That said, I regularly get asked what clients (the people wanting photography services) should look for and what questions they should ask to navigate through the crowd of potential photographers. I’ve listed five questions below that you can ask a potential photographer to determine their level of experience and to plan your budget.
NOTE: There are dozens of genres in photography. For this post, I’m limiting my focus to clients that are seeking photography services for senior portraits and family group photos. Wedding photography, professional headshots, and event photography require a much larger scope of questions.

1. Do you have a price list?
   Notice that the question is NOT “how much do you charge?”. There are many different variations of portraiture and most professional photographers will have a detailed price list that differentiates those variations. If a photographer answers with something like “I charge a flat rate of X dollars per hour”, you can probably safely assume that they have not done a lot of professional work. This question also allows you to determine if the photographer is in your budget range.
2. How many years have you been shooting professionally?
   This is simply a logical question to ask. It’s not intended to disqualify “young” photographers, nor does it intend to qualify “experienced” photographers. I’ve worked professionally with some really talented “young” photographers, and I’ve worked with highly experienced photographers that produce what I consider to be mediocre photos. Years do not necessarily translate to quality. This question just helps you get a general idea of the photographer’s professional experience.
3. Do you use off-camera lighting?
   There is a perpetual debate between the “natural light” crowd and the “classic portrait” crowd regarding lighting. I’m not going to say that you should not use a photographer that doesn’t utilize off-camera lighting. What I AM going to assert is that if a photographer DOES use off-camera lighting, they are exponentially more likely to have a firm understanding of the principles of photography lighting. They will also have a much broader range of shooting locations than a “natural light” photographer. For example, a natural light photographer is significantly limited if a client wants photos in a shady area (like a forest), indoors, or in low light situations like a sunset or evening.
4. What camera or cameras do you use?
   I know what you’re thinking… “I wouldn’t know a good camera from a bad one”. That’s ok. The reason you ask this question is to determine the level of experience of the photographer. Write down the camera brand AND MODEL and look it up on the internet. A professional-grade camera will NOT have a built-in retractable lens or a built-in pop-up flash. No exceptions here. ALL professional-grade cameras use removable/interchangeable lenses and have a “hot shoe” for attaching a flash. Again, I’m not going to say that you should not use a photographer that has a non-professional grade camera. You should just expect that the resulting photos may be lower quality and will likely have lower resolution – meaning that they may not print well in larger formats like 8x10. A photographer with professional-grade equipment will likely charge more. That’s because professional equipment costs a LOT more - in many cases, thousands of dollars more - than consumer-grade equipment.
5. Do you have a website that I can view?
   Here is where I want to be careful to not sound arrogant… but 99% of professional photographers have a website that showcases their photography and gives contact and pricing information (it’s a “plus” if the URL for the website includes the photographer’s name or company and it’s not SmugMug or PhotoBucket, etc). If a photographer does NOT have a website, it certainly does not disqualify them. It may mean, however, that the photographer is not shooting a regular volume of work. That may point to relative inexperience and if that is the case, their prices should reflect it. Personally, I would want to see SEVERAL examples of a potential photographer’s work to ensure that they can produce the quality and style that I want.
   
   Bonus question: If you're still not sure about a potential photographer, ask them if they shoot in RAW format. If they don't know what RAW format is, or if they tell you that they shoot in .jpg format, you can be pretty sure that they are not doing a lot of professional work. It's fine if they tell you that they shoot in RAW format and then convert the photos to .jpg format to deliver to their clients. Most professionals do this. 

My disclaimer for this post is that there is no sure formula for finding the perfect photographer. My purpose for these questions is the hope that they can help you narrow the field of potential photographers and that they can ultimately result in photos that you love for the rest of your life.

DavidBW

What a perfect Michigan autumn day for an equally beautiful wedding! Jami and Scott tied the knot at the elegant Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield. A traditional Ketubah signing ceremony began the celebration. Family and friends then joined the couple for a heartfelt ceremony and then a wonderful brunch in the dining room at Knollwood. I had such a wonderful time capturing Jami and Scott's perfect day!

One of my favorite things about photographing weddings is watching the pure love in the eyes of the couple as they look at each other. That was exactly what happened all day long while I captured Jackie and Tom's special day. They have a very special love story and it showed in their eyes from the first minute I arrived at Lifepoint Chapel in Waterford, Michigan. Tom was one of the parishioners that was involved in restoring the beautiful historical church that was originally built in 1862. What a wonderful day of love and happiness. It really made it special for me and I was honored to capture those sweet moments.

It was a pleasure to capture Sharon & Michael's celebration at the beautiful Cafe Cortina in Farmington Hills, Michigan. After a traditional Ketubah signing, the couple also recited their vows in front of family and friends. The evening was perfect for an outdoor ceremony. An beautiful reception celebration followed with live violinists and delightful lighting. It was a wonderful time and I was honored to photograph the event.

Dana and Bradley chose a beautiful venue for their ceremony. Victoria Wedding Chapel is a quaint chapel with an outdoor garden on a beautiful lake. We had a gorgeous day for an outdoor wedding. Family and friends gathered to witness the happy occasion and to wish the couple well. A lovely reception followed and after guests were treated to delicious food they gave Dana and Bradley a fiber-optic send off! Tamara and I had a great time and we were so honored to be a part of Dana and Bradley's special day.

So they set up a "virtual" ceremony where a larger group of people could gather and view their wedding video and enjoy the next best thing to being there in person. Viewers laughed, cried, and laughed some more (and cried some more) at the "post-view" ceremony.

A beautiful outdoor "social distanced" reception followed at the fabulous Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, Michigan. The weather, the food, the loving atmosphere, and the beautiful setting were all perfect and top-tier.

We were so happy to be able to experience and enjoy a glorious day with Rebecca and Austin.

No, I’m not talking about the royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. I’m talking about the wedding between Mike Trevellen and Kristin Jadwin!

The ceremony and reception both took place at the Beautiful Doubletree Hilton hotel in historic Port Huron, Michigan. The Blue Water Bridge set an awestriking backdrop for the couple to recite their vows.

Family and friends enjoyed a great time at the reception that followed. Tamara and I were honored to capture the event and we had a wonderful time.

As family and friends gathered, it became very obvious that Chelsea and Dan had many close and loving relationships. The couple kept the mood upbeat and cheerful throughout the ceremony and the reception with their personally written vows and their humor.

I only met Dan a month or so ago, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that he was crazy in love with Chelsea. Conversely, I have known Chelsea and her family for a very long time. As I have watched her grow up, I have always enjoyed her cheerful attitude and her bright smile. Together they make a beautiful couple and I wish them the very best in their life together.
 

Alyssa was so beautiful in her gorgeous gown and Tracy was equally as dashing in a handsome custom tuxedo. Everything was picture perfect for everyone. I was so honored to be a part of such a wonderful day. Here are a few sneak peek photos.

Originally, the plan was for the ceremony to be in the rolling green fields on the property. Inclement weather, however, forced us inside the nearby horse stable. Yes, you read that correctly – the ceremony was literally in a horse stable – and it was beautiful!

Set against a backdrop of grassy hills and horse pens, Cassie and Tony recited their personalized vows. They were emotional, touching, funny, and heartfelt. At the reception that followed, it was very obvious that Cassie and Tony’s circle of friends is a very close-knit group that truly loves to enjoy each other’s company. They laughed, danced, danced more, and laughed AT dancing.

Both Cassie and Tony are easy-going and fun-loving – which made for some delightfully silly photos.

If you think about it; in 50 years, the couple will be able to look back at their life together and literally say that they had a “stable” marriage from the very beginning (that joke is why I’m a photographer, not a stand-up comedian).

Heather and Mark actually got married in July in Huntington Beach, California. Because they both have a lot of family and friends here, however, we wanted to throw a Michigan reception.

The couple lives in Austin, Texas where summers get HOT and winters are very mild. The thing they miss the most about Michigan is the change of seasons. Specifically, they love autumn, the changes of colors on the trees, cider mills and apple orchards. So they wanted to do the reception in a “family reunion fall theme”.

The occasion was in a beautiful area named Twin Chimneys inside Independence Oaks County Park. The event was “magazine ready” with beautiful fall-themed details everywhere. Friends and family dined in an intimate setting and then went out into the beautiful September day to play Cornhole, ladder ball, bocce ball and to watch an old-fashioned sack race.

The day was the perfect way for the couple to meet and mingle with extended family and old friends and to begin their lives together. Congratulations Heather and Mark. We love you!

We have all been Facebook friends for a while, so I had observed how their relationship had blossomed into a romance. It was inspiring to see how they had reconnected after not seeing each other for several years.

The day began at the quaint Victoria Wedding Chapel in Waterford, Michigan. The chapel sits on some beautiful lakefront property, so lakeside weddings are very popular at Victoria. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and we were forced inside. On the upside, Victoria Wedding Chapel also features a beautiful little indoor chapel.

Sherry and Jeff didn’t let the rain dampen the mood, though. As you look through the photos in the slideshow, you can see that they kept their beaming smiles all day long.

The most inspirational part of the day, however, was during the ceremony. Both Sherri and Jeff had written their own vows and read them to each other. I had read some pretty impressive and sweet posts between the two on Facebook, but nothing like this. I have photographed hundreds of weddings, and I can honestly say that I have never heard such tender, heart-felt, sincere and beautiful vows. A couple times, I literally caught myself whispering “wow” under my breath as they read to each other.

From the limo and the chapel to the reception meal and the first dance, the day was beautiful and inspiring. I am so happy for my longtime friends and I know they are going to be so very happy together.

Thanks, Sherry and Jeff for allowing me to participate in such an emotion-filled day.

I was so delighted to be asked to photograph Madison and Luke’s wonderful day. First of all, we could not have ordered more perfect weather! It was warm, but not too hot and not a drop of rain fell until an hour or so after the last light was turned off - perfect for an outdoor wedding.

The intimate ceremony took place on a small island nestled in a beautiful lake on Luke’s family property in Clarkston. What had been Luke’s favorite place while he was growing up became the setting for the most important day of his life. Both Luke and Madison’s families cleared the area and added handcrafted touches like a birch wood arbor and hand-hewn log benches. “Perfectly mismatched” chairs and a free-standing “door to the island” combined to transform the island into an enchanting “outdoor chapel in the woods”.

The ceremony was officiated by pastor Jim Combs, Luke’s father (no Star Wars puns, please!). Pastor Jim performed an impassioned and family-oriented ceremony that included a bible from Madison’s great-grandfather and Luke and Madison planting a tree on the island to commemorate the day.

The reception that followed in the rustic pavilion was just as beautiful as the ceremony. Every detail, from the cake to the table settings, looked like it was straight out of a style magazine. A delicious barbeque meal, music and a sparkler send-off capped a day full of precious moments and memories.

I was honored to be able to capture those memories and share some of them in this blog. Congratulations, Madison and Luke!

September is going to be another busy month.  I'll be shooting weddings every Saturday and Sunday.  It's sometimes exhausting, but ALWAYS fun!