Top 5 Things to Look Out for in Choosing a Photographer

There are literally thousands of aspiring photographers out there who call themselves "professional" only because they found a few shmucks willing to pay them to take pictures. Only a small percentage of these, however, truly have the skills needed to competently shoot an event or portrait session. The following 5 reasons will let you know what to avoid when choosing a photographer.

(Disclaimer: I stole the following images from other photographers, which is admittedly quite rude and wrong of me. But for what it's worth, most are from Nebraska, so it's not like we're in direct competition)

1. No Post Production

Some old-schoolers may not agree with this, but what you do in the digital darkroom after you take the picture counts just as much as what you do when the camera is in your hands. Capturing the image is only half the battle, and until you've done some work in post to get the best possible quality out of the image, your work is only halfway done. Now, that's not to say that you can compensate for a poor picture with hours of photoshop work (though God knows I've tried!) but even the best picture can be made better with some basic adjustments of color, contrast, sharpening, noise reduction, etc. The truth is many low-budget photographers are self-taught and never really learned how to color-correct their images. Look out for things like "Great photography at a great price!" That may be code for "I don't really know what I'm doing!"

2. Dated Vision
Art moves fast and changing trends are hard to keep up with, especially when you've been shooting the same way for 20 or 30 years. Many older photographers suffer from being behind the times, and oftentimes their portfolio work will reflect that. Stiff poses, forced smiles, cheesy effects, a family of four all gazing at something very interesting off to the right of the frame. A photographer who is experienced is great, but you also want to make sure you hire someone who has a modern vision and doesn't resort to cheesy or dated ideas.


3. Being smart, but blind
A lot of photographers out there sometimes forget that photography is first and foremost a visual art. Perhaps they get too caught up with the mathematics of watt-seconds and f/stops and start to forget the first rule (or at least my first rule) of photography: If it looks good, it is good. A bad picture is still bad no matter how perfectly exposed the faces are, or how much time you spent taking a white balance reading, or lining up your subjects according to the Rule of Thirds. Yes, this all somewhat important, but the result is much more important than the rules. Sometimes you have to forget the rules and just take a picture that looks good.

4. Poor People skills
Many profesional photographers are very technically competent, but event photography is not just about photography. It's about the event, and the people involved. The photographer will usually come into contact with the guests at a wedding far more than the band, DJ, video guy, pastor, or anyone else not on the guest list. People skills are paramount, and an event photographer has to be able to talk to people, keep the mood light, and make those annoying posed pictures slightly more bearable. Before you hire someone make sure you get a general feeling of their personality, whether by meeting them personally, talking to them on the phone, or reading their blog (ahem.) You don't want someone who is demanding, easily frustrated, or rude to your guests.


5. No Consideration

This one ties into number 4. The last thing you want on your wedding day is to have a photographer pulling you away from your wedding so he can enhance his portfolio at your expense. Of course, some time has to be sacrficed if you want a lot of posed pictures with friends and family or several romantic pictures with you and your new spouse. However, a courteous photographer should understand that it's your wedding, hopefully the only one you ever have, and it would be nice if you could be there for it! Many people believe the cocktail hour is the heart of the wedding. Cooincidentally, it's also a favorite time for photographers to take posed shots. If the cocktail hour is something you don't want to miss, be sure to speak with your photographer beforehand about keeping posed shots brief so you can get back to enjoying your day.