What to ask your wedding photographer

Have you thought about what to ask your wedding photographer?

Your photographer is one of the most important suppliers you will hire for your wedding. The photographs will become your pictorial memories of the day so it’s very important you get what you want.

Also, albeit I’m a strong proponent of you getting on well with all your suppliers, it is essential you really click with your photographer.

He, she or they will be in close proximity with you at highly emotional stages throughout your day.

Whichever style of photography you choose, there will always be an element of staging and setting up images and you want to feel comfortable with the person asking you to tilt your head or look in a certain direction.

These are some key questions I would ask when researching, and ultimately shortlisting and meeting, photographers:

Is your date available?

If your date is set, it’s really important to check that it’s available to the photographer before entering into further discussions. You don’t want to be disappointed after having found the photographer you love.

View whole weddings

Make sure you’re able to view whole weddings they’ve shot. Everyone can show you their top images per wedding but you want to be sure they are consistently good throughout the day.

What will they wear? 

This may sound odd but some photographers wear a uniform which may well be all black, or involve a branded top, which you may not want. If you’re keen for them to look smart and blend in with your guests let them know, but remember they need to be comfortable as they’re on their feet for hours with heavy kit to carry.

Copyright

Ultimately the images are the photographer’s intellectual property but most will give a personal use copyright license as part of the contract. This means you can print copies and share online but not publish or sell them. The photographer may require you to credit them, or share watermarked versions on social media. 

Albums

 Do the package prices include an album. If so you want to see what it looks like or what options you have. Many will offer the option of giving you the images digitally then you might want to return for an album later.

Have you shot my venue before? 

If they have done that is great, you’ll be able to look at images from the venue. If not, it’s not a problem, but you want to be looking for someone with a keenness to do a site visit, check out focal points with or without rain and you want to see a genuine interest. Clearly if you’re having a destination wedding it is unlikely this will happen until you arrive there, unless the photographer is local, so it’s important to schedule time for them to do a site visit the day before.

If you’re having a Church wedding it’s important for the photographer to visit if possible, or if not they need to understand any restrictions with regard to moving around or where they may base themselves.

Hours and Costs 

Make sure you understand what your package includes, particularly in terms of hours. You also need to know whether you pay for mileage, what the costs are for additional hours and whether the photographer requires a hot meal, which usually they will as they’ll be working for many hours.

How long until you see the images? 

This can really vary, especially in high wedding season, as there is a huge amount of editing to do post wedding. Most photographers will give you a timescale, ie within a certain number of weeks, and some will send you a handful of images quickly so you get a feel for what’s coming.

Number of images

Your photographer should give you an idea of the number of images to expect. Most will shoot more than you ultimately see. They do this so you get the best possible images, so trust them with what they send you.

Submission to Blogs or Magazines

You may love the idea of your photographer submitting their work on your wedding for publication, however if you want to maintain your privacy make that clear before booking them.

Will it be you shooting my wedding? 

It’s very important to feel comfortable with your photographer in particular so you need to have met the person/ people who will actually be shooting. Some companies have multiple photographers/ videographers so be sure you know exactly who will be with you.

Can you bring a second shooter? 

Many couples want two photographers, at least for part of the day, to get both of you getting ready, both ends of the aisle and two different angles for various shots. 

Photographers may insist on bringing a second shooter over a certain number of guests, or if you’re getting ready too far apart for one photographer to cover both.

Speak to your photographer and see what they suggest within your budget.

What if you’re sick? 

This goes, to some degree, for all suppliers, but is very important for photographers. Most have a network of colleagues and will do their utmost to find you someone with a similar style and approach. You want to know what the back up is.

Working well together 

You need a photographer and videographer who work well together. Many will suggest who they like working with. If you’ve booked them separately make sure you introduce them and give them time to meet up pre wedding.

Make some notes of questions you need to ask your photographer, especially if you already have one booked.

Image Credits: Pexels, Mark Wallis Photography, Pexels