Angie's List

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Whether you want the perfect picture for a wedding or school portrait - you want someone who understands your style, is easy to work with and can capture a memorable photo.

In this week's Angie's List report, Jim Donovan has advice from Angie on choosing a photographer.

In a recent Angie's List poll a quarter of the people said they spent $250 or more on their last photo session and are likely to spend that same amount again.

July sees the biggest spike in requests for photographers on Angie's List.

Partly because it's time for senior pictures to be taken, and also we're also still in the peak of wedding season.

"We spoke to several highly-rated photographers. One thing is to find a photographer you have a good rapport with. Also, be in your own element. Dress in clothes that you're comfortable with because if you're trying to be someone you're not, it's going to come out in the pictures. And then be clear about the timeline, especially around the holidays about how long it will take to get pictures back. We had one member who didn't get her photos back until the holidays were gone, and they turned into new years pictures," said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List.

Angie says you should also try to think out of the box.

"If you're doing photos with children you really need to stick to their schedule otherwise you're going to have a big battle. One member told me that they stopped going to a studio and actually paid a little extra to have the photographer come to their house because the session would only take 15 minutes and then they didn't have all the time where the kids were dressed up and no one was cranky and it made the experience a ton better."

Angie's tips for having a good photo shoot:

· Check out the photographer's previous work. Make sure his or her style fits your tastes. Most positive feedback from Angie's list members was based on their having a good rapport and personalized experience with the photographer.

· Don't wear bold patterns or stripes at the photo shoot. On prints, they take away from your features.

· If you wear glasses, you might consider temporarily removing the lenses to avoid any glare.

· Whatever you wear, make certain you are comfortable. One photographer said if you're not comfortable in what you're wearing, it will show through in the photos.

· You do get what you pay for in terms of quality of both the print and the shot, and the professionalism of the photographer.

· For children, schedule the appointment based on your child's schedule so you can get photos when they are most animated, happy and relaxed.

· For children, bring your own toys… anything in the picture that will remind you about your child at that age.

· Ask about a one-time sitting fee. One Angie's list member paid a one-time sitting fee for their child, but visited the photographer regularly throughout the year. The photographer was able to capture the growth progress of the child.

· Stick with the same photographer or studio. They may be able to give you a price break if you are a regular customer.

A poll of Angie's list members revealed that more of them are incorporating a personal item into the photo shoot that reveals a little something about who they are, such as their pets, trophies and sporting equipment. Seventy-eight percent of the poll respondents prefer candid shots over traditional, posed portraits.

The results also revealed the importance of word-of-mouth references in choosing a photographer. Forty percent of the respondents used a referral in choosing their photographer.

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