| The wedding date is set! Already, the excitement is | | | | years after the wedding. |
| building for your big day. You want awesome | | | | 7. What kind of improvements do you make to the |
| wedding pictures. But the challenge feels daunting. | | | | files on the CD/DVD? |
| You know your family shutterbug Uncle Ned is not | | | | It is nice to have your pictures in hand to keep safe |
| who you had in mind. Chances are you have never | | | | and make whatever prints you like. Keep in mind all |
| hired a photographer before. So where do you start? | | | | digital images on the disc should be toned, adjusted |
| You know you want to interview the candidates, but | | | | and worked a little to make an adequate print. You |
| what do you ask them? Here are 17 great questions | | | | should have some guarantee of the quality of |
| to ask photographers before booking. | | | | pictures on the disc. |
| 1. Are you full-time? When did you start shooting | | | | 8. Do you have a list of references with contact |
| full-time? | | | | info? |
| The truth is most wedding photography operations | | | | This is a rarely asked but very effective question. A |
| are very fly by night. The photographers are doing | | | | real live person who has worked with a photographer |
| their photography on a part-time basis with negligible | | | | will give you valuable, objective information. |
| photography experience. Do you believe your | | | | 9. Who do you carry liability insurance with? |
| once-in-a-lifetime event should be on-the-job training | | | | Businesses that adhere to professional practices will |
| for your photographer? I didn't think so. A full-time | | | | deliver professional service and results to you. |
| photographer has already made the considerable | | | | Chances are slim you will ever have to worry about |
| life-long investment of their energy, time and money | | | | insurance coverage. But accidents can and do happen. |
| to create a valued and trusted service. Your wedding | | | | Would you let a roofing company put a new roof on |
| memories deserve your photographer's 100 percent | | | | your home that did not have liability insurance? How |
| commitment not a 20 percent commitment. | | | | about a mechanic working on your car? I hope not. |
| 2. Why do you like to photograph weddings? | | | | 10. What is the delivery time for the various products |
| This question helps you to gauge who your | | | | you offer? |
| photographer is as a person and artist. Take stock of | | | | It really shouldn't take half a year to receive an |
| the person's passion and energy. Does he/she seem | | | | album, your proofs or any other products. Try to be |
| enthusiastic or kind of flat? People who love what | | | | timely with any input your photographer requires as |
| they do have a tendency to be very good at what | | | | far as albums, edits to help this process along. |
| they do and working with them is always more | | | | 11. With the albums, how does the design and picture |
| enjoyable and fun. | | | | selection process work? Are there any fees for |
| Also, knowing a little about what makes the person | | | | changes we would like prior to the album's |
| tick is a good way to feel out what kind of a | | | | production? |
| personality "fit" you may share with the | | | | You should have some input into important |
| photographer. After all, you will be spending an entire | | | | keepsakes of your wedding like an album. Some |
| day with your photographer, so do what you can to | | | | photographers charge extra for a certain number of |
| be sure the person you pick will be genuinely excited | | | | changes to the albums they design for you prior to |
| to be there and pleasant throughout that day. | | | | the printing and binding of any album. Make sure such |
| 3. Will you be the actual photographer to shoot our | | | | fees are all clearly stated. Beware of time deadlines |
| wedding? If not, who? | | | | too, they are necessary to preventing production |
| It's not uncommon for photographers and larger | | | | bottlenecks. |
| studios to have a network of shooters. If you learn | | | | 12. When will the proofs be ready? Is there a time |
| the person you are talking to will not be the shooter | | | | limit for the online proofing galleries? |
| then insist you talk to the person who will and also | | | | If working with a digital photographer, online proofing |
| insist you see their personal portfolio. | | | | (when you first get to see your photos online) should |
| 4. What kind of input can we have on the shots? i.e. | | | | be completed within a couple of weeks of your |
| subject matter, shotlists and ideas from other | | | | event. The time period of online availability for those |
| wedding shots we liked? | | | | galleries varies among photographers. Some post |
| A formals/posed groupings worksheet is sometimes | | | | them for three months, others post for a full year. |
| necessary when planning when and how to get that | | | | Check with your photographer. |
| part of your wedding completed and done in time. | | | | 13. What happens if the photographer is ill? What |
| Lots of communication is key here. When working | | | | about back-up equipment? |
| with a good wedding photographer, it is important | | | | Any successful, established professional studio should |
| when capturing the unique qualities and moments of | | | | have a network of shooters available for emergency |
| your wedding to keep it open-ended for your | | | | help. You should have a written assurance the |
| photographer. A good photographer cannot produce | | | | substitute photographer will be a competent |
| every photo you can think of, but he/she can | | | | professional. |
| produce photos you never dreamed of. | | | | 14. Should our event last longer than scheduled? Will |
| 5. (For self-described photojournalists) How much of | | | | the photographer stay, are there extra charges? |
| your candid-looking work is posing and setting-up of | | | | Most weddings will not exceed a six to eight hour |
| shots or do you get shots as they happen without | | | | time commitment from your photographer. If you |
| posing or reenactment? | | | | think you will need more time, find out how your |
| "Wedding photojournalist" has become a buzzword | | | | photographer handles extra hours. |
| which has lost its specific meaning with its surge in | | | | 15. What associations do you belong to? |
| popularity among photographers. Often, the term | | | | Another useful way to gauge a photographer's |
| "photojournalist" means candid-looking when used by | | | | qualifications and professional commitment. |
| photographers and studios to describe their own | | | | 16. Why should we hire you? |
| work. Often these photographers will set up and | | | | Again, this question is similar in spirit to Question 3. |
| reenact a few things during your wedding day but | | | | Your photographer's answer should communicate |
| rely heavily upon traditional portraiture for a lot of | | | | some excitement about the privilege to shoot your |
| your photos... there is nothing wrong with this | | | | wedding. |
| approach if you are comfortable with that. However | | | | 17. May we see your second photographer's entire |
| a true wedding photojournalist has the talent and | | | | shoot from a wedding? |
| ability to anticipate, observe and "see" moments as | | | | Wedding photography studios often promote |
| they happen without the need to interfere with the | | | | themselves as two shooter "teams." They are often |
| natural flow of your wedding day. | | | | a husband and wife duo. They are usually not the |
| 6. Are the digital files available on CD/DVD? If so, are | | | | 2-for-1 benefit they advertise. For the most part |
| they high resolution? | | | | they are maybe one decent photographer and a |
| This is a popular request by couples. The discs can | | | | person who is nothing more than a camera holder |
| vary widely in price. Also ask if there are any | | | | with with very little qualifications or experience. Have |
| discounts applied to the CD/DVD after a certain time | | | | you seen an entire take of both photographers? |
| has passed from the wedding. For example, the | | | | Insist on seeing the second photographers entire |
| photographer may offer the discs at half-price two | | | | shoot. |