With all the anticipation and excitement that comes with planning your wedding, the day finally arrives and passes more quickly than you’d imagine. While you can savor every minute of it, one thing is for sure; you will want to relive it forever. The best way to make these moments tangible is to ensure you have a perfect wedding album with the right photographer.
Your photos should provide a beautiful, timeless and exciting account of the most important day of your life. That means taking your time to choose a photographer with the passion and skill to capture those poignant moments.
In this article, we will help you learn what to ask a photographer before a shoot and the right questions to ask when hiring a photographer.
Ready! Let’s get started!
What to Do Before Hiring a Wedding Photographer
Finding the perfect photographer requires preparation on your side. You need to list some of the most special aspects of your big day, choose your style, and start your search for the right photographer. Here is a list of what to do before hiring a wedding planner:
Determine the Style of Photography You Want
While most photographers are adaptable, every photographer has a specific style they shoot best or prefer to shoot. Before choosing a photographer, you might want to think about the style you want and find a selection of photographers who are best at that specific style.
Research the Latest Trends
Weddings are quite dynamic, and most choices are personal. However, it’s worth going through wedding magazines, bridal websites, and social media hashtags to capture the latest trends and apply them to your wedding.
Create a Budget
Photographers often have different packages to suit your needs. Each package varies based on your needs and the day you want them to shoot. Decide what you want and set a realistic budget.
Choose Your Venue
Your photographer will likely enquire about your venue to provide more insights based on their experience. You can have a few options, and your photographer can help you choose the most suitable option.
Browse Your Photographer’s Portfolio
Go through your list and check out the portfolios of the photographers you’re considering. Look at their styles, quality of the images, and example weddings they’ve captured before.
Questions to Ask When Hiring a Photographer
Knowing what to ask a photographer before a shoot is a critical step towards finding your ideal photographer. Here are some of the most important questions to ask your photographer.
What Type of Equipment Do You Use?
Any professional photographer should have high-quality equipment to capture the beautiful moments of your special day. Good photographic equipment goes beyond a good camera. There should be a skilled technician on the ground to prepare the props, lighting, and staging the photos.
What is Your Style?
Even if you have already researched their style, it’s worth confirming with them before making any commitments. Shooting a live event like a wedding requires the ability to move around swiftly to capture fine details of every important moment.
How Many Photos Can I Expect to Get?
Don’t assume that your package will include all the images captured during the special day. Some photographers give 100 images from the 10-hour wedding, while others may give 500 images in full color. Let your photographer clarify the number of images you’ll receive and whether they charge for every extra image you want.
What is Your Experience?
Ask about the years they have been shooting weddings, how many weddings they shoot in a year, and how they intend to make your shoot special.
Are You Insured?
The short answer to this question should be ‘yes’. Weddings are not an exception to injuries and property damage. Your photographer should show accountability by having liability insurance.
How is Your Availability?
You need to know the answer to help you arrange for a practice shoot and the real date of the wedding. If you’re working with a busy photographer, you may need to book a few months in advance.
What’s Your Fee and What Does It Include?
You also need to know the cost to determine whether it fits your budget or not. Remember, photography is a lifelong investment. You will have these few pieces of your wedding day with you for the rest of your life.
Do You Have Backups?
The last thing you want is to have a big section of your wedding not captured due to staff unavailability, equipment breakdown or other technical problems. Every professional photographer should have a backup plan.
What Will You Need from Me?
Any successful photography requires collaboration. What’s needed on your end varies greatly from one photographer to another, which is why it’s essential to ask this question.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a wedding photographer doesn’t have to be difficult, especially when you know what to ask a photographer before a shoot. Your biggest step is knowing what you want and choosing a photographer who understands your vision for your wedding and documents it in style. Remember, it always pays to get the best, because perfection comes with experience.
