Questions you should ask your wedding photographer.
When I am done meeting with potential brides and grooms at the end of our time, I always ask, is there any other questions you have for me? The number one thing they say to me is "I don't know what other questions to ask." I always try to cover typical questions when we are meeting, but sometimes they bring their "bridal bible" with a list of all the questions you should ask your photographer. Like, what camera do they use, how many memory cards do they bring, do we get the RAW files... These are not questions you should care about. If the photographer you are talking with is professional you will not have any need for these answers.Here are a few questions you should ask before you hire a wedding photographer. {which most couples don't ask} Along with my answers for you.
What is your style of photography?
I am a natural light photographer. Posing is not my style, I don't like stiff or stuffy images. When I am photographing, I do my best to capture you. Your personality, your true smile, the love and fun you both share. I don't want to make you do something that is not comfortable for you...that will show in your pictures. My images are rustic, captured and natural.
How many weddings have you shot in your career?
I started my business in 2002. Since then I have photographed an average of 25 images a year for an estimated total of 300! Wow, that is the first time I have actually figured that... 300 weddings...
How many weddings will you be shooting the day of my wedding?
99% of the time I only do one wedding a day. However, if you book me and you have an afternoon wedding and someone calls and is getting married in the morning, if I have enough time from the finish of her wedding to the start of yours, then I would book it. How long is enough time? It depends on the locations. If I know I can not finish up one and get to the other with at least an hour to spear, then I will not take the second wedding. I will also let the other bride know I can not stay past a certain time, if they do not like that or are not ok with it... then I will not book them.
Have you ever shot at our venue? If no, will you come and take a look before the wedding?
If your wedding is on the mountain, I have probably shot at your location. However, if I have never shot there, I typically do not go to the location before the wedding day. The reason being, that the lighting may be different, the landscaping may change... so I do arrive early to the location and scout out the area before the wedding starts.
Do you bring your own lighting?
As I mentioned, I am a natural light photographer. I do not have soft-boxes and lights that I bring. I do have my flash which is used when we are inside or when it's dark out. We do also play around with off camera flash for some fun artsy shots.
Do you work from a shot list?
We do not shoot from a shot list. After 300 weddings, I know which images need to be taken, which ones are traditional, the ones that most brides are looking for. I would rather have my head up and my finger on the trigger ready for any candid moments, instead of having a shot list in hand and a pen to check off the ones I have taken. That being said, if there are images you LOVE, show me. I will for sure note that in your file and bring it with me to the wedding. Also for family pictures. I take the traditional images, for the bride and grooms side, I shoot parents, siblings-their spouses and kids and then grandparents. Anything other than that... if there are other images you'd like taken, please write them down. I will bring that list with me, I don't mind using a shot list for family pictures. I will not have any idea which ones are most important to you and you will not remember on the day of the wedding!
Do you have a second photographer? Why do I need one, can't you take all the pictures we need?
Most of my packages include a second photographer. The second photographer is great for candid pictures, different angles and shooting at a different area of the wedding. If I am photographing the family, they can be in the cocktail hour photographing candids. Do you need a second photographer. It really comes down to preference. Do you want another perspective? Do you want more candids and detail images? You hire me for my eye and talent, I will be the one getting all the "must have" images, the second get the other images.
How many pictures will we get from our wedding? How many images will you take? Do we get ALL the image?
Yes and No. An average wedding with 2 photographers and 6 hours of time, we photograph roughly 1000 images. When going through my editing process, I take out the test shots, the ones with weird faces, the ones with eyes closed, and so on. After I eliminate those, then I digitally enhance them all and on average my brides and grooms receive 400 images. Some people say that is not very many, other photographers give 800 or more images. For me personally, I would not want 800 images to go through. Also, when they say 800 images, that means they are "having" to shoot "x" amount of images. Instead of just shooting what they see, they have a number in their heads that they have to reach. And most of the time, they take one shot, turn it black and white, sepia, color washed and include the color shot. So that right there is 4/5 images. Well, my 400 images are unique images, they are not one shot, processed 5 different ways.
How long after the wedding will we get to see the images?
About a week after the ceremony, I will get a blog post with a few images up, just after that will be a sneak peek on Facebook and then no later than 3 1/2 weeks after the wedding your images will be up on my website for you to enjoy!
What happens if you are sick that day and can't make it?
If an emergency occurs and I am not able to make it to the wedding. I will have a replacement step in for me. That replacement will be similar to my style. I will not send you a posy photographer to take my place. From there everything else will stay the same. If for some reason I am not able to find a replacement, then all the money you have given me will be refunded.
That was a lot of information! I hope it was helpful for you as you are planning your wedding!