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One of the most important wedding day decisions for young couples is the choice of the photographer for their wedding. While decisions regarding the food, venue, gown and time line for the day can dominate much of your planning due to its urgency, it is the photographers work that will need to stand the test of time 5, 10 or 25 years from now. You will be entrusting the capturing of one of the most treasured moments of your life to someone, therefore the photographer you choose will ultimately end up being a very important decision. I hope to share some tips and thoughts that will set your mind at ease regarding this decision.

Most couples fall into one of two categories when it comes to choosing a photographer. For some they know what they want immediately, while for others they are very unsure. You should understand that your choice is a very personal decision. Primarily it is based on two main criteria: your taste & your budget. What may have worked for your friend may not work for you.

So where do you start? I believe that setting a realistic budget is a critical first step. Ask yourself whether photography is important to you. If it is not, then set a budget of RM2000. If photography is important to you set a budget of RM5000. Square away in your mind that you are going to budget this amount as by doing so it will make your selection much easier as most photographers will charge less than your budget, enabling you to select your photographer based on merit and style.

As you are reading this article I am going to assume you are looking for a good photographer, however if you placed yourself in the RM2000 or below category, i.e. photography is NOT important to you, I would consider asking a friend or relative to shoot for you instead as you will likely not appreciate any quality difference between their work and a hobbyist.

For the rest of this article I am going to assume you are looking for a good photographer, someone in the RM2000-RM5000 price range. All of the photographers whose work I appreciate fall into this range. You can find them by browsing through wedding magazines or doing a web search. Often times you can get a good feel of the work by looking at a web site but you really do need to meet the photographer.

Timing is everything. Start your search immediately. The good photographers are often booked ahead 12 months or more for auspicious or popular days. If your wedding is three months away do not despair, you may just have a date that your first choice photographer is going to be free on, but don't bank on this.

When you meet the photographer make sure you meet with the person who is actually going to shoot for you. Some companies hire sales girls to do package selling but you don't want this. You should talk directly with the photographer and see their work. They should give you a sense of confidence in their abilities and you should be able to view their photos and not just generic company stock shots used for selling.

Ask them what you will receive back. Do you like their style? Do you like their albums? Ask how many shots you will get back. Do they give you a CD or the negatives so you can reprint. Ask how many photographers they will have on the day. All of the photographers you meet will have different packages so you will not be able to do direct comparisons between them, but be clear with the photographer what you want. If you know something is going to be a deal breaker ask them about it. Clear communication can smoothen things out. If there are sticking points ask them why they have a certain policy. Ask them about payment policy and booking requirements. Most photographers will not confirm a booking until you have paid a booking fee and signed a contract.

Once you are happy with them sign them up.

How much control should you dictate on the photographer’s style and on what he shoots?

This needs to be approached realistically and sensibly. When you book a professional you are placing your trust in their abilities to capture the day as best as they can. If their style differs from what you want I would advise you not to book them. They may not be able to mimic a shot you like from a magazine, and you may not know the circumstances behind a particular shot. It may have been staged, or possibly the only successful shot of its type from 10 different weddings by that photographer. There are so many uncontrollable factors that occur on the actual day that you might be putting totally unrealistic expectations on your photographer.

You may feel the need to pass your photographer a list of important shots you have found in a bridal magazine or a web site. While these lists are useful for the hobbyist shooter, and possibly to make you feel more secure, passing one to an experienced photographer who may be shooting 50-60 weddings a year is perhaps misguided. These lists are usually drawn up for western weddings and have little relevance to the Malaysian market.  Leave the "worry" on your photographer’s doorstep and trust them. They know what they are doing.

I trust you find these tips helpful. To discuss this article or other photography concerns with the writer please log on to his forums at www.grantcorban.info.