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PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
36 | FALL & WINTER 2018
CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE
CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COMHow to Find the Right Photographer
for Your Style
You’re working hard to create a unique look for your wedding.
Make sure you find the right pro to help capture the feeling of your big day
By Nancy Mattia, CTW Features
It’s not hard to find a wedding photographer — a quick Google
search will yield plenty of results. But finding the best one for
you? That takes some research. Here are some tips and tricks
to find a pro who understands your wedding vision and can
capture it in images that show off your signature style!
KNOW YOUR OWN STYLE FIRST
You can’t determine if a photographer’s style is a good match if
you’re not sure what your style is! Wedding photography styles
falls into four main categories: traditional, artistic, documentary
and editorial.
A traditional photographer sets up all the shots and directs
people. An artistic style runs the gamut from very dramatic to
fashion-focused to soft and airy to trendy/hipster.
A documentary or photojournalistic style photographer shoots
the scene, as is, with little direction. Editorial is a combination
of artistic and documentary. Before the photographer starts
shooting, he or she will clean up any messy area and set the
bride by the best light then let
things happen naturally.
To figure out what style you like best, look at professional
photographers’ websites. Looking at online galleries of give
you a sense of different aesthetics.
LOOK AT YOUR FRIENDS’ RECENT WEDDING ALBUMS
Be sure to ask pals who have similar taste as you for
photographer recommendations. So if you and your bestie are
as different as could be—she was all about being a princess
bride while you’ve got more of an edge—she probably went
for a traditional photographer, not the artistic one that you’ll be
more attracted to.
Surf social media. Go on Instagram and search hashtags
relevant to your style such as #romanticweddings or
#fineartweddings. Also check out local bridal blogs and ask
your other vendors (florist, baker) for their recommendations.