3. How To Find A Wedding Photographer
Get Referrals
Now that you know how much you should budget for your photographer, you have to find some prospects. If you're not sure how to find a qualified professional, ask around. The wedding business is a small community, no matter how large of a city you live in. People know who is good and who isn't. Don't be shy with your inquiries.
Ask your wedding florist, wedding planner, caterer, or seamstress if they know a good photographer. You can also ask friends, work colleagues, and even family members. In many cases, the same name will come up again and again.
When this happens, you've hit the jackpot! This will likely be the photographer for you (assuming their style and personality matches what you're looking for). You see, the very fact that this person is well known around town means that they have a solid reputation and take their photography business seriously and aim to please their clients.
Look In The Phone Book
The second way to find a qualified photographer is to look in your local pages under "photographers." Pay close attention to the ads that specifically state "wedding photography."
Evaluate both small and large ads while keeping in mind those photographers with the largest ads (those that pull out all the bells and whistles) may be more expensive than those with smaller ads. In addition, they may be flooded with business from such expensive marketing efforts and may or may not be available. On the other hand, the photographers with the smaller ads may have a smaller client base due to their low-key marketing strategies.
Either way, write down potential prospects so that you can contact them later. The smaller ads may be from part-time photographers that place their value on quality versus quantity, which means they take on fewer weddings but do an excellent job. Their prices are usually cheaper than the more expensive studios and full-time photographers because they don't have the overhead.
Conduct Online Searches & Evaluate Websites
Another option to find a qualified photographer is to conduct an online search for photographers in your area. You can do a search on "Google" or another search engine .
When you find a prospect, carefully evaluate their websites. Pay close attention to their online portfolio and their credentials. How long have they been in business? What special training do they have? Does their site seem professional?
Do they seem to specialize in weddings or other types of photography? Do their pictures capture your interest? Websites are common nowadays for photographers, so study it carefully before even calling them. This can save you from wasting your time as well as theirs if you don't like their pictures.
