you are making the best choice for yourself.  Before booking any client, I send them multiple full gallery links so that they can familiarize themselves with my work and the way that I capture a wedding day.  I want to be sure that they are 100% comfortable with my style and I proudly stand behind my full wedding galleries.  I think it’s actually one of the things that makes me stand apart from other photographers!  I am consistent, without having all of my work look exactly the same.  My skin tones differ from couple to couple, the greens differ from venue to venue and season to season.  My goal is to create work that is consistent, while also maintaining the uniqueness of the couple, color scheme, time of year, venue, and lighting conditions.

Please don’t fall victim to the “Instagram portfolio”, which is extremely curated and just a tiny sample of what is taken on an actual wedding day.  Anyone could fill an Instagram feed with “hero images” and call it a day.  Make sure you’re asking to see full wedding day galleries before you sign any contract with a wedding photographer!  This is truly the best way to familiarize yourself with their style and get a sneak peek into what you can expect on your own wedding day!