Essential Questions for Your Photographer

October 29, 2009 · Posted in expert advice, photography, the planning process by ami elizabeth

There are SO many amazing photographers in the world - how do you find the one that’s perfect for you? Well, not only do you need to blog-stalk them, see images from a full wedding, and find out all of the details about the specific packages that they offer, but you also want to ask these questions:

Will I receive a DVD of images from the event?
How many images do you post-process (the more the better! All of those amazing images you fell in love with from their website and albums are post-processed. If the images on the DVD you receive are SOOC (straight out of camera) you should know and understand this.)? Can I see multiple examples of before-and-after images?
Do you color correct all images?
How soon after the wedding will I receive my proofs? My DVD of images? My album?
Do you write up every event on your blog?
How soon after the event will you blog?
What types of images do you include in your blog post?
Do you shoot in film or digital? Color or black and white? RAW or JPG?
What is your contingency plan if you are ill or otherwise cannot attend my event? {Be sure the answer to this is specifically stated in your contract}
Who retains copyright to the images? Reproduction rights?

Are the number of hours included in my contract continuous or may they be used in blocks? In the event of overtime, what are your rates?
Are proofs available online or via a proof book?
How many images can I expect to see from the event? Can I see your “throwaway images” as well?
Do you have specific lighting requirements or suggestions?
Will you work from a shot list to be sure that all of the details that are important are captured?
Are you available to come to the rehearsal? The hotel room while I am getting ready? The salon while my hair is being done? Will you ride in the limo with me from the ceremony to the reception?
How many photographers will be present at my event? Will you specifically be one of them? Do you coordinate the receiving of digital negatives from the associate photographers and the purchase of any prints?
What is your cancellation policy? {Be sure the answer to this is specifically stated in your contract}
Do you include an engagement session in your fee? When will I receive the DVD of images for that session? Can I use those images for my guest book, decor, etc?
What is your blog/magazine submission policy?

Things that are YOUR responsibility:

Let your photographer know who’s who.
Inform them if you have a preference or bias towards black and white or color.
Be very vocal and specific about what is important to you - detail shots, etc.
Provide a shot list, including any special detail shots.

Photographers: Are there questions we missed? Things that you think your clients should be asking you but aren’t?

Recently marrieds: Questions to add to this list? Things you wish you would have asked your photographer?

Brides: Anything that you asked your photographer that should be added?

Thank you to the following wedding professionals for contributing to this article:

MyWedding.com, Proposing Dreams, Grey Likes Weddings, Always a Bridesmaid, Out of the Event, Events by Evonne, Bubbly Bride, Masterpiece Weddings, Azure Event Production, My Island Wedding

click to go to comments

kelly writes... {October 29, 2009 at 6:29 pm}

I think one of the most important things with the photographer is that you click! If you like them, have had an engagement session with them, and feel like there’s a mutual friendship there it is so much easier to pose for them, to loosen up, and not feel super vain in recreating all those faces you secretly make in the mirror. It’s easier to take pictures of someone you know!

Dina writes... {October 31, 2009 at 8:29 pm}

Thanks for this great list of questions — i found them to be very helpful

anna and the ring writes... {November 1, 2009 at 6:16 pm}
Follow @annaandthering on Twitter

Thanks for this. Bookmarked!
anna and the ring’s most recent blog post: it’s november!??!!?

Mo writes... {November 1, 2009 at 7:09 pm}
Follow @pinkargyle on Twitter

Great list! I don’t think I saw this one in there (but perhaps it is since it’s so comprehensive,) so my apologies if this is a repeat!
One of the questions I asked to get a sense of a photographer’s personality is “how do you pose or direct people? How involved are you when we take portraits, including family portraits?”

We’re shy people, and the last thing we wanted on our wedding day was to be told how to stand, where to stand, how to look, and what to do. Some direction is great, but we were looking for someone who would do it in a gentler fashion.
I find that when we’re posed in a forceful manner, we lose a little bit of ourselves in the pictures.
The way a photographer answered that question made a big difference during the interview.
Mo’s most recent blog post: Halloween!

eryn writes... {November 9, 2009 at 3:40 pm}

what is RAW? why do i need to know if the photographer uses that?

ami elizabeth writes... {November 18, 2009 at 10:18 am}
Follow @amiatead on Twitter

hi eryn, RAW is an image format that cannot be read by many image programs unless converted into another format.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_image_format

it doesn’t matter what method the photographer shoots in, only that you make sure you receive your disc images in a format that you can work with, such as JPG.