5 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

Special guest post by Chris Sherburne. Photos by Claire Copeland. 

Make sure your photographer has the skills, equipment, and personality to get the shots you want.

Choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning your wedding. Years from now, your pictures should be a timeless reminder of your wedding day. You want your pictures to be great, of course. But you also want the experience to be fun and memorable.

 

With that in mind, here’s a list of five great questions to elicit honest (unrehearsed) answers from your wedding photographer:

1. Do you work well with other vendors?  This is a great question to start with because it’s probably unexpected and you’ll get an off-the-cuff response.  Your wedding day is exactly that - your wedding day - and the last thing you need is an egocentric personality hogging the spot light or being difficult with the other vendors.  You want to make sure that your wedding photographer is very skilled at engagement and wedding photography and has an easy-going personality that helps you relax and enjoy your wedding day.  What you’re looking for is skill and personality.

[Jeff's note: I couldn't agree more! Having a photographer that works well with your videographer, wedding planner, officiant, musicians, and staff at your wedding/reception venue is crucial, and people skills can be just as important as technical skills when it comes to getting great wedding pictures. In fact, our entire business model at Simple Weddings revolves around having a team of wedding vendors who know and trust each other and work together frequently, so we know things will run smoothly!]

2. Do you have samples of complete weddings for me to review?  Many times engagement and wedding photographers will have a display book or a website that only includes their “top picks."  That’s good for them but it’s bad for you.  Instead, ask them to see pictures for complete weddings.  Even a blind squirrel gets a nut occasionally, and when you shoot 1,000+ pictures at a wedding you should have more than just a few good ones.  You want to make sure that the other 997 images are good, too.

[Jeff's note: This is another excellent point! Check out our slideshows page to see complete events shot by each of our photographers at Simple Weddings.]

3. Do you have references that I can contact to discuss how satisfied they are with your performance before, during and after the wedding?  It’s always good to talk to previous customers to see what their experience was with your future engagement and wedding photographer.  There are three distinct phases to customer relations for an engagement and wedding photographer and you should ask how they performed during each phase.  

• Before the wedding:  Was the photographer easy to get in touch with and readily available to answer any questions or assist you in making decisions?  
• During the wedding:  Was the photographer on time and know what to do, or run around like a chicken with its head cut off?  Did the photographer get along well with the other vendors or cause unnecessary stress for the bride and groom?  
• After the wedding:  How long did it take to complete your wedding pictures and wedding album?  Did the photographer disappear after taking your money or stay in close touch with you to make sure you were completely satisfied?  Would you use this photographer again or recommend them to a family member?

[Jeff's note: Check out our award winning customer reviews to see feedback from dozens of our past clients!]

Taking charge and organizing your wedding
party for group pictures is one of your wedding
photographer's most important jobs!

4. Do you know how to pose people or do you only use a photojournalistic style?  With the invention of digital point and shoot cameras, many novices picked up their camera and went “PRO."  However, there’s a lot more to photography than pointing a camera and pushing a button.  For example, does the photographer know how to pose people? Or does the photographer claim to be a “photojournalist” and only document the pictures that present themselves?  Do they have any formal training or education?  How long have they been a photographer?  What made them want to be a photographer?  

Most brides and grooms have never been professionally photographed and they’re not professional models. As such, they’re not really familiar with posing for pictures and they might end up with poor images.  It’s not the client's fault; it’s the photographer’s fault.  While everyone loves to “capture the moment," a professional wedding photographer must be able to “create the moment” when needed or the client may end up with poor results.  If the bride and groom aren’t thrilled with their images, then everyone loses and it’s just bad business.  

As a bride and groom you should expect your wedding photographer to be fully qualified to do whatever is necessary to make sure your wedding images are the best they can be. Don’t settle for less; it’s your wedding day!

5. What is your “Plan B” if you get sick or your equipment breaks on your wedding day?  The problem with many of today’s “week-end warriors” is that they don’t have a “Plan B."  They grab their point and shoot and pray that nothing bad happens, but that’s not very reassuring to the bride and groom who only get one shot at their dream wedding.  By asking about the wedding photographer’s “Plan B” you can rest assured that they have a system in place to handle any problems that may pop up on your special day and that the problem won’t undermine your wedding.  You need to ask the photographer if he or she has a spare camera and spare equipment.  Does your wedding photographer have a plan in case they get sick and need someone to fill in for them on your wedding day?  

[Jeff's note: Yet another crucial question to ask. In fact, I would go so far as to ensure this is covered in your contract with your wedding photographer. We require all of our photographers to carry professional grade backup equipment, and because we have a team of great wedding photographers, we always have someone to cover events in case of an emergency.]

This list is a great starting point for you to begin asking questions to your potential wedding photographer and the answers will give you a nice insight into their business model.  Just remember that you only get one chance to get great wedding pictures and hiring an expensive wedding photographer doesn’t always mean they’ll give you great images.  Cost does not always equal quality!  Picking a wedding photographer doesn’t have to be a roll of the dice if you remember to do your homework.  

In the end, it’s up to you to know what you want from the photographer and figure out the type of images you like.  You only get one chance to get it right and getting to know your your wedding photographer is definitely worth your time. Take your time, do it right, and enjoy your dream wedding!

Chris lives in Orlando with his wife and two “babies,” and is the owner of Dream Weddings by Chris. His wedding and engagement photography takes him all over Central Florida. Chris’ ultimate goal is to create engagement and wedding pictures that exceed clients’ expectations. Working alongside the discerning bride and her groom-to-be, Chris listens to the vision of their dream wedding, and with his camera, turns their dreams into a reality.

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