Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Hiring

Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Hiring

Choosing the right wedding photographer is super important. After all, you want the pictures of your favourite day to be as beautiful as you remembered it. To make sure you make the right choice, check out these 10 questions to ask your wedding photographer before hiring.

The days of awkward blurry photographs from your wedding day are over. Nowadays, 90 percent of wedding couples hire a professional photographer to make sure they get the snaps they want.

Your wedding is your special day. You want to capture the wonderful moments of the day to remember for the rest of your lives. That’s why it’s important to hire a wedding photographer that’s right for you.

You are going to spend your wedding day with the photographer. So it’s also important to get along well. That’s why it’s always good to meet in face-to-face. In person if possible, or via video call, which is just as good and very often more time efficient!

But if you’ve never hired a photographer of any kind, it can be difficult knowing the questions to ask your wedding photographer. That’s why we’ve put together this guide for the top 10 questions to ask your wedding photographer.

1. What’s Your Photography Style?

Photography is an art form that comes in many different styles.

Most photographers have a preferred style. It’s important to hire a photographer that is passionate about the same style as you. Photography styles range from traditional to photojournalism to fashion to fine-art to black-and-white.

wedding photographer london cofetti shot2. What’s Your Experience?

It’s important to find out about the experience of the photographer in the interview. Do they specialise in weddings or do they do any other type of photography?

It’s always good to know that your photographer has many years of experience shooting weddings.

You want to know how many weddings they have shot. After all, plenty of professional photographers don’t work full-time. They might have only shot a few weddings over a period of a few years.

It’s important to keep in mind that just because someone has been taking photos for many years, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re better than a photographer that’s new to the game.

3. How Would You Describe Your Working Style?

This question is quite important as it will give you an idea of how your photographer will behave on the day and how will they interact with you and the wedding guests.

They can either have a more unobtrusive approach, blending in with the crowd or shooting from the distance. This is more characteristic of documentary or photojournalistic wedding photography approach with less interference and documenting things as they unfold.

The other approach is a more traditional one, where the photographer takes more active involvement in setting up and choreographing the shots.

lillibrooke manore wedding couple shoot4. Do You Provide a Wedding Photographer Contract?

Many professional photographers don’t provide clients with any kind of contract. It’s not worth risking this. Avoid any photographer that refuses to grant you a contract.

Make sure you obtain a contract that provides the details of the service they’re are providing you. This should include the charges and the terms and conditions.

This way you’re protected if the wedding photographer doesn’t fulfil the agreed terms, such as failing to show up on the day.

The photographer may be unable to attend your wedding day at the last moment, for example, due to illness. It’s important to make sure the photography studio compensates you and provides a substitute photographer.

5. Are You Insured?

It’s essential that you make sure your wedding photographer has insurance.

This way you can be certain that you’re not liable for the photography equipment in case of theft. Or, for example, if a guest is injured by the equipment, the photographer is insured.

the best wedding photography photos6. What Will You Wear?

You don’t want your wedding photographer to look out of place at your wedding. It’s important that they dress according to the theme or style of the wedding day.

For example, if you’re having an especially formal wedding or a very casual wedding, this could affect how you want the photographer to dress.

If your wedding is of a particular religion or culture, your wedding photographer might be required to wear specific colours or patterns.

Most experienced wedding photographers dress in plain and formal clothes. But it’s always worth asking to make sure.

7. Will you be the Photographer Shooting My Wedding? If so do You Work Solo or With an Assistant?

Many photographers run larger studios and will often send one of their associates to document the wedding, hopefully in the style and approach that you expect. If so, it is important to meet the photographer who will actually shoot your wedding to see if your personalities match and to talk things over before the wedding day.

Whether they have an assistant is also important. As this may result in the more visible presence of the photographer(s), especially if the wedding is more intimate or you prefer more unobtrusive approach.

On the other hand, they may be able to cover more angles throughout the day, as well as be able to cover the preparations of the bride as well as the groom. Especially if you are getting ready in locations that are far away from each other.

the best wedding photography in e world8. What Happens with the Wedding Goes Over-Time?

It’s always difficult to know how long the reception of the day will last. Many wedding receptions party into the early hours of the next morning.

It’s worthwhile asking the wedding photographer what happens with the wedding event goes over-time. You want to know whether they charge extra. Or even, you might not want them to pack up and leave before the event is over.

9. What Equipment Do You Use?

This can be a tricky question if you’re not knowledgeable about photography. But it doesn’t matter how much you know. Ask the photographer about the kind of camera body he/she uses and the lens type.

Even though it’s not essential that your photography has the best quality equipment on the market. You can produce excellent pictures without using the top equipment.

Always ask that the photographer has backup equipment. You can’t risk something going wrong on the day with the lens or camera.

Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Hiring 110. What’s the Post-Production Process and How Long Until the Photos Are Ready?

The style of the finished photographs is also determined by the post-production process. It’s important to ask whether they provide post-production services or not.

Many photographers do not provide clients with the finished and post-produced product. It’s important to make sure they provide you with a professional product.

There are often post-production techniques that you can choose from. For example, colour correction. It’s important to ask advance if you have a particular look for the post-produced pictures.

It’s understandable that you’ll be impatient about receiving your wedding day photographs. But it always takes time to produce and deliver professional photographs.

You should expect to have your photographs anytime between a couple of weeks and a few months. It mostly depends on the post-production process and also whether your wedding will be more towards the beginning or the end of the wedding season.

However, be aware that many photographers might tell you that they can produce and deliver the photographs within a week of the wedding day. It’s important to watch out for cutting corners.

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

With our wedding photography checklist, you can make sure you know which questions to ask your wedding photographer in the interview.

It’s important to hire the best wedding photographer to capture your special day in the highest quality.

If you want to find out more about my wedding photography services, get in touch today!

15 thoughts on “Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer Before Hiring”

  1. Wedding contract that’s what should be the first one. Many newbies won’t supply that, that should be information for a couple to choose another photographer.

    Reply
    • I agree it’s very important. I would definitely not hire anyone for my wedding without a proper contract and insurances, those things are a must!

      Reply
  2. A very good article and this set of questions will surely benefit people who are looking to hire a wedding photographer. I agree to the ninth point strongly because what type of camera they are going to use for our marriage really matters more. Not only the camera is going to do the job by means of their unique style they have to show their creativity to the customers in order to inspire them and to gain their attention.

    Reply

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