Today’s topic is: How to Hire a Wedding Photographer and Without Breaking the Budget. Although June is not necessarily the busy wedding month it is up north, it is a great time to begin planning for your upcoming wedding. The summer months are generally slower for wedding professionals, which allows you more flexibility in meeting with them and negotiating prices.

Learning what to look for and what questions to ask are the most important issues of concern when finding the right photographer. Younger photographers tend to be more photojournalistic, where the old timers are more comfortable with a traditional style of photography. You should learn the differences between these styles and see where your preference leads you. Our recommendation is to find someone who has the talent to do both, as each has significant value.

Besides style, lighting is a great way of qualifying your photographer. Most photographers work with a single flash (on their camera), making their images appear flat or comparable to a novice. Multiple flashes create dimension as well as assisting the subjects to appear more flattering. At first, you might not notice this lighting technique, but over time and with more education, it will soon stand out and become obvious.

Editing is another way to determine the photographer’s level of professionalism. Taking the images from the camera to computer to disc is not good enough. The images need to be finessed. They need to be adjusted for color consistency, density, and expressions. In the world of digital and endless exposures, it is not uncommon to receive 800 or more unedited images, which you’ll have to go through, only to find that there are a limited number of really acceptable photos. Make sure that the photographer presents you with adjusted images and not unedited images.

Finally, I saved the best for last: price. The old adage, “You get what you pay for,” is too true in digital wedding photography. There are many ways of cutting costs, from less expensive albums to delaying the production of the wedding album. But whatever you do, don’t cut the hours of coverage. Photograph the entire day, as it is better to have it and not use it, than to not have it at all. We tell our clients that you can always put an album together some time in the future, however we can’t print what we haven’t covered.

There is typically no charge to meet with a professional wedding photographer, so take the time to check out at least three. This will allow you an opportunity to see some differences. Do some homework by checking with other industry related vendors and the Better Business Bureau about the photographers that you are considering to hire. In general, an experienced photographer that is highly recommended is not going to let you down.