Hiring a wedding photographer can feel like an intimidating, overwhelming experience. Your wedding photographer will be around you more than anyone except your significant other on your wedding day – it’s something that couples often don’t think about. I want to make sure that everyone finds a wedding photographer whose work they love and whose personality they mesh with. I always try to speak with clients before they book me to make sure that we’re a good fit for each other. Quite a few of them aren’t local, but Skype and Facetime make it easier to connect with each other even if you’re on opposite sides of the country!
I’ve seen a few similar articles like this, but I haven’t found one that has the most important questions culled down to a brief, concise list – so I made my own! Here’s a few wedding photographer questions to consider as you try to find the right photographer for you:
Who will be photographing my wedding?
Some studios have associates who photograph their own weddings, and the associate might not be the person you meet with. If this is the case, you may want to chat with the person who will actually be at your wedding.
What happens if you can’t photograph my wedding?
Emergencies happen, so make sure that your photographer has a backup plan (and a backup-backup plan) in place if he/she isn’t able to make it to your wedding day.
Who will be with you on the wedding day?
I’ll often work with a second photographer, and logistics might call for me to have an assistant for part of the day as well. It’s good to know how many people will be working with your photographer at your wedding.
Could you describe how you work on a wedding day?
Some photographers prefer to choreograph people and events while others choose to observe and document whatever happens. You should be aware of and comfortable with how your photographer plans to work.
Could I see a couple full wedding galleries?
It’s good to see a full wedding gallery or two from a photographer to see what a full wedding day through their eyes looks like. Are there lots of posed images? Do you feel like you’re there on the wedding day with the people you see in the images? And even if you know nothing about photography, you’ll be able to distinguish what type of images you really like by looking through a full gallery.
How much artificial light do you use on a wedding day?
Most wedding photographers use flash when it gets dark at the reception. Some use video lights (constantly-on lights) on their subjects, and others will have an assistant holding a flash or a light throughout the entire day to create the look they want.
Can I see a contract?
This one doesn’t necessarily need to be asked until you’ve found your photographer and want to review the legal language in the contract.
What do you like to photograph most at a wedding?
If you and your photographer value the same things about your wedding, you’re off to a great start! The answer to this question can usually be found by looking through their full galleries and portfolio, but it’s nice to hear a photographer talk about them in further detail.
And here’s the lightning round :)
Do you have backup equipment?
Are there any travel fees involved?
Is sales tax charged on what you provide?
Do you have liability insurance?
How much retouching do you perform on your images?
What if I want to add on more hours of coverage or products after we book?
What kind of image rights do we receive with our photos?
How long will the images be available online?
How do you and your assistants dress on a wedding day?
Hopefully, this list of wedding photographer questions was helpful to you! And I’ll bet that almost of this will get covered when you and your photographer sit down together for a consultation. After searching through the many, many wedding photographers out there, I hope that you’ll be able to find the right one for you!
If you like what you see and you’re interested in working together, you can contact me here. You can read more about me in my bio, and see what other clients are saying in my reviews. Thank you – I can’t wait to hear from you!