7 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer for Perfect Wedding Pictures
Wedding pictures
When you start the process of selecting the vendors for your wedding day, it's important to find people who put you at ease and whom you can trust. It's especially important when choosing your wedding photographer. Unlike most of your other vendors, your wedding photographer is the one who'll be with you pretty much all day. Your photographer is the person charged with capturing all the memories you'll look back on for the rest of your life. It's kinda important that you get this person, and this person gets you.
As you begin finding your wedding photographer person, don't just consider their prices - assess the quality of work they put out. Meet them to evaluate whether their personality suits you on your wedding day. A price sheet won't give you that information. Still trying to figure out what to ask? Check out these seven key questions to help get you started!
How would you describe your photography style for weddings?
Have you photographed a wedding at our venue before?
What's included in your wedding package?
What happens in the event of an emergency?
Can we view full galleries of your recent weddings?
How long have you been photographing weddings, and how many have you shot?
What do you love about photographing weddings?
Read on to find out why these questions AND what Piper Brown Photography's answers to them.
How would you describe your photography style for weddings?
A simple Google or Pinterest search will show you that every wedding photographer has a style of their own. Some like to observe and take documentary-style photos of the day, while others have mastered creating carefully choreographed images. Our style at Piper Brown Photography is the former - observe and document. I am a people watcher by nature, so I enjoy watching people's reactions to events and moments. During your ceremony, while my camera is trained on you stating your vows, my eyes are looking around at your family and friends, watching their faces, and taking quick shots of their reactions to the event unfolding in front of them.
Have you photographed a wedding at our venue before?
It can help to have a photographer familiar enough with your venue that it's a cakewalk to find the best spots nearby for photos. That said, it isn't necessarily a deal-breaker if they've never shot a wedding at your venue. With over 300 hundred weddings shot, very few places in my neck of the woods are new to Piper Brown Photography. Still, new venues pop up every year, and I am always eager to check them out.
What’s included in your wedding package?
It goes without saying that most wedding photographers have standard packages and Ala carte items that you can add for an additional fee. Be sure to talk with your photographer and find out what they include in their wedding packages. Ask about their deliverable times as well. While Piper Brown Photography has standard packages, I need to find out what kind of images potential clients want, what type of experience they'd like to have on their wedding day, and what they plan to do with their pictures afterward. That helps me guide them to the proper collection or to build something unique for them.
What happens in the event of an emergency?
An emergency plan is vital now that we all live in a post-COVID era. Make sure you ask all your potential photographers about their backup systems. What happens if they're ill or can't photograph your wedding because of an emergency? You might think this is an awkward question to pose, but it's not. You need to know that your photographer has a rock-solid Plan B in place, so you'll get the wedding photos you want, no matter what happens. I have several dependable photographers in place that I call on in the event of an emergency.
Can we view full galleries of your recent weddings?
This question is a big one! In your Google search, you may have fallen in love with an image on a photographer's website or social media page. That one image doesn't represent the flow of the whole day. You get a better idea of a photographer's style when you see the images from the entire day laid out in a flow. A complete gallery also helps you determine if the photographer's image quality is consistent. I have whole albums available for clients to review when we meet so they see not just the digital gallery we deliver to clients but also how we tell the story of the day in print form.
How long have you been photographing weddings, and how many weddings have you shot?
This question speaks to the experience level of your photographer. While everyone has to start somewhere - I certainly did, it's helpful if you know your potential wedding photographer's experience level. Wedding photography is a unique beast. I incorporated Piper Brown Photography in 2018, but before that, I apprenticed for almost three years with other photographers to understand what it takes to be a wedding photographer. As mentioned, I have over 300 weddings under my belt, and I'll rack up a few hundred more before I lay my camera down. I love what I do.
What do you love about photographing weddings?
This question may sound like small talk, but it's a fabulous way of getting to know your photographer's personality and how they'll approach your wedding. You deserve a photographer who's looking forward to your day almost as much as you are! As a wedding photographer, I am addicted to the atmosphere of joy and happiness unique to weddings. It's like a cotton candy haze, where everything is beautiful, and you can't stop grinning at everyone. I especially love the moment when a couple is declared - Married! A palpable air of jubilation flows from a newly married couple like an avalanche over everyone in attendance when they're declared a married unit. Their joy is contagious, and it's the best feeling to experience. As a wedding photographer, I share this feeling several times a year. I have laughed and cried with so many people!
Taking the time to interview potential photographers. It will give you a chance to ask all these crucial questions as well as address any concerns you have about your wedding day. Make sure to write down your list of questions you have and any other details you want to know, to ensure that you’re prepared.