1. LOCATION

Do not get too hung up on where we live. Some photographers work in a specific area and some cover the whole of the UK, Europe or even worldwide. So where they live will not make any difference. I live in Norfolk and talk about Norfolk a lot as it is where I live. But I am pretty much happy to travel anywhere in the UK for the right couple.

We have a campervan now and often make a family weekend of it if I am travelling for a wedding.

Top tipS:

• Check out their website and social media bio to check if they have travel or location restrictions.
• Don't restrict yourself by only looking for photographers in your town/local area.
• Check if they have included their travel costs in their price or is this extra?

2. THEY HAVE NEVER SHOT AT YOUR VENUE BEFORE

When I go to a wedding venue for the first time ever, it is probably the best I shoot it - there I said it. I am so so excited to be somewhere new and filled with creativity. I rarely go to view a venue before the wedding day - personally I just feel like it is unnecessary. There is endless amounts of information and photos of venues online and most photographers will arrive early to a venue anyway - especially if it is new to them.

top tips:

Instead of focusing on the fact they have never been to your venue

• focus on how they talk about and react to your wedding plans.
• Are they keen and eager?
• Do they talk positively about your venue.

3. PRICE / BUDGET

If you've fallen in love with a photographer and their work, it must be soul destroying to realise they are out of your budget. BUT... there could still be a way to clinch them. And I don't mean bartering for a lower price. My prices are carefully worked out to cover my equipment and software costs, insurances, cloud storage and my time so if a couple start trying to get me to do the work for less money, I just feel undervalued and it's a red flag for me.

But, I do understand that people have a budget.

I, like most photographers, have an hour by hour package, so I can start and finish whenever people want me to. This enables me to cover just a smaller part of the day. This way couples can book me to coincide with their budget.

top tips:

• Consider an hour by hour or half day package?
• This may mean being more flexible with your wedding plans to "fit in" things for the photographer to catch in their allotted time.
• Covering as a minimum - ceremony, family group shots, couples photos.

4. THEY ARE A PART TIME PHOTOGRAPHER

I see this one a lot on those blogs "things to ask a wedding photographer".

As someone who worked fulltime for the NHS alongside my biz for 4 years, I can confirm it made no difference to how dedicated I was to my bookings or clients. I still delivered finished galleries well within the time I quoted (which coincidently was usually a lot sooner than my friends who were fulltime and shooting way more weddings than me).

There is also a myth that part time photographers are only part time as they are not good enough or confident enough to be fully self employed. Utter rubbish!

People have different financial and personal goals and needs.

There are lots of positives to having some form of employment alongside running a business - annual leave / sick pay, private medical cover / pension etc. so it is not necessarily because of their lack of confidence and ability.

TOP TIPS:

• Make sure you know how long your gallery will take to be delivered.
• This should also be reflected in your contract.

5.OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS

Friends and family will of course have opinions and recommendations and it is great when people try to help. But this can muddy the water. Just because they love a particular photographer, it doesn't mean you will, so you still need to shop around.

Top tips:

• Keep in mind what style of photographer you want.
• Remember why you like your chosen photographer and if you are happy with your journey with them so far.
• Thank people for their "help" and then just do what feels right for you!