Trying to figure out the best things to ask your wedding photographer before you book them? Well, you’re in luck!
As a wedding photographer myself, I have chatted with a ton of different couples over the years and love when I can connect with couples that are the perfect fit. However, every photographer will admit that they are not the right fit for everyone.
As you are looking for a photographer, you are probably going to come across a ton of different photographers who all have a bunch of different information on their websites and social media.
To make the best decision for you and your partner, it’s important that you come up with a list of things to ask your wedding photographer so you can make sure you are totally comfortable with them and have all of the information you need.
Let’s take a look at a few of my suggestions for things to ask your wedding photographer!
Key Things to Ask Your Wedding Photographer
What is your personality like? What does a wedding day with you look like?
Personality is major when it comes to your wedding photographer. They are going to be a part of the most intimate moments of this major day in your life and it’s important that you are totally comfortable with them.
Be sure to get to know your photographer. Figure out if they are introverted or extroverted. If they are going to be super involved and help curate moments or if they are going to slip into the shadows and capture your day without being noticed.
Basically, you need to make sure you like your photographer as a person. You will see your photographer more than anyone else on your wedding day and don’t want someone who will drive you crazy or make you feel awkward.
Are you insured and have all the necessary business licenses?
Most venues will ask that all of your vendors are insured and have the correct licenses so it is important that you ask your wedding photographer if they have this covered.
The last thing you want to do is find the perfect photographer and find out that they don’t have the correct insurance, aren’t a licensed business, or don’t pay their taxes. While this may not be a question you initially think of, it is one of the most important things to ask your wedding photographer.
A separate, but related, major red flag is if they don’t have you sign a contract. At best they’re lacking in professionalism, at worst, you may be getting scammed.
How are my photos backed up and stored?
Your photos are your memories and it would be absolutely heartbreaking to lose those memories forever. After all, you can’t recreate this day or recreate these moments, so it is vital that all of your photos are backed up.
All photographers are going to do this a bit differently depending on their own process, but you definitely need to check in with them and see what they do to back up and store your photos.
As an example of what you may find when it comes to me, there are always two copies of your images. I shoot on two cards and keep the images on a card until the gallery is uploaded. I then keep the gallery up online and on a hard drive.
Like I said, all photographers are different so they may not have the exact process that I do, but you definitely want to know how your photographer ensures that they do everything they can to back up your images.
How do you decide what photos to edit and how many photos we get in our final gallery?
This is most likely one of the big questions you are thinking about when hiring a wedding photographer, and it is an important question. At the end of the day, these are the images you are going to look back on for years, so you want to make sure you get plenty of photos.
All photographers are going to have a specific way they set up their packages and how they decide how many images you get. You may find some photographers who give you a specific amount based on the package.
Other options could include an estimated range and your final gallery will include, for example, between 500-700 images.
When I’m deciding what to edit, my driving question is “Would I want that picture?” if the answer is yes, I put it in. So I don’t give hard numbers but I do estimate about 100 images per hour of shooting.
When do we get sneak peeks/our full galleries?
These images are super exciting and trust me, you will want to see the images as soon as possible. Talk to your photographer and ask them when you can expect your galleries.
Obviously, when it comes to your wedding photos, there are going to be way more than there would be in an engagement session gallery, so it will take a bit longer to edit. Plus, you want your photographer to take their time and give you the best photos possible!
However, some photographers will give you a sneak peek of a number of photos before they send over the final gallery.
I deliver a sneak peek the first business day after your wedding. Full galleries take 6-8 weeks to be delivered. However, this number will vary from photographer to photographer and may depend on how long the coverage was, if there was a second shooter, etc.
Can I see examples of…[insert any specific image types you want to see]?
If there is anything important to you, be sure to ask your photographer if you can see examples of previous work that shows off those things. For example, you can ask your photographer to see galleries of outdoor weddings, winter weddings, LGBTQ+ couples, plus-sized couples, etc.
This will not only help you see more examples of their work, but it will also allow you to see how your wedding will be captured and if they are the right photographer for your specific situation.
Do you have a backup plan if you are sick/can’t make it to the wedding?
Photographers are human. As much as we would love to be invincible and never have anything go wrong, that just isn’t always true. Unlike other photo sessions, like couples photos or engagement sessions, you can’t exactly reschedule your wedding.
Take the time to ask your photographer what their backup plan is. Do they have second shooters, associate photographers, or other photographers who can step in just in case anything goes wrong and they can’t make it to your wedding?
What is your photo editing style?
Photo editing style is a big deal when it comes to your wedding photos. Do you want more timeless and elegant photos? Do you want more muted and moody photos? Do you want bright and candid photos?
This is something that you and your partner should talk about before you start looking into wedding photographers to make sure you can find someone who can shoot in the style you are looking for.
Now, you may find some photographers who will edit your photos based on the style that you want. However, a lot of photographers have a set style that they use and that is what they specialize in.
It is important to know what style of photos you can expect. It’s also important to understand that the photographer you are talking to may not edit in the style you like (and in turn may not be the best option for you).
Keep in mind that photography is an art. You wouldn’t expect a sculptor to paint you an oil painting because that is not what they specialize in and the same is true with your photographer – you shouldn’t expect them to edit in a style that is not natural to them.
How far in advance do I need to book you?
Finally, ask your photographer how far in advance do they normally book out. I am going to preface this by saying that most photographers book out relatively far, so this is definitely something you don’t want to wait to ask.
Biased opinion, your photographer should be one of the first vendors you book after setting a date and choosing a venue.
The sooner you can book your photographer the better, however, if you are looking at a couple of different photographers, make sure you know how far out they normally book and if they even have your date available!
Final Thoughts on Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer
Hopefully, these questions give you a good starting point when picking your wedding photographer. This is a very important decision so be sure to make a list of all of the things to ask your wedding photographer to make sure they are the right fit for you and your partner.
Still looking for the perfect photographer? Click the link here to chat and we can go through all of these questions to make sure we are the right fit!
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