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Booking a Wedding Photographer? Here are The Key Questions to Ask Before You Do.

Questions to ask a Wedding Photographer

Choosing your Wedding Photographer is one of the bigger decisions in your wedding planning process. Your wedding photos are how you and your loved ones will revisit and remember your wedding day, therefore, it's crucial to find someone that you trust and whose portfolio you love. There are many important questions you can ask a Wedding Photographer, but I've outlined some of the most important questions that will help you decide whether or not the Photographer is a good fit for you and your partner.

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Wedding Photographer Meeting Checklist

Below is a list of questions that can be a useful checklist for your pre-wedding consultation. I’ve included explanations for each question below:

  1. Are you available on our wedding date? Wedding planning is hard and there are a lot of moving parts for all parties involved. It’s a good idea to double check if the Photographer is still available for your wedding date and to understand how competitive your date is. Some Photographers will provide a short hold on your date to allow you some time to make your decision, while others will book first come first serve, which will be determined by who pays a deposit first.

  2. How would you describe your working style and general presence on a wedding day? Your Wedding Photographer will be one of the suppliers you work with most on the actual day, so it's important that you get a sense of their personality and how they work on the day of. Do they have a large personality that fills a room, or a calming, easy going presence? Are they 'hands off' throughout the entire day, or do they arrange and produce moments?

  3. What do you enjoy most about photographing weddings? Learning why the Photographer shoots weddings can tell you a little more about them and why they chose Wedding Photography as a focus. Do they seem passionate about their work and excited about your wedding day?

  4. Can you describe how you work with other wedding vendors on the day-of? Your team of vendors work for you and should all have the goal of making your wedding day the best that it can be. Getting a sense of how your Photographer works with other vendors is valuable insight to have. How do they go about working with Videographers, Wedding Planners, etc.?

  5. Have you worked at our venue before or at a venue that is similar in light, layout, etc.? Most Wedding Photographers with several years of experience will be well versed in working at new venues. There are so many wedding venues around and it's almost impossible to have worked at all of them. A professional, experienced Photographer will know how to adapt to new surroundings, but it's a good idea to understand if your Photographer has experience working at venues that are similar to yours.

  6. Is it possible to see a full wedding gallery from a past event you have photographed? Photographers' websites and their social media profiles are often filled with the best moments and photos that perform well on those platforms. It’s a great idea to see how the Photographer performs throughout the entire wedding day. Are their images thoughtfully composed, properly exposed, and sharp during real time, faster paced scenarios like the wedding ceremony and reception, or just during more structured and posed moments, like couple portraits? I’m always willing to share a past wedding gallery for prospective clients so that they can see the whole day and not just cherry picked moments.

  7. Can you help us with our wedding timeline? Determine whether or not your Photographer will be available during the planning process to advise you on how long certain parts of the day will take and when the best time of day is for certain moments. Is that planning assistance included in your photography package or is that an extra fee? I include planning assistance in a couple of my wedding photography packages, the details of which are discussed with the couple at their pre-wedding consultation with me.

  8. Do you shoot from a shot list? If you are looking for particular types of images that you are wanting to recreate or just have a particular vision, check with the Wedding Photographer to see if that is something they are comfortable with. Most experienced Photographers are well versed in how a wedding day flows and they should know what the go-to moments are, but there may be certain moments that are unique to you and your partner and it's important to communicate that with your Photographer.

  9. How do you approach posing for couple portraits? Not everyone is excited to be in front of a camera, so it's important to know what that experience will be like with your Photographer. Is the Photographer comfortable providing direction, or are they more 'hands off'? Are they comfortable providing poses that are gender neutral? For my clients, I try to find poses that feel natural and mimic how their bodies come together in real life. I work with folks by allowing them to take the time to talk, enjoy the quiet of their couple shoot and relax with one another, creating authentic, natural poses. I also always check in with the couple to make sure they are feeling ok and to know if we need to change things up a little.

  10. How will you use our photos? As is industry standard, most Wedding Photographers retain the copyright to their photos, unless otherwise agreed upon. Knowing how your Wedding Photographer plans to use your wedding photos is important. As Photographers, being able to share our work is a necessary part of growing a photography business and vital to attracting new clients. When I share my photos, I always do so in a way that is respectful. I only ever use the photos on my website or social media and I never sell my images. The most recent wedding I photographed asked me not to share images of children, certain guests at the wedding and photos of themselves, which wasn't detailed in our contract, but something I honoured for them.

  11. What happens if you have to miss our wedding? This can be a tricky question to answer as a Wedding Photographer but seeing how the Photographer communicates that answer is important. Most Photographers will try everything in their power to be there at your wedding. I've never once missed a wedding in over 9 years. Emergencies happen, though, and our backup plans can often only be hypothetical unless you're willing to pay for a backup Photographer to sit on standby. For my clients, I promise to do everything in my power to be there or to find a qualified professional colleague who can be there in my stead, if I’m physically unable to make it. This information should be detailed in the contract you sign with your Photographer, during your pre-wedding consultation.

  12. Will you receive digital files of your photos? How and when will they be delivered? It's commonplace these days to receive a certain amount of high-resolution digital images from your wedding day, but it's good to double check with the Photographer what their photography packages include. Some Photographers may only offer prints, or a certain amount of digital images with additional downloads as an extra fee. Other Photographers (although rare) will retain the copyright of all of their images, meaning you have to pay an additional fee to purchase the copyright. It's also important to know what the deliverable is, and when you will receive it. Personally, I deliver two options to my clients, depending on which package they have purchased from me: 1. All of the final edited high-resolution images available for download via transfer link 2. All of the final edited high-resolution images on USB drive, in a keepsake memory box with prints

  13. How many wedding photos can we expect to receive? Every wedding is different and this amount can vary depending on your timeline, individual events on your wedding day i.e. weather, delays, etc. and how long your photography coverage is for. Your Wedding Photographer may have packages that dictate how many photos you will receive. I deliver roughly 100 edited images per hour that I shoot, however, that number can vary depending on the day and how the timeline is structured. My goal is to deliver as many edited photos as I can, without overwhelming clients with duplicates.

  14. Do you have everything you need from us in order to do your job? Make sure that you provide your Wedding Photographer with a timeline of your day, necessary contact info and addresses, information on parking, a shot list or list of family portraits, if applicable. Ask your Photographer if there are any details they need from you prior to your wedding. Personally, I have a dedicated consultation list that I share with my clients ahead of their big day. I typically meet with the couple and work alongside them to figure out timings, who's who in the wedding party / family and when listing their group shots, amongst other details. This helps me to plan accordingly for their big day and allows room for movement if plans should change slightly. As a professional Wedding Photographer, to have this in hand is essential, so that I can provide my clients with the best experience possible when it comes to covering their special day.

  15. Can we change our photography package? As your wedding planning moves along, you might decide you want more or less photography coverage than your initial package includes. Check your contract or ask your Wedding Photographer if and when you can make these changes.

  16. How do we cancel or reschedule? Life happens and unfortunately even the best wedding plans can hit road blocks. Communicate with your Photographer as early as possible regarding your plans to cancel or reschedule your wedding and see what options you have. Revisit your Photographer’s contract to see what steps are laid out. This is just a basic guide of some of the questions you can ask a Wedding Photographer, to work out whether or not you want to work with them on your wedding day. As a Photographer myself, I find these questions open up conversation a little more than others and help paint a picture of who the Photographer is and how they do business. Ultimately, the questions you ask will likely be unique to you and your wedding.

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