As elopement wedding photographers in Portugal we like to provide value to everyone out there looking for a photographer.

We think that these tips will apply to any type of photography that you’re looking for.
So, let’s get down to business!

READ OR LISTEN

1. ARE THEY TAKING FOREVER TO RESPOND TO YOUR INQUIRY?

   For real? Stop & think about this for a second.. or two! It’s true that some wedding photographers are very busy and they may take some time to get back to you, but if they are taking a long time that is a red flag for sure.

   
   At the end of the day, photography is their business + the way that they communicate with you, the client, should be very efficient.

   
   If they take forever to answer a simple inquiry (something that may bring them money), can you imagine if you actually book him/her + then a problem comes up? How fast will communication be? Will you actually be able to solve your problem?
   

2. DO THEY TAKE THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW YOU & YOUR LOVE STORY?

   Ok people, it’s time to get real over here! When you first contact a photographer(s) he/she is a totally unknown person to you.

   
   Your goal is that that unknown person spends one of the most special days of your life with you, your other half, & all the ones that you love & that are close to you! (Yup, this might be a new card to throw on the table!)

   
   Think about this: for your wedding day you make a list of guests & on that list, you will put the ones that are the most important to you.

   Sometimes, because of restrictions, budget, etc., you can’t even have everyone that you love & you have to make cuts! So, if you are having on your wedding day, a photographer that simply didn’t care about your love story & about you (as a couple), & basically he/she just cared about your money, will you even be comfortable around him/her?

   Whether you like it or not, the photographer will be with you the whole day!!
   The photographer will accompany you on all of parts of your day: preparation, going to your wedding venue or elopement location, be there when you say “YES!”, be at your party until the end, etc.

   
   Do you want to do all of that with an unknown person?? Please, make sure that you connect with your wedding or elopement photographer! The connection that you will have with your photographer will also be reflected in the quality of your photos & make your epically timeless memories even better.

   
   Think about this: would you feel more at ease if you had on your wedding day, a friend taking your photos, or an unknown person? The intimate & candid photos that you will look at, literally, for the rest of your life can be 100 times better if you feel a connection with your photographer.

   
   

3. DO THEY SEND YOUR PHOTOS IN A GALLERY?

   We are living in the 21st century.

   Photography, like any other art, adapts to times where we are living in & takes advantage of technology to evolve. This being said, any photographer that takes his/her work seriously, wants their clients to have the best, stress-free, easy experience in order to have access to their photos. 

   
   So, when it comes to the moment of delivering photos, having a gallery is one of the best things that technology can offer you!

   
   You open a link, click a button to download your photos, and BOOM! You have all your photos without any crazy hassle & it just took you 2 steps. With that same link, you may also send it to everyone that you want to have some memories of your wedding or elopement day, & with a 2 step process, they get it done. Don’t settle for less!

   
   This is one of the best days of your life & you deserve the very best. PERIOD!
   

4. DO THEY HAVE A WEBSITE & HAS IT BEEN UPDATED RECENTLY?

   It’s natural that you as a client, before making an investment for your wedding or elopement day, want to see other work from the photographer that you’re choosing to register your day.
   

   Where else can you go & look?

   Your first idea may be Instagram or other social networks, and there isn’t any problem with that. But, a photographer that takes his business seriously, will have an independent space on the internet aka his own website, where he can showcase all his work, in the way that they love & want, without being afraid of algorithms or criticism.

   A photographer’s website is where he showcases all his portfolio & where he gets all his work from, it’s from their website that you really get the vibe of who the photographer really is. It’s from there that you can see his prime work and really understand what he/she is all about.
   So, a photographer that updates his website will show you that he cares about his work. Why? Because the website is his biggest way to showcase his work to the world!
   
   A photographer that cares about his website automatically cares about his reputation. You can learn that he will go above & beyond when working with you, because he cares about his reputation! He cares about what you will say after you work with him, to your family & friends.

   You will not be just another work on his portfolio! You will be a real person, with a real wedding or real elopement, that he will want to proudly showcase to the world!
   
   An updated website will let you know how much a photographer cares about his work.
   

5. IS THEIR EDITING CONSISTENT OR ALL OVER THE PLACE?

   We wrote this in 5th place, but we could have written it in 1st place!! Yeah, guys, this one is a big one! When you’re looking at a photographer’s work, you will be able to identify his style by looking at his work, either on his website or on his feed on Instagram (or a similar app).
   
   A photographer’s objective is that everyone that looks at his photos, in the middle of other photos, will be able to distinguish his work from someone.

   That’s why we always aim at having our own unique style that sets us apart from other photographers. BUT, BEING TIMELESS IS THE KEY.

   
   So, imagine that when you’re checking your future photographer’s work, you can’t identify a certain specific style that sets him apart from other photographers. Imagine that all of his pictures have super crazy + different editing styles!

   Why would you consider this a red flag and not view it as a talent? Well, because you would be gambling about the style your wedding or elopement photos would come out. Would they come out with the editing style that you liked or with the one that you deeply hated?? Yup, you can’t take chances on this one!
   
   You would be gambling with your lifetime memories!! That is something that you wouldn’t want to gamble about!
   

6. DO THEY WANT TO SET UP A CALL YOU BEFORE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT OR MAKE A DEPOSIT?

   I’m sorry, is there anything sketchier than this?? Just hearing these kinds of stories sounds like a scheme already!

   
   A photographer that cares about his clients will ALWAYS want to talk with you before you sign any contracts, will want to meet you and fully understand who you are and what are your ideas for your big day.

   A good photographer will also want to understand if you all connect with each other & if you will be a good fit for each other.

   
   Even more, if he doesn’t want to meet you before, that just shows that he only cares about your money & not really about you. They just want to make that dollar & will not go any extra miles if you need something!

   Be very careful if you are ever faced with this situation. We would say it’s a risk & that the person in question, probably is a scammer & not a photographer!

7. DID YOU READ REVIEWS & SEE THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY’VE HAD/HAVE?

It is important to see what previous clients, vendors & the world are saying about the photographer.

Not hearing from previous clients, vendors & others can potentially put you in a situation of the unknown.

Like, are they a real person?

Will they make you feel comfortable?

Are they rude or awkward or take charge?

What was the experience they gave other couples?

          This is of vital importance to see what others are saying about them, their professionalism, & their brand.

          Do your research, friends!

If you are needing assistance with your wedding photography or have other questions regarding photography, click the button below!

PORTUGAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS, The Lopes Photography would be more than happy to speak more with you!