When the time comes to select a professional wedding photographer for your special day, there are various elements to consider that will greatly affect the outcome. How can you be sure which wedding photographer is the right one for you? You can research online, visit bridal shows, read local phone books, or go by the recommendations of friends. The most important challenge is to better educate yourself to make a sound decision.

1: Photographer Credentials

One of the first qualifications a bride should consider researching about their potential wedding photographer is their credentials. Have they been qualified and screened by an organization? Have they been honored by their peers, hold any awards, or certificates? Have they invested in advertising and industry standard annual membership reviews? Below is a list of key organizations that could provide initial background credentials for your search candidates:

• WPD (Wedding Photography Directory)
  Category: Consumer Based Wedding Photography Centric Organization

  If you have stumbled upon my article via your online search, you have reached the WPD (Wedding Photography Directory); an online organization dedicated to present quality wedding photographer listings to the consumers. A full screening and qualification process is undertaken before a candidate is accepted into the directory. Another departure from the norm is WPD's Photographer Listing Ranking Policy on determining how photographer listings are positioned. Photographers with higher quality portfolios, professional biographies, and illustrating a more personal approach will be ranked toward the top. Accompanied by photography service offered, travel availability, coverage and starting package price, the WPD provides a great starting point to narrow down your early candidates.

• PPA (Professional Photographers Association of America)
  Category: Non-profit Professional Photography Organization

  Established over 100 years ago, the PPA is the leading certification source for professional photographers of all specialties. The PPA boasts over 18,000 members in 64 countries, laying claim to the world’s largest non-profit organization for photographers. The PPA endorses photographers who have demonstrated great photographic knowledge and skills by successfully completing the PPA Certification Program.

  The PPA Certification Program is an attempt to help consumers choose the best photographer possible. To achieve PPA certification, a photographer must undergo a series of tests. The photographer must first pass a comprehensive written exam. Furthermore, they must submit their photographs to two panels of judges. The submitted images are reviewed and approved by the judges to assure that their knowledge and skills are analogous. PPA Certified Professionals must also continue to demonstrate their excellence to maintain their certified status through continual education and submission of quality images. Every five years, a PPA certified photographer must renew their certification. Less than three percent of all photographers in the United States hold current certification through the PPA.

• WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International)
  Category: Professional Photography Organization

  The WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) is an organization with a focus on wedding and portrait photography. Unlike the PPA, members do not go through a certification program. The WPPI is a useful resource providing photographers with assistance to their daily business operations. WPPI offers its members benefits from various service providers, such as insurance packages, data recovery, equipment leasing, etc. WPI also features an online photographer search to broaden the value of consumer visitors.

• WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association)
  Category: Professional Wedding Photojournalism Centric Organization

  The WPJA is focused solely to wedding photography, with a strong emphasis on the photojournalism style of capturing images. In order for a wedding photographer to join the WPJA (groups/studios are not allowed to join, only individual photographers are permitted to apply), the applicant must meet a number of guidelines, including: a professional website, wedding portfolio etc. Membership approval is based on various factors, including: technical and creative skill, web site presentation and image quality.

2: Importance of Traditional Wedding Portraiture

Once you have verified your photographer's credentials, or determined the photographer is talented enough to carry out the responsibility of documenting your wedding, there are many other considerations to make. First and foremost, you must ask yourself if you appreciate their style: meeting with them well in advance of the wedding to collaborate over their past work and establish an open line of communication. Is this professional also easily accessible? Once these questions have been answered, you must also ensure that the images you are viewing were actually taken by the professional.

Many photographers have a particular style. Some photographers are strictly photojournalists, some are solely traditional artists, and others demonstrate both skills and styles combined as a single entity. As the art of photography progressed, the wedding photojournalism movement has lured in many wedding couples in recent years. However, the importance of traditional portraiture should never be overlooked. Formal portraiture has been one of the most popular forms of art for centuries. All the historical figures have opted to record themselves via this artistic approach for a very good reason: traditional portraiture captures the subject with the utmost flattering perspective and vision. Not only is a wedding as a whole remarkably expensive, considering the preparation effort alone to become your most beautiful on your wedding day (with the cost of bridal gowns, shoes, undergarments, jewelry, hair, makeup and flowers), it would be foolish to not consider portraiture to be an important focus of your wedding album. This is the reason why you should ensure your photographer possesses a rich portraiture portfolio.

3: Client Relationship - Is Your Photographer Willing to Share?

Wedding photography should not be categorized into the mere business of payment upon delivery of service. Your wedding day requires a photographer's attention to detail, inspirational touch and the utmost devotion. Choosing the right photographer is an intimate affair. Does your photographer take your wedding event with personal conviction? Is your photographer willing to share his/her personal experiences? Getting to know your photographer is the result of willingness to share. If you don't feel comfortable with your photographer, the quality of your wedding album will suffer. Below are few of my personal approach to photography:

1. Before and After, Gain the Bride's Confidence: Many clients have expressed to me that I have photographed very pretty brides, and worry that they would not look as beautiful. These beliefs often create pressure and tension on the bride, but not to worry, with the essential ingredients of proper posing, lighting, and makeup, a beautiful formal portrait image will prevail. I have shown brides before and after pictures of my portraits, and many have been astonished seeing my brides wake up in the morning looking like most of us, and then transformed in the photography to be picture-perfect brides. Just as the transformation of a butterfly needs the correct environment and nurturing, the same holds true for a photography shoot, which requires the proper artists, and the collaboration of the bride herself to create and capture her beauty.

2. Understanding the Importance, be Involved: I often keep in contact with my clients. When one of my young brides lost her father unexpectedly six months after her wedding, I realized how important the photography documentation is in a family’s history. The images of her father looking at his only child unfolds a story of love and devotion.

   Another experience included a bride and groom who had their reception at their grandparent’s Jersey Shore reception hall. The groom had spent his summer vacations at this reception hall for as long as he could remember. Long after their ceremony, I received a wonderful email from them expressing to me that the Grand Old Barclay in Belmar, NJ was being torn down and sold to investors who would instead build condominiums. The bride and groom were incredibly appreciative that this piece of history going back to the groom's childhood would be able to be preserved visually.

   Knowing my work will be cherished and referenced by family members across many generations brings me sense of pride and dedication.

Conclusion

Wedding Photography is the single most important investment of your wedding day. In addition to checking your photographer's formal credentials, photography styles, and personal working synergy, there are other alternatives / important factors to consider:

• Photographer Talent - Many photographers cannot afford certification, or are too busy to keep renewing their certification. Do not overlook related experience and exceptional talent.

• Costs - Some photographers cost more than others, often for a good reason. Understand the saying "You Get What Your Pay For" has its merits.

• Digital / Film - There are disadvantages to both film and digital. It's worth conducting some research.

• Liability / Archiving - Some photographers may not keep a backup of their weddings, ask your photographer for additional media recovery packages, and consult their common practices.

With this said, I hope you have gained some insights into how to choose the right photographer for your wedding. Take my advice as a compass, I wish you the best of luck in your wedding planning journey.

About the Photographer: AnnMarie Sciascia - NJ, New Jersey

AnnMarie's love of photography began in the early 1980's. She bought a 35mm camera and began photographing her children and family events. Recipient of three National Blue Ribbons for Portrait and Wedding Images; AnnMarie remains an active member of PPA (Professional Photographers Association of America). You may directly access her full Wedding Photography Bio, Wedding Photography Portfolio, and the New Jersey, NJ Wedding Photographer Index.

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