Wedding photography and videography are two of the most important things for your special day. Undoubtedly, wedding photographs and videos capture all the precious moments of your wedding. For this reason, hiring the “right” photographer is very important to avoid last-minute disappointments. Wedding photographers generally come at a high price; hiring the wrong one can lead to a costly mistake. When deciding on this, the right communication is the key. To put it differently, asking the right questions before you finalize anything with a photographer is very important. Here is a list of questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer:
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A. AVAILABILITY AND PACKAGES
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to availability and packages are as below:
Question 1: Are you available on my wedding date?
This should be the first question to ask a wedding photographer. It does not make sense to discuss anything further if a wedding photographer is not available on your wedding date. You should clearly mention the complete date to avoid any confusion. If your date is tentative, you should mention that clearly to the photographer and ask if they are flexible with slight changes in schedule and dates.
Question 2: What are your wedding packages, and what’s included?
Many wedding photographers offer packages based on the number of hours and event type. Packages can also be based on whether they include videography or only photography. Sometimes, a wedding photographer also offers different packages based on the wedding type, such as elopement, local weddings, and destination weddings. Some photographers put their wedding package details on their websites. It’s always a good idea to look through a photographer’s website before contacting them in order to have an idea about the packages and their pricing, if available. This way, you can also get to know if a photographer is within your budget or not.
Question 3: How far will you travel for a wedding?
Generally, wedding photographers charge for travel expenses beyond a certain kilometers or travel hours. You need to clearly ask about their travel fees in advance to avoid any last-minute misunderstandings. Even if you are sure that your wedding venue is close to the photographer, you should never skip this question.
Question 4: Do I get a second photographer with your package?
If your wedding coverage time is more than 7 hours and there is a long guest list, it makes sense to hire a second shooter. Some wedding photographers offer a second shooter for an additional fee, and some offer them in higher-end packages with greater coverage hours. If you need a second photographer, you must ask about it during the initial inquiry.
Question 5: How far in advance should I secure my date?
Most wedding photographers require you to reserve at least a year in advance; some can book around 6-8 months in advance, too. If your wedding date is less than a year away, photographers might be able to accommodate you based on their availability.
Question 6: Can we customize our package?
Many photographers provide standard packages that you can choose from. If you have specific preferences, you might want to ask if they can make a custom package specially designed for your preferences.
Question 7: Is there any overtime fee if the wedding runs longer than expected?
There is always a possibility that things might get delayed and the wedding stretches longer than expected. Therefore, you must always check with the photographer about overtime charges and include that in your contingency budget.
B. PRICING AND PAYMENT
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to pricing and payment are as below:
Question 8: What is your payment structure?
Generally, photographers require a retainer ranging from 20% to 50% of the package price, which you pay upfront upon booking and signing the contract. The remainder is generally due closer to the wedding date. You must always ask about the payment structure to know how much cash you have to set aside to pay the advance and the remainder.
Question 9: When is the final payment due?
As stated earlier, the final payment is typically the remainder amount left after the deposit and is generally due closer to the wedding date. You need to confirm the final payment date so that you can plan your finances accordingly.
Question 10: Are there any additional charges that we should be aware of?
You should always check if the photographer can add any additional charges in addition to the package price and if there are any hidden fees.
Question 11: Do you offer payment plans or financing options?
You can check with the photographer if they offer any financing options; if yes, you should inquire about the payment structure and any additional charges associated with it.
C. EXPERIENCE AND APPROACH
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to experience and approach are as follows:
Question 12: Are your photographers experienced?
If you are contacting a large wedding photography agency with a team, you need to ensure that you are not assigned someone who is new and has little experience. Wedding photography is a skill that is refined over the years. You can ask the following questions to assess the experience:
- How many weddings have you covered?
- How many years of experience do you have in wedding photography?
- Did you go to a photography school?
Question 13: What is your style?
Every photographer has their own style of capturing special moments and editing the outcome. Modern photography generally focuses on capturing emotions and candid moments rather than perfectly defined poses. When it comes to the editing part, there can be a wide range of styles, such as cinematic, light, dark, and vibrant. Some wedding photographers ask their customers about their editing preferences and produce the photographs accordingly. Therefore, you should inquire about the style so that you can make an informed decision based on your preferences.
Question 14: What is your approach?
A photographer should know the story of the couple. Many photographers keep consultation sessions to hear all about the couple, how they met, their favorite memories, and their proposal stories. You should always ask the photographer how they approach a wedding couple to create a personalized outcome.
Question 15: Can I see a full wedding gallery from a recent wedding, not just the highlight portfolio?
In order to have a better idea about the photographer’s work, you should request a full wedding gallery from a recent wedding. After looking at the full gallery, you are in a better position to know if the photographer’s style matches your expectations and preferences.
D. ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to advice and recommendations are as below:
Question 16: How many hours of coverage do you recommend for a wedding of our size?
You can seek advice from the photographer on the ideal number of coverage hours based on the number of guests you are expecting for your wedding. A photographer has covered numerous weddings and is experienced enough to advise on this.
Question 17: How much time should we set aside for wedding day photos?
Based on the size of your wedding, you should confirm with the wedding photographer about the number of hours you should set aside for wedding day photography.
Question 18: When should we schedule our engagement session?
If you are planning to schedule an engagement session for your wedding, you should ask the photographer about the available dates for the engagement session. If you are planning to use the photo for “Save the Date” cards, you should schedule the engagement session well in advance of your wedding date and should always check if the photographer is available around the preferred time.
Question 19: Do you have recommendations for locations where we can shoot our engagement session?
If you don’t have any specific location in mind, you can always ask the photographer to suggest some beautiful locations for the engagement session shoot, and you can pick one from there. A wedding photographer who has covered numerous engagement sessions can suggest stunning locations that are currently popular and well-liked.
Question 20: What should we wear for the engagement session?
Wedding photographers cover many engagement sessions; therefore, they know from experience what works best for the shoot. Therefore, you should always seek dressing advice in advance from the photographer so that you have ample time to arrange for the right attire.
Question 21: Will you cover the engagement session during the ‘golden hours’?
In professional photography, the golden hours refer to the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. These hours provide the best lighting to capture amazing photos. Therefore, you should make sure that your photographer is available during these times on the scheduled date to cover the engagement session.
Question 22: How many engagement photos will we receive?
You should ask the photographer about the number of photos of the engagement session you can expect to receive in order to determine if these are sufficient for you or if you want more.
Question 23: How and when will we receive our engagement session photos?
Engagement photos are used in a variety of ways; for instance, they are used in Save the Dates, wedding signboards, wedding websites, and wedding slideshows. Therefore, you should always check with the photographer regarding the expected turnaround for these photos and the delivery method so that you can plan accordingly.
Question 24: Do you offer wedding advice?
A wedding photographer should be involved in your wedding planning so that they can seamlessly blend in the entire timeline. Furthermore, they attend weddings every day and know what works from a photography viewpoint. Many photographers offer wedding advice ranging from outfits to a perfect wedding timeline. Don’t shy away from asking this question!
Question 25: Do you offer vendor recommendations?
As stated earlier, a wedding photographer attends countless weddings. You can ask them about vendor recommendations, from caterers to florists.
E. LEGAL ASPECTS
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to legal aspects are as follows:
Question 25: Who owns the copyright to the photos?
Generally, the wedding photographer owns the copyright to the photos. This means you cannot edit or use your wedding photos for any commercial purposes without the photographer’s written permission. Photographers put this copyright clause in their contracts for a wide range of reasons. Firstly, they can freely use your wedding portfolio for self-promotion purposes, such as putting it on their website or sharing it on their social media accounts. Secondly, it prevents any potential misuse of their work. The whole idea behind this is that you hired the photographer for a personal wedding and not for commercial work. The photographer’s fee for commercial work is much higher than what you pay for a wedding. In essence, this clause serves three purposes:
- The wedding photographer gets the right to freely use their work for self-promotion.
- The client is not able to use the photographer’s work for any commercial purpose, such as printing it on merchandise for sale, reselling it as stock photos, etc.
- The reputation of the wedding photographer is preserved. For instance, making bad or unprofessional edits to photos produced by a wedding photographer can hurt the reputation of that photographer.
If you want to own the copyright to your wedding photos, you need to ask the wedding photographer about it. Some might agree to honor this request for a fee increase or for free, and some might not agree to this condition at all. It all depends on the photographer. If you are concerned about your privacy, you should clearly ask the wedding photographer if they can keep your wedding photos private and not share them with anyone. Again, a photographer may agree to it or may not agree to it. If they do not agree to it, the best option is to look for alternatives in the market.
Question 26: What purposes can you use my wedding photos for?
Wedding photographers typically use your wedding photos for self-promotion purposes. However, you must confirm with the photographer that your photos are being used only for this purpose and not for any other commercial purposes, such as selling them as stock photos.
Question 27: Can I share my wedding photos on social media?
Since wedding photographers own the copyright to your wedding photos unless there is an agreement to the contrary, you need to check with the photographer if you can share your wedding photos on social media. Photographers generally allow it as long as proper attribution is given.
Question 28: Do you have insurance?
Wedding venues typically require liability insurance from all vendors, including photographers. Therefore, you must always ask the photographer about liability insurance.
F. PROCESS
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to their process are as follows:
Question 29: How do you organize shots?
You should confirm with the photographer if they create a shot list or collaborate to plan key moments together or just capture candid moments as they unfold. If you have a specific shot list in mind, you can ask the photographer if they can work with your list.
Question 30: Do you work well with wedding planners?
If you are hiring a wedding planner, you should ask the photographer if they have experience working with wedding planners.
Question 31: How do you get to know the couple before the wedding day to ensure the best shots?
It can be a disaster if a photographer just shows up on the wedding day as a stranger and starts taking photos of the wedding couple without knowing their personal story and personalities. Most photographers hold initial consultation meetings in person or online with the couple to get to know each other. They also keep regular touchpoints to discuss expectations. A good photographer not only learns about a wedding couple but also builds a good rapport with them. You should confirm with the photographer about their process of knowing a wedding couple to ensure that it aligns with your expectations.
Question 32: Can you work with specific shot requests?
Modern photographers focus more on capturing natural, candid moments rather than traditional poses. However, if you have specific poses or family portraiture in mind that you would like to be captured on the wedding day, you must confirm that with the photographer directly.
F. CAMERA AND SOUND
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to camera and sound are as follows:
Question 33: What type of cameras do you use for photos and/or videos?
You should inquire about the cameras photographers use for the photos and videos to ensure that they are using professional cameras so that you get quality photos and videos.
Question 34: Do you use stabilizers?
Stabilizers, such as gimbals, keep cameras steady to avoid shaky footage. If you are hiring a videographer, you should make sure that they are using stabilizers to shoot the video to get the best professional quality.
Question 35: What do you use to record audio?
Audio is the soul of a video. You have to make sure that your wedding videographer is using high-quality recorders in the production of your wedding film.
G. CONTINGENCY
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to contingency are as follows:
Question 36: Do you carry backup cameras?
You cannot hire a replacement photographer on the day of your wedding if something goes wrong with your original photographer’s camera. At the end of the day, it’s a technology! Therefore, you should always check with the photographer if they carry backup cameras with them to handle this unexpected situation.
Question 37: What is your refund policy if I want to cancel the contract?
Although canceling a contract might not be your intention, you should always check the refund policy in case you want to cancel the contract with the photographer.
Question 38: Do you have a backup photographer if you are unable to show up on the wedding day due to sickness or any other emergency?
Unexpected things can happen not only with you but also with your photographer. You should confirm the availability of a backup photographer in case the original photographer is unable to show up on the day of the wedding due to any unforeseen reasons.
Question 39: How do you handle difficult lighting conditions?
The weather is unpredictable. It may be dark, rainy, or sunny on your wedding day. You should ask the photographer how they handle these types of weather conditions to ensure the quality of the photos taken.
H. POST-PRODUCTION AND DELIVERY
Some important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer related to post-production and delivery are as follows:
Question 40: Do you offer retouching services, and at what price?
There can be instances when you are not satisfied with your appearance in the photos, such as blemishes on your face. Furthermore, you might want to remove unwanted objects or people in your wedding photos. Many photographers provide these services at a price that is charged per photo. You should ask about these services and their price directly from the photographer so that you are aware of the types of services and the costs in case you want to use them.
Question 41: How many photos can we expect to receive?
You must ask the photographer regarding the minimum number of photos you can expect to receive. This depends on the hours of coverage and is also typically stated in the contract.
Question 42: How will you provide the photos and/or video?
You should also ask the photographer how the photos will be provided to you. Photographers usually deliver them through USB or an online gallery. If you have a specific preference in terms of delivery, you can request it right away.
Question 43: When will we receive photos and/or video?
This is one of the most important questions to ask a wedding photographer and videographer. You should ask about the expected turnaround time for the photos and videos to ensure that it is reasonable and you are not waiting too long for it.
Question 44: How do you choose the background music for our wedding film? Do we have a say in it?
You can ask the videographer how they choose the background music for a wedding film. If you really have specific songs in your mind that you would like to include as background music in your wedding films, you can ask the videographer about this. Some videographers let you choose the background music for your wedding film.
Question 45: Do you offer prints or albums? If yes, what’s the price?
Many photographers provide options to print albums in different sizes, colors, and finishes. You can ask the photographer if they offer photo albums. Furthermore, you can inquire about different options and their prices.
Question 46: How long after will you have our wedding photos and videos?
You should ask the photographer how long they retain the photos and videos after the wedding. Photographers typically keep the files forever. However, you should always confirm this so that you know if you have a backup available with the photographer all the time or not.