Please see our primary FAQs Page for our most commonly asked questions from our clients.
This page is dedicated to wedding photography FAQs, i.e. questions most people have about wedding photography in general.
Who are the best wedding photographers in the world?
Wedding photography is a subjective art with different styles that suit every type of client. There are, however, things that we look at when evaluating wedding photography talent that include the following:
Consistency – This is arguably the most important feature to look for in a wedding photographer. With enough tries, most capable wedding photographers can put together an impressive portfolio. Add in planned styled shoots and photographs from wedding photography workshops, and it’s hard to gauge how a photographer will actually perform on your real world wedding. Look for consistency throughout the body of wedding photography work. See how they performed with more challenging couples or more challenging lighting circumstances.
Diversity in Imagery – A wedding has many types of moments, from naturally occurring photojournalistic moments to posed family portraits. Look for a photographer that can excel in all elements of the day. Do you feel the emotion from the candid moments? Do thee couples look naturally posed? Are the family portraits clean and perfected? Are the wedding details captured beautifully?
Avoid one dimensional photographers unless you only care about that single aspect of your wedding.
Creativity – Of course creativity is important in any type of photographer, and it can manifest in many different types of ways. Some common techniques that wedding photographers use include silhouettes, reflections, foreground elements, advanced lighting techniques, post production techniques and others.
As a client, some of these techniques will resonate with your style preferences and some will not. However, the best photographers in the world have typically mastered a handful of these techniques.
We are comfortable stating that Lin and Jirsa is among the best photographers in the world. We say this, not to be boastful, but rather to acknowledge the the strict vetting and training process for our photographers, our culture of continual learning and challenging ourselves, and of course our hard work ethic during our client shoots. We’ve also won multiple local and international awards and are considered leading educators in wedding photography.
See our article titled “How Do I Find a Wedding Photographer” for more tips and advice on searching for the best wedding photographer for you.
How do you become a wedding photographer?
To become a wedding photographer, we recommend completing these steps:
- Learn Online – Find workshops and videos that teach wedding photography and learn as much as you can by yourself. See our Wedding Photography Training System for a complete masterclass on wedding photography.
- Practice in Person – All of the online education in the world won’t make you a successful wedding photographer. You need real world practice. Ask your family and friends, post ads online, network in person, or do whatever it takes to start shooting. Your first few will likely have to be free, but the experience will be worth it.
- Find a Mentor – The next step is to find a mentor to help guide your career and to give you real world experience at actual weddings.. If you’re serious, consider applying for Lin and Jirsa.
- Shoot for a Studio – The next step is to get paid! Start second shooting for other studios. Find these opportunities with both online and in person networking groups.
That path isn’t easy but with the right skillset and drive, you can become a wedding photographer.
How do you know how to photograph a wedding?
To successfully photograph a wedding, focus on mastering each part of the day:
- Bride Preparation
- Groom Preparation
- The Couples Session (The Romantics)
- The Wedding Ceremony
- Group Portraits
- Wedding Details (decor and venue)
- The wedding reception
As you look into each part of the day, ensure that you have the proper wedding photography gear, the right understanding of lighting, and a mastery of couples and group posing.
What are the best wedding photography websites?
Wedding photography websites are a great way to learn wedding photography. Our favorite include SLR Lounge, our own educational website as well as many Facebook groups for wedding photographers. Fstoppers and Petapixel are great places to learn about the latest news and gear as well.
Who are the top wedding photographers
Here is our unofficial list of top wedding photographers:
Lin & Jirsa Photography
Stephane Lamere in New Mexico
Jay Cassario in Pennsylvania
Trevor Dayley in Arizona
What is unique wedding photography?
Being different and unique is sometimes a challenge with so many photographers in the industry. To be unique and different in wedding photography, it’s important to have a complete set of skills to take advantage of any situation.
For example, your full understanding of group posing will let you pull off interesting imagery when the scene and subjects are right for this type of shot:
In another example, your understanding of lighting will allow you to achieve this one:
In another example, your understanding of photojournalism and your trained eye for catching emotion will put you in the right place at the right time for images like this:
What is your best wedding photoshoot?
It’s impossible for us to choose our favorite or best wedding photoshoot. Every wedding is special and unique in its own way.