Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!  If you have been shopping for a photographer you are probably overwhelmed, our goal is to help you choose among this crazy sea of people who call themselves "professional photographers". It is important that you make an educated choice when choosing the one and only person in charge of capturing memories of your special day.

Photography is an unlicensed profession 
There are very few professions that are open to anyone instantaneously.  In order to become a lawyer, doctor or teacher one must get an education in these fields.  Photography is different because it is an unlicensed profession, so anyone can claim to be a professional photographer; and a lot of people do just that. 

A great way to know if you are hiring a professional is by choosing a photographer with formal education in photography from a university (to learn about our educational background please visit the about page on this site).  Having taken a few courses here and there as electives in college is something that amateurs and enthusiasts do.
 
Experience
Following education, nothing is more important than experience.  Experienced photographers have hundreds of weddings under their belts, have seen it all, and can handle any situation on your wedding day.  Some studios are faily new and charge top prices, so keep your eye on the quality because expensive doesn't always means good.
You are encouraged to ask for references!

Business License
Make sure your photographer has a business license; anyone who does not is operating illegally.

Liability & Indemnity Insurance
Insurance is very important to help protect you and your guests.  Employing a photographer without proper insurance can expose the bride and groom to liability.  In fact, most venues require proof of insurance.

Backup Equipment
Digital cameras may malfunction and can crash just like a computer.  True professionals have plenty of backup equipment and merely pick up a replacement and continue shooting.

Original Creation
A professional will guarantee that every image was created by their studio for their clients. Unfortunately some photographers show images that were created at workshops under instructor supervision, where no original creation was done, and pass them off as their own work.

Low Pressure
Don’t be pressured into signing a contract immediately.  With whom you entrust your memories is an extremely important decision and you need to complete your research.  Professionals are confident with their abilities and products and will never coerce you to make a decision that you are not comfortable with. Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics. 

To ensure you will get the most out of this special event, it is important to develop your list of goals before or while you meet with photographers.  While a professional might have great advice on how to make certain situations better on your day, they should not pressure you to do something you don't want (such as see each other before the ceremony).

Accessibility
Since photography is their full-time career, professional photographers are available daily to take care of all of your questions and needs.

Full Service
Because a true professional photographer has an established reputation in your community, you can rely on them before, during, and after your wedding.  In fact, they may well become your family photographer for life!

Professional Lab
Your photographer should only use professional labs.  This ensures that your images are printed on archival materials to the highest standards of quality, unlike drug store and homemade prints.

Personality
Since you cannot tell personality by a website, you should meet with the person who will be photographing your wedding to make sure you have good chemistry. 

Archiving 
Whether you purchase your files or not, make sure that your images are properly archived.  While it is costly, professionals will store your images on multiple media formats and place duplicates in safes and/or offsite locations.

Referrals
Get recommendations from brides and wedding vendors who actually work with photographers. 

Can anyone join professional photographer's organizations?
Although anyone can join professional organizations such as the Professional Photographers of America just by paying the dues, these organizations provide photographers with valuable continuing education opportunities. Just having a PPA or WPPI logo on a website gives very
little information to the consumer and does not indicate the level of dedication a photographer has. Once again, choosing a degreed professional with education in photography from a university is the best way to ensure your memories are in the hands of a true dedicated
professional.

Uncle Charlie vs. a professional photographer
If you are considering a family member that has a cool camera and loves photography to be responsible for your lasting memories please remember that untrained photographers never developed a consistent style or workflow (file processing, post-production, and back up) and lack all the proper professional equipment and lighting gear.  Knowing how to make people look their best is also part of being a pro, your buddy or uncle won't know the tricks.

When interviewing photographers, don’t be afraid to ask them to be specific when accounting for their experience and qualifications.

True professional photography is not expensive, it's priceless!

There are many more topics to cover.  We would love to have you at our studio for a free consultation where we can get in depth with any additional questions as well as your wedding plans.

Call our studio today to schedule your consultation!
(352) 372-4462

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