“If you fly in only one vendor, make it the photographer. ”
-the Knot Guide to Destination Weddings (p. 70)

Have I mentioned that I love to travel? Have I mentioned that I’m willing to travel anywhere in the US, Mexico, Canada, the World, the Known Universe … to photograph a wedding? I’m sure I have!

The Knot guide quoted above mentions some great reasons to bring your photographer with you when you have a destination wedding.  But there are also some equally great reasons to hire an out of town photographer to photograph your local wedding, or to fly to your destination wedding from somewhere other than your home town.

I think there are two primary reasons to bring in a photographer from out of town, no matter where you’re getting married. Those reasons are STYLE and PERSONALITY.   Photography is an artistic pursuit.  When you choose your photographer, you should choose someone whose images speak to you; whose style and personality come through on their website; someone who you can see spending the entire day with you and your family. If that person should happen to live in another state, it’s not really that big a deal.

A photographer who is willing and used to traveling for weddings will be able to easily accommodate things like print orders (online galleries and ordering), delivery schedules (USPS Priority Mail with signature confirmation, easily upgradeable to FedEx when necessary), album design (online and email), and any and all communication (phone, email, text, IM, Facebook – whatever works).  None of those things should prevent you from hiring a photographer whose work you really love and bringing her (or him) to you.

Something else to keep in mind is that it’s often not that much more expensive to hire an out of town photographer than it is to hire one locally.  Many photographers offer flat rate travel to certain major cities or within a region.  Some photographers are willing to negotiate on price to photograph at a location or venue that will benefit their portfolio (although keep in mind that negotiating on price does not mean taking a loss – and time away from the business must be accounted for).

So where do I stand on these matters?  As I think I mentioned above, I love to travel. I’ve photographed weddings in 24 different states (Portland, Washington, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, Connecticut, and DC) and 3 countries (US, Mexico, and Canada).  In my personal life, I’ve traveled to and lived in over 14 countries – in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

I offer flat rates for travel, based on region.  And yes, I’m willing to negotiate if there is a venue or location I’m particularly interested in working with or adding to my portfolio.

(Oh, and the locations above? New Orleans, Charleston, Puerto Vallarta, Captiva Island, Coconut Grove, Mismaloya)