Weddings allow photographers to showcase their skills and artistic sensibilities. Portraits, group shots, fashion, photojournalism and action will test any photographer. How can you tell whether a photographer has what it takes to capture it all? These tips will help you choose a top wedding photographer and get pictures you love.

How Do I Find One?

Consider these avenues to getting the photographer who will capture your day:

Online: There are many websites to help you find just what you need, and most professional photographers' websites will have a link to their portfolios.

Referrals: Did a friend have great photos?

Bridal shows: Many photographers will be present, and you should be able to see samples of their work.

After you've found some samples to look at, ask yourself if you really like them or not. If the pictures aren't moving you, then you're probably in the wrong spot, says Elk Grove-based photographer Bruce Robinson.

Ask the Right Questions

Once you've narrowed down your choices, ask your candidates these important questions in person:

• Can I get a reference from a recent hire?
• Are you the person who will be shooting my wedding? If so, can I get that in writing (if you hire them)? If not, can I meet with that person?
• Can I see a proof book of your work? This is a compilation of all the shots a couple will receive, and a recent wedding album. 
• Do you have any pictures of a ceremony or reception at my venues? 
• What kind of training do you have? For instance, how many years have you been shooting? How many weddings have you shot? Do you belong to a professional photography association? 
• What happens when your equipment breaks?

When scanning through samples, look for consistency, says Clark Woolsey, a wedding photographer in Rancho Cordova. You also want to get a sense of how the photographer works, so ask:

• How did you create this shot?
• How much time did you have before the ceremony to take pictures? 
• Can you do impromptu or posed shots, or both? 
• Who set up the shots?

Getting to Know Your Photographer

One of the most important elements in choosing a photographer is personality. You're going to spend your wedding day with that person and if you don't like them, it's going to show in your pictures, says Diana Miller, a Citrus Heights-based wedding photographer.

After choosing your photographer, you'll want to develop a relationship. That&emdash;as well as a kind of test run&emdash;can be accomplished with engagement photos. Engagement photos allow a photographer to see how you perform in front of the camera. It also helps the couple and the photographer bond.

If you really want the best pictures, we have to trust each other and it goes both ways, says Robinson, who offers an engagement session in all his packages because he believes it's vital to getting great wedding pictures. There's got to be a connection.

Style and Creativity

Modern wedding photography is a mix of photojournalism, traditional posed photos and artistic details. Still, photographers have their own style that can range from traditional, where most photos are posed and subjects face the camera, to avant-garde, which incorporates camera tilts, sophisticated posing and dramatic lighting and backgrounds. Even photographers who say they favor photojournalism aren't always completely hands-off. They might ask the bride to smile while her attendants are securing her veil, for example, or move objects that clutter the frame while shooting her getting ready&emdash;the kind of interference that can yield a better photo but is verboten in true photojournalism.

Tear out photos you love in bridal magazines and show them to your photographer. Maybe he or she can't copy them, but at least they'll know your taste. Getting the photos you want is a collaborative effort between the couple and the photographer.

Dealing With the Elements

Talk to your photographer about how much time he or she will need for each segment of the day. Also discuss location: where you're planning to shoot photos of the bride and groom getting ready and family formals, for example. You also should talk about the weather and how that might affect where pictures are taken. Always have a backup plan, especially if forecasts predict rain or heat.

If you have a choice about your ceremony's time of day, ask your photographer for a suggestion. An hour or two before sunset when light is soft, an effect called sweet or magic light, is the favored time for photos. Even if your ceremony is in full sun or you're having an evening wedding, A professional photographer should be able to find good light just about anywhere, says Sacramento-based wedding photographer Christopher Kight. If you can't find it, you make it.

Common Photo Mishaps

Local wedding photographers advise you to avoid these common pitfalls:

• Booking the photographer for too few hours to save money, or because travel time to each location took longer than planned.
• Not budgeting enough time for bride and groom portraits (usually taken before the ceremony). Allow at least an hour and a half:
  • half an hour for the bride 
  • half an hour for the groom 
  • half an hour to capture the ceremony details and guests 
  • Budget even more time if you want pictures of the bride or groom getting ready. 
• Taking too long shooting family formal shots. It should take about 25 minutes, but budget more time if the group is large, isn't ready, or you and your groom have a long request list for different configurations of people. 
• Photographers arriving in casual attire. Be clear about the formality of your event. 
• No photos of your special friends. Make a list of guests who won't be in the family formal or bridal party shots, but whose photos should be taken. Give the list to your photographer one week before the wedding.

Videography: The Way To Relive Your Wedding

Preserving the memories of your important day has always been a priority. While wedding photos will never be cast aside, videography is now seen as perhaps a more practical way to relive the wedding day.

Video is a dynamic way to catch the bride's veil blowing in the breeze and see the emotion on the groom's face as he slips the ring on her finger. Videographers capture special or funny moments during the reception or ceremony that you might have missed, and guests can give the new, happy couple a personalized, recorded message.

Videography is a common service that you can expect to find easily. A range of services and prices are offered from videographers, who most often work independently from wedding photographers. What you want captured will determine cost. Do you want to record the ceremony only, or the reception&emdash;or do you want the rehearsal, the pre-ceremony and the whole day?

For full coverage of the entire event, basic videography will cost between $1,000 and $2,000. Higher-priced packages are more customized, and usually include more than one videographer.

Some videographers record in high definition, so ask about this service upfront if it's important to you. Wireless microphones are used to capture sound throughout the event.

Ideas for the final video are endless. A good option is a video montage where events are presented as separate tracks or scenes, such as the ceremony, the toasts, cake cutting, the first dance and so forth. Other video and photos can be incorporated as the videographer edits, and music can easily be added into the background.