Vacation

land. “I know, personally, even as a photographer, if my husband and I are on vacation, we end up getting solo shots of each other or arm’s-length selfies that aren’t very flattering,” she said.

• Photographers who live in your destination know where and when to shoot — when the light is most favorable and where you won’t be jostling with other tourists during busy times at landmarks.

• Part of the benefit of hiring a trip photographer has nothing to do with photos — it’s interacting with a resident, gaining insight into how locals live. It’s part of what Ardell offers in her sessions in Budapest. “We chat the whole time,” she said. “I love giving recommendations on my favorite places to eat and things to do around the city.”

How much it costs

Hiring a vacation photographer typically isn’t cheap, but it might seem surprisingly reasonable for a vacation costing thousands of dollars.

Sessions are typically priced by time. With Flytographer, for example, shoots start at 30 minutes for $250, although an hourlong session with 30 photos for $350 is more common, Smith said. It’s customary to pay the full price when you book. With Local Lens , another booking service, pricing varies by city but generally is about $200 for a halfhour to around $500 for two hours. Another service, Localgrapher, says its most popular package is one hour, which includes 35 photos for $350.

How to book a pro

• You could do your own research to find someone in the place you’re visiting. But online booking services could make hiring a photographer easier, especially if you’re going abroad and don’t speak the language. With many, you choose the city, then read biographies of local photographers, look at their portfolios and pick one. Examples of online services include Flytographer, Local Lens, Shoot My Travel and Localgrapher.

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Research a photographer’s style and note the professionalism of their website and social media channels. Seek information on timing of photo delivery and what format they will be in. Find out about refund policies and quality guarantees.

• An hourlong session offers enough time for photos at a couple of locations and gives vacationers time to warm up in front of the camera. But a half-hour shoot can work for those tight on time or budget, Smith said.

• Earlier booking — several weeks out — means a wider selection of photographers, days and times.

If you’ve taken fabulous journeys but your photos just don’t match, hiring a vacation photographer might be the ticket to preserving memories. This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Gregory Karp is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: gkarp@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @spendingsmart. • NerdWallet: How to save for a vacation, https://nerd. me/saving-for-vacation. • Flytographer: https:// www.flytographer.com. • Local Lens: https://locallens.com.