When meeting with a wedding photographer, there are lots of guides and questions that you can get from magazines and online. These are great guides to have, but I have compiled a list of questions that I think every engaged couple should ask when they meet with a prospective wedding photographer. Hopefully, my prospective as a wedding photographer will give you more of an insight into what you should be asking.
Most of these questions don’t have a right or wrong answer, but in a few cases I have added comments in parenthesis about things I feel are must-haves. By the way, if you would like to know A Moment in Time Photography’s answers to these questions, book a free bridal consult with Jennifer today!
- Who will be the person shooting my wedding? (This is important, as many photographers have studio managers that meet with clients. That isn’t a huge deal, but it is super important that you meet with your specific photographer at least once before you walk down the aisle!)
- How long have you been in business?
- Are you part time or full time? (In my experience, part time photographers can be just as good as full time photographers. However, sometimes part time photographers take a little more time getting photos back, albums ordered, etc., since they have a day job to work at as well. This isn’t a deal breaker, but something you do need to be aware of)
- How many camera bodies do you have? (Should be AT LEAST two)
- How many lenses do you have? (Should be AT LEAST three)
- Do you travel? What are your travel fees?
- How many proofs should I expect to see from my wedding?
- Do you offer discounts for off season, or non-Saturday weddings?
- Are your packages customizable if none of your current packages fits our needs best?
- Do you provide the digital negatives in the package?
- If so, are they edited and / or retouched?
- If they are not provided, are they available for an additional cost?
- Do you include an album in your packages? Can you show me a sample or photos of an album similar to what I will get?
- How many weeks or months after the wedding can I expect to have my proofs, my album design, and my album? (Some photographers that take a wedding every weekend, or even multiple weddings per weekend can take up to a year to deliver your album)
- Do you shoot digital or film?
- How much retouching is included, and what will I have to pay extra for, if needed?
- Do you have business insurance? (MUST HAVE)
- Are you a member of any local or national photography associations? (PPA is a big one, so is DWF, and WPPI.)
- Will the assistants and other photographers you hire to help shoot my wedding be people you have worked with before?
- Will there be a second shooter at my wedding?
- What happens if you are sick and / or injured and cannot shoot our wedding?
- What if we decide to change the date of our wedding?
- What is the process of how things work if and when we decide to book you? What all is in your contract? (There needs to be a contract protecting both you and the photographer)
- How available are you to communicate with? Can I call, email, text you?
Last thing of note: Get to know your photographer. See how it feels to meet with them. Your photographer is going to be with you about 90% of your wedding day, so if you feel like your personalities don’t mesh, then it might be a good idea to keep looking for a photographer. You want someone that is compassionate, kind, and fun to be around, but that can also take charge during portrait time to get the portraits done quickly and effectively!
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