Baltimore Wedding Photographers Guide, Baltimore Wedding Guide Advice from OurWeddingDay.com

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Baltimore Photographers Guide

How to Get the Best Pictures of Your Maryland Wedding

Whether it’s a waterfront background you want, or a quaint church, your Baltimore wedding photographs should be as elegant and classy as this Revolutionary city. Finding the perfect photographer for your Maryland wedding will be a snap if you follow these simple, Independence tips.

Start your Baltimore photographer search about 8 months’ prior to your wedding, and after you’ve picked your site. Expect to pay at least $2,000 for a good photographer, a price that will vary tremendously depending on the size of your wedding and your photography needs. Some couples want color photos, some also request black and white. You may also want a variety of candid shots.

When searching, ask friends and relatives, as well as other Baltimore wedding vendors. Always ask for references, and contact the Better Business Bureau for complaints. Make sure your Baltimore wedding photographer has a good 50 weddings under his belt, and that weddings are his expertise. Look through an entire wedding he shot, not just a “best of” book, to get a feel for how he’d shoot your day from beginning to end.

Once you’re ready to “shoot the breeze’ with local photographers, visit the OurWeddingDay.com Baltimore Local Vendor Section for a great list of top Baltimore wedding photographers.

Some photographers charge by the roll, and some by the hour. Before you interview photographers, you should have an idea about the type—and amount—of photographs you want. It’s also wise to visit the web sites of potential clients. When talking with photographers in Baltimore, go over must-have shots (cake-cutting, first dance), as well as any particular pictures he needs to snap.

It’s extremely important that you like the photographer’s personality, as he will be a “guest” at your wedding. You’ll be much more comfortable having a camera in front of you if you get along with the person behind it. A Baltimore photographer who knows your wedding site has the advantage of understanding lighting requirements and great backgrounds. If he doesn’t know your site, take him on a guided tour.

Nowadays, many couples opt to have photos taken before the wedding, when makeup and outfits are still fresh. Whenever you have the formal shots taken, make sure you don’t keep the guests waiting too long, and keep the imbibing down to a minimum—you’ll be staring at these photos for years to come.

On the contract, make sure the photographer you hire is the one who shows up for the wedding, and get the name of a substitute photographer in case of a last-minute emergency. You’ll need to have, in writing, all additional fees so there are no surprises when the bill comes. Should you ask for anything specific or unusual, get the fee upfront and write it down.

-David Toussaint