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

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Philadelphia Wedding Photographers

Hire the Right Photographer for Your Philly Wedding

Any major city requires booking top-notch photographers far in advance, and Philadelphia is no exception. It’s recommended that you pick your camera guy or gal about eight months before your wedding date, but after you’ve chosen your site. It’s much easier to hire someone once you can tell them where you’ll be shooting and what time of day. You might even find someone who knows the location of your wedding. And, yes, many couples hire more than one photographer. Yes, that will up the price.

A couple of things to remember about any Philadelphia wedding photographer: They are essentially “guests” at your wedding, so you need to feel comfortable in their presence. Chances are you’re not going to get a great photo of cutting the cake if you hire someone you don’t get along with! He’s going to be in your face, literally, so make sure it’s a comfortable fit for both of you. That does not mean that you should consider hiring a close friend or family member – unless they happen to be a professional wedding photographer in Philadelphia. Just as important as your being relaxed is their knowing the artistry and specifics of shooting a local wedding.

When you interview photographers, ask to see a photo album of an entire wedding, not just “best of” shots. You want to see his work from start to finish. You then need to decide on how many posed pictures you want and how many candids you’d like. Photojournalism shots are the ones that tell a story; think of newspaper pictures, but more glamorous. (Look through friends’ wedding albums, and various web sites to get a feel for what you like.) Allow the photographers to give you suggestions, and then go with your gut. Black and white is tres chic, but most Philadelphia brides want color shots as well. Talk to your potential photographers about their specialties, and what costs extra. If he’s truly a pro, he’ll encourage your questions.

Go over important shots with the photographer. Some (like "the kiss") are obvious, but if you’re heck-bent on having a photograph of your godmother, for example, make sure he knows who she is and is willing to have a check-list of must-have shots.

Expect to pay at least $1,000 for a seasoned wedding photographer in the City Of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia’s classic architecture requires professionals who understand lighting and know-how to capture the background and you. For this reason, think twice about hiring an out-of-town photographer who’s done a brilliant job at other weddings, but has never step foot (let alone tri-pod) in Philadelphia.

When you’re ready to start interviewing, check out OurWeddingDay.com' Philadelphia Photographers section for a great list of top Philly wedding photographers.

Some photographers charge by the hour, some by the number of prints, some by both. Photos are a very personal element of your day, so no one but the two of you can decide how many you want. When in doubt, always go for more. The last thing you want ten years from now is to be looking back thinking, “How come we never got one shot of that beautiful cake table?”

-David Toussaint