A photographer will tell you that a picture is worth a thousand words. A videographer will tell you that a video is worth a thousand pictures. What are a bride and groom to do?

Many couples cover all the bases and choose both. Photos officially document a wedding, but a videographer can capture what photographs do not.

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Four area professionals — two photographers and two videographers — offer advice on getting the best images from your wedding.

Rafael Sepulveda, Weddings by Rafael, Atlanta.

The invention of the digital camera revolutionized wedding photography, Sepulveda said. In days past, a photographer would go to a wedding with a certain number of film rolls. He'd have to budget that film to make sure he had enough to get the standard shots: bride with mother, bride with parents, groom with parents. You get the picture.

Digital photography makes picture-taking limitless, Sepulveda said. That means many of today's photographers are more spontaneous, looking for candid moments between the posed shots.

He describes his own style as colorful, artistic and candid. "People are having fun," he said. "I catch the fun of the wedding, the moments of the wedding."

To get the most from your photographer, Sepulveda said, make sure you meet him or her — not a salesperson — and make sure you like each other. A bride annoyed by her photographer won't look happy in her pictures.

Make certain the photographer has a list of family photos you want taken. Doing so helps avoid family squabbles on the big day.

Romina Rivadeneira, I Shot the Bride, Atlanta and Miami.

Rivadeneira — who describes her photography style as spontaneous, fun and artistic — offers these tips:

• Pretend the photographer is invisible.

• Be yourself.

• Have the bridesmaids get dressed before they help the bride get ready. The pictures will be better.

• Choose locations with great lighting and decorations. "We're not miracle workers," she said.

Rivadeneira charges $4,000 to $6,000 for the wedding shoot, photos and negatives. Sepulveda's rates run from $2,000 to about $3,500.

Price, she said, is a balancing act. The best you can do is try to make sure that what you're getting in quality — not necessarily number of pictures, albums or packages — will be worth what you spend.

Tom Connolly, Cinderella Wedding Video, Dunwoody.

The most important thing in getting high-quality videos, said Connolly, is to make sure whomever you hire is experienced and prepared. "When you involve the senses," he said, "you create more clear and vivid memories. Photos appeal to sight alone; a video adds sound, motion and spontaneity."

Make sure you see some of their work, he said, and share as much information as you can about the day. Is it a church wedding? Outdoors? On a beach? What kind of reception? What does the room look like? A videographer who knows the details, can plan ahead to avoid problems.

Connolly strongly suggests hiring someone who uses at least two cameras. One-camera shoots are problematic, he said. "Anything can happen. People pop up in front of the bride; the camera can jam."

Anthony Miles, Miles Productions, Decatur.

Miles makes the following recommendations:

• Find out specifically what you're getting for your money.

• Make sure you like the work and personality of the videographer.

• Tell the videographer about any location restrictions (where the videographer cannot shoot; where he or she can be positioned; whether lights are restricted, as can happen in a church).

•Better decorations make better videos.

At Cinderella, wedding videography costs $800 to $2,995. Miles' packages start at $850.