So you are all enthralled about your very special day coming in the not too distant future. If you do not live in the Atlanta area, do not fear. These tips on finding the perfect wedding photographer for you can be applied to any city you live in. I just happen to live near the Atlanta area and I use this city as an example.

You may have dreaming about your wedding day since you were nine years old. Well, maybe not if you are a man. But, if you are a woman then I think it is a safe to say that you have at least thought about it few times. I am sure you want your wedding day to be the most memorable day in your life! Maybe you want your wedding to be large and extravagant! Or maybe you just want a small, intimate wedding with your fiancé. Whatever the case may be, you will soon learn, if you haven’t already, that even though your wedding day may indeed be the perfect day, that the weeks and months leading up to your wedding day may very well leave you extremely stressed. There is a lot of work to be done! Finding a wedding photographer, location, dj, florist, caterer, hair stylist, mailing invitations, finding dresses and tuxedos; the list goes on and on. The intention of this article is to help you with one of the most important tasks: finding a the best wedding photographer for you.

So how do you go about finding the perfect wedding photographer for you?

Tip #1: Start searching early for your wedding photographer!

Really great wedding photographers book up months and even years in advance. Get searching now. So where do you look? Searching on Google is as good a place to start as any. Photography is purely visual and any decent wedding photographer has a website to show you examples of their work. You’ll want to search locally, however. There is no point in browsing through literally thousands of photographer websites if they do not even shoot weddings in your area. An example of a good local search may be something like “wedding photographers in Atlanta”.

Another really good way to search for a good wedding photographer is by good old fashion word of mouth. Simply ask people you know. Good wedding photographers will be known in your area. Don't forget to ask your Facebook friends. I’m sure you’ll get a few responses.

Tip #2: Stick within your wedding photography budget.

This goes hand in hand with tip number one. Many photographers list their wedding packages and prices right on their website. Unless you are one of the lucky few where money is no object then there is no point spending hours of time looking at photographers who charge more than your budget allows. And lets face it, wedding photography prices vary greatly and many of them charge more for their services than your entire wedding budget would allow.

That does not mean you want to look at only the cheapest wedding photographers either. Typically, these photographers are new and inexperienced. They have low prices for a reason. Their quality is not yet up to par. I know. I used to be one. Many years ago I when I first started in wedding photography I thought my work was pretty darn good it I did say so myself. But fast forward several years later and take a look back and I see many flaws in my work. My photography wasn't horrible back then but it wasn't nearly as good as the work I produce now with years of experience under my belt.

So, as with anything else, you’re looking to get the best quality for the money you have available. If you are diligent, you can find a photographer that produces great work at very reasonable prices.

Tip #3: How to determine the quality of a photographer

I know this part may be problematic for anyone who is not a least an amateur photographer. As an experienced photographer I can readily pick out a good quality photographer from a not so good one. But the average person just does not know what makes one photograph better than another. Here are a few tips.

Compare the composition, color, contrast, and clarity between a few photographers. Are the images in sharp focus when intended? I know that sometimes a soft focus is used for great effect but the majority of the wedding images should at least show a sharp focus for the subject’s faces. Does the color of one photographer pop more than the others? Is there nice contrast (bright highlights and dark shadows) in the images? Or are the images muted and washed? Or maybe you like the muted and washed look. Some people do. Do you like how your photographer poses people or captures them in the moment?

There is another great quality to look for in a photographer and it is one that will separate the great photographers from the not so great. Does the wedding photographer capture the emotions of the day? The natural smiles on the people’s faces? The wiping of tears on the parent’s faces. The laughing and dancing at the reception party. Do the photographer’s images make you feel something inside?

Tip #4: Meet the potential photographer

What is so important about meeting the potential photographer? Because you will be spending the majority your time with them during your special day. They will be your shadow. Your own personal paparazzi. They are always at your side asking you to do this or that, pose like so or stand over here. You and your photographer need to be able to get along well? How do you like their personality? Do they make you nervous or do you feel free to enjoy your wedding day while they constantly snap images of you?

You can’t decide this unless you meet them in person. Once you have really narrowed the list of potential photographers down, a good suggestion is to book an engagement session with your top pick. This will give you an great idea of how well you work together. If you do, great! You’ll also benefit from having some great photos to display at your guest sign in table and at the reception.

Meeting the photographer in person will also give you a chance to see some of their actual prints and sample wedding albums in person. How is the quality of their prints? Are their wedding albums leather bound with thick pages that are designed really well or are they paper back with uncreative and uninspired layouts?

You should now be well equipped for your hunt for wedding photographers in Atlanta or where ever you may happen to be. So I wish you happy hunting and I hope you find a photographer that will give you wedding photography of your dreams!