Tips for Hiring A Wedding Photographer

I recently read a newlyweds horror story about her photographer. You can read the full story on the Photo.net forums. Basically her wedding planner 'hired' a photographer for them and they were very disappointed in the 37 photos that they received in a cheap Wal-Mart album. They never met the photographer in advance and had only a vague contract through the planner

While I'm sorry to hear the bride is in this situation and certainly upset that a 'photographer' would act this way, I can't help feel the bride is partly responsible for not taking an active role in vetting her wedding vendors. A good wedding planner can be a great resource and is great for tying together all the pieces of the puzzle, but I think it is your responsibility to meet with each vendor and discuss what they will or won't do.

Here's a few things to ask when interviewing a photographer

-Will you be the actual photographer at my wedding?

Some large studios contract out to "associate photographers". I would

only speak with the actual photographer, not a salesman for the studio.

-Are the albums you're showing me the same style I can expect with my package?

-Were all the pictures in the albums shot by you?

-We want only candids, or we want only non-traditional? Can you do that?

Little changes in style are possible, but even if they promise they can, don't expect vastly different pictures from what you see in their portfolio.

-Ask to see a complete wedding or two.

Frankly, anyone can put a dozen decent photos on a website out of thousands. When you

look at a complete event you'll get a better idea of the pictures you can expect to receive.

Get it in writing!

A vendors contract should be as important to you as it is to the photographer. And here's a little secret -- the contract IS almost always negotiable. A photography contract should always include the name of the photographer expected to be at the event, the exact hours services will be performed, the exact deliverables (detailed album specs, DVD, proofs, etc), delivery deadlines, cancellation policy, and a copyright policy.