You just got your gallery and you’re over the moon with excitement. All of the memories and emotions come flooding back in as you’re smiling at the little moments you didn’t even realize were happening. You want to let your photographer know how much you’ve loved the experience of working together. Maybe you send them a text or an email – that alone will make any photographer happy!
But if you really want to express your gratitude, you should leave them a 5-Star Google Review. It doesn’t have to be anything long or drawn out, but a thoughtful, honest review can go a long way. Here’s how do to get started.
Why Writing a Review Matters
Leaving a 5-star review doesn’t just make your photographer do a happy dance. It helps others understand their value, their process and the experience as a whole. It’s what gets their small business seen (and hired) by others just like you.
Three reasons why you should leave a review for your photographer:
HELP OTHERS FEEL CONFIDENT IN THEIR DECISION
When you were looking for a photographer, chances are you read reviews too. Hearing about someone else’s experience helps people feel at ease and trust that they’re making the right choice. By leaving your own review, you’re further verifying that this photographer is professional, kind and organized. That this is someone who will capture some of life’s most important moments for you in a beautiful and honest way. And it gives other the confidence that they will fully enjoy the entire experience, too.
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS
Many photographers rely on word-of-mouth and reviews to grow their business. Reviews help more people find us, trust us, and ultimately book us. It’s one of the most meaningful ways you can support a small business you love.
And did you know that Google ranks businesses higher if they have a stronger client base leaving reviews? Your 5-star review will be the driving force allowing your photographer to attract more clients and continue doing what they love.
TO SAY THANKS, OBVI
Photographers put a lot of heart into their work. Hearing what it meant to you can truly make their day! So if you had a wonderful experience working with your photographer and you’re still beaming with joy as you look through your photos, a review is a simple way to say thank you!
Ready to Book Your Next Session? Click Here!
How to Write a Knockout 5-Star Review
You want to give your photographer a glowing 5-star review, but you’re not exactly sure where to start. The best reviews are honest, specific and personal. Instead of trying to sound polished or professional, just focus on your own experience. What stood out? How did it feel? What would you tell a friend?
There’s no right or wrong way to do it, but here are a few tips to writing a 5-Star Review that will be informational to others and meaningful to your photographer.
How to Structure Your Review
If you’re staring at a blank screen, this is a really easy way to get your thoughts flowing:
1. Start with some spunk
Come out of the gate with enthusiasm. People don’t always read a full review, so make sure your opening line leaves a mark and gives the essence of your full review. Get creative and use some fun or silly exclamations that fit your personality. And please please pleassssse… don’t use AI for writing your review.
Think about starting it like so…
“Are you freaking kidding me? Kate made all our dreams come true…”
“From the very beginning, everything felt so easy and natural…”
“Hot damn. This girl knows what she’s doing.”
“If I could give 10 stars I would! Kate was perfect. She captured our day better than we could’ve imagined. “
2. Talk about how you felt during the process
This is the part people often skip—but it’s one of the most helpful pieces for others reading your review.
Think about things like if you were you nervous going in? How did that change? Did you feel comfortable, relaxed, taken care of? Did anything feel easier or less stressful because of your photographer?
This gives future clients a glimpse into what it’s actually like to be in your shoes.
3. Share specific moments or standout parts
Instead of listing general qualities (like “she was amazing” or “so talented”), try to anchor your review in real moments:
- A time they helped guide you
- Something they did that made you feel at ease
- How they handled a moment on your wedding day
- The way they interacted with your kids or family
Specifics make your review feel more personal and trustworthy.
4. Include Keywords
Keywords are words or phrases that Google uses to both understand and rank your content. Including keywords in your review will help a business show up more in searches.
Let me give you an example: I’m an elopement photographer. If you write “Kate was the best elopement photographer we could have possibly chosen!” When people search for “elopement photographer,” there’s a better chance that I’ll pop to the top of their search, because you’ve confirmed for Google that that is a service I provide.
Here are few common keywords you might consider sprinkling into your review: Vermont elopement photographer, elope in Vermont, Vermont wedding photographer, Vermont wedding, Vermont family photographer, etc.
5. Add a few photos to your review
Photos are such good additions to a review! I love it when couples include photos in their review. Not only do I do my little happy dance, but Google also loves it! Which means that it is that much more effective in boosting your photographer’s ranking. And let’s not forget that it also helps to get others excited about their photos, too!
Prompts to Help You Write a Review
If you’re not sure what to say, here are a few prompts you can pull from:
- What made you choose your photographer in the first place?
- How did they make you feel during your session or wedding day?
- What surprised you (in a good way) about working together?
- Did anything feel easier or less stressful because of them?
- What was your favorite part of the experience?
- How did you feel when you saw your photos for the first time?
- Do your photos feel like you?
- Would you work with them again? Why?
You definitely don’t need to answer all of these—just one or two can be more than enough.
Examples of Well-Written Reviews
The most meaningful reviews aren’t the ones that list off how “professional,” “talented,” or “amazing” someone is (even though those things are always appreciated).
They’re the ones that share a real experience.
If you focus on how it felt to work together—what surprised you, what stood out, what you’ll remember when you look at your photos—that’s what truly helps someone else connect and say, “That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”
Example #1
BOOK KATE NOW!
When looking for a photographer, our highest priority was finding someone who we could easily be ourselves around. We immediately vibed with Kate upon our initial interview. Over the months leading up to the wedding we had regular correspondence and helped build our relationship. Kate even invited us to go snowboarding with her one day so that we could connect and get to know each other even more. When Kate arrived at the venue on our wedding day, we felt like we had known her for years. Kate’s attention to detail and communication assured us that we had a game plan for all the photos we wanted and it really helped put our minds at ease that we had a true professional with tons of experience.
Kate has a great understanding of what’s important about a wedding day: that you actually enjoy it. All of her focus during the planning centered around making sure our photo sessions on the wedding day didn’t take away from our time/experience at our reception. She was very understanding of our timeline and was able to carve out times for us to step away and take photos together, with our wedding parties, and family. We never felt like we were missing out on anything while we were taking photos during the reception. Kate works extremely efficiently, and her positive personality made it super fun to shoot with her. Honestly, we had FUN taking photos with her! She’s incredibly down to earth and easy to get along with. We got along so well and she was able to capture perfectly just how happy we were on our wedding day.
Kates talent for shooting photos is truly amazing. We were stunned by our initial preview of the photos she took, and when we received the full album, we were even more impressed. Just check out her Instagram @kateseymourphotography and see for yourself!
Kate should be your next wedding photographer!!!! She is worth every penny and made our wedding experience that much more enjoyable. We love being able to relive our special day through her amazing photos.
Example #2
I don’t think I’ll ever find the right words to describe how much we LOVE Kate! I knew from the first call with her she was someone truly special and we already were grateful to have her be a part of our wedding adventure! She is professional, organized, punctual and incredibly talented.
I think sometimes being in front of the camera (especially if it’s something neither one of you has ever done haha) can be intimidating. But working with Kate we felt so comfortable like we had known her forever! She truly made our engagement shoot a special day. Before our shoot we talked about all our favorite things we do in Vermont and she fit them all in including packing an amazing picnic! It was a day we both needed after a crazy few months too and we cannot thank her enough! Also she shredded the mountain bike trails with us and it was so fun! GAHH I could say so much more she’s just absolutely the BEST OF THE BEST! KATE if you read this you are a superwoman and we adore you!!!!
Example #3
Whether you are as clueless about the wedding process as we were or have all the details figured out, Kate is the best vendor choice you can make.
From start to finish, Kate was communicative, patient, and so fun. She went above and beyond to help us through the planning, and delivered pictures that literally make us beam remembering the day. She perfectly captured the warmth and joy we felt and managed to capture sweet moments with our insane dogs and even some cool/creative night shots.
We never felt like taking the pictures was the focus of the day, she just seamlessly worked into our event and felt like another great friend in the midst of all the love. We’re so grateful for her hard work and talent!! BOOK KATE!!!
If you’ve worked with me before and have not yet left your own 5-star review, it’s never too late! Click here to share your experience.
