Wedding Photography and Videography Forum

Meeting photographers in person?

So, I finally found a photographer in my area who has a reasonable price. I've seen her portfolio online, and we have a very similar aesthetic. Her prices and what's included is exactly what we're looking for. She's building her portfolio still so that's why her prices are so reasonable. I have not found anyone else we can afford whose work I really like, so I'm 99% sure I just want to go with her, but she wants to meet for coffee, etc. 

What's the point of this? To make sure our personalities match? To help convince me ~she's the one? 

If you did this sort of thing, what questions did you ask? I feel like her work speaks for itself, but maybe I'm missing something. 

Thanks!
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Re: Meeting photographers in person?

  • Its pretty normal to meet with all your vendors in person. You definitely want to make sure you like her personality and are comfortable with her. If you are not comfortable with your photographer, it will show in the photos. 

    Also, this will present the opportunity to look over the contract, sign it and leave your deposit to officially book her, if she is in fact the photographer you want to hire. 
  • Her personality is a huge factor in how your day will go - her work may be fantastic, but if she's rude, bossy, or in some other way unpleasant, you're going to look miserable in all of the pretty, well-lighted, well-composed pictures she takes of you, you know?

    As for what to ask her, ask her to bring an entire wedding album from a single wedding with her to show you.  Of COURSE her portfolio online looks awesome - she can just cherry-pick the two or three best photos from each of the weddings she's done and post them.  A complete album from just one wedding will give you a better sense of her work overall.  (Side story, we met with a photographer whose work looked great, until we looked at a full album.  Some of the photos in the album were actually out of focus.  All I could think was, if they had to put out of focus shots in the album, how bad must the rest of the photos have been?  If we hadn't asked to see the album, we never would've known he wasn't a good choice, and would've been very, very disappointed in our wedding photos.)

    You could also ask her how she envisions the wedding day schedule, what type of approach she takes to pictures (does she do classic staged photos, photojournalist style candids, or some mix of the two).  If you google this topic I'm sure you'll get tons of suggestions, but these are the things that come to mind for me.
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  • The wedding album is a good suggestion, thank you! The other questions I've already asked her via email, and we're in total agreement on. 

    Her price is so good I think I could totally tolerate her being rude and obnoxious. I'm bratty when I'm stressed so I'll give it right back! ;) 
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  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited August 2012
    You will spend alot of time with your photographer, both leading up to the wedding and on the day itself.  It's just nice to meet in person to discuss your wedding and to not have the first time you see her be the wedding day, if nothing else.

    And I agree with the PP--you need to see an entire wedding she has shot from beginning to end so that you can be sure she will capture everything you want on the wedding day.   A good photographer should do most of the talking.
  • I second Steph. Personality can be a huge factor in how the day flows. I know you say you'd be able to put up with whatever for great pics but what about your fiancé or guests? You can't say the same for them and they may be less willing to put up with someone who is rude. How the photographer is going to relate to them will translate into your photos as well so don't forget that. I eventually let go of a photographer whose (sp?) work I loved because my fiancé wasn't crazy about her or her contract terms. His happiness on the day of is more important than me getting a particular photographer. I also heard from my neighbor about her wedding photographer making her cry on her wedding day for her having forgot her bouquet. So yes, I would say meeting her in person is important.
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