5 Tips You Need to Know When Searching For Your Adventure Elopement Photographer

Choosing a photographer for your adventure elopement can be a daunting task! There’s so many to choose from so how do you find the perfect one? Don’t worry, I’m here to help! There are 5 things you definitely need to consider when you’re first starting your search for your elopement photographer.

#1 Figure out the important details

Before you reach out to any potential photographers, make sure you have a good idea of these details:

1. Budget: Photography is the most important vendor to book for your day. You’re going to want to remember your wedding day for the rest of your life, so you don’t want to skimp on this one! In photography, you get what you pay for. So if you want to have wedding photos that you’re going to love for years to come, make a budget where more of the money goes towards photography. Most photographers include starting prices on their website which saves you (and us) a lot of time when inquiring.
2. Wedding Date: If you don’t know your date, you’re not going to be able to book your photographer yet. Professional photographers will require a non-refundable retainer fee in order to secure your date. If you’re unsure of a date but you’re 100% sure on the photographer you want, let us know! If you’re flexible with your date, we’ll give you our availability & can send over the contract & invoice for the retainer fee so we can get you booked!
3. General Location: It’s my job to help you choose the perfect location to have your elopement. But, it’s important for you to know the general area you’re going to want it. If you choose to have a travel elopement but I have a session booked for the day before, then I’m not going to be able to book your elopement because there’s no way I’d get there in time. On the other hand, if you’re going to have an elopement local to Asheville, then it wouldn’t be a big deal that I have a session the day before.

    

#2 Determine if they’re qualified

One aspect about choosing your adventure elopement photographer that you might not think about, is how qualified are they to be leading you onto a trail you may or may not be familiar with? & how experienced are they with photographing people in wild spaces?

1. Wilderness Professional: One of the most worrying things I’ve noticed in the adventure elopement industry is that more often than not, the photographers have to training in wilderness first aid or backcountry safety. Make sure to ask your photographer if they have any first aid training specifically dealing with the wilderness. These trainings require taking a class & passing a final in order to be certified.
2. Hiking Background: It’s incredibly important to choose a photographer who is familiar with using maps & hiking rough terrain. You don’t want to hire an adventure elopement photographer for an off the beaten path hike if they generally stick to easy flat trails.
3. Photography in the Backcountry: Does your photographer have a portfolio that shows their work in different weather situations? What about different lighting situations? Traditional Wedding Photographers are able to use off camera lighting to control their images. This is less possible in the backcountry so it’s important that your photographer knows how to shoot in all different weather & lighting situations. Because you don’t know what the environment will be like on your day.

    

#3 Photography Style

One reason you should hire a specific photographer is because you’ve fallen in love with their style. There are soooooo many different styles that photographers have. Here are just a few:

• natural/true to life
• traditional & classic
• dark & moody
• light & airy
• & my favorite… warm, intimate & adventurous

  Once you figure out what style you’re more drawn to, it’s important to also pay attention to the way they capture an elopement day. Are the photos more candid? Are they posed? Do they tell a story? Do they show raw emotion?

 

#4 What add-ons are must haves for you?

Every photographer includes something different in their packages. Some include all day coverage, some include limited amounts of images, & some include prints or albums. Some important add-ons you might want are:

• full day coverage
• engagement session
• personalized album
• prints or canvases
• personalized USB
• online viewing gallery

#5 Personality

An important aspect of finding your photographer is to find someone you get along with! This is the person who is going to follow you around all day on the most important day of your life, so you’re going to want to vibe with them! You want to make sure you’re comfortable around them & that it feels like you’re more like friends than just in a business transaction. Ask your potential photographers for a consultation call! This is where you can get to know them better & see if they’ll be a good fit for your day. I like to meet my potential clients for coffee or beer at one of Asheville’s many great breweries.