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By Walter Burns


Wedding photography captures the cherished moments of one of the most significant events in a couple's lives. It's no wonder why many brides and wedding planners are highly selective of the professional photographer they choose to snap photos of that special day. It is the job of the Wedding Photography Atlanta Georgia captures and records every meaningful moment of the bride and groom's day and do it in a manner that is artistic, fun and professional.

Do you accept family portrait lists? Every photographer should accept this list. It's essential to accomplishing the job you've hired him for. Write down the name of every family member to appear in each portrait. Review the list with your photographer, and he'll tell you how much time will be needed to take every picture.

Do you carry liability insurance? Every wedding vendor should have a minimum $1 million liability policy. This insurance covers accidents or damage the photographer may cause while working. You don't want to end up responsible for their damage. Protect yourself.

Will you make changes to the contract? Many photographers object to changing their contracts for any reason. You don't have to work with them. Never sign an agreement that you're uncomfortable with. I suggest the following list of additions to every photography contact. The photographer you are hiring should be named explicitly as the photographer who will photograph your wedding. The contract should list any prepayment as a deposit. It should not say retainer. In some states, you may have a difficult time being refunded a retainer if the photographer fails to perform the contract.

Since the photos are digital, you may be able to purchase a CD or DVD of all of your marriage photographs. This is a great archival tool and will allow you to print out photos yourself whenever you need them. Find out if the marriage photographer can provide you with a digital copy of your photographs.

So you have tried personal recommendations and none are pressing you buttons, so what next. Well by now you will probably have booked your marriage venue so ask the coordinator there for suggestions, you will almost certainly will be given a list of photographers who have worked there before, but remember some venues will be taking a cut of the photographers fee for the recommendation so whilst a good starting point you still have some research to do.

A marriage photographer with years of professional experience should be able to carry on a friendly conversation while taking high quality pictures. Allow the photographer time to become familiar with the marriage location so he or she is able to choose proper lighting and the most scenic shooting locations.

Does your rate include any photo editing? Anything is possible when your photographer has great digital editing skills. But don't count on it being free. Editing is a very extensive process that often costs more because of the time that is involved. As part of the photographer's day-rate, he should include a RAW conversion. This means that the photographer opens each RAW file and adjusts all of the settings to create a nicest printable photograph. It will improve the skin tones, contrast and sharpness of the photographs.




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