Why You Probably Shouldn’t Book Me as Your Wedding Photographer

Yes, you read that correctly.

A wedding photographer writing a blog about why you perhaps should not book them might sound like a questionable business decision.

But here is the truth.

Not every wedding photographer is right for every couple.

You are not simply choosing someone who can take a nice photograph. You are choosing someone who will be around you for one of the biggest, most emotional and occasionally chaotic days of your life.

Your photographer will be there during the nerves in the morning, the emotion of the ceremony, the madness of the dance floor and probably several moments when nobody has any idea what is happening.

You need to love their photographs, of course.

But you also need to like how they work, feel comfortable around them and trust them to handle your wedding properly.

I have photographed more than 250 weddings since 2015, and one thing I have learnt is that photographers are not interchangeable.

We all see weddings differently. We all work differently. That is a good thing because couples want different things too.

So, rather than pretending I am the perfect wedding photographer for everyone, here are a few honest reasons why I might not be the right photographer for you.

The quick answer

You probably should not book me if you want your wedding to feel like one long photoshoot.

I may not be the right fit if you want hours of posing, an enormous list of group photographs, heavily filtered editing or a photographer directing every minute of the day.

But if you want natural, colourful photographs full of real emotion, proper laughter and all the little moments you may otherwise miss, we could be a very good match.

1. You want to spend hours posing for photographs

Some couples love the idea of being photographed for hours.

They want several portrait locations, carefully arranged poses, lots of outfit adjustments and enough photographs to fill a fashion magazine.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

It just is not how I work.

I will always make time for beautiful couple portraits. I enjoy creating something special for my couples, especially when we get lovely evening light or the flashes come out after dark.

But I will not drag you away from your guests for half the wedding.

Portraits with me are relaxed, straightforward and usually much quicker than couples expect.

I will give you enough guidance so you are not left wondering what to do with your hands, but I am not going to position every finger or ask you to repeat the same walk seventeen times.

You have invited your favourite people to celebrate with you. You should be able to spend time with them.

My job is to create brilliant photographs without making you feel as though you have missed your own wedding.

2. You want everything staged and controlled

Weddings are unpredictable.

People stand in the wrong places, veils blow away, children become bored during the ceremony and someone nearly always disappears just as they are needed for a group photograph.

That is all part of it.

My approach is mainly documentary, which means I spend most of the day watching what is happening and photographing real moments as they unfold.

That could be your dad seeing you dressed and ready for the first time.

It could be your best friend trying not to laugh during the ceremony, your grandparents quietly holding hands or your guests completely losing control on the dance floor.

Those moments cannot always be planned.

They certainly cannot always be repeated.

At one wedding, I was lifted above the guests in a man cage to capture the big group photograph. While I was up there, I overheard several guests suggesting that I should simply be left in the air.

Thankfully, somebody eventually brought me back down.

That is the sort of thing I love about weddings. You never quite know what is going to happen.

I will step in when you need me. I will organise group photographs, find good light, offer advice and keep things moving if timings start slipping.

But I am not there to direct your entire wedding.

Your day should feel like a wedding, not a twelve hour photoshoot.

3. You want hundreds of formal group photographs

Yes, I take group photographs.

They matter.

Weddings are one of the rare occasions when the people you care about are all together, dressed nicely and hopefully behaving themselves.

I will help you organise the important combinations, get everyone into place and work through the list efficiently.

However, if your list includes every possible arrangement of friends, relatives, colleagues, neighbours and people you once met on holiday, I may gently suggest cutting it down.

Large group lists can quickly take over the drinks reception.

Guests disappear to the bar, somebody goes to check into their hotel and the one person you need is normally standing in completely the wrong place.

Eventually, it starts feeling like school photograph day.

A shorter, meaningful list gives you the photographs that genuinely matter without leaving you standing in the same spot for an hour.

Once they are finished, you can get back to enjoying your guests.

I can then return to photographing all the natural moments happening around you, which is where some of the best photographs are often found.

4. You want a completely different editing style

Editing styles come and go.

Some photographs are extremely pale and airy. Others are very dark and moody. Some use heavy filters that completely change the original colours.

Again, none of these approaches is wrong.

But you should book a photographer because you already love how their finished work looks.

My photographs are colourful, natural and full of life.

I want skin tones to look believable, flowers to resemble the flowers you chose and your wedding to look like the wedding you remember.

That does not mean every photograph looks the same.

I use natural light, available light and off camera flash throughout the day, depending on what will work best.

Your portraits may feel soft and romantic. An evening photograph might be more creative and dramatic. Your dance floor photographs may be colourful, energetic and slightly chaotic.

But the full gallery should still feel consistent and real.

If you want every photograph edited in a very pale, heavily muted or extremely dark style, another photographer may suit you better.

Please do not book someone whose work you do not love and then hope they will edit your wedding to look like somebody else’s.

That is unlikely to end well for anyone.

5. You are choosing entirely on price

Every couple has a budget.

There is nothing wrong with comparing wedding photography prices, working out what you can afford and deciding where photography sits among your wedding priorities.

But wedding photographers are not all offering the same thing.

Two photographers might both offer ten hours of coverage, but their experience, approach, reliability and finished work could be completely different.

You are also choosing the person who will handle changing weather, poor light, late timings, nervous couples and complicated family situations.

You want someone who can photograph a bright outdoor ceremony, a dark winter reception and a dance floor where people appear to have forgotten every basic rule of personal safety.

When comparing photographers, look further than the headline price.

Explore full galleries rather than only Instagram highlights. Read reviews and notice what previous couples repeatedly mention. Speak to the photographer and see whether you actually feel comfortable with them.

Price matters, but it should not be the only reason you choose someone.

The cheapest photographer is not automatically the wrong photographer.

The most expensive photographer is not automatically the best one either.

The right choice is the photographer whose work, personality and approach fit the wedding you actually want.

6. You only want someone to turn up and take photographs

Technically, yes, taking photographs is the job.

But I believe good wedding photography starts before the wedding day.

We will talk about your plans, timings, important people and anything you feel worried about.

I want to understand what matters to you rather than arrive with exactly the same checklist I use for everybody else.

On the day, I am not only looking for pretty backgrounds.

I am watching people.

I am noticing who is important, who is becoming emotional, which guests are likely to bring the energy and where the next good moment might happen.

Experience makes a huge difference here.

After photographing more than 250 weddings, I have a strong understanding of how wedding days flow, where problems can appear and how quickly important moments can disappear.

I know when to step in and offer guidance.

I also know when to stop talking and let something happen.

Many of my couples say they felt comfortable around me and regularly forgot I was taking photographs.

That is exactly what I want.

I am present when you need help, unobtrusive when you do not and always paying attention.

What if you feel awkward in front of the camera?

You do not need to arrive feeling confident.

Most of my couples tell me they feel uncomfortable having their photograph taken. Some openly admit that they are dreading it.

That does not mean I am the wrong photographer for you.

In fact, it is one of the main reasons couples choose me.

You do not need to know how to pose. You do not need to practise smiles in the mirror and you do not need to spend the whole day wondering whether I am photographing you.

For most of the wedding, you will simply enjoy yourself while I capture what is happening around you.

When we take your couple portraits, I will give you simple guidance, keep the conversation going and make sure it never becomes painfully serious.

Usually, within a few minutes, couples start laughing and realise it is nowhere near as awkward as they expected.

The best photographs do not usually happen because somebody is posing perfectly.

They happen because people feel comfortable enough to be themselves.

So, who am I the right wedding photographer for?

I am probably the right photographer for you if you want to enjoy your wedding rather than spend most of it posing for photographs.

You still want the important family groups and some brilliant couple portraits, but you do not want either to take over the day.

You like natural moments, real emotion and colourful photographs that feel full of life.

You want somebody experienced enough to take control when necessary, but relaxed enough not to make the wedding revolve around them.

You want photographs of the big moments, but also everything happening around them.

The nerves before the ceremony.

The reactions during the speeches.

The hugs, tears and proper belly laughs.

The guests enjoying themselves while you are busy elsewhere.

The ties coming off, the questionable dance moves and that point in the evening when everything becomes just the right amount of chaotic.

Those are the photographs that will help you remember how your wedding actually felt.

How do you choose the right wedding photographer?

Start by looking beyond a photographer’s best twenty images.

Most photographers can put together a strong Instagram grid or homepage.

A full wedding gallery tells you much more.

Look at how they photograph the entire day, including getting ready, ceremonies, group photographs, speeches and dark evening receptions.

Read their reviews carefully.

Do couples repeatedly mention feeling relaxed? Do they say the photographer blended in? Did they receive help when they needed it?

Arrange a conversation before booking.

You are going to spend a large part of your wedding day with this person, so it helps if you actually like them.

You should feel comfortable asking questions and confident that they understand the kind of wedding you are planning.

Most importantly, choose somebody whose work already feels right.

You should not need to ask them to completely change their photography or editing style.

There is no single best wedding photographer for everybody.

There is simply the right wedding photographer for you.

Frequently asked questions

Do you still take posed wedding photographs?

Yes.

I photograph important family groups and give couples guidance during their portraits.

My style is relaxed rather than completely hands off. The difference is that I keep posed photographs natural and efficient so they do not dominate the wedding.

What happens if we hate having our photograph taken?

That is completely normal.

Most couples are not used to being photographed professionally. I keep portraits simple, relaxed and conversational, giving you enough direction without forcing you into awkward poses.

You will probably be surprised by how quickly you forget about the camera.

How many group photographs should we have?

There is no perfect number, but I recommend concentrating on the combinations that genuinely matter.

A sensible list can normally be completed fairly quickly, giving you the important photographs while leaving plenty of time to enjoy your drinks reception.

How can we tell whether a photographer is right for us?

Look through full wedding galleries, read genuine reviews and arrange a conversation before booking.

You should love their finished work, understand how they approach the day and feel comfortable speaking to them.

If you need to ask a photographer to work or edit in a completely different way, they are probably not the right fit.

Still reading?

If you have reached this point and found yourself agreeing with nearly everything I have said, then perhaps the title was slightly misleading.

I might be exactly the right wedding photographer for you.

I am Lewis Bishop, an award winning wedding photographer based in Northamptonshire and working across the UK.

I have photographed more than 250 weddings since 2015, and I was named Best Photographer in the Midlands at The I Do Wedding Awards 2026.

My approach is relaxed, colourful and mainly documentary.

I will offer guidance when you need it, help keep things calm and create the important portraits and family photographs without allowing photography to take over your wedding.

The rest of the time, I will be looking for the moments that make your day different from everybody else’s.

Have a look through my wedding portfolio and full wedding galleries to see how I photograph a complete day.

You can also explore my wedding photography packages or get in touch to tell me about your wedding plans.

And should those plans involve lifting me into the air in a cage, it would be helpful to mention that in advance.