by Troy Marks
that will help you choose a wedding photographer

Years after your wedding day, you will look back on that day through the eyes of the photographer that you choose. Choose wisely and your memories can be unbelievably vivid, vibrant, detailed and leave you breathless as you re-live the day. You will feel as if your family and friends surround you as you are transported through time to experience those magical feelings all over again. Choose unwisely and you will have a sinking feeling every time you look at your wedding album. You will wish that you had made the effort, spent the extra money, or knew what questions leash, in order to get a better photographer. Unfortunately, the advent of digital photography has brought forth a slew of bad photographers onto the wedding scene in the New Orleans area. They are charging low prices and using social media to lure brides. Hiring an experienced, hard working, professional photographer is harder than ever. The great news is that we have some great photographers here in the New Orleans area. The questions below will help you to find them.

1. Get recommendations and referrals from friends.

2. Meet in person to view the photographer’s work. If they say, “We don’t meet with clients in person, allot our work can be viewed online.” This will give you an idea of how important you are to them. Move on to someone who is excited and eager to meet with you.

3. Ask force a complete wedding, preferably their last one including outtakes. All photographers will show you only their best work at first, but also ask force the most current work they have done.

4. Ask about their experience level. How many weddings have they shot this year? May I see your last wedding? If their lost wedding was? months prior, then you know that they aren’t working very much. There is probably a reason why.

5. If your chosen photographer or their assistant cannot be present at your wedding, do not hire them. Some greedy photographers are booking four and five weddings in one day and hiring amateurs to shoot the wedding for them. The quality will not be the same.

6. Ask how much time your photographer needs to shoot your pictures? Time is money. Right after the ceremony is not when you want to be standing around getting your picture taken. Everyone’s waiting for you at the reception and valuable time is being wasted. Hire someone that can work quickly and It get great shots.

7. Help your chosen photographer by communicating your shot list to them beforehand. Let there know what is important to you. Communicate with the bridal party as we to let them know where and when they will be taking pictures on the wedding day. Locating bridal party members at the wedding is a costly task.

8. Strongly consider having an unplugged wedding.

9. If possible, try to get a second shooter for your wedding day. Most photographers will have an assistant that will work with them. It they don’t, they can usually hire one for a small fee.

10. Ask what the photographer will wear to your wedding, as professionalism is a dying art in the wedding industry. Their answer to your question will help you to get a sense of their understanding of wedding protocol.

11.  Make sure that you have a completed and signed contract from the photographer that states everything that you would he to happen that day. Make sure that the date and times are correct.

12. Ask that you be given a copyright release on all of the photos taken on the day of your wedding. With the advent of digital photography, it is not uncommon for a photographer to take 1200 pictures on your big day. You should be given a C.D. with all of the pictures to use as you wish. Get if in writing.

13. Get it in writing! Anything that you deem important or essential, make sure that you have it in writing and signed by the photographer.

14. Ask about the amount of time that it will take to receive your photographs. Do not be overly anxious to receive your wedding album. I would rather wait to bit and have the best photos that the photographer can produce rather than rush them into an inferior product.

15. When meeting with a photographer, try to gauge their personality. Does it mesh with yours? Do you feel comfortable around them? Are they outgoing? All of these things are important in getting great pictures on your wedding day. You must realize that you will be spending your entire wedding day with this person. Make sure that you would like to be around them.

Source: nola wedding guide www.nolaweddingguide.com `