Photographer Question

schap77

We are going to have a meeting with a photographer on Mon. It is the first time we are meeting with any photographer. What are some questions I need to ask and info I need to get? Thanks

green795

There's a great list in The Knot's Ultimate Wedding Planner book, and I used that as a guide when asking the eight photographers I interviewed. Otherwise, it's all about finding a photographer that you get along with and that really meshes well with your style and personality. Some of my standard questions were: "What is your favorite part about shooting weddings?" "What has been your most memorable moment while shooting a wedding?" "Do you completely design the layout of your albums yourself or do you use a template?" "Do you batch edit your photos or do you edit individually?" "What software do you use?" "What equipment do you use/which cameras do you use?" "How long does it take to get proofs back? Albums?" "Do you use Pictage?" "Describe your style." "Do you direct the photos or scenes or do you like to sit back and capture moments as they happen?" Ideally the answers to these questions should be what you are looking for in a photographer. Look for body language, how they speak with you, and how you get along with them. For us, the photographer was in the top 2 priorities, because they are the person who is going to be with you ALL DAY LONG and the photos are going to be one of the few things left after the wedding. It makes sense to choose wisely and do your research. If you interview thoroughly you won't be disappointed.

amyannosu

What's their style? Photojournalistic or more formal? (You can gather this also by just looking at their pictures) How long will they be with you for the day? How many photographers will you get? Do you get a DVD of all the full-size high-res digital images? Do you get albums or prints with the package?

contauri

Make sure you ask to see their portfolio, and not just pictures of their favorites. Also ask about how much experience they've had in photography, how many weddings they do, and if they are familiar with your venue. Ask about their payment policy and how much is required to deposit, any additional fees, and references if desired.Good luck!

TheBeckmeister

I haven't gone photographer "shopping" yet, but make sure that you see at least one collection of all of the photos from only ONE wedding.  They might have taken one great shot at each of 20 weddings to put in their brochure or something, but make sure that the quality is there for all pictures on one particular day, and that they didn't just get lucky.

BrittBritt22

I made sure to ask questions about getting pictures on a CD (or DVD) because that was important to me.  I asked things like will I have copyrights to the pictures (meaning I can print them and use them how I please) and will they CD pictures have a watermark or your logo on them, will they be the edited versions, etc.

schap77

Thanks for answering my question. I wouldn't have thought of asking half of that stuff. Great feed back!

kerr

I didn't see this in any of the posts above, but another great question is if your engagement or b-pic session is included. That is a huge plus if it is!  

schap77

Yeah that's why I want to talk to this girl first. If we book before the end of October than the engagement session is included. Something that I really want. I didn't think that they were necessary until I saw how great everyone else's looked! Our wedding isn't until next September but if I start with her I have plenty of time to talk to others this month before I make my final decision. I hope finding a photographer isn't as hard as finding a venue we both agree on! LOL