What To Look For When Hiring A Photographer / Studio

     First look at the quality of the photography

•  Are the photos composed well?

•  Are the photos properly exposed? Are blacks black and whites white?

•  Is there proper use of lighting?  Do they use multiple lights?

•  Do the subjects appear to be at ease?

     Does the photographer have a particular style of photography?

•  Traditional

•  Photojournalistic

•  Documentary

•  Illustrative

     If I want a combination of any of the above is he/she willing to provide it for me?

     Check out the photographer’s personality

Each one us is an individual and as humans we get along with certain types of people.  Ask yourself “Am I comfortable around this person?”

“Would I not only be comfortable spending my wedding day with him present, but will I be comfortable in the subsequent meetings with him, selecting my photographs and designing my albums?

     Referrals: A good photographer should have a list of referrals.

Once you get it, call the people listed.  You might even ask him for the names of the last three couples he photographed.  He may first need to get approval to give out phone numbers (due to confidentiality), but if his past clients were genuinely satisfied they should have no problem consenting.

     How much experience does he have?

To be an excellent photographer takes a tremendous amount of technical and personal skills.  These are the skills that are learned from experience.  You want somebody that is familiar with the mechanics of a wedding and won’t miss once in a lifetime moments.

     Price: You get what you pay for!

You have heard the expression,  “you get what you pay for”.  It is usually true in wedding photography.  There are only so many weekends in the year and the number of weddings a photographer can book is limited.  As a photographer comes into greater demand by developing his artistry and experience the price will certainly go up, resulting in the better photographers being more expensive. 

On the same adage of getting what you pay for, I don’t mind spending my money on the best cameras, labs and bookbinders money can buy.  I want to be proud of what I deliver to my clients.

Also ask how many events the photographer can cover in a day.  You don’t want to be the third bride in one day for that photographer.  On the same note, you would not want to be the first bride and have him rush out of your wedding because he has another one to get to.