4 Questions to Ask before Hiring Your Wedding Photographer
These are four questions worth asking a wedding photographer before you book. The answers tell you who will be there on the day and what kind of photos you’ll get back.
- What experience do you have as a wedding photographer?
Why ask: Some photographers have seen everything a wedding can throw at them, and some are still figuring out what the buttons on the camera do. A wedding day asks for a lot at once. The photographer has to handle the technical side, be in position when the rings go on, and find the candid moments on the dance floor. Decide how much experience you’re comfortable with.
- Are you the photographer who will shoot our wedding, and will you have assistants?
Why ask: Some studios have several photographers, and the one you talk to when you book may not be the one who shows up. If you’re hiring someone for their style, make sure they’re the one coming. Ask about assistants too: how many, and whether they’ll be shooting. If you’ve booked a small space and the photo team fills half of it, you’ll want to know beforehand. If you have 500 guests, a second shooter can photograph the people you’ll barely see all day.
- How well do you know the venue we’ve chosen?
Why ask: A photographer who knows your venue knows where to stand at each important moment, and where not to. They know whether a drone shot is possible there and from which angle. They also know where the light is good at each time of day, and where it’s harsh, so they can keep you out of it. (Here are the Oaxaca venues I know best.)
- If your style is mostly candid, will I still get some formals?
Why ask: Some documentary photographers don’t pose anyone, and they may assume that’s what you want if you’re thinking of hiring them. If you’d like some posed family photos or a few editorial portraits, say so, and ask to see examples. Editorial styles vary a lot from one photographer to the next, so make sure you like theirs.
If you’d like my own answers to these, get in touch and I’ll go through them with you.