WHAT TO ASK YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
“What do I ask my Wedding Photographer?”
You’ve scoured the internet for hours, even days, trying to find the perfect wedding photographer for your wedding, you’ve just made contact with them and now you're thinking “Shoot, what do I ask besides pricing and if they are available?” Let me tell you, you have come to the right place. This isn’t an ordinary list of questions to ask your wedding photographer either, these are questions that will help you determine if they are the right match for you, because no one likes a mismatched team. But before we get to the questions, let me give you some tips.
How to prepare for your consultation with your wedding photographer:
You may have already done this, but scroll through their website and take notes on your favorite photos you see, things they say that you want to talk to them about, this will give you a baseline to go off of.
If you are able to, plan to meet in person either over coffee or drinks or invite them to virtually have coffee with you. Coffee and/or other drinks generally help people relax when it comes to meetings because it allows for you to feel less pressured.
Keep in mind that your photographer is also getting to know you to see if they will be able to fulfill all your needs and serve you to the best of their abilities. Be prepared to answer a few questions about how you met, what kind of wedding you are thinking of having, and what services you are interested in.
Have all your questions written down but don’t be afraid to throw them out the window if you hit it off and you feel like they check all the boxes.
Take a walk, go sit outside, do something that is relaxing but doesn’t involve a screen before your meeting. This is almost like hitting a rest button that will help you more at ease when you go to your consultation.
Approach it like you are meeting a new friend, no pressure, if you find that they aren’t a match, there is no pressure, you don’t have to hire them, think of it as you having the pleasure to get to know someone new and learn from the experience.
Now that we have that out of the way, let's talk questions,
Are you ready? Let's get started:
Logistical questions to ask your wedding photographer:
Can I see a full wedding gallery?
Do you have experience in an outdoor/indoor reception space?
Do you have experience with flash photography for night time shots?
Do you have a backup camera just in case? Do you use a dual card slot system? (If they have dual card slots, it means that they backup all your photos in the camera to be sure no shot is lost.)
What is your process of protecting my images so they don’t get lost before they are delivered?
When can I expect my wedding photos?
Will you be sending me sneak peeks the week of our wedding so we can share them with all our friends?
What time, based on my location, would you recommend we have the ceremony, and when would you recommend we take couples portraits?
Do you recommend taking engagement pictures?
Do you offer printing services?
If You Haven’t Found A Place To Get Married:
Do you have any wedding venue or location recommendations for our wedding that would work best for photos? We are thinking of going for a ______ vibe. (say classic, adventurous, sophisticated, traditional, boho, country, etc.)
Will you go location scouting before the day of our wedding/ elopement to find the best places to take pictures?
Personality/ getting to know you questions for your wedding photographer:
These are the questions that you can ask to see if your personalities will get along, your photographer should feel more like a friend because then you trust them more. A photographer’s job isn’t just to take pictures for you, but to also help you feel at ease, stay on time and also help you take care of yourself. They generally are by your side throughout the day so it's always best that you hire someone that you trust and get along with. Your photographer should be offering you an experience, and the photos are just icing on the cake. Here are a few questions to help you spark a conversation:
How would you describe how you approach taking pictures? Do you talk the whole time hyping us up? Do you use more dry humor and sarcasm? Are you someone who is totally chill and directs calmly?
What are some of your favorite parts about weddings?
What was one of your favorite weddings to photograph?
Here Are A Few Things To Think Of When Asking Personality Questions:
What did you read on their website that you would like to know more about?
Did they travel recently to somewhere where you might want to go on your honeymoon? Ask them about it and if they recommend it.
Basically approach this meeting with an open mind. This shouldn’t be super stressful and if it feels really awkward and uncomfortable as if they are trying to sell you something you don’t want or need, feel free to thank them for their time and move on.
In conclusion, interviewing and getting to know your photographer should not be stressful. Remember that your wedding is all about you and your partner starting a life together, hire someone who will best be able to capture that first chapter of your new chapter book, and don’t be afraid to interview other photographers in the process. There is a wedding photographer for every couple, but not every wedding photographer best suits every couple. Your call to action is this: if you don’t remember any other advice from this blog post, please write this one down: You and your fiance deserve to enjoy your wedding, and if one of the photographers you interview will help you enjoy your wedding to its fullest and not cause you to stress, hire them. They are worth every penny and more.
With Love,
Annie Shannon, DFW based Adventurous Destination Wedding and Elopement Photographer
