How to Find the Best Photographer in Austin for You

May 17, 2023

Next to your venue and wedding planner, your wedding photographer is one of the most significant investments for your big day. Your photographer is the one you’ll trust to document your wedding day as it unfolds—the anticipation as you get ready with your crew, the laughter, the happy tears, the epic moments, and the grand finale that marks the beginning of your new life together. You don’t want just anyone to document these pieces. You want someone who feels like a friend and whose good reputation precedes them. There are countless Austin photographers to vet, so we want to offer a few tips — and what to avoid — on your search.

Unfortunately, finding the right wedding photographer is getting trickier with false advertisements and, even worse, scammers who overpromise and under-deliver (or don’t deliver at all). Since photography is such an essential part of your wedding day — photography is the best way to preserve ad relive each joyous part for years to come — you want to book with confidence, knowing your photographer will be there for you. With a fantastic wedding team by your side, you can enjoy your day to the fullest without worrying about the details. So, here are a few tips on selecting the best photographer for your Austin wedding.

How to Find the Right Austin Wedding or Event Photographer for You

1. Ask around.

If you’re completely in the dark with nowhere to start, a Google search may help some, but connections are even better. (More than likely, a friend or family member turned you onto Cory Ryan Photography, and here you are doing your research.) Connections are one of the best ways to start your wedding photographer search because you know you’re getting authentic reviews and recommendations. You can hear about their experiences and ask questions.

Check out your prospective photographers’ socials, Google reviews, and any wedding platforms, features, and publications, such as The Knot, Style Me Pretty, and Junebug Weddings. You might also search local publications and groups. Here in Austin, we have Brides of Austin and exclusive vendor organizations such as AWPA (Associated Wedding Planners of Austin) and PWPOA (Professional Wedding Photographers of Austin), where you can find experienced, certified, and insured photographers and vendors.

View Cory Ryan Photography’s press features and memberships here (click on publication icons to view articles and membership info).

2. Consider their style and specialty.

Have you ever viewed a photographer’s work and thought, “Wow! Their work is incredible—but this isn’t me…”? You can appreciate great work and still desire something different. One way to know if a photographer’s style fits your personality is to view their online portfolio and social media accounts. You don’t have to specialize in photography to compare styles. Feel free to share a mood or inspiration board with your prime Austin photographer candidate to see if they think you’re a good fit. You can also ask the photographer to describe their style and decide if that’s what you have in mind.

(Note: if you don’t find much about them online or notice the same five photos published repeatedly, that’s a red flag. They may not be the real deal.) To get a good grasp on a photographer’s style, you want to view a full wedding gallery—getting ready photos, first look, wedding party and family photos, ceremony, couple’s portraits, and reception photos.

You may not find entire galleries online (photographers need to protect their work and preserve image rights now more than ever), but you can request to see more work during a consultation. (A photographer who is unwilling to set up a call or Zoom meeting with you or asks for payment prior to chatting is another red flag!)

How to Analyze Style, Skill, and Aesthetic

A good photographer can certainly work with your vision and help you craft the compositions and combinations of photos you want on your big day, but you shouldn’t feel like you’re asking your photographer to change styles completely. It’s best to find a photographer who naturally captures the day in a way that aesthetically appeals to you.

As a drastic example, you wouldn’t ask a photographer who specializes in moody, high-contrast images to shoot light and airy couple’s portraits — you may not be pleased with the results.

Don’t forget to look beyond their photos’ compositions and arrangements and check out their editing style, too. A few questions to consider when comparing galleries include:

Are the images true to color, or do colors seem too muted or bright?
Do the photos look natural, or are they overly processed?
Do photos seem skewed or disproportionate? Anything off-kilter?
Do they use digital, film, flash photography — or a mixture based on situation and lighting?
Do they take good ceremony photos, even with less-than-ideal lighting (like an indoor setting)?
Are any significant moments or details missing (if viewing a full gallery)?
Do you like their balance of artistic portraits and candid moments?

If you aren’t sure about some of these questions, don’t hesitate to ask your photographer! They should be happy to explain their photography style and editing process.

3. Check Availability & Budget

Don’t get too far into planning before double-checking your dates and budget. Make sure the photographer is available on your wedding weekend, and finalize your budget and wedding photography package before moving ahead with the agreement and other details.

All professional wedding photographers should have a photography agreement or contract that protects both parties. An agreement informs both client and photographer of their responsibilities, expectations, timeline, payment, and deliverables. Be sure to read the fine print before signing!

You’re encouraged to ask any questions you have before signing the contract. (For instance, you may ask about specific scenarios regarding sickness, bad weather, or other extenuating circumstances for both parties.) This is an exciting time, and finalizing your big vendors and professionals is a priority. Still, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting and for both parties to set expectations early on to prevent miscommunication—so ask away! Since the pandemic, many couples are considering wedding insurance, which might be a good option, especially for high-end weddings.

4. Do you mesh well?

You and your photographer will get to know each other pretty well. Or you should, at least! Your wedding photographer should be there for the sweet, subtle moments, the big events, and everything in between. You want to know each other on a deeper level than you may with some of your other vendors since this is the person you have to be a bit vulnerable with. You will spend hours together, after all! To have the best experience possible, prioritize your meeting(s) with your photographer. It’s not just a time to nail down the timeline but also space to share your vision, story, and preferences. It’s important to feel seen and heard.

As your Austin wedding photographers, we strive to document your day beautifully, but we’re also there to make you laugh, hype you up, troubleshoot any hiccups, and make you feel incredible on your wedding. Aim to find someone who makes you smile while getting things done!

Communication is everything. It’s ok to let your photographer know what you’re comfortable with and the level of involvement you prefer. Let your photographer know if you want certain moments with just the two of you. If you love extra guidance and engagement, let us know that, too. We can shoot from a distance or simply let you do your thing while we photograph other details. Each couple is different, so we want to hear from you before the big day.

5. Book a pre-wedding session.

On that note, one way to get to know each other better is by booking other sessions before your wedding day. A few pre-wedding sessions include:

Proposal or engagement photos
Bridal portraits
Couple’s portraits
Bridal Boudoir photography

Think of this session(s) as a kind of trial run. We get to know each other and establish a good rhythm before your wedding day. It’s natural to feel unnatural in front of the camera (unless you’re a model). A pre-wedding session will allow you to relax in front of the camera and get a feel for how it all works. We’ll provide guidance as needed, but we also encourage you to be yourselves and do your thing.

An individual session is a bit different from your wedding day. It will feel more like a true photoshoot where you’re the star of the show. Couple’s sessions are tons of fun, and they make great day dates (I won’t say a thing if you want to grab a drink first!)

However, your wedding day will be more organic. We’ll pull you aside for certain things, like the couple’s portraits or wedding party and family photos, but for the most part, everything unfolds naturally. The last thing we want is for you to feel like you have to keep turning back to the camera and hitting poses throughout the wedding day. Instead, think of us like your personal paparazzi, but much subtler and always there to get your very best angle.

There are several perks to booking other photography sessions before your wedding day, including:

Get to know your photographer
Fine-tune what you want on your wedding day
Document your story from the beginning
All images reflect a cohesive style (great for wall art!)
Photographs to use at your wedding
Photography gifts for parents and loved ones
Photo albums
Gifts for each other

Photography that Never Goes Out of Style

Cory Ryan Photography caters to Austin couples and event hosts looking for vibrant, creative, and modern photography that authentically captures the raw emotions and meaningful details of the day. Our style is crisp and clean, true-to-color, bold, emotive, and timeless.

We don’t chase photography trends. You will still appreciate how your most precious memories were captured in ten years and beyond. Our goal is that you will love these effortlessly elegant photos for years to come and appreciate their heirloom quality and style.

Customized Wedding Packages | Austin Photographers

To ensure your wedding or event has full coverage—no detail or moment undocumented—we offer several customized packages for large events or weddings, starting at 7 hours of event coverage. During our consultation, we can build your package to fit your needs and budget. Our a la carte options allow you to add extra hours, sessions (like engagement, bridal, or boudoir), or associate photographers for more coverage. (All weddings over 50 guests will have two photographers, events over 250 typically need a third associate photographer).

Micro weddings have grown more popular in the last few years. Every couple is unique, and some prefer to keep it small and simple or envision a fun venue that accommodates smaller groups. We’ve added micro wedding packages to our 2023-2024 services. Weddings with 50 guests or fewer have a two-hour minimum and can be booked hourly with one photographer (Cory or Gia).

For more information, request our Pricing Guide & schedule a call.

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Weddings, Events, & More with Cory Ryan Photography

As Austin photographers, we (Cory and Gia) have photographed hundreds of weddings over the years. It’s not the weddings that make our hearts flutter—it’s the people. So, when couples return for anniversary, family, or even senior portrait sessions for their soon-to-be graduates, how could we say no? We’re honored to be part of these moments, too! We’re thrilled to photograph life’s milestones as vividly as a wedding day. Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, first birthdays, and 60^th, we have a blast with them all! These events and milestones deserve more than a few shared iPhone photos over the Cloud.

Have a few more questions? We’d love to chat with you! Send us a message, and let us know what questions you have.

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