Five Questions To Ask Your Wedding Photographer
For your wedding photography to match your vision, it’s critical that you have a connection with your photographer. The best way to establish a rapport early on with them is to meet in person or talk on the phone. And it’s important to remember that this is a two-way conversation: The photographer will have questions for you, and you should have questions for them.
When I’m on the phone with my clients, I like to get to know their story, their dream for the day and the details that they’re planning for it. I want to make sure that we’d be a good fit if we were to work together.
Over the years, I’ve learned that these are the most important questions you should ask of your wedding photographer.
What inspires you?
I wish every client would ask me this question. This is more than a job to me: It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of something sacred. I take pleasure in all the behind-the-scenes, in-between-big-events moments. I love when grooms cry. I know that I’m helping people preserve memories for a lifetime, and that’s what inspires me to do my job, and do it with every ounce of my ability.
Photography is also my art. It’s my creative expression. Every creative element of the day inspires me, from the dress the bride chooses, to the way she wears it. From the rings that bind you together to the floral arrangements that give life to the reception. When you ask your wedding photographer this question, listen for the passion in their voice.
How long have you been in business?
There is a big difference in what you’ll experience working with a seasoned photographer and with someone who is new to the game. Newer photographers tend to be more affordable, as they’re building their businesses. But the advantage of an experienced photographer is just that: They have experience. Although your wedding day will be perfect, not everything will go perfectly. In the past couple of years, I have:
Fixed a wedding dress that wasn’t fitting properly
Stopped a parade (temporarily) so we could continue taking portraits
Readjusted my lighting setup when an entire ceremony moved indoors as it started to rain
Moved up family photos when a priest arrived late
And more!
You want a photographer who has been through the ringer and will navigate any little (or big) bumps that may happen on your big day. You can feel calm and safe in the hands of a seasoned photographer.
What’s your process like before, during and after the wedding?
Besides your planner, no vendor will be with you longer than your wedding photographer. In the months before your wedding, I guide you through my process for planning and preparing to have the best day — and the best photos from your day. I’ll be available for questions about everything from your timeline to the color of your bridesmaids’ dresses. And I’ll send you my expert advice on a range of topics that will help your day be even more beautiful and relaxed.
You’ll want to get a sense of how available your photographer will be for you leading up to the wedding, what working with them on your big day will be like and how you will receive your photos after it’s all over. This question gives you another chance to get comfortable with a person you’ll be spending a lot of time with.
Have you shot at venues similar to ours?
Clients will often ask potential photographers if they have shot at their venue. But that’s not always the most helpful question to ask. Even if they have shot at your wedding venue, it could have been under very different circumstances. What if it was during winter, but you’re having a summer wedding? What if it was an evening ceremony, but yours will be in the afternoon? Venues look different depending on all sorts of factors, and a single gallery won’t tell you much about the photographer’s abilities.
Instead, you should ask to see a few galleries of venues that are similar to yours. You want to see if they can accomplish the style you’re looking for in a variety of settings. A busy wedding photographer can work at a dozen or more new venues in a year, and a skilled photographer handles each new situation with ease.
What is your photography backup process like? How do you preserve our photos?
The nightmare for any couple — and for any photographer — is that the wedding photos are lost. I pride myself on a backup process that I consider to be as close to foolproof as humanly possible. This includes a meticulous process of shooting to multiple cards and backups.
Even before I leave your ceremony, I back up your images onto a portable hard drive. As soon as I get home, I back them up onto two separate and secure hard drives. By the time you’re sound asleep from your blissful day, I have your photos resting in four separate digital spaces.
I store and seal film in a waterproof bag that doesn’t leave my side until I get home. Then I package it securely and ship it to the lab with insurance and tracking. Once the film arrives at the lab, it is backed up to digital negatives for an extra layer of protection.
When I upload your photos, I pay for a service that preserves them in the cloud for another layer of safekeeping.
You will want to make sure that your photographer has a thorough plan for preserving your images and fail-safes in place in case anything goes wrong.
