If you just got engaged, this whole wedding process is very new to you. You say, "What do I really need to know about my wedding photographer before hiring them?" Well, we've come up with a list of frequently asked questions that we don't mind answering at meetings and suggest that you ask your wedding photographer as well! Besides the obvious questions about their packages and contract, here are some good ones to ask and some of the reasoning behind it!
Photography Style:
·
Do you
take the traditional family portraits?
Lighting:
·
Are you
solely a natural light photographer that uses available light or do you bring
supplemental lighting for indoor locations?
Weddings often have very dim
ceremonies or reception areas that require specific equipment to adequately
photograph the event. Make sure your photographer has the equipment necessary
for every type of lighting scenario. If the photographer is only using natural
light and does not bring flashes, make sure they have the cameras and lenses to
shoot in low light situations.
·
Do you
have lenses that can shoot at an aperture of F2.8 or lower?
This is a very basic photography
question that should be answered with a YES. This insures that your
photographer has adequate lenses to shoot in low light.
Liability:
·
Do you
have a business license?
This shows that they are serious
about photography and honest with their business.
·
Do you
have liability insurance?
This is important because if one of
your guests were to trip over a light stand or any photography equipment, your
photographer should be covered so your guests aren’t stuck with the bill.
·
Is your
equipment insured? Are you a part of any professional organizations that offers
liability coverage?
If
any of your photographer’s equipment is damaged or stolen before your wedding,
it can be quickly replaced through insurance and other professional
organizations like Canon Professional Services, Professional Photographers of
America, etc.
·
How are
the images handled after the wedding?
Is
there an off-site backup of the images and are there redundant copies of the
images on separate hard drives? Data backup is very important!
·
What
happens if you get sick the night before our wedding, will you find a
replacement or would you just cancel?
Being a part of a local professional
photography network allows photographers to find a replacement with the same
professional knowledge and artistic capability.
·
Do you
bring backup gear?
(extra camera bodies, memory cards,
batteries, lenses, etc. )
Prints, Products
& Albums:
·
Do you
offer specialty print items like canvas gallery wraps and custom albums? If so,
could I please have your price list?
·
Do you
choose the photos to design my wedding album or do I?
Miscellaneous:
·
Is
photography your full time job? How many events do you shoot per year?
·
How far
in advance do you book your dates for photography?
·
What are
your professional credentials?
·
How long
do you keep the photos after the wedding?
·
What will
you be wearing to our wedding?
·
Can I see
a wedding you’ve shot from start to finish?
Of course photographers are going to
put the best of the best online and in albums, but you want to make sure you
like all of the photos in between, too.
Pricing:
·
Besides
the package price plus tax, is there a travel fee or any other hidden fees?
·
How much
extra is it to bring a second shooter?
·
Is your photography
coverage an hourly rate? How much do you charge for additional hours?
·
What
happens if my reception activities go 15 minutes later than planned? Would you
bill me for 1/4 of an hour?
·
Once we
give our deposit and choose a wedding collection, can we still add things
later?
{This post simply contains my own thoughts, ideas, and insights. Each photographer is different, and everyone goes about photography differently. This blog's content is copyright of Memory Montage Photography. Please do not copy or republish this text without written permission to do so. If you would like to share this post, please include a link directly to our blog's URL. Thank you!}
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