A photographer is one of the most important parts of your wedding celebration because you will have the photographs as wedding memories for the rest of your life. You will show the wedding photos to children and grandchildren one day. You may have pictures of your engagement, bridal or wedding portraits up on your wall for all to see. And on anniversaries to come, you and your spouse can sit down together and remember the amazing time you had on your wedding day. So you need to make sure you find the best wedding photographer for you. And the way to do that is by asking questions.
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Javier Olivero Photography
You have narrowed down your list of possible local photographers and set up a face-to-face meeting with each one. Now you have to put together a list of questions to ask your potential wedding photographer when you have your meeting. Asking questions is essential. Your wedding photos really are one of the only momentos you will have from your engagement and wedding day, so you want to make sure you are paying for exactly what you want. It would be horrible if you did not ask important questions to your wedding photographer, and then dislike the finished product and be unhappy.
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Sara Butler Photography
SnapKnot, a wedding photography site that helps engaged coupled find their perfect photographer, has put together a list of 15 important questions you should be sure to ask your potential wedding photographer. No matter how many you meet with, these questions will help you to figure out which one would be the best one for you.
1. Do you have my wedding date available?
This is a great question to ask upfront. If they do not have your date available, there is no need to waste their (or you and your fiancés) time.
2. How many weddings have you photographed?
You may not care if the photographer you choose has never shot a wedding before, but if you know that you want someone who has a background with photographing weddings, that is a great question to ask!
3. Do you have any testimonials that you could share from past clients?
It may also be good to ask for a specific list of references and the wedding photographer should not hesitate when you ask for this! Do not think that you are going to hurt their feelings by asking for this. You are interviewing them to possibly pay for their photographing service and you want to be sure you are paying for someone who you trust and who others have nothing but wonderful things to say about their personality and the work that they do.
4. How would you describe your photography style?
Are they traditional, creative, photojournalistic? It is very important to know and if you have a preference, you want to know up front what type of work they do. Not sure what type of style you like, read this post onwedding portrait styles to get a description of all the different types.
5. Can we see your portfolio?
Of course you want to see some of their past work before you decide if you love them or not. You may also want to ask to see sample albums, so you can get a true feel of what type of products they offer.
6. Can I give you a list of specific shots we want to be sure to get on our wedding day?
This should not be a problem as a wedding photographer should want to work alongside of you to make sure they give you exactly the photos you are hoping for. Need some help figuring out some amazing poses to do during your photo session? Check out this engagement posing guide for some inspiration.
7. Do you shoot each wedding by yourself or do you have a second shooter or an assistant help you out?
Also, it is good to know if that second shooter or assistant is an extra charge or already included in the price.
8. What is your policy about other wedding guests taking photos?
Each and every photographer has preferences. With the abundance of camera phones today, everyone takes photos, so you just want to make sure that your specific photographer you choose has the same preferences that you have. You may have a hashtag on Instagram that you really want all of your guests to take photos and tag you in. Sometimes your guests snapping photos everywhere could get in the way of the photographer, so it may be worth bringing up before the big day arrives!
9. Do you offer packages?
Packages are a great way to get a few different types of items included in one simple price. You could get 8 hours of wedding day photography, a bridal session and an album. You may also want to see if you can customize a package based on your specific needs.
10. How much of a deposit to you require and when do you want it by?
Always something great to know, especially with all the budgeting and planning you have to do during your wedding planning.
11. What time will you arrive at the wedding on the day of the event and how many hours do you shoot?
You want to make sure that they will arrive on time and that they stay for as many hours as you need. If you know that many of your wedding guests are party animals and you think it may go longer than expected, make sure you talk with your photographer to make sure they will stay until it is over. If they will, be sure to ask how much extra would that be.
13. Do you provide retouching services and are they included with the price?
While you figure that most photographers include these services, it is always good to ask. Also, be sure to read our wedding photographer pricing page to know about other things that may or may not be included in the cost?
14. How long after the wedding will I get to see my proofs?
You want to make sure you will get to see your photos within a decent amount of time. No one wants to wait weeks or months to see all the beautiful moments from your amazing wedding day!
15. Do you provide the digital images for each photo?
And if they do provide them, how much does that cost? That could even be included in specific packages the photographer offers, so be sure to check on that.
Salt and Pine PhotographyLearn more about “Salt and Pine Photography”
Salt and Pine Photography
These 15 questions are so important when you are trying to find your potential wedding photographer. Even if you happen to have a question that is not on this list, make sure you ask it! Not only do you want to get all your questions answered, you want your photographer to be someone who is easy to talk to and get along with… they will be spending A LOT of time with you on one of the most important days of your life! If you are trying to find the perfect wedding photographer for your engagement photos and your upcoming nuptials, look no further than SnapKnot! SnapKnot makes it easy for you by matching you with photographers who are in your location, budget range and more! From there, you can see a list of photographers and can then start narrowing them down from there. To start finding your perfect photographer, you can create a FREE account and you can be matched with photographers within a day!