Are you getting married and wondering who would be the best Knoxville wedding photographer for it? Wedding planning is hard enough, and on top of that, when it comes to choosing your wedding photographer, there are SO many options that it can be overwhelming.
You may think that when it comes to coming wedding photographers, it would be a simple task, but that is rarely the case. To truly do a side by side comparison, you first have to know what to compare, and why.
Quality
We highly recommend comparing quality first before anything else, and while quality can be seen by the discerning eye, it's not always that easy, however, there are some things you can look for.
Sharpness: Is the subject of the picture clear and In focus? An ideal wedding photo would have the subjects in focus, with the background slightly out of focus. This is a technique used in photography to draw the eye of the viewer to look in a particular area (Bride & Groom). The goal is achieving a perfect balance of subject clarity, and background blur. Although many photography lenses allow the capability to have a blurry background, commonly referred to as “bokeh”, achieving maximum background blur can also cause the subjects of the photo to fall out of focus.
Color: Are the colors true to life and not under saturated or oversaturated? An ideal wedding photo would future color that is true to life, meaning that it matches what your eyes see. Many wedding photographers use editing presets that actually do more harm than good. These presets can result in funky colors, such as desaturated greens, overly orange skin tones and unrealistic grain in the photo. The truth is that while these photo preset fads may temporarily look cool, they are not timeless, just like the 1980s spot color.
Exposure: Is the photo extremely bright or extremely dark? A properly exposed wedding photo contains details and the darkest part of the image called the shadows, but also the brightest part of the image called the highlights. Extremely bright photos can result in loss of detail in your wedding dress, while overly dark photos can result in a muddy look. The ideal wedding photo balances evenly between brightness and darkness, with the subject being the brightest part of the photo. Our eyes are naturally drawn to the brightest part of a scene, the best Knoxville wedding photographers understand this, and use lighting to direct the viewer.
Moments: Can you view a wide variety of moments throughout the wedding day. A wedding portfolio should the future plenty of moments in portraits during the wedding day. The best wedding photographers can capture split-second moments, such as the groom wiping a tear away. These moments should be present while viewing the portfolio.
Lighting: Is the subject of the photo properly lit and low light scenarios such as dark reception halls. The truth is at many wedding photographers do not know how to utilize lighting properly. This skill is absolutely essential during your wedding day. Wedding photographers that do not know how to use lighting, will be ruled by the environment, while the best wedding photographers will be able to control the environment. A majority of reception locations are dimly lit, this requires supplemental lighting to achieve great photos.
Service
It is very important to take into consideration the quality of service you will be receiving from the wedding photographer in question. In regards to service, some things to pay attention to are, does the photographer respond promptly to your communication? Will you have to print your photos yourself or will the photographer do it for you? Does the photographer pay attention to your wants and needs? Will the photographer guide you throughout the experience or expects you to do the research yourself?
The best way to understand this is to think about dining out at a nice restaurant vs dining at a fast food location. At the nice restaurant, your car will be parked for you, your jacket will be stored away and you will be welcomed and greeted in. The server will learn all about your wants and needs and offer options, the chef may come out to greet you and may even deliver your order personally.
Dining at a fast-food restaurant is just the opposite, you may or may not find a parking spot, there is no place to hang your jacket, slim chances of being greeted and feeling welcomed in. The floors may be dirty and while you may be able to order your food fast, maybe without even speaking to a human, your order might not always be right.
Product
If you are looking to choose the best wedding photographer, comparing the final product is absolutely important. By the final product, we don’t necessarily mean the images you will be receiving after your wedding day, but how you will be receiving them. It can be a wedding album, a large wall print, a USB or just a link sent via email. In the wedding industry today, we see a massive disservice to couples in regards to the final product. Many wedding photographers deliver only a USB or even just a link to an online gallery. The reality is that USB’s eventually are lost, but even more important is that digital images themselves actually do have a shelf life. They become corrupt and die a digital death unless comprehensive backup strategies are in place, in which a majority of couples do not have software and equipment required.
If you truly want to enjoy and remember your wedding day, Wedding albums and wall art is the only way, just as it has been for decades. Use digital images to share with family, friends and online, but invest in artwork to enjoy every day and have something to show your children that you will be proud of.
Price
Price is last because it should only be considered once all of the items above are considered. Making comparisons on price alone can result in disappointment and short-lived quality.
As the saying by Benjamin Franklin goes:
“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”
In simple terms, making a decision based upon an attractively cheap price will result in you regretting that decision, as quality will be poor. When budgeting for your wedding photography, we recommend spending a bit more to attain higher quality, service, and experience versus spending less, saving some money, and living with poor quality. Yes, the best wedding photographers will be expensive, but the quality you receive is priceless.
We hope this article helps you in choosing the best wedding photographer for your wedding, if you enjoy our work, we would love love to talk about documenting your wedding.
Location: Knoxville, TN, 37919.