I see a lot of posts on Facebook for someone asking for a photographer. I always am so happy when I see my name mentioned, to me that means those individuals loved their photos and loved them enough to recommend me to someone they know.
When you're looking for a photographer I would offer a few tips.
1. Ask to see samples of their work. If the photographer has a website, make sure and ask for a link and look at not just their portfolio of photos (those will always be the photographers favorites) but also links to sessions. If you're looking for a senior photographer for your son or daughter you don't want to see (for example) just race cars. You want to see a sample of their senior photography work
2. Ask for recommendations, chances are you were already referred by someone, ask them "Did you book so and so photography" if so, what were 5 pros and 5 cons. See if the photographer has a Facebook page and check their recommendations. Its like shopping on amazon and you read the reviews
3. Knowledge, Test their knowledge, if you have ideas ask them and see what their open to, if they don't know how to do something you may not want to book that photographer, hopefully that photographer will be honest with you and say I haven't done that but I know How, or I haven't done that but would love to try it. You'll know if your comfortable with that photographer
4. Quality. ALWAYS ALWAYs choose quality for your photos. These are memories that you should be printing. If your not printing, then honestly your doing it wrong, PRINT your memories, put them on the wall, send them to family, create an album. Don't just get your flash drive put a few on instagram and forget about them. PRINT those memories.
5. Price. Everyone has a budget, ask the photographer for a price list but most important ask the what is included. A knoweldgeable photographer will have done CODB. (cost of doing business) and what she charges is what she knows it will cost her to do business. I stand behind my prices, my quality, my recommendations, and my samples of work.
Not everyone will book a session with me, thats ok, I know it boils down to this or that. find the photographer that is right for you and it's just like finding the right stylist or the right dentist. Thats the person your going to call on time and time again to capture and record your lifetime of memories