Wedding Photography: Getting Started Finding a Great Wedding Photographer

Selecting a wedding photographer to document your day of days is possibly the most important hire you'll make. To find your shutterbug soul mate who will make sure the trip down memory lane is one you'll want to take over and over again, start early and shop around. These 11 steps will help to light your way.

Step 1: Suit Your Style

Before you start calling local wedding photographers, first decide which visual style suits you. Photographers fall into three general camps: photojournalists, traditional wedding photographers, and those with a balanced bag of tricks. If you loved your sister's nuptial snapshots and most of them are candid black-and-white action shots, you're probably leaning toward a cameraman with a penchant for photojournalism. If you prefer portraits and posed shots, a traditionalist is for you. Ambivalent? Can't agree? Seek out that special mix.

Step 2: Meet & Greet

Start compiling a list of candidates by flipping through the wedding albums of any friends or family who have recently gotten married. Other sources include experts you've been working with on other aspects of your wedding (wedding coordinator, caterers, etc.) and bridal shows, where you can meet photographers in person and view their work.

Step 3: Rub the Right Way

Don't underestimate the importance of liking, if not bonding, with your photographer. Some of the best shots of your main event will be those taken behind the scenes, and you need to be comfortable about inviting him or her backstage. This person will also have a lot of contact with your family and friends, and in general be a very visible "guest" at your wedding. To get the best photos, he or she has to be assertive enough to hunt for great moments, cajoling enough to coax relaxed smiles and natural stances from guests, and calm enough to be a positive force. He or she should ask lots of questions and be a good listener. Trust your gut: If anything about him or her rubs you the wrong way, keep looking.

Step 4: Choose Wisely

Seasoned wedding photographers have what's called a "book," a portfolio of their best work to show potential clients. If a candidate doesn't have one, think twice -- he may be too wet behind the ears or too disorganized for the job. While browsing a book, look for crisp images, thoughtful compositions, and good lighting. Do the more journalistic shots convey a sense of emotion? Do people in the portraits look relaxed? Be sure he or she has pictures from the time of day your wedding will take place.

Don't commit before examining a wedding album the photographer has conceived and created. You should get a sense of the couple's personality and their wedding style as well as who ranks on their VIP list. Ask about his or her philosophy regarding wedding albums -- bonus points for those who talk about every album being unique or how an album should "tell the story of your wedding."

Step 5: Technical Questions

Does he or she shoot in medium format, digital or only 35mm? If the photographer has only one standard 35mm camera and you want a poster-size portrait, you'll want to find someone who can shoot in medium format (the larger negative retains its crisp image at larger magnifications than 35mm-or "small-format"-film). Make sure he or she brings a backup set of equipment in case of malfunction or other snafu.

Step 6: Eyeball the Effects

If you have your heart set on special effects -- fish-eye lenses, infrared film, sepia-toned prints, handmade wedding albums -- be sure you see ample examples of the photographer's technique. You don't want your prints to be guinea pigs for his darkroom experimentation. Be sure the resulting look is not overdone (too artsy) or barely there.

Step 7: Review References

Request two to three references for the two photographers you feel most strongly about. If a photographer is reluctant to give you a list of prior clients, cross him off your list. Ask the references if they would they recommend this person to their best friend. Why or why not? Was the photographer on time, well dressed, and completely professional throughout the event? Did guests have any comments -- negative or positive?

Step 8: Confirm the Cost

Expect to spend at least $1500 and easily up to $4000 on the photographer. You're paying for the cameraman's time at your wedding, plus all post-production work, such as developing the prints -- by hand and one at a time in a traditional darkroom in some cases -- and assembling an album. Special effects and more time at the event will, of course, cost extra. If you're on a tight budget, ask about the most basic package.

Step 9: Ask About Online

Sharing photos on the Internet has become the norm. A lot of couples like this option because it allows you to share your entire album without carting around your proof book -- and guests and family don't have to go through you to order prints.

Step 10: Double-Check the Details

Many larger studios have several photographers on staff. Since every professional has a different style, technique, and personality, you need to make sure that the one you interview and "click" with will be the same one to work your wedding. Also, who shoots the event in case of an emergency or illness? Will the photographer have an assistant? How many? How will the photographer and the assistants be dressed?

Step 11: Write it Down

We know you know this, but we have to say it anyway: Get every detail in writing. Also important: Don't sign anything if a studio claims it has the right to send any staff photographer to your wedding and you feel uneasy about even one person in their stable of photographers; if you sign, that's the one you'll inevitably get.

-- The Knot

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