NOTE: This is an updated version of my original article. These principles still apply, and only a few minor tweaks have been added (hello Zoom meetings, new images added) to reflect how things are done today. I sincerely hope you find it helpful whether you are my client or not. Also new for this post (sadly) is another all-in-one media company going under for offering “too good to be true” wedding photography and wedding video packages.

Booking season is underway for most professional wedding photographers. Here in Northwest Indiana, about 60% of my weddings get booked in the previous year, and the still-open dates fill up in the winter months of January and February.  

So, my first advice is to contact a photographer now and see if your date is available.  

The following tips on hiring a wedding photographer come from over ten years of interacting with the many couples who have hired me to photograph their big day. 

1. Set up a meeting to get to know the person spending the day with you and your family. Many options are available, from in-person in my Crown Point office to Zoom or phone for out-of-town clients and those of you with conflicting schedules. Remember, your photographer needs to be able to relate to people from all walks of life and operate his or her gear. This person will be spending all day with you. Make an effort to get to know them a bit.

2. Make sure that the person you are meeting with is the one who will be showing up on your wedding day to take the photographs.  So many "photography and video services companies" exist today where the business owner will outsource an amateur and send them to cover your wedding.  Even if you get lucky with someone who cares, they are not invested in your wedding as they are simply a hired hand. I am the owner and photographer at Region Weddings.  I photograph the day and do the post-processing myself. I hire second photographers to photograph your day beside me when needed, but they are vetted professionals in the field.

3. Beware of the all in one, one stop shop types of places. These agencies scour the internet and send strangers of varying degrees of skill to your wedding. EXAMPLE: See this news story about a company which served the upper Midwest as well as Illinois.

4. Ask if the photographer has had any training in shooting and editing.  I have gone to school for both and continue to educate myself in this ever-evolving artistic endeavor. Also, experience in how to solve problems that crop up on wedding days should not be overlooked.

5. Ask to see an entire wedding from start to finish.  At my meetings, I show at least one large album of one client that shows the entire day that I have shot.

6. Check if the photographer has a regularly updated blog like this one.  This is important because it will show whether or not the photographer is actively working and the different types of venues they have photographed in.  Can they shoot inside of a church as well as a wedding shot on a beach?  Can they photograph in low light or extremely bright light? Do the images reflect moments being captured? I’m very proud of this blog that has a decade + of articles showcasing the weddings I have photographed.

7. Do they have liability and equipment insurance?  If a memory card fails, data recovery services cost thousands of dollars to return these precious images.  Although this has NEVER happened in my career, the liability and equipment insurance I carry gives me and my clients peace of mind should something unfortunate happen.  The photographer should have two pro camera bodies (doesn't matter what brand) in case of a malfunction.

8. Take a look at the photographer’s website closely.  Look at their presentation as well as how they show you their work.  Is this person heavily invested in their art and their business?  This will help determine whether or not they will be there for you in a year or six months from now.  Will they be able to provide superior customer service?  Yes, I have a Facebook Page and Instagram account, just like everyone else, but I cannot provide my clients with the information they need with that alone.

9. Perhaps this should have come first, but image quality is the be-all and end-all.  Nothing is worse than a bride with raccoon eyes that aren't sharply in focus.  Does the photographer you are considering know the technique of lighting their subject?  I'm very proud of the enthusiasm my clients show toward their images.  The emotional response I get is very gratifying.  A famous quote says that the "eyes are the mirror to the soul," and well, they'd better be in focus then, too!!  :)

10. Don’t get caught up in the numbers game. Offering up thousands of images is a red flag. These quotas are easy to reach in the digital age. Your photographer and videographer should be focused on the quality of the product, not quantity. Don’t get me wrong—I deliver a lot of images on the day, but that is not top of mind for me.

If you are looking for a wedding photographer in Northwest Indiana, Chicago, or Michigan, simply fill out the contact form and set up a meeting. If my style does not suit you or I have your day booked, let me help you find a qualified professional so you can have great images to look back upon in 20 years.  

Try to have fun in your wedding planning; don't get too stressed.  Check out my wedding day philosophy here to understand how I photograph weddings.  Have fun!!