How to choose the right photographer in the Algarve

Five questions worth asking before you book — and one red flag most people ignore.

There are hundreds of photographers in the Algarve and nearly all of them have a beautiful portfolio. The difference is rarely in anyone's best pictures — it's in picture number forty of a full gallery.

1. Ask for a full gallery

A portfolio shows the best ten moments out of a hundred jobs. A full gallery shows what you'll actually receive. If nobody will show you one, be suspicious.

2. Look at the people, not just the landscapes

The Algarve is beautiful; it's easy to make a pretty picture here. Look at the faces: do they seem comfortable? Do they seem like themselves? That's what your session will feel like.

3. Ask who does the editing

Many photographers outsource their editing. It isn't necessarily bad, but it changes the consistency of the result and the delivery time.

4. Confirm what happens if something goes wrong

Professional insurance, dual memory cards, immediate backup and a network of colleagues to step in if they fall ill. Unromantic questions, absolutely essential ones.

5. Talk to them before deciding

A fifteen-minute call tells you more than three hundred photographs. You'll spend hours beside this person on one of the most important days of your life: it has to be someone you feel at ease with.

The red flag isn't the price. It's not being able to see a full gallery before you book.