One of the most common questions couples have when hiring a professional wedding photographer is how many pictures they can expect to receive at the end of the event. The answer, however, isn’t always a solid number, as wedding photography does not have one-size-fits-all solutions. Services are often fully customized and the final number of photos depends on several factors including the length and size of the event, the specific moments you need captured, the style of the photographer, etc.

Here we address the question by exploring the factors that influence the final number of pictures, and the typical number ranges that photographers commonly provide.

Factors that influence the number of photos

Here are a few common factors that directly influence the number of photos.

Duration of coverage

Wedding day coverage is a variable decided by the couple; while some couples opt for full-day coverage, some choose to have only an hour or two photographed. If you need full-day coverage, starting from getting ready pictures in the morning to the grand exit at night, which amounts to 8 to 12 hours, you can expect to receive a higher number of photos.

On the other hand, if you opt for partial coverage, such as the ceremony and reception which amounts to 1 to 3 hours, the number of photos will be lower.

Style of photography

The style of photography followed by your professional greatly affects the number of photos. While a traditional photographer focuses on capturing the key moments, leading to fewer but more carefully curated pictures, a photojournalistic photographer focuses on capturing more candid moments and natural emotional exchanges throughout the day, leading to more photos.

A fine art photographer on the other hand focuses more on the artistic value of the pictures; they take fewer photos but invest more into refining the composition and mood, resulting in higher quality pictures.

Make sure to enquire and understand the style followed by your wedding photographer to get a better idea of the pictures you will likely receive.

Number of photographers

Couples choose to have either one professional or two to cover their entire wedding day. Single photographers naturally provide fewer pictures, while a team of two can provide more photos as they will cover multiple angles, perspectives, and simultaneous events. While single photographers can provide anywhere between 800 to 1000 photos on average, a team of multiple photographers can provide around 1600 photos or more.

Size and complexity of the wedding event

The bigger your event, and the bigger the size of your guest list, the more photos your photographer will likely capture. Additionally, if you have a highly traditional event with several conventional rituals, you will naturally receive more photos, as there are more intricate details to be captured on camera.

What’s included in the delivered pictures?

While getting a certain number of pictures is an important part of the deliverables offered by a wedding photographer, what’s included in the said package is a more crucial attribute to consider. Having a collection of 1000 pictures with no real focus shots required to fulfill your wedding vision, is a sheer wasted investment.

Hence, here is a rundown of what’s typically included in the delivered pictures; you can use it to give direction to your photographer during consultations.

Key moments from your wedding

Expect pictures of the key moments from your wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, such as your vows, ring exchange, first kiss, champagne pop, first dance, speeches, and cake cutting. You can also expect HD shots of the smaller details like the sparkle of your rings, the venue and décor details, the beautiful embroidered and lace attributes of your wedding dress, your bouquet, etc.

Candid moments

Contemporary photographers focus on providing an authentic reflection of a wedding day through pictures. For the same reason, you can expect to see many candid moments of guests interacting and socializing throughout the day. This series of photos can include moments where guests are talking, laughing, mingling, and enjoying the day, genuine emotional exchanges such as tears, playful expressions, joy, overwhelming love, etc., all of which enrich the overall value of your wedding pictures.

Portrait and group stills

Expect an array of creative portrait pictures of you and your partner, both posed and candid, taken at different locations around the venue. Along with portraits, you can also expect to see group photos of the bridal party, the groom’s entourage, family stills, friends, and every circle that you feel is important. Have detailed discussions with your wedding photographer to give them an idea of the people that matter the most to you, to make the most of group photos.

Quality over quantity

When considering the number of photos in your wedding photography investment, it is important to note that more photos don’t necessarily mean better worth or value. It is more about capturing the most crucial moments from your wedding and delivering a cohesive story worth cherishing for a lifetime, than capturing random moments just to offer a higher number of pictures. A professional wedding photographer focuses on quality over quantity and chooses to curate a collection of valuable photos reflecting the priceless moments at your wedding.

This means that your reception, for example, may last a solid 5 hours, but your photographer will not be focused on capturing the greatest number of pictures throughout the time. Instead, the focus will be on capturing the moments that best represent the event and reflect its vibe and energy.

Hence, the worth of your investment should be measured by the value you receive in the quality of the pictures over the quantity.

The total number of pictures

An average estimate of the number of pictures commonly provided by professional wedding photographers is as follows.

·       For an hour or two of wedding coverage – 100 to 200 photos

·       For an 8- 12-hour coverage by a single photographer – 800 to 1300 photos

·       For 12 hours of coverage by two photographers – 1600 photos and above

As mentioned earlier, these numbers may vary depending on the factors mentioned above. It is always wise to discuss and set expectations clearly before getting into a partnership with your wedding photographer.

Wrapping up

The number of photos you can expect to receive from your professional wedding photographer depends on several factors such as the duration of coverage, the duration of the event, the style of photography, the number of photographers on the job, etc. As a rule of thumb, it is always better to prioritize quality over quantity, as a greater number of photos does not necessarily mean better; it is about the value you get in terms of the accuracy, immersive quality, and impact of visual storytelling, not about the greatest number of photos. Keep the above-mentioned pointers in mind and partner with a transparent Chicago wedding photographer for a smooth experience.

To discuss your wedding vision and requirements, get in touch with Shan Photography today!

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