My criteria in hiring a wedding photographer...
My criteria in hiring a wedding photographer...
I am a wedding photographer. You've gotten good advice already. Here's my two cents...
The couple spends more time on their wedding day with the photographer than anyone else. You should pick someone who is "fun" to work with.
To me, it's critical that there be two shooters - not just a single photographer. He needs a capable second-shooter for several reasons. If he gets sick, injured, his gear fails at a critical time, he's out of position during a critical moment, doesn't have time to get all the shots by himself, etc. My second-shooters typically shoot some cool stuff that I didn't see or from a better angle.
The photographer must have an Oh-Sh*t bag in their car with some minimal gear to complete the job in case their gear gets stolen. If you're a pro, you have to be prepared for disaster. Having a second-shooter is an okay backup plan - unless his gear gets stolen too. It happens.
Behavior-wise, do you want someone who is totally hands-off and photojournalistic, recording the day with minimal interruption? Or are you okay with someone who will step in and set up a shot if they see room for improvement in lighting, posing, etc.?
Do you want the West Coast, modern type of photography with vibrant, saturated colors, rule-breaking compositions, etc? Or do you want something a bit more conservative?
Lots to think about. Above all, pick someone whose style and work you love - and that you enjoy talking to. You'll be seeing a lot of each other on the Big Day.
Cliff
p.s. When my wife and I married three years ago, a very good commercial photographer here in Nashville shot our wedding for free as a gift. Big mistake on our part. He didn't know what he was doing, wedding-wise. He didn't get any detail shots of my wife's shoes, dress, etc. His group photos sucked and he was a PITA to deal with. My wife will never forgive him. He's still my friend. But he's better off sticking to shooting Carrie Underwood and Tim McGraw!
