More and more often were getting comments from our friends/customers about how they went somewhere else for professional portraits and weren’t happy with the results.  The most dreaded stories are the ones about a friend or family member (with a nice new digital camera) who took the photos for little or nothing and the senior doesn’t want to hand them out because they are so bad. Awkward!  If you don’t order any of them it puts a strain on the friendship, if you do order them it’s money down the drain. A lose lose situation for everyone involved. View the video, we get these type stories all the time. One new photographer even told me that “none of her friends wedding pictures came out that she had taken, but it’s okay, I didn’t charge her anything”. Hopefully you can get some good tips here to help you get great photographs that you will be happy to share with everyone.  

Does the photographer have a real address they use on advertisements and web sites?
How long have the been in business?
Are they really in business or just have a camera?
Do they have a business license where required and a retail sellers permit?
Do a Google search on them.
Can they do indoor type photographs or just outside in daylight?
Can they do good at people that aren’t photogenic?
What about samples of their work, do they have a complete session they can show you and not just images from a pretty model they hired?
What about the money-are you on the same page as they are as for the amount of money you want to spend and the amount they want or expect you to spend? Just because they run a cheap session special doesn’t mean they will be happy if you just get 1 8x10.  Ask them how much they expect you to spend with them, everyone needs to be happy.
Do they have a studio, if not where do they plan on doing the photographs?  Is it a safe place?  Is there a safe place to change outfits?
How about references, do you know people that they have photographed or past clients you could talk to?
Are they a real full time professional photographer or just making you think they are with their advertising?
Ask about the viewing and delivery of your images, does it have to be certain hours, weekends, or evenings available? Can you take the proofs home to choose like in paper or digital formats?
Ask any questions that are unique to your situation.
Communication is the key to a happy photography experience. Make sure to get all the information you need in order to make the right decisions for you.  

#1 Picking a studio based only on price.
Two problems with doing that.  One is that it’s pretty hard to get great quality and service at the cheapest price.  Just not very likely to happen. Another problem with going on price is that studios can purposely charge way more than the value is equal too hoping to make you think they are really good because of their high price.
 
#2 Thinking that just because someone has a professional looking camera, that’s all that it takes to get professional portraits.  Photographing a person takes talent, not just in working with all kinds of personalities but also different looks and body types.  Choosing the right clothing, backgrounds, lighting for each and every session is something that comes with years of practice, education and training,  not in the box with an expensive camera.

3. If you ‘re not a professional photographer and you seem to know more about photography and cameras then the person wanting you to hire them, don’t be surprised at the results.  
4. If your photographer keeps saying “we can fix that in Photoshop”, not a good sign that they a very good photographer.
5. Going to a photographer that won’t or can’t supply what you want, such as a CD of files that you can make your own prints from.  
6. If a photographer doesn’t depend on their photography for a living, you could run into problems, since it’s not that big of a deal if none of your wedding pictures come out or they don’t show up for the scheduled session as they have lost nothing, not so much in your case.  
7. A nice web site means that they either hired someone to build it or they know how to do web site building.  This does not mean that they are a professional photographer.  Photographers have been known to use images that they didn’t take in their advertising.