Wedding Tip: Wedding Photographer Red Flags

When it comes time to search for your wedding photographer, you are left in a sea filled with fish. There are plenty of options to choose from and at times it can be overwhelming to pick. If this is you, you can check out this blog post of mine on how to find your dream wedding photographer. However, it’s not just about finding the one to capture your day. It’s also about knowing what to look out for and who not to hire. Knowing red flags to look out for when hiring a wedding photographer is an important wedding tip you’re going to want to know.

They Refuse To Share Their Portfolio

Red flag #1 is that your potential wedding photographer refuses to share their portfolio with you. A wedding photographer’s portfolio is essentially showcasing their experience, skill, and editing style to you, the couple. If a wedding photographer refuses to share their portfolio with you, this is an immediate signal to halt your search. A photographer’s portfolio is one of, if not the most important thing in determining if you like their style. If they’re refusing to show you their work, this could lead to a lot of questions and confusion later on which all can be avoided.

They Refuse To Share Full Wedding Galleries

Similarly to refusing to share their portfolio, your wedding photographer should be open to sharing full wedding galleries if you request one. A full wedding gallery not only gives you an idea of what a delivered gallery will look like, but it also showcases the entire day… not just the portraits. The entire wedding gallery is the true tell of the quality and experience you’re going to get with your potential wedding photographer. If whomever you’re speaking to is refusing to share any full galleries with you, this may be the time to stop and re-evaluate if this is someone you want to work with.

They Have Multiple Bad Reviews

Bad reviews… we all can agree that we despise getting them. However, in some circumstances, there are some explanations as to why there is a bad review. Now, I’m not saying that someone who has a bad review is completely forfeited from your list of potential wedding photographers. However, what I am saying is to look at their reviews and see if there is a consistent pattern. Do multiple people claim to have a bad experience? Do the reviews seem legit or are you someone who is just being a bit too picky? These are all things you should take into account when looking at any reviews. Especially when it comes time to hire your wedding photographer.

If their reviews don’t like this:

“We hired Jess for our wedding a few weeks ago and we are so happy with our decision! Jess is amazing! We first did our engagement photo shoot with her and we were blown away with our pictures. She is so talented and makes you feel immediately comfortable in front of the camera. Leading up to our wedding day, she was extremely responsive and organized- I breathed easier the morning of the wedding knowing that Jess had a plan in place. We received our preview pictures a few days ago and they came out perfectly! So natural and beautiful. I highly recommend Jess Palatucci for your wedding!”

You don’t want it!

Their Have No Contract

As a wedding photographer, it’s so important to have a contract established before you start working with couples. This is not only to protect ourselves but our couples as well! Terms and conditions within contracts are what make our work contractually bound and secures us and our couples to a commitment. If your potential wedding photographer does not have a contract, this could be seen as a red flag. What if something goes wrong? What if you need to reschedule? Who is holding your wedding photographer and are you liable for these things if there is no contract?

Their Contract Is Misleading

Along with that, if your wedding photographer has a contract but is incredibly misleading, then this can also be a red flag. If you’ve been talking to a wedding photographer, but find that their contract speaks nothing about what you spoke about in person, this could be an issue. Your wedding photographer and their photographer should be like peanut butter and jelly. Thick and thieves and should be consistent with information. If you find that your wedding photographer is telling you one thing, and their contract is saying the other, this may be an opportunity to rethink.

No Consistency

Most of the time when you begin looking for a wedding photographer, you have an idea of the style you like. You love the light and airy, true-to-tone and natural, warm and moody, vintage, etc. However, if you get access to a wedding gallery, and you find inconsistency this could be considered a red flag. Hear me out though, I’m not talking about wedding photographers who have completely changed their editing style over the years. Truth be told, I have done it and many photographers do it. As times progress and their skills grow, so does their editing and shooting style. THAT is completely normal.

However, the type of inconsistency I am talking about is looking through a gallery and noticing completely different editing styles. Maybe you’re looking at multiple wedding galleries and notice that each one is completely different from the last. Now, that’s the type of inconsistency I’m talking about. Your wedding photographer should have a relatively consistent editing style/theme throughout all of the wedding galleries they share. If you can’t seem to find any consistency, then that might not be the wedding photographer for you.

Little To No Communication

One of the most important things when working with a wedding photographer is communication. This is one of the most important times in your life. You want to make sure that you are working with someone who is engaged and communicating with you. Now, this isn’t to say that things don’t happen, emergencies, vacations, and sicknesses cause a delay in response times. This is me saying someone who’s taking weeks to respond to even the simplest of questions even before booking with you.

A wedding photographer who is eager to work with you, bring your wedding vision to life, and is passionate about your love story will always communicate with you. They will be attentive and show that they are wanting to put forth their best effort to be the best possible photographer for your wedding day. If a potential wedding photographer is taking weeks to respond with very vague and unhelpful answers… run.

Your Gut Instinct Is Almost Always Right

At the end of the day, make sure that you listen to your gut instinct. I can give you this wedding tip and all the wedding tips in the world. What matters most though is what you and your partner feel comfortable with. Wedding photography is an investment into your memories that deserve to be cherished! Hire a wedding photographer that will listen to your needs, and make you feel heard. Most importantly though, listen to your gut, because it is almost always right.

Wedding Tip: Wedding Photographer Red Flags

Hopefully, this wedding tip on which red flags to look out for when hiring a wedding photographer helps all you couples in the search for your dream wedding photographer. If you’re wanting another wedding tip, check out this blog next.