Your wedding photographer should be someone you admire the work of as well as trust and feel comfortable working with. However, a lot of times this is easier said than done. There are many people out there that pose as professional photographers but are really what most people call “a guy with a camera”. This basically means they have no professional experience, do it in their free time and do not provide the level of service that weddings require.

Although unprofessional photographers are getting better at making themselves look more professional than they really are, there are always some telltale signs that they might not be who they come across as being.

A photographer that deals with weddings will bring a portfolio that includes weddings that they have previously done as well as different venues such as beach wedding, indoor, church wedding and more. This shows their range of skills and makes it easier for you to come to a conclusion on whether or not they will work well for your needs.

 A guy with a camera will have large amounts of model photo shoots and one on one personal shots. This is usually a trade-off that models and photographers of this caliber have. They agree to take the picture as long as they can use it in their portfolio.  What this means is that there is a good chance that the guy with a camera has never actually been paid to capture moments professionally.

You will also be able to tell if they do not have a studio or set location where they conduct business. Moreover, professional photographers will have contacts even if they do not have a studio; a guy with a camera will not. Overall, you need to be aware of these things and always check references and conduct a thorough interview.