Who you hire for your wedding photographer can make a big difference on your wedding day. There are a number of factors to consider when looking at various photographers. From shooting style to level of experience, you will basically get what you pay for when it comes to wedding photography. While a close friend with a decent camera may offer to shoot your wedding for free, when photographs of your special day are important to you, this is not a good idea. After the day is long over, what you will have left are the images captured by your photographer. When memories are important to you, it's time to invest in a professional wedding photographer.

Understanding Shooting Style

As you look at various photographer websites, you may see references to certain styles of photography. Photojournalism is a currently popular style of wedding photography where the photographer is covering your wedding in an informal way. A photographer that only uses this style isn't going to do much, if any, posing of the subjects on your wedding day. It's a way to capture the action as it happens without faking any of the moments. A photographer that describes their style as traditional will work from a list of shots to capture, making sure details are perfect. A photographer who is a natural light photographer isn't going to use flashes or other light sources during the wedding, while an illustrative photographer is going to use a mix of styles to create a wedding day portfolio.

Personality Matters When It Comes to Your Wedding Photographer

While you don't have to love your wedding photographer, you should be able to work with their personality type. You will end up spending a good part of your wedding day with your wedding photographer, and you should feel comfortable around the person. An initial meeting to talk about your wedding day plans is a great opportunity to see if you connect with your photographer. In addition, you can do an engagement photo shoot to see how working with the photographer feels to you. Your photographer is going to be an integral part of your wedding day.

As you look for a photographer, also consider the type of experience they have. While working with a photographer that is new can still give you the images you want, you shouldn't pay as much for a new photographer as you would for one that has been in the field for years.