Since most brides have never had to work with a wedding
photographer before hiring one for their wedding, it's one of those situations
where they have very little room to learn from mistakes. It helps to get unbiased advice from people
that have experience in the industry. Bride's Book has asked John Davydov from Photography
In Style to
put together a quick list of 12 key questions to make sure to ask your
photographers before you hire them to preserve the memory of your wedding. Print these out and take them with you! This
list is based off of a more detailed discussion of these 12 points in John's free e-book.
12 Important Questions To Ask A
Photographer Before Hiring Them
1) What professional
equipment do you use and do you bring backup equipment on every job?
It is very important that the photographer you
hire has all state of the art equipment. A lot of photographers today use
digital equipment vs. film to capture the event. Digital cameras today have
paved the way to getting better results and seeing photos in the camera
instantly. A photographer should always have two to three cameras as well as
five to seven lenses with them at all times. If a camera or a lens fails, it is
always important to have backup.
2) Do you or your company have
insurance?
A characteristic that separates a professional
photographer from an amateur photographer is the responsibility to acquire
insurance for his or her equipment and for the company as well. If by any
chance a photographer or a vendor you hire breaks something in the catering
hall accidentally, the catering hall may want to make sure that the insurance
company is ready to work out the damages.
3) Do you have three different
weddings you can show in detail that you have personally shot?
A lot of photographers’ websites always
contain the best photographs they have taken in their entire portfolio, without
showing their “everyday” work. Furthermore, sometimes it’s difficult to
differentiate between whether the photos that your photographer took are
genuinely theirs or whether they have been copied from elsewhere and claimed as
their own. In ideal scenarios, a photographer will display a full wedding
from start to finish on their website or in their meetings with you which truly
displays their ability to shoot an entire wedding in high quality.
4) Do you re-touch all the photos that you take on the day of the wedding?
After the event is over a lot of photographers
just store all the pictures to a computer and make an extra disc for the lab in
order to print out the pictures. Not every photographer wants to spend a
lot of time retouching all the photos or paying someone else to retouch the
photos for them, therefore it is for this reason that it is wise to ask if all
the photos will be retouched. Removing blemishes under the eyes,
correcting image colors, and applying unique effects to photos really sets
apart a professional photographer from an amateur photographer. You want
to make sure that the photographer will put a beautiful finishing touch on your
photos after they take them.
5) What type of albums
do you offer?
Traditional albums are a thing of the
past. Today because of advancements in technology, album companies can
produce albums in many varieties. In the past an album consisted of one picture
per page. Today, the possibilities of designing an album with numerous
pictures on a page are endless. Additionally, when it comes to different
types of papers or covers the possibilities are endless as well.
6) Do you offer a second
photographer?
Having two photographers instead one is always
better when it comes to capturing different angles and expressions. Most
of the time it is also beneficial if one photographer works with the bride and
another photographers works with the groom on the day of the wedding so that
the main photographer does not have to run back and forth and over occupy
themselves with all the work. Asking for a second photographer is
especially beneficial when the event has over 150 people at the
reception.
7) How long does it take
to see the photos?
Seeing life’s greatest moments in a photo is certainly
amazing but not knowing when you will see those photos is frustrating. In
the film age, you had to wait for the lab to print out the photos which usually
took about two to three months if you’re lucky. Because of digital
photography, today photographers can shoot events and should ideally upload
them quickly to their website.
8)
Do you offer DVD slideshows?
A DVD slideshow is a great way to view the
photos of your special event. Many people also use the slideshow to
invite their friends & family for a house warming and often play the
slideshow to share their experience. The slideshow can consist of 50 to 100
photos that are set with your favorite music and it can also be displayed or
sent to your loved ones via DVD or via internet.
9) Do you offer
engagement sessions?
An engagement session is really a great way to
connect with your photographer and at the same time have fun taking
photos. An engagement session can be in one or more locations and it
usually lasts about an hour. It is best to talk with your photographer
before the session so that you guys can plan everything out from start to
finish. Be mindful of the weather, it is best to pick two to three
different dates for the shoot; if it rains on one day than you certainly have
the option to fall back on the second day.
10) Do you offer online
galleries where guests can see the photos?
Seeing your photos online is great because it
allows your friends and family to join in on the memories. An online
gallery is set up on the photographer’s website and it is password protected so
no one besides your family & friends can view the event. When viewing
the event, you can pick your favorite photos for the album and order them with
a click of a button.
11) Do you offer images
for social media?
Today everyone has a smart phone and everyone
is connected to social media websites like Google Plus, Facebook, Twitter and
so many others. Family and friends can now see or speak to relatives that
are overseas by just connecting to those sites. Having the ability to
upload photos online can be troubling at times because of the high-quality
image size from the original files provided by a photographer. It is best
to ask the photographer to re-size original photos in addition to providing you
with the originals so it will be easier to upload them to social media sites
and the web.
12)
Do you help plan the wedding event with us?
No matter what you are planning, time management is key
when it comes to getting the most out of your special day. A lot of
people tend to forget the little things that can make the day go by quicker and
make it seem that you always have to be in a rush. It is best to plan the
event with the wedding coordinator or a photographer since they know best from
experience how long each part of the session takes.
To
find out more about John and his team at Photography In Style please visit PhotographyInStyle.com or
stop by and say hi at their Facebook fan page.
