Are you planning an LGBT wedding? As a member of LGBT community your wedding photographer’s familiarity with same-sex marriages becomes even more important. This creative professional will be getting up close and personal with you and your partner, zooming in with a powerful lens. At the same time, you kiss, and they guide you into romantic embraces for photo ops, witnessing your love over and over as they edit all the images. You want them to feel at ease around you as much as they want you to feel at ease around them.
All of your vendors, without exception, must be completely supportive of your relationship. This is especially important with your photographers, who will be immersed in your romantic endeavours. But, more than just being supportive, it’s even better if they’ve worked with LGBTQ+ couples in the past. If you don’t see any mention of it on their website or in their marketing materials, don’t be afraid to ask if they have experience in this field. Check out our extensive list of Sydney Wedding Photographers to help you capture those special moments.
Wedding preparation can be stressful, but finding LGBT-friendly providers should not be. We spoke with some of the best in the business to obtain their advice on hiring an inclusive photographer.
The First Look
When looking for vendors, use a variety of tools, such as social media, personal recommendations, and LGBTQ+ inclusive directories. Websites, portfolios, and contracts all provide a wealth of information about your wedding photographer.
Consider choosing someone who is a member of the LGBT community, since they are more likely to understand what you’re looking for on your wedding day. Wedding preparation would be 100% stress-free in an ideal world. Although that is our goal, it isn’t always the case, especially when it comes to locating suppliers who are welcoming to the LGBT community.
Your wedding day should be an escape from the rest of the world, not a reminder that the rest of the world doesn’t always care about you. When it comes to your photographer, it’s critical to pick someone who can both comprehend and capture the full of your love story. The following are some key advice from wedding industry pros and the LGBTQ+ community for locating a photographer who is qualified to capture your wedding images.
Get to Know Gay Friendly Vendor Directories
If you’re just starting out, it’s critical to understand your alternatives, and one of the greatest places to start is with digital wedding guides and directories.
Some directories are beginning to prioritise queer-owned and LGBT-friendly companies in their listings. They either dedicate an entire website to listing vendors who are LGBTQ+ friendly, or they have badges that individuals may put to their websites. They can be a great place to start, and many focus on the local area as well.
Make the Most of Social Media
We may all get lost in Instagram photographs and Pinterest boards while wedding planning, but it’s important to remember that they can also be useful tools. Hashtags are your ally. Use social media as much as possible, and look for hashtags that represent you as a pair.
However, as you begin your search, keep in mind that a photographer’s social media following is only one small piece of the equation. We, like everyone else, are frequently misled by someone’s social media following numbers. Just because someone has a lot of followers doesn’t guarantee they know how to work in every situation, let alone with LGBT couples.
Use a variety of sources.
Whether you’ve been browsing wedding vendor directories or solely utilising Instagram, it’s critical to get to know them as a wedding photographer and as a person. Don’t limit your search for wedding photographers to a single source. Nothing is more vital than selecting someone with whom you can connect because he or she will be spending the entire day with you. It’s critical to go beyond the first, most glamorous photographs you encounter, commonly known as hero images.
Take a look at the intricacies, angles, emotions, and small moments they capture “he claims. “Just because someone is on page one of something does not inevitably make them the best.
Examine Their Websites and Portfolios for Wedding Photography
Despite the fact that many merchants advertise themselves as inclusive, Kitchen and Tieu both agree that it’s critical to browse through their websites and portfolios before asking questions. Do they have a visual representation of the LGBT community’s couples? Is their website’s language inclusive and gender-neutral?
There are a lot of people who do, so why send that awkward email asking if they’ll be okay working with you?
Consider hiring someone who has previously worked with LGBT couples
Finding someone who has worked with other gay couples is crucial when it comes to wedding photography, according to Merrill. She claims that there are distinctions in posing and interacting with friends and family that an experienced photographer will be aware of, particularly when it comes to pronoun usage.
“Someone who is knowledgeable with the Gay community will have a variety of expertise that will prevent any of your loved ones from being uncomfortable on your wedding day,” she says.
Be aware of suppliers who claim they have never worked with LGBT couples but have always wanted to.
Request Referrals from Other Members of the LGBT Community
Asking for recommendations from other vendors who may not be available or coincide with your aesthetic is one of the less obvious ways to find suppliers in the community. They will have the most local recommendations and, in many cases, the best counsel.
Consider Someone from the LGBT Community
We all have a coming out story, a time in our lives when we were filled with feelings of ‘otherness,’ which altered how we interacted with one another and the rest of the world. Being in a place where queerness is acknowledged and accepted gives me a sense of security. It’s vital to have someone who knows this.
Keep a Close Eye on the Wedding Photography Contract
First and foremost, before agreeing to anything, go over the contract with a fine-tooth comb. You might search for particular terminology, such as “Bride and Groom,” in the contract to see if it’s delivering the wrong message.
She recommends that if they have worked with LGBTQ+ couples before, they include gender-neutral wording in their contracts, ask for your pronouns, and include his or her own in the email signature. “You want to select someone who knows gender identification and will not misgender you during your wedding.” There should be more awareness about this.
Be open and honest, but keep in mind that it is their job to make you feel at ease.
If you have any specific concerns, you should be able to discuss them with your photographer. Dealing with body dysmorphia or rejecting traditional masculine and feminine dichotomies are examples of this. You want as much openness as possible. Your photographer should not be placing your inboxes on the internet.
So, whether you’re just starting your wedding photography search or getting contracts in order, it’s critical to choose someone who will have your back on your big day.There are many merchants out there who go above and above to commemorate your love story with you.
It’s a difficult lesson to learn after hiring someone who takes wonderful images but suddenly puts you and your spouse in very heteronormative poses. Many of the world’s top photographers are apprehensive about photographing their first same-sex wedding for one simple reason: they’ve built their entire careers on pigeon-holing their couples into gender-specific heterosexual conceptions of what’s “normal.”
Isn’t there one strong, handsome man who’s going to be shot to demonstrate his dedication to defending the fair, feminine princess bride? But this is not always the case. This is also seen in LGBT relationships, which is ideal. It is not acceptable for photographers to do this to LGBT couples (and straight people too, for that matter). Gender equality extends to all aspects of human life. Most people would be able to express themselves more fully if society relaxed its expectations of people falling into an either/or category of gender and the normally accompanying conventional gender norms. Are you looking for a Gay and Lesbian wedding photographer in Sydney? Look no further. Ozphotovideo Studio has list of packages for you choose.
Photographer Interview Questions
1.Have you previously worked with an LGBT couple?
2.Do you think of yourself as gay-friendly?
3.How would you describe your photographic style?
4.You’ll get a sense of what they’re talking about from their website, but check how they define it—and if you agree with them.
5.What are your plans if you become ill on the day of my wedding?
6.They should have a second photographer on standby.
7.What do you intend to do if your equipment breaks on the day of my wedding?
8.Will I receive watermark-free high-resolution versions of all of my wedding photos? Make sure it’s written into the contract.
9.How long does it take you to turn around wedding photos?
Once you’ve learned all of the above-mentioned data about the photographer, it will be a comfortable and seamless experience for you and your family. Aside from these factors, make sure your photographer is aware of religious restrictions, location, and other constraints, as these will assist the photographer in capturing memorable moments and documenting the ceremony through video.
Tips and Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing an LGBT Friendly Photographer
Hiring the right individual to capture your special day is difficult enough, but choosing an LGBTQ-wedding photographer adds another layer of difficulty. While the majority of states have legislation protecting LGBTQ couples from discrimination, a few do not.
The recommendations below, especially the last one, can assist you in finding the ideal photographer.
Discuss it with your partner.
It’s not every day that you approach a stranger, spend a respectable length of time posing for lovely picture memories, or invite them to partake in your beautiful moments.
A important step in selecting a lesbian/gay photographer is to create a relaxed atmosphere by first discussing it with your partner. You and your companion should agree on specific photography expectations. Then, establish a good medium ground between your respective visions.
For example, you may prefer completely candid images, whilst your partner prefers standard posed shots. Half and a half is a happy medium! You commit to X number of posed images, while your spouse agrees to X number of candid photos.
Determine What Is Most Important to You.
Do you want to spend less money on a photographer who only covers the basics or more money on a “Gold” package that includes everything?
Is the fame of your same-sex marriage photographer important to you, or are you content with a newcomer? The ideological make-up of the photographer to be engaged should be of the utmost importance. Yes, untrained photographers with no experience in gay wedding photography may handle difficult tasks.
However, the craft of photography entails the photographer’s entire emotional range. These feelings have an impact on the overall outcome of the memory-making process.
Reviews, Reviews, Reviews, and More Reviews
You read reviews before purchasing a new toaster or selecting a place for lunch, don’t you? So it only makes sense to look into these before selecting your LGBTQ-friendly wedding photographer!
Checking reviews will help you grasp possible photographers’ benefits and cons of hiring them, as well as what to expect in terms of budget. Begin by reading reviews on Yelp, Google, and other popular review aggregator sites. Then, look through portfolios and contact previous clients to find out what they thought of your possible photographer.
What Is Their Personality?
This is possibly the most important question to ask a potential photographer during an interview. Style can vary greatly. Some prefer a more traditional approach, while others like to be more artistic.
If you want a traditional wedding photo album, you don’t want to discover too late that your photographer has an Avant-Garde approach. Ensure that your selected photographer is ideally suited for your gay wedding, with styles ranging from traditional to documentary. Find out More about Styles of Wedding Photography here.
Inquire Whether They Are LGBT-Friendly
Finally, and maybe most importantly, ask outright, “Are you honestly happy with photographing a same-sex wedding?”
The last thing you want is a stuffy photographer taking the job because he’s frightened of a lawsuit and merely putting in the bare minimum of effort to create wonderful memories for you. It is far preferable to find someone who genuinely wants to be there. Someone who has a vested interest in ensuring that you remember your special day for decades to come.
LGBTQ-friendly photographers with gay wedding photography experience are more likely to capture your special day in a meaningful way. To book a Gay and Lesbian Friendly Photographer here