One of the reasons why I live client consultations is because I know that I will have a chance to meet the potential bride and groom and answer any questions they may have as it relates to their wedding day photography.  I love that brides take the time to seek out questions to ask. I found an article recently entitled “10 Questions to Ask When Interviewing Your Wedding Photographer”.  This list of questions was actually pretty relevant, so I thought I would tackle them in case any potential brides out there had the same questions.  Today I will cover the first 5 and next week I’ll cover the other 5.  Let’s go!

Q:  Will the person I am meeting with be the photographer on the day of my wedding?

This is a very important question as I have seen first hand some businesses that subcontract out photography services to others without the bride and groom knowing in advance this was going to happen.  I’ve also seen where photographers who run a business accept higher paying jobs and pass along lower paying weddings to their friends.  I don’t agree with either practice.

A: Yes, I will be the person that shows up to shoot your wedding.  I do not and have no ever accepted a wedding commission that I had intentions of passing along to someone else.  Rest assured that this will not happen unless an act or illness beyond my control happens.  In that case I have a network of photographers with my skill level that can substitute for me in the unfortunate event that this happens.

Q: How would you describe your photographic style?

This is an important question because you want to know that the photographer you hire shoots in a way that you like.  Chances are if you’ve reviewed their website portfolio you already know what style they have but may not be fully aware of how that style is explained.  This question allows the photographer to explain how they go about shooting a wedding day.

A: My photographic style is a mix of photo journalism and traditional.  I capture moments as they happen (smiles, laughs, tears) and I shoot some traditional (posed) photos.  The traditional photos are usually during the family formals.  While I like to capture the bride and groom interacting with one another and showing their genuine love as if the camera isn’t there I also capture photos of the bride and groom looking at the camera in case they want to send out custom Thank You cards.  The traditional photos are also the ones that the parents and grandparents appreciate since both the bride and groom’s faces are visible to the camera.

Q: What kind of equipment do you use and do you have back-up equipment?

While part of this question is valid there is a part that doesn’t really matter.  They type of equipment a photographer uses isn’t going to mean anything to a prospective client if they don’t know makes or models of cameras, flashes or lenses.  However, the information that the photographer tells you about their back-up equipment is very important in my opinion because in the event of equipment failure you want to know that the photographer isn’t going to miss a beat.  One of the most valuable pieces of information that I was taught when I first started shooting weddings was to always have back-up equipment.

A: I shoot with Nikon Full-frame bodies and various Nikon lenses.  My equipment choice depends upon the amount of light available in the hotel room, church, hall or cathedral and the reception space.  The equipment that I use can handle low-light situations and when flash is not permitted during a ceremony, I am comfortable working in that environment as well.

Q: Will you be booking any other events on the same day as my wedding?

If you are having a full wedding day (i.e. 8-10 hours) there is a good chance that your photographer only has you on their schedule.  Even if they don’t I’m not sure they would tell you for a couple of reasons 1- they don’t want you to panic and 2-they may not have any intentions of shooting anything else that day but something may come up at the last minute.  In addition to asking about events, try and find out if they have any physical activities planned.  I know of a photographer that once did a mud run the day before a wedding and broke their ankle. Ouch!  Now many photographers may disagree with me on this one, so just follow your gut when someone answers a question like this.

A: I book 1 event per day and will not be shooting any other events before or after the wedding because I don’t want to run late, nor do I want to feel like I am rushing someone on one of the most important days of their lives.

Q: How long will it take to receive the images back?

This is an important question and one that should be outlined in the photography contract.  It breaks my heart when I hear or read horror stories of newlyweds never receiving their wedding images, so make sure you have a clear understanding of the process following the wedding so that there will be no surprises and misunderstandings.

A: My turn around time for delivering wedding images is 4 weeks following the wedding date.  I deliver images electronically through an online image gallery service where the couple can download and save their high resolution images.  I have found digital delivery to work great because the couple gets the images much faster and there isn’t the risk of a CD or USB drive being lost in the mail.

I hope this helps put some wedding photography questions and answers into perspective and helps you as you are planning your big day! Cheers!