When the time comes for your special day, you don't want to trust it to just anyone. Your wedding will hopefully be the only one that you ever experience. It is designed to last a lifetime, and that is a big responsibility to assign, especially when you are unsure of the photographers ability. Before you commit to a costly package that will not do your ceremony justice, you need to investigate the following qualities of your wedding hire to the fullest extent possible:

State of the art equipment. You might rethink your decision to hire the village standby if he hasn't even kept up with the times. Digital photography has made it easier for photographers to start their own business, but it is a sign of professionalism the quality camera that a photographer uses. Also, the technology has advanced well beyond 6 megapixels, and it's important that you match the quality to the price. There is nothing particularly wrong with 6, but make sure you're not paying for 12.

A good business reputation. Any photo guy worth his salt is going to have a string of clients, who will speak on his behalf. If the website-and yes, all professionals should have one-does not have testimonials, that is a bad sign. Furthermore, if you ask around your community, and you can't find a single person, who has heard of him after a reasonable amount of effort, avoid!

Years in service. The total amount of years someone is in business does not necessarily a good service make, but when taken in conjunction with these other factors, it will tell you something about the quality of work you are paying for. Likewise, a short amount of time in business doesn't mean that you're getting sub-par quality. It is a factor to keep in mind when negotiating a price, however.

Experience specific to weddings. All the years of photography experience in the world will not guarantee good results if the person shooting the photos has no wedding experience. Five years of wedding experience is better than 20 of general practice.

By: Joshua Beachan

Digital is the new wave in photography. These terrific cameras have been around for a while, but even five years ago, not everyone could afford one, even the most basic. If you wanted extra features, the camera would really set you back. Fortunately, prices are dropping all the time, and those extras don't cost nearly as much either. Digital photography is easy, versatile, and amazing.

When you are looking at getting a digital camera, there are several factors you need to consider. Typically most people who are looking into getting a digital camera already have a home computer. This is not entirely necessary though. Many printers are now available (at a very reasonable price) that offer the capabilities of being hooked up directly to your camera. You can print the pictures directly off of the camera and there is no need for a computer at all. You should check to make sure that all your equipment is compatible before purchasing anything. The best case scenario is using a home computer to load the pictures from your digital camera to your home PC. This way you can manipulate the pictures, upload them to a picture sharing website so you family and friends can view them, and print them off as well.

Resolution is a major factor to consider in your camera. Mega-pixels vary by camera, so it depends on your needs. They range from 2.0 to 12.0 mega-pixels. The average buyer wouldn't need anything larger than 4, unless you wanted to blow your pictures up to a very large size. In general 3.0 to 4.0 mega-pixels are fine for most consumers, as these resolutions produce clear, beautiful pictures.

The other major factor for your consideration is the type of zoom to invest in. Digital zoom is a common property of digital cameras, but isn't necessarily the best zoom. In fact the pictures can come out grainy looking. Optical zoom, although more costly, is a better choice. It gives a much higher quality result. If you don't plan to use the zoom much, then sticking with the digital zoom will save you some money.