Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer
I ONE TIME HEARD A PHOTOGRAPHER SAY, “MY CLIENT ASKS THE DUMBEST QUESTIONS”.
I shortly realized after that clients don’t ask dumb questions, its that they DON’T KNOW which questions to ask or what are the RIGHT questions to ask.
The industry of photography is such a diverse world (it literally is kind of its own world) with every photographer running their business in so many different ways. There really isn’t one streamlined way to run your photography business. And that’s also the beauty of photography, we all attract clients and do business in totally unique ways. Therefore, I can totally see why it may be daunting or overwhelming for a client to know which questions to ask.
LUCKILY FOR YOU, I’VE MADE A LIST.
THERE’S NO PARTICULAR ORDER IN WHICH YOU SHOULD ASK THESE QUESTIONS, NOR IS THERE ANY IMPORTANCE IN HOW I’VE LISTED THESE QUESTIONS. WHEN IT COMES TO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY, EVERY QUESTION IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
ONTO THE LIST!
WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION IF A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FAILS ON YOU DURING MY WEDDING DAY?
A few times I’ve been asked about what gear do I shoot with on a wedding day and many times I hear that photographers get asked about this during their phone consultations. So let me just say this, if you like the photographers work, it’s somewhat redundant to ask about their gear. It’s that particular gear that produces the work that you like.
SIDE NOTE: Don’t hire a photographer based on their gear
Instead a better question to ask is, “What is your solution if a piece of equipment fails on you during my wedding day?” So now the question about their gear seems a lot more irrelevant its more essential to have back up gear than the actual gear itself.
WE are photographing, potentially, the one of the most important days of you and your fiancé’s life together, YOUR photographer should not risk NOT being able to miss any moments because of gear failure.
Gear is mechanical, gear is electrical, there are slight chances they will fail, or even act up. Make sure your photographer has a system in place that can allow them to keep shooting if a piece of equipment goes down. I heard this military saying that put it all in perspective for me that I apply to weddings, “2 is 1, and 1 is none”. And I’ll just leave it at that.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BECOME ILL, OR FOR WHATEVER REASON, CAN’T MAKE IT TO MY WEDDING?
Every photographer should have it written in their contract and in the event that they can’t be present for your wedding day because of illness or some sort of act of God, that someone who is competent for the job can show up on their behalf and photograph your wedding.
Us photographers all have a network of other photographers that we keep relationships with for this exact reason (in addition to many other reasons, of course!)
In the event that this might happen, it definitely does suck, but more importantly if your photographer has a replacement, your wedding day will still be documented.
DO YOU HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE?
Photographers need insurance? YES! Even though we're not some huge corporation or people that sit behind a desk all day, we still need insurance. Actually, some wedding venues even require that you photographer have evidence of the proper coverage before shooting at your wedding. I won’t get too into the insurance part because its super boring, BUT your photographer should know what their coverage is, the limitations, and be able to provide evidence .
CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORKING STYLE?
Seems like s weird question to ask. Typically, you would ask, “Describe your style of photography.” Your photographer doesn’t necessarily need to describe their style of work as they are already portraying it in their work. Think of their website as a visual description. Instead what you should ask is to describe their working style because you can’t tell how a photographer works simply from their photographs.
I’ll explain why this may important for you, your partner, and your wedding day. Say you had a photographer, and you loved their work. Your wedding day comes and your photographer shows up and is being extremely vocal (LOUD,) sounds like an NFL quarterback with their commands, and is really just a dominating personality. While there is nothing wrong is this type of photographer, some clients even need a photographer who is more of a director. But say you and your wedding party are more of a chill, laid back group, and this type of working style may not mesh well with your day. And you’re thinking, “Well who cares, my photos will look great!” Sure, you’re definitely right, but it’s also how you remember your wedding day. “Your photos were great, but your photographer was really bossy".
AND THE SAME GOES FOR HAVING A PHOTOGRAPHER THAT IS TOO LAID BACK AND YOU NEEDED SOMEONE ON THE DAY OF TO REALLY BE A LEADER.
What I’m trying to say is, yes get a wedding photographer who’s work is great and that you adore, but remember that photographer is going to be apart of a day that you will remember forever. Your wedding photographer, in a sense, should be an extension of you and your friends.
So, I’ve made my argument on why this is an important question. Maybe it really shed some light on something you didn’t really think about, maybe you still really don’t care about your photographer’s working style. But at least, it’s something that’s on your radar now.
DO YOU OFFER CUSTOM PACKAGES?
So you’re looking through the website of a photographer that you just need to have for your wedding day, and you look at their packages and maybe you need 7 hours of coverage but they only offer 6 or 8 hours. Maybe you’re having a cool rehearsal dinner the night before and you want that photographed. Maybe you’re not looking for prints or an album and only want digital images.
I think its a misconception that the packages that photographers offer are the only services we do (or at least that may be true for some). I’d like to say the majority of photographers are creating packages that cater to a broad range or a “common thread” that they notice in client needs. But your day is different, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Don’t be afraid to ask if the photographer if they can create a custom price for you.
HOW MANY IMAGES SHOULD I EXPECT TO RECEIVE?
Wedding photography is definitely a form of art, we still run a business and deliver a product at the end of the day. You have expectations as a client and rightfully so. You as client have a right to expect a certain number of photos. Your photographer should give you an estimated number of photos (its somewhat impossible to promise a specific number) that is listed in the contract so that it’s completely clear on both sides.
HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY ALSO CONSIDER THAT AREN’T SO IN-DEPTH:
Do you require a meal? (in my opinion, photographers should not expect a meal at a wedding since its totally up to the couples discretion, HOWEVER, you should notify if they aren’t getting a meal, so that way they can prepare to bring their own)
Do have a second shooter?
Do you have travel-fees?
Will you bring lights?
Are you able to send me full galleries?
What happens if we go over our time with you?
So, that’s my list. I tried to give you questions that based of common knowledge may not have been on your mind. I also tried to give you questions that lead into great talking points for you and your potential wedding photographer. Hopefully, these questions spark more questions and conversations between you and your photographer and are more than just “yes” or “no” questions.
If you need suggestions and advice on questions, down below I’ll link some more awesome blogs that will help you out also!
The Knot - Important Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers Before You Book
Here Comes the Guide - 39 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer
Brides - 36 Important Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer