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Photos are what help us remember special moments. They take us back to those moments. They bring a smile across our face or a tear down our cheek. They bring us back in time. That’s how important photos are to us. So when it comes to your wedding day, you have to make sure you get the perfect photos. To get these perfect photos, a good wedding photographer should do the trick. But don’t assume that your wedding photographer knows exactly what you want. It’s crucial that you share your visions with your photographer so they can bring your visions to life. They might have a different style or approach and that’s why you should communicate and ask questions. So how do you choose the best photographer for your wedding? What questions should you ask to help you make a final decision? We’ve put together a list of questions you may want to ask a wedding photographer before hiring them. If you’re deciding between multiple photographers, you can use these questions to compare their answers and decide which one suits you best.
1. How much experience do you have as a wedding photographer?
This is the main ice-breaker question. You want to make sure that your photographer has some experience in capturing unique moments. However, if you come across a photographer that doesn’t have as much experience as other photographers but has shot a wedding at the venue you’re planning to get married at, that’s a bonus. This is because they’d be familiar with the venue’s best places to shoot along with its lighting.
2. What’s your style like?
While photographers are usually quite adaptive, they still have their own styles and aesthetics. However, it would be best to get a photographer that naturally has a similar taste as you do as it makes it easier to bring your visions to life. You can already have a sneak peek of their style by looking at their website and social media
3. Can we get some specific shots done?
At this point, you’ve probably already typed in “must-have wedding shots” to gather some inspiration. Whether it’s pinning Pinterest posts or saving Instagram photos there must be a few shots you really want to recreate. Ask your photographer if this is possible. Most photographers will accept these requests and ask you to fill out a form to be more specific, but it’s still a good thing to ask.
4. Can we see one of your wedding photo galleries?
This is gonna give you a really good understanding of what the photographer is capable of. Make sure you ask them to see a full wedding gallery rather than just a few photos. This is because you’ll be able to see what type of things the photographer captures at the wedding and if it’s anything like you might want. It helps to visualize your wedding being photographed in a similar way in order to decide whether or not you like their approach.
5. What’s included in your wedding packages?
Apart from individual styles, their prices are another thing that’s gonna differentiate photographers. Different photographers will offer different packages that cover hours, engagement photos, a second photographer, and even an album. Don’t be scared to ask for a quota price along with what it covers. Make sure you cover additional costs as well, such as overtime hours or travel costs to the wedding destination.
6. What can we expect when working with you on our wedding day?
Every photographer has their own working style. You may get a better understanding of the wedding photographer's enthusiasm, photography style, and how it's like to interact with them by asking them to walk you through what you can expect. You’ll get to learn whether they’re a photographer that offers guidance when posing or if they believe in more candid and natural photos.
7. Will you be able to color correct our images?
While at first, you might not want to edit your photos because you’d prefer them more natural, color correcting often makes images look more realistic. This is because depending on the lighting at your wedding, your skin can appear yellow or orange in the photo. Color correcting helps adjust the skin tone and lighting to make it seem more normal.
8. Do you have a plan B?
Unpredictable things happen in life. You have to be prepared for anything. What if your photographer becomes sick on your wedding day? Yes, the chances are incredibly low but things like this do happen. Make you ask your photographer what their backup plan is, if they don’t have one treat that as a red flag. There should always be a backup plan.
9. How long does it take until we receive our wedding photos?
You might not find this important right now, but trust me the minute your wedding is over you are gonna be impatiently waiting to see the photos. It’s just nice to be aware of the time frame so you're not refreshing your email every day.
10. Where do we go from here?
You don’t just hire a photographer and never see them again until your wedding day. There are multiple steps to go through once you’ve chosen your photographer. For instance, you may want to go over the contract, pay the deposit, review liability insurance, and go over cancellation and refund policies.
Now, remember this is just a bit of guidance, ask as many questions as you want. Ask more specific or personal questions if you’d like. Try and make the communication between you and the photographer as transparent and simple as you can. They might ask you questions too in order to understand what your wishes are. Remember, this is someone you’re gonna spend an entire day with so you want to feel natural and comfortable around them. Choose well. And don’t forget to smile in those pictures ;)
