If you are like most brides-to-be, you are probably visiting several photographers, attending trade shows and pouring over images and albums, envisioning what you want your final product to look like.
Think about this as you consider your photographer. The day after your wedding as you reminisce about the beauty of the ceremony and reception, the cake and the dinner that you so thoughtfully planned will have been consumed, the tuxedos and rentals returned, and the guests departed — what will remain is your love for one another and the images your photographer has captured. It is for this reason we take our role so very seriously.
Because we believe that choosing the right photographer is one of the most important wedding decisions you will make, we have put together some questions to guide your as you consider photographers.
Questions that every photographer should be able to answer:
Basic Questions:
How long have you been in the business?
How did you get started?
Are you part time or full time?
How many camera bodies and lenses do you have? (They should have at least two of both.)
Do you own a studio?
What type of insurance do you have?
Are you a member of any local or national photography associations? (Many photographers are a part of associations. The big ones are WPPI and PPA.)
Their Style:
Do you shoot digital or film?
If film, color or black and white?
If digital, do you do any black and white conversions, and how do you decide?
How would you characterize your style of photography?
Do you use natural lighting or use a mix of flash and natural light?
Your Special Day:
Will you be the person shooting my wedding? (Many studios have a studio manager talk to the clients and book weddings. You may not actually meet your photographer until the engagement session or on day of the wedding.)
Will the assistants and other photographers you hire to help shoot my wedding be people you have worked with before?
Will you be photographing another wedding or event the same day as my wedding? The same weekend? (Many photographers may shoot multiple weddings in a given day.)
What happens if you are sick and injured and cannot shoot our wedding?
Do you travel? What are your travel fees?
What if we decide to change the date of the wedding?
Booking and Products:
Are you willing to customize a package if none of yours fit our needs?
How many proofs should I expect to see from my wedding?
Do you provide the digital negatives in the package? Are they fully edited/retouched? If they aren’t, can I obtain them? At what cost?
Do you include an album or an album credit in your packages? Can you show me a sample of an album similar to what I will get?
Do you offer discounts to specific professions (police, military, firefighters, etc)?
If we decide to hire you, what is the process?
Can I take a copy of the contract home with me to read before I sign it?
