Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer (before you book!)
Ok so you’ve been an industrious little bee, and you’ve whittled down a shortlist of wedding photographers that you think will be a great fit for you on the big day. How to decide between the final contenders is often a difficult choice that I’ve heard can be a bit of a coin toss for some brides who don’t really know much about photography, let alone wedding photography!
Never fear – here’s a great set of questions for you that should illuminate the right wedding photographer as quick as you can say lock it in!
Background and Preparation
- How long have you been shooting weddings?
- How many weddings have you shot?
- Have you ever worked with any of my other suppliers (e.g. the reception or ceremony venues, the celebrant, the florist, etc)?
- Can I please call a prior bride for a reference?
- If you haven’t shot at my wedding location before do you plan on doing a reccy before hand?
Photography
- How would you describe your wedding photography style?
- What type of equipment do you use?
- Do you have a full set of backup equipment on the day?
- Do you have any processes in place to avoid losing photos or are unable to shoot my wedding?
- Will you have an assistant or second shooter on the day?
- Do you use digital or film or both?
- Do you shoot in black and white at all?
- Can I give you a specific shot list of photos we would like?
Wedding Photography Packages and Administration
- What packages do you offer?
- Can you create a tailored package to suit our wants?
- Are there any fees on top of the packages we need to be aware of for our wedding (eg travel fee)?
- Do you offer engagement shoots as part of your packages?
- Can you assist with prints of we want them?
- Can you assist with the production of an album?
- How many photos will you provide?
- Do we receive all the digital images/negatives?
- How long after are wedding will you supply the images?
Once your shortlisted photographers have answered these questions for you, you should be able to make a clear judgement on who is the best fit for your day!