Questions to ask wedding photographers
Questions to ask wedding photographers
Getting ready to hire a wedding photographer?
Go into the interview equipped with important questions!
Ask about photography experience
Ask about their photography experience in general and about their wedding photography experience in particular. Are they new to photography? Experienced photographer but new to weddings? Been in business 2 years? 2 decades? All of that is valuable information.
With regard to weddings in particular, ask if they’ve photographed weddings similar to what you’re planning. If you’re hiring a professional, it shouldn’t matter if they’ve worked at your specific venue, but asking about other specifics like guest count, personal and cultural traditions, venue style (indoor/outdoor/combo, lots of daylight vs. dark space, etc.) will give you an idea of whether or not the photographer is up to the job.
Ask about client experience
Ask questions to get a feel for the level of “customer service” the photographer provides.
Asking about communication style is a great way to learn about what your experience may be like. Will they be hands-off between booking and the wedding, or will they be providing resources and answering questions? Are they going to help you with details like making a group photo list or designing an album or are they just there to take photos and send a gallery?
I take a limited number of weddings per year to ensure I can provide personal service, resources, and prompt communication to my couples. On the flip side, there are studios that photograph over 100 weddings a year. Different business styles result in different client experiences. Decide what fits your needs.
Ask to see full galleries
Don’t get fooled by a few good images shared to instagram from an otherwise lackluster wedding gallery. Definitely don’t get fooled by websites that only have images from workshops and styled shoots. Those don’t have the constraints and pressure of a real wedding.
Socials and websites are highlight reels. And liking those highlight reels is awesome. Just ask the followup question: does this photographer provide this level of work consistently?
Ask about their shooting style
Ask about their approach to photographing the wedding day. Are they a fly on the wall documentarian you’ll barely notice? Are they an editorial photographer who comes in to adjust minute details throughout the day? Somewhere in between? How does their approach change throughout the day?
Another good question is if they prefer photographing moments or portraits, and why. If someone prefers portraits, you’ll want to make sure they know how to capture priceless moments, and vice versa.
Finally, ask why they photograph weddings. That provides insight to their mindset on a wedding day. For me, it’s because I love being surrounded by joyful people celebrating love. Getting to create images that freeze those moments in time is the best. That impacts my shooting style because I’m always looking for genuine emotion that captures that FEELING.
Ask about their lighting style
Photography is literally light as composed with the absence of light, so mastery of light is critical. Ask if they can confidently use flash when necessary. The answer should always be yes. If it’s not, that’s a red flag.
Beyond knowing the basics, wedding photographers also have preferred lighting styles. Some prefer to have lots of light in the image, with bright, nearly white skies and barely any shadows. Others expose for an overall dark/shadowy/grainy feel. The Kivus & Camera style is to shoot for contrast between light and dark with bright colors + natural highlights and shadows.
Editing does impact the final product to a certain extent, but how a photographer uses light in the moment has a larger impact.
Ask about business practices
These are questions about professionalism. A true professional will be insured, paying taxes, and licesnsed if you live in an area where that’s applicable. A true professional will not show up in jeans to your black tie wedding. A true professional will have backups of everything and plans in place for worst-case scenarios.
Ask about end product
How and when will you get your photos? Will all the photos be edited? Do they offer products like albums and wall art?
Will you be able to share your photos online? Print your photos on your own?
We believe that love is bright and colorful. And love is FUN.
Your wedding photographs should be fun, bright, and colorful too. Kivus & Camera are Raleigh wedding photographers who create unforgettable, breath-taking photographs. Your photos will stand out from the crowd. Your wedding story will be cemented by beautiful, artistic portraits AND enthusiastic, genuine moments. Want to know more? Click below. Can’t wait to hear from you!
