Couples looking for a wedding photographer must decide exactly what they want and communicate that to their prospective photographer in the contract, or risk paying a lot of money for photos they don't like.

"A couple should decide how much they want to spend on their photography and what is most important to them in a package," said Nick Sokoloff, a professional photographer in Salt Lake City. "Some couples feel that photography is the most lasting and important piece of the wedding and will dedicate up to 30 percent of their entire budget to it. Others will dedicate something in the 15 percent range."

Sokoloff said couples should decide how many prints they want and for how many hours they want to hire the photographer. These decisions, along with how much they want to spend, will help determine options when talking to photographers, he said.

"Select a photographer who represents the style of your liking, i.e. don't use a traditional portrait photographer if you want journalistic style images," Sokoloff said. "Make sure to use someone with whom you click and feel comfortable. The portfolio of the photographer should really speak to your style and tastes."

The contract is a key element in hiring a photographer, Sokoloff said. Be sure the contract is detailed and stipulates price, the number of photos the photographer will produce, and when they will be recieved, he said. Couples should make sure the photographer has a backup photographer and should know what the refund policy is, he said.

"I would worry more about the quality of the pictures than the quantity," said Alisa Stacey, 22, a senior from Star Valley, Wyo., majoring in photography. "If they give you a bunch of bad ones it doesn't really matter because you won't use them."

"You get what you pay for," Stacey said. "For $1,500 you're getting a really good photographer in Utah. The same photographer in California or New York would probably cost $4,000 or more."

The photographer's style is important, Stacey said. The traditional photographer focuses on poses, she said, and a photographer using the photojournalistic style emphasizes candid photography.

Couples will find a lot of variation in price, she said. In her experience, for $1,500 a client should expect full coverage of the wedding and the reception, and the photos should come with a portfolio or album, Stacey said.

Many basic packages start at about $400. Couples have many to choose from in the Utah Valley and on the Web.

Alternatives to paying for a professional do exist. Many budding photographers are building their portfolios and will photograph the wedding for a low price.

"If you are willing to pay a little less and help someone build up their portfolio, you can," Stacey said. "You are their guinea pig. But, that's fine if you're OK with it."

The Jarvis family decided to let a friend photograph their engagement and bridal photos to help her gain experience and build her portfolio.

They thought she would only charge for the cost of developing and printing. But, because there was little communication before hand and no contract, they were caught off guard by the expense of the photos.

"We knew that we would have to take care of the film and the developing," said Jodi Jarvis, 28, a senior from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at West Minster College, majoring in communications. "We didn't know she was going to take it to the most expensive place in the Salt Lake Valley to have it developed."

Jon Jarvis, 28, a graduate student from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, studying sociology, said he liked the engagement photos.

"She was doing us a favor and everything was great except for when she sent us the bill," said Jon Jarvis. "It was for $500."

For the wedding they decided to hire a professional, Jodi Jarvis said, but the results were still unsatisfactory.

She said she should have looked at the portfolio and made a list of specific photos she wanted taken. She thought the photographer would take certain photos but he didn't.

"Be sure to speak your mind and know what you want before hand," she said.



Copyright Brigham Young University 13 Feb 2003