Warren writes articles for and is also the Wedding Photographer Expert on www.women24.com

Dear Bridal Couple

‘Thank you for considering me as your photographer. As you can see, I specialise in a traditional-photojournalistic approach that blends lashings of fashion, fine art and a dash of my own crazy creativity into the mix. The result is an awe-inspiring, retro-modernistic feel that… WHOA! STOP THE BUS!

Ouch! That’s got to be a bit like sticking a hot poker into your eyes. Must say, it must be fairly difficult to select a photographer these days. Make no mistake, times have changed. Back in the day, the traditional photographer would arrive at your wedding with a standard set of ‘must-have’ shots (bride with veil, bride and groom with ring, bride with dad, bestmen with bride and so on). Then along came the photojournalistic photographer  – a lot more unstructured, a lot more unpredictable, a lot more opportunistic if you like. And just when you thought you’d seen it all, along comes the fashion or couture photographer who gives your photos a more fashion magaziney feel. These are usually very stylized shots that use really edgy techniques to deliver. And finally, there’s the fine art photographer whose going to deliver the kind of photographs you should be hanging in a gallery.

If you’re confused, I don’t blame you. What a bloody nightmare! So here’s my advice. When you’re deciding on your photographer, first decide on what styles and techniques YOU like. It’ll give you a much better idea of who to short-list I promise. And remember, some photographers (including myself) are able to offer all of the above (in greater or lesser ways), so keep that in mind. Most of all – don’t chase labels and fancy descriptions, chase what you see by trusting your eyes and your instinct! Okay, that’s the end of this article, I’m off for a burger…