5 Things to Look For When Hiring a Wedding Photographer (from someone with 20 years experience)
Hey there! I’m Sean, the guy behind the lens at Monterey Bay Photography and Cinematography. First off, congrats on your engagement! Planning your wedding is a big deal, and choosing the right photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. After all, your photos are what you’ll look back on for decades to come (no pressure, right?). Before we dive in, all photos here are taken by myself, and my contact info is at the bottom if you think I'm the right fit. Now let's get started on my best tips I've learned for choosing a wedding photographer in my 20 years of shooting weddings!
Here are five key things to consider when hiring your wedding photographer that never fail:
1. Do You Actually Like Them?
This might sound obvious, but you’re going to spend a LOT of time with your photographer on your wedding day. If their personality doesn’t vibe with yours, that could get awkward fast. We've all seen those stern and intense photographers at weddings - they might even be amazing, but nobody is having fun getting ordered around or feeling like their boss is following them around all day. Talk about a mood killer on a day that is ALL about creating an unforgettable mood.
You want someone who feels like a friend, not a stranger following you around with a camera. My goal? To make sure you feel completely at ease, like you’re just hanging out with someone who happens to be snapping incredible photos of you. And you guessed it - this actually leads to the photos being so much better, because not only am I amazing at my job, your personality and happiness will come through and naturally make the photos full of life and energy. If you aren't feeling it after talking with your photographer or reading through their info, it might just not be the right fit for you.
2. Do You Love Their Style?
Every photographer has a unique style, and that’s what makes this job so cool. Whether you’re into timeless and classic shots, candid moments, vintage warm artsy, make sure their portfolio matches your vision.
At Monterey Bay Photography, I’m all about capturing real, raw moments—those laughs, happy tears, and all the little in-between things that make your day yours. I have a few different styles that I'll bounce between - I love to do candid photos with my vintage famous lenses (Stanley Kubrick was a big fan and used the same lenses on his films for the organic richness and way the light blooms). I also love to do dramatic portraits, after all I've been doing portraits between weddings for the past couple decades! My favorite looks are dreamy with lots of background out of focus, or vibrant intense shots where the eyes and the pose all tell a story about the couple.
When it comes to editing, this is another spot where photographers will all be different. Some like the bright, airy look. Some use modern bold, saturated colors. My personal style is typically a warmer vintage look with nice vibrant film style colors, very organic, romantic, and dramatic, with a dreamy almost surreal quality about them. I also frequently edit with a modern vibrant style that has a lot of pop and clarity, and often times I'll make multiple versions of the photo to see what you like. If my clients prefer one style over the other, I am happy to focus on that. Most good photographers (I like to think of myself as one!) can do lots of different styles, but its really the signature style that will draw you to one or another photographer at the end of the day.
3. Can They Take Charge?
Weddings can be a little (okay, a lot) chaotic. A good photographer isn’t just there to take pretty pictures; they’re also part organizer, part director, and part calm-in-the-storm. I know that when I'm the photographer, everyone is looking to me to know what to do next and there's no time to hesitate or everyone gets uncertain. There's so many things to do and if the photographer doesn't speak up when everyone is looking for direction, everything can quickly fall apart. You may have seen this yourself - after the ceremony and everything is chaos, the shy photographer looking around waiting for the families to start gathering for photos. This is when a true wedding photographer will take charge and speak up, get everyone's attention and make them laugh as you calmly direct the chaos and keep everything on track. Wedding photography isn't for everyone, it takes a particular set of skills (why do I sound like I'm Liam Neeson in Taken?)
I’ve spent years perfecting the art of gently wrangling wedding parties, organizing family photos, and keeping things running smoothly—all without making it feel forced or stressful.
4. Experience Matters
Your wedding isn’t a time for someone to “wing it.” Trust me, you want a photographer who’s been around the block and knows how to handle tricky lighting, unexpected weather, and even Uncle Bob with his iPad getting in the shot. Every single thing can and will go wrong, just try to imagine everyone you know all being themselves at the same time in the same place on a tight schedule!
With me, you’re getting years of experience and a boatload of tricks to ensure your photos turn out amazing no matter what. All those things that go wrong? You won't even know about them because I handle them before it even happens. Twenty family members standing behind me with their iphones are going to make all the kids look in different directions when they pose for photos, but I know the secret trick to get around that scenario! When the venue thinks they're doing you a favor by turning down the lights all the sudden right before the first dance, watch all the amateur photographers freak out because they didn't set up an off camera flash to bounce off the ceiling 4 hours prior to the reception (because we know there's no time to come back in and do it later when we're taking portraits after the ceremony) and now they have no way to get the shot! Lots of reasons to go with a pro like me who has done over a thousand weddings, there's not a whole lot left to surprise me but I stay adaptable to all situations! Your photographer needs to be on that level before even considering taking on a wedding.
5. Do They Offer What You Need?
Not all wedding packages are created equal. Think about what’s most important to you—full-day coverage, an engagement shoot, videography added with the package—and make sure your photographer offers those things.
I’ve designed my packages to be flexible because every couple is different. Need something custom? Let’s talk and make it happen. My packages usually come with engagement sessions because I LOVE to do these - it's a great chance to get some incredible photos and get to know each other at the same time. When the wedding day comes along we are already comfortable together and I know what style you love.
Let's not forget the one no one wants to talk about - cost! Wedding photographers take a big chunk of the budget so you have to make sure they have a package that fits what you need. But I want to caution you strongly against going with a low cost photographer because there's a reason they are low cost, whether it be inexperience, lack of skill, or just packages that don't actually give you anything until they upsell you afterwards whenever you want to get your photos. Good wedding photographers are expensive because it includes SO much knowledge, time, equipment, hard work, creativity, and just overall investment. Not to mention taxes, insurance, and the overall cost of doing business. When I bring 20 years of experience and work my butt off night and day to take good photos and edit good photos, it's worth every penny when I get you the results you'll love to cherish for the rest of your life. There's no do-overs (well I guess you could technically but you know what I mean) so you really want to go with the BEST package that you can afford. Everything else besides your photos and video will be gone after that day, so invest heavily in the things that will create timeless memories and I promise you won't ever regret it.
Call or text Sean at 408-306-3490 and let's talk! You can also email at seansalazarphotography@gmail.com or use the form below. I specialize in that dreamy, organic, nostalgically romantic style, and by the end of every wedding you've made a friend for life. Let's talk and see if we're a good fit! You can also see more of my work here
FAQS
CAN YOU HELP ME CHOOSE A LOCATION FOR AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION?
Absolutely! When we talk we can figure out exactly what your style is (beach, forests, dramatic landscapes, etc). We'll figure out how much walking you want to do and how far you want to drive. I know the best spots all over and the best times of year to visit them.
WHAT ABOUT POSING? I DON'T WANT TO FEEL AWKWARD!
This is something I always address right away - we've all felt awkward in front of a camera, but a professional photographer makes a huge difference! I am super easygoing and you will feel like my best friend in no time, and with a few suggestions I will help you get over any anxiety and know exactly where to put your hands without feeling out of place. I want to get your true self and not make a forced cheesy pose, but I'll still give you guidance on how to best bring that out. With a combination of lighting, posing, and feeling natural being yourself, we'll get the most beautiful pictures you can imagine. It won't be just standing still, we can talk, play around, dance, interact with a significant other, it will feel as natural as if there was no camera. In fact that's another way that I help you avoid that "camera in your face" feeling, I use really long zoom lenses that allow me to keep the camera far away from you while still capturing close up personal and emotional images. As we get more comfortable I may bring out lenses that bring me in closer for a different look. Trust me you'll feel like a star as soon as you see the first image results!
DO YOU OFFER PRINTS OR ALBUMS?
I do offer both, although they are not included in the basic packages just because less people have been requesting them over the years as digital took over. I have a professional printing lab that I work with and that allows me to get you super high quality prints with complete color accuracy. I can also make you a custom designed album that will be absolutely breathtaking. You can add these to packages at a big discount and I'll get working on them right away after your wedding.
CAN WE GET EVEN MORE IMAGES? HOW ABOUT THE RAW FILES?
I don't offer the raw files because those are the unfinished canvas that I create my work on, and most of my packages you'll be getting LOTS of wonderful edited photos, all you could want. All the edited files you get are very high resolution and are more than enough to do your own prints with as well should you want to, but I can also make prints for you through my printing lab.
WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
I recommend booking as far in advance as possible! Good wedding photographers (like me, right?) are in high demand, and we typically book out a lot of weddings a year or more in advance. That said I do end up having spots open for last minute weddings too, so there's no harm in reaching out with your date. The sooner the better though, we want to make sure your date is reserved so you can stop stressing and searching and get on with the rest of your planning! And don't forget I also do videography, so you can get a package with just one or the other or even both (then I get to bring my full team of awesome photographers and videographers, my favorite!)