1. How would you describe your photography style? If you want a photojournalistic style and the photographer you're meeting with specializes in classic portraiture, this is not the wedding professional for you. Knowing your wedding style and bundling some images you love will help you find the right photographer for the job.
2. How often do you shoot weddings? How many weddings have you shot? Can I see your reviews? You want to hire someone confident, professional, and well-versed in the often-complicated realities of shooting a wedding. (Note: if you hire a friend or student photographer to save money, you may get some images you love but you're taking a gamble.) Checking out a photographer's reviews will help you get a sense of their "bedside manner" and the experience of working with them from start to finish.
3. Have you ever shot a wedding like mine? Have you shot at our location? Can I see the photos? Getting married in the woods of the Pacific Northwest? That's a different experience (read: rain!) than shooting a wedding in the bright sunshine of Southern California. Your photographer should understand the environment and be prepared for all types of weather and mishaps.
4. Can I see a full set of photos from a recent wedding? It's good to see an edited selection of a photographer's best images, but to get a sense of their range, style, and skill, you'll want to see a full set of wedding images. Know that not every picture will be great -- so don't toss a photographer aside because there are some less-than-perfect pictures in the set. Just browse the images to be sure all the important moments were captured and you like the overall photography style.
5. What do your packages include? What costs extra? Get specific about your costs: If you're buying a package, find out exactly what's included and what will cost you extra. (For example, if you need the photographer for an extra hour on the day-of, how much will it cost? Are digital images included?) Also ask if your photographer works with an assistant or second shooter and whether or not that person is included in the package fee. And confirm when your deposit is due and when your balance will be due.
6. What happens if you can't make it to my wedding? Things happen, people get sick, and there's a (slim!) chance your photographer won't be available on your big day. If he or she works with a backup photographer or another agency, meet those professionals before your big day.
7. Do you have any other events booked on my wedding day? It's OK if your photographer has other bookings, but you'll want to be aware of any time constraints and work them into your wedding-day schedule. If you need your photographer from morning to night, make that clear, and find out how much it's going to cost you.
8. What kind of editing will you do on my photos? All professionals do at least some editing on photos; fixing colors, shadow, highlights, and exposure is all standard. But there are some photographers who like to clean up "imperfections" on the subjects in their photos -- i.e. you and your new spouse -- and not everyone is OK with that. Ask any potential photographer how much editing they plan to do and be sure you're comfortable with it.
9. I have some particular shots in mind, are you willing to follow a list? Most wedding photographers are 100 percent familiar with shot lists, but ask this question in case you're working with a renegade who can't be tied down!
10. How long after the big day will I get proofs? Get this information in writing. You'll want to have, in your contract, a timeline for when you'll receive proofs and your final images.
XO,
Stephanie
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