HOW TO SHOP FOR A PHOTOGRAPHER

• PRICE SHOULD NOT BE YOUR FIRST CRITERION.  THIS MAY HELP YOU MAKE A DECISION AT SOME POINT, BUT VALUE IS OF PRIMARY CONCERN.
  
• TRUST YOUR INSTINCT.  WHAT IS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR HIS COMPANY.  FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE OFTEN THE BEST IMPRESSION.  DOES HE SEEM LIKE HE CARES?  DOES HE SEEM TO LIKE WHAT HE'S DOING?  GOOD PEOPLE SKILLS?  REMEMBER, YOU WILL BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH THIS PERSON, AND IN MANY CASES SO WILL YOUR GUESTS OR ASSOCIATES. CAN HE MANAGE LARGE GROUPS EFFICIENTLY WHILE KEEPING EVERYONE AT EASE? PERSONALITY COUNTS.
  
  
• EXPERIENCE...HAS THIS PERSON BEEN WORKING IN PHOTOGRAPHY LONG?  DOES HE HAVE EXPERIENCE IN YOUR TYPE OF EVENT?  ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT ALWAYS A CRITICAL ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WITH A RISING STAR, BUT IT HELPS.
  
  
• EXAMPLES OF HIS WORK...NOT JUST HIS BEST WORK, WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS SHOWS ARTISTRY, BUT A FULL JOB PROOF BOOK.  THIS IS REALLY WHERE YOU SEE WHAT SOMEONE ELSE'S DAY WAS LIKE.  ARE ALL THE PHOTOS CONSISTENT?  ARE THEY INTERESTING?  DO THE PEOPLE IN THEM LOOK LIKE THEY ARE HAVING FUN? ALL THIS COUNTS.
  
  
• WILL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER BE FLEXIBLE?  CAN HE MANAGE THE SHOOT IN DIFFERENT STYLES?  FORMAL, PHOTOJOURNALISM, TRADITIONAL , MIX?
• WOULD YOU INVITE THIS PERSON INTO YOUR HOME?
• VARIETY OF PACKAGES?  CAN YOU MAKE CHANGES?
• PRICE. Is this a fair price for the work, considering level of equipment and hours put in not only on your wedding day, but after the event??... each wedding takes up as much as 40 hours of work.  If you are paying too little you may get less than you are expecting. 

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