How do I know when I find the right photographer?

Choosing the right photographer will be one of your most important wedding decisions. There are many things to consider. Here are a few of my thoughts.

Your budget for the right photographer

Before you start to even look at photographers, decide how much money you want to spend. There’s a huge range of photographers at every price point. If you want to spend $500 on a wedding photographer and put a note on Facebook about that, I guarantee that you will get lots of responses from people willing and ready to accept your job for $500. Many people want to photograph weddings, and they think they can break into the field by advertising extremely low rates. Just remember, you get what you pay for.

If you don’t want to spend more than $2,000, it will be easy to eliminate prospective photographers. There also are many photographers out there whose starting rate is $3,000 or $4,000 or $5,000. If you look to other areas of the country, you will find photographers who start at $10,000.

Your style

Once you find photographers within your budget, decide what style of photos you want. Do you want traditional and classic? Maybe story-telling or photojournalistic pictures? Perhaps an edgy look, light and airy or perhaps dark and moody? You will find photographers doing all these types. Many photographers may blend styles.

Personally, I would describe my style as more classic with traditional yet fun photos that will last a lifetime. My photos are in between light and airy and dark and moody. I simply call them “well-exposed.”

Your personality

No one will interact more with you and your guests than your photographer. You need to like the photographer’s personality.

Don’t hire a loud and extroverted photographer if you are quiet and want a more subdued event. Don’t hire a shy photographer if you are extroverted and bubbly. You don’t want your photographer to be dominating and will want him or her to be a good listener.

This article is part of a blog series on the topic of frequently asked questions. See other articles on how many hours do you need your photographer, do you need a second photographer, and do you need a photo album.