When you are planning a wedding, everyone has tons of advice for you. And then of course, there is the internet to advise you what others don't or can't. All over the internet there are lists. What to ask your florist, what to ask your caterer, what to ask your cake baker, and of course "What to ask your photographer". I must admit, I always chuckle a tad when I see these lists. Some of them have very good points, and some of them are completely obvious and won't get you anywhere. Over the coarse of many meetings with brides and grooms as well as email interaction, I've come up with a list of questions I feel are very important to ask photographers. These are all questions that I have not personally seen on any list, but ones that I feel need to be asked. In fact, as a photographer, I would LOVE if people asked me these things up front. I would SO much rather have people book me because they like my style as opposed to hiring me because I'm their cheapest option. Here are some things you can ask your photographer to make sure your choice is a good fit. Hint: Ask these questions BEFORE asking what their price is :) In my opinion, there are more important factors in choosing a photographer than what their cost is.
1) Can I view a full wedding that you have shot?
No one has ever asked me this. Can you believe that? The reason to ask: Anyone (I repeat, ANYONE, even Uncle Bob with his point-and-shoot) can pick 20-40 decent shots out of thousands to show people. Do you want just a few good photos and hundreds of bad ones? Maybe the particular photographer takes outdoor photos that you love, but takes horrible alter formals. If they don't shoot strong alter formals, do you think they are going to put them on their online portfolio? Probably not. You may not realize how important the "boring alter formals" are, but those are the timeless ones. Those are the ones your kids will care most about. Those are the ones your grandparents care most about now. Most photographers don't advertise with alter formals (myself included) because they are fairly standard. However, while still being standard, there are a lot of ways they can screw them up. If you found a $200 photographer somewhere and you've seen a few shots they took on their Facebook page and think they look good, make sure to view a whole wedding. There is a good chance they are subpar. Remember, people charge what they can afford to charge; if a photographer is cheap, they likely have cheap equipment and less experience.
**Side note about the $200 photographer thing. I picked that number because that was once me. And I was inexperienced. Everyone has to start somewhere, and I'm not bashing on that one bit. I am incredibly grateful for the customers who trusted me at that point in my career with such an important day. If you have someone that you trust who's just starting out, give them a chance if you are confident in them. But don't be too hard on them if things aren't perfect; you are getting what you paid for and know what you are getting into when you book them!
2) How many cameras do you bring?
The reason: If a photographer only brings one camera, what happens if it fails? Digital cameras are a product of technology; with technology comes issues from time to time. Don't be fooled by the "Well, I've never had any problems before" line. That just means they are due...I speak from experience. I had never had a digital camera fail until I was shooting family photos for a cousin of mine in town from Minnesota. Something with the extreme humidity in the air did not agree w/ my camera and it gave me an error code and she was done for. Fortunately, I had my back up on me. Don't let something like this happen on your wedding day. Any legit photographer will bring more than one camera; unfortunately, there are a lot of phonies out there relaying on one. I bring 3-4 cameras to a wedding out of paranoia.
3) What is your system for backing up images?
The reason: This one is pretty obvious; if they don't have a back up plan, they aren't worth your time, even if they are your cheapest option. I have heard horror stories of photos getting lost between the wedding and post production. I don't have a right or wrong method for you here; everyone has their own method. Just watch for a blank stare and a lot of stuttering when you ask this question. That will be your answer.
4) Walk me through your philosophy when shooting a wedding.
The reason: Make sure your photographer isn't going to annoy the heck out of you. When I hired a photographer, I wanted someone that I could stand to spend 10 hours of my most important day with. I wanted someone that would know when to back off and when to get up close.
Ask how they approach shooting a ceremony. Do they get all up in everyone's business or do they back off? Then, decide what is most important to you. When I shoot a wedding, I do so as discretely as possible. It is my belief that I should be the focal point of no one at YOUR wedding. Some people would rather have someone that's up and down and all over the place getting their shots. All personal preference, but make sure you know what you're getting in to. Reception is also important for this. I don't like setting my flash off right up in everyone's face, so I back off a bit. You get a different kind of photo; decide what you prefer.
5) Please explain in detail the items included in your packages.
The reason: I can't tell you how many people feel like their photographer duped them. Misunderstandings can be a huge problem with wedding photography and can be incredibly frustrating for everyone involved. Make sure you know full well what you are getting with what you paid for.
6) What is the typical amount of photos you take for the time frame given?
The reason: Well...because you want to know what you are getting! Some photographers believe in only taking 100 great photos, some like to take 3,000. Decide what is most important to you. This one is again personal preference, but goes back to viewing a whole wedding before you book. I truly can't express how important I think that is.
7) What is your policy on retouching?
The reason: Some photographers will get you on retouching costs. Say you woke up with one of those dreaded pimples by your lip on your wedding day. Do you want someone who is going to charge you $5.00 a picture to take it off? This is one area people don't think to ask about until it's too late. Double check ahead of time.
8) What is your digital copyright policy?
The reason: Some people get tricked by this one. They think they are getting a disk of images to print off of, and when they receive it their photos are low resolution and unable to be printed from. Be cautious and know what you are getting in to.
I truly hope that this helps you make the right decision, no matter who it is you are booking. When people find out that I am a photographer, I tend to hear a lot of stories about awful experiences people have had, when I believe a little research could have avoided the problem. You just have to know what to ask. Don't completely ignore all those other lists out there, but think about asking these things as well :) I want my couples to feel as informed as possible and do not get offended if they ask me 100 questions...I prefer it that way, and I'm sure most photographers are the same way. Every photographer has their own way of doing things; there is no right or wrong, just a matter of preference.
Today I was sorting through my personal photos and, like I so often do, I began getting distracted by photos that caught my eye. Often I return to photos that are years old and look at them in a completely different light. One of the downfalls of your career also being a hobby is that your personal work often gets pushed a side. I think it's incredibly important for me to keep shooting for fun so I don't lose sight of why I started photography to begin with. I stumbled upon several folders that I had barely even looked through, and some that I had spent hours on but didn't think much of certain photos. All of these photos were taken on personal photoshoots except for the one of the fifties couple; that was taken for a school assignment called "Fashion". All of these photos have never been used for anything, and have never been shown to anyone else.
