10 Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer Before Hiring Them
If you’re here, you’re probably 1. getting married (CONGRATS!) or 2. having some other type of life event you want documented (ALSO CONGRATS!) and you’re trying to figure out how what questions you should be asking your photographer. Chances are, you don’t pay for professional photos very often. They’re definitely an investment so you’re smart to make sure you cover your bases before you jump in and spend your hard earned money!
I’m a photographer based out of Southern California and I meet with clients all the time who have no idea where to start with this process. Luckily, I lay out the entire process for them! When I got married back in 2013 I had NO FREAKIN IDEA what to ask my photographer. I was like, ok cool so you’ll take our pictures, I’ll pay you a bunch of money, and we good? I wish I had read something like this before jumping in! Luckily, it turned out well for me but I hear horror stories so often of unhappy couples! This post is to help you feel prepared for your meeting with your photographer but also give you some peace of mind. Keep in mind though, nothing is concrete unless it’s written in their contract. (There should ALWAYS be a contract when exchanging money & services! This protects both YOU and the photographer!)
If you’re like me, you like the short version AND the long version. So I’ll jump right in with the list of questions I’ll go over. I’ll go through each question below but here’s the short version!
Are your packages customizable?
Do you offer print services?
Can I see a full wedding gallery?
What’s your backup process?
Do you offer a planning session?
How do you deliver the photos?
What’s your cancellation policy?
How would you describe your photography style?
What’s your turnaround time? Do you offer sneak peeks?
Do you have insurance?
Ok let’s start with #1
Are your packages customizable?
This one is just good info to know right off the bat. If there’s something you’d rather not have included in your package (some couples forego engagement sessions to save money or request less wedding day coverage.)
Do you offer print services?
This not a deal breaker obviously but it’s always nice if a photographer can stand behind their print services. Sometimes they even offer custom albums where they design the album and all you have to do is give them the green light to get it printed after checking out the proof! If they don’t offer print services, do yourself a favor and ask them where they’d recommend getting photos or albums printed. There really is such a huge difference between drugstore quality prints and some of the higher end companies. And just because you want high quality prints and albums, doesn’t mean you have to break the bank! And I don’t need to tell you to get your photos printed right?? There is something so different and special about holding an ACTUAL PHOTO. Put your photos up around your house! Have a cute box hold prints! Get an album printed! Gift an album to your parents for Christmas! I could go on and on. Your photos weren’t meant only for social media or to sit on your computer. Can you tell I’m passionate about this? LOL
Can I see a full wedding gallery?
This question is so good for so many reasons. It ensures that your photographer has been the main photographer at a wedding before and that their photos aren’t just from styled photoshoots. It also gives you a good idea of how they capture an entire wedding day. You’ll see if they get a lot of candids or if they take mostly posed shots. You’ll see how they shoot a ceremony as well as what their reception photos look like with their flash. You’ll also get a good idea of how many photos they send. For example - I typically send anywhere between 600-900 photos per wedding day. This includes getting ready photos, a first look if there is one, bridal party photos, ceremony, toasts/first dance/cake cutting, and dancing photos of the guests and bride and groom!
What’s your backup process?
You want to cover your butt here! You’re putting your memories in the hands of your photographer. I won’t go into some stories I’ve heard about other people’s weddings and their photographer ‘cause that’s not gonna help anything, but trust me — you want your photographer to have a backup process. For example — both of my cameras have TWO memory cards that they put each image on. So already, when I take the photo, the image is in two places. Then, after each shoot, I backup the raw format photos on two external hard drives so while I’m editing, the unedited photos are in two separate places and then the edited photos are then backed up on your online gallery as well as two external hard drives. It’s just good for you to know that there’s no chance of your precious memories being lost!
Do you offer a planning session?
This is an awesome way to make sure you and your photographer work together to get the photos you’re looking for on your day. Not every photographer does this, but I think it’s a nice touch. With my couples, I hop on the phone or meet up in person and just chat through how they want their wedding to go, what their expectations are for their photos, and just get a general idea of what’s important to them. Some of my couples want a chunk of time set aside for sunset photos, some couples would rather not miss their cocktail hour. Every couple is so different and every couple has different parts of their wedding day that stand out as more important to them. Yeah you’ll work with your coordinator if you have one, but it’s nice to work with your photographer on this too!
How do you deliver the photos?
This one’s just kinda helpful to know ahead of time. Your photographer will probably mention this before you book but there are really so many ways to receive your photos. Online galleries are becoming more and more popular — for good reason! It’s so easy for you to hop online from any computer or phone and share or download your photos. Some photographers (like myself) will send you a link to your online gallery but also send a USB drive for you to have for your peace of mind.
What’s your cancellation policy?
You never know what’s going to happen. (Coronavirus is a PRIME example) Maybe you change your wedding date, decide to elope, or find another photographer you’re dying to work with. Most photographers require a 50% retainer fee. That means that half of your photography package is due up front. The reason why most photographers do this is because once you’re booked — they’re likely turning away other weddings or paid jobs because of the wedding you’ve booked with them. If you have to cancel for some reason, some photographers will allow you to put the money from your retainer fee toward some other service or photography session. Their policy is usually outlined in their contract!
How would you describe your photography style?
Your photographer’s answer to this says a lot about them! Make sure you really vibe with their answer! I would describe my style as artsy, quirky, unique, and emotional and my wedding photography is centered around capturing the feel of the day and the personalities of the couple. I also really focus on candid moments, especially while capturing weddings. I’m super inspired by film photography. I love getting creative. I also am so inspired by joy and celebration!
What’s your turnaround time? Do you offer sneak peeks?
Some of my favorite moments from my honeymoon are re-living the wedding day with my husband. It was such an amazing and fun day, I could re-live it over and over! Sneak peeks are such a fun touch to give you a taste of the full gallery to come! The turnaround for photographers really varies. You want to have this piece written in the contract you sign so whatever turnaround time the photographer has promised you, they’ll follow through. I tell my couples their gallery will be delivered no later than 6-8 weeks from their wedding but typically I will send out their gallery much sooner.
Do you have insurance?
So this one might not occur to you. Many photographers are operating without licensing or insurance. They might not know they need it to be legally running a business or maybe they’re trying to cut costs and increase profits. Either way, making sure your photographer is insured is basically like asking “are you legit?” If something happens to them or their equipment, they’re not going to sue you for damages because their insurance covers it. Besides, most venues require proof of liability insurance from all the vendors involved!
I really hope this was helpful! I really want to be a resource for you while you’re planning — I’m a real human over here and I’ll totally answer your email if you send me one! Email me at stephaniesousaartistry@gmail.com if you have any questions or if you wanna connect!
Wanna see some galleries, learn more about me, or just chat?
You might also be interested in some of my other helpful blog posts:
