It is a must that you understand the difference between hiring a professional wedding photographer for your wedding day as opposed to someone who is just pretty good with a camera. Wedding pictures will last a lifetime, preserving memories of this very special day. They will live longer than the flowers and the catered food, therefore, you probably will want a photographer who understands what you want and can be relied upon to capture every minute of this special day.

Hiring a professional wedding photographer will help ensure a few things that a non-professional may not. Ideally there is usually a contract to help protect both the photographer and the customer for unforeseen circumstances, for instance if the photographer can not show up the day of the wedding. When working with a non-professional usually there is not a written contract in place and often times the expectations are not as clear to both parties.

So what do you look for when you are planning to hire a professional photographer? Usually the professional will have the following:

1. A valid and legal sales tax license.
2. Proof of current business insurance.
3. Specialized and well kept professional equipment (includes a medium format camera aside from a professional 35mm camera).
4. Membership in a professional association.
5. A permanent studio.

These are the signs of a professional who takes his business seriously. That does not mean that you should not hire any photographer who does not have all of the things listed. However, you should be aware of the difference between a professional photographer and a non-professional when making your decision.

In postings to come I will talk about other things to consider when hiring a photographer as well as what to look for when looking at the photographer’s previous work.

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