If you’re here reading this article it’s probably because you’re getting married!
Congratulations, this is such an exciting time in your relationship despite all the stress and that growing to-do list.
Included on that list are many vendors you need to hire for your wedding, and from my (somewhat biased) perspective, one of the most important vendors to get right is the wedding photographer.
After over a decade of shooting weddings and working with a variety of different clients, I have many thoughts on the interview process from both sides of the aisle.
Both the photographer and the couple need to make sure that the pairing is a good fit before saying “I do” to the wedding photography contract.
In this article, in addition to giving you some straightforward questions to ask a wedding photographer, I’m also going to help you approach it in a way that will ensure you’re asking the right questions.
We’re going to put together a customized job description for your wedding photographer and then interview possible candidates to find the best person to fill that role.
Let’s get started.
How to Know What Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers
Before we can start asking questions, we want to ensure we’re asking the right questions.
That’s where I’m going to start in this article, and even though I think it’s super important, feel free to skip ahead.
In any type of interview, the interviewer can create a list of questions to get to know a person and their background.
The interview questions might span a variety of subjects to ensure that the interviewee has the proper experience and enthusiasm required for the job.
It’s also important that the interviewee is a good fit for the company culture.
Finally, it comes down to why the candidate is better than some other choice.
The interviewee can use the opportunity to describe their skills, knowledge, enthusiasm, and experience in a way that makes them the best choice for the job.
Similarly, when it comes to interviewing a wedding photographer, you want to make sure they have knowledge and experience just like hiring someone for your company.
It’s also important that they’re a good fit for your wedding day culture.
Therefore, when you’re choosing what questions to ask a wedding photographer you’ll want to narrow down what skills and experience are most important to you as well as have an idea of what you’re looking for.
In the next section, I’m going to have you write a job description for your wedding photographer.
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Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Wedding Photographer
When hiring someone, it’s helpful to have a job description.
You might think that it’s obvious. The job description is a wedding photographer.
But let’s take a few examples to see how you would end up hiring very different photographers for your wedding.
Bride seeking a high-energy wedding photographer to help produce an elegant and theatrical wedding day that will entertain the guests as we party until 2 am.
Couple seeking a laid-back wedding photographer to help reduce stress on the wedding day and capture intimate emotional moments between loved ones.
Bride seeking a luxury formal wedding photographer for a ballroom wedding full of fashion-loving guests.
Groom seeking an adventurous wedding photographer to help guide us on our outdoor wedding in a National Park we’ve never been to but want to experience on our wedding day.
As you can see, each of these sample weddings actually takes a very different skill set.
What is my vision for the wedding day?
Before knowing which photographer to hire, you need to have an idea of your vision for your wedding day.
Will it be a large party or an intimate wedding that’s a casual event?
Do you want to partake in all of the traditions or do something completely unique?
What are the aspects of the wedding day that you value most?
As a heads up, this is often a very important conversation to have early on to make sure you and your fiancé are on the same page.
It also helps to have this conversation with your parents, especially if they’re helping to pay the bill.
Getting on the same page about what kind of wedding to have is the first step in the wedding planning process.
What is my budget for photography?
Once you’ve determined your values and vision for the wedding day, you’ll want to calculate your wedding budget.
Figure out all the money sources and quantities to find a total wedding budget.
Then, start prioritizing all of the wedding expenses by separating the needs and the wants and determining your priorities.
It makes sense if the things you value most end up with a higher dollar value.
Within reason, of course, ceremonies often are one of the most important parts of the day but they don’t usually cost all that much.
But the ceremony is a good example of something that gets neglected because people are worried about the band and the food.
Make sure you don’t neglect aspects of the wedding day that are important to you.
Instead, use them to guide all of your decisions.
What is my vision for my photography and my photographer?
Now that you have an idea of what you want for your wedding, you can dive into what you want from your wedding photography.
Often, the photography is the one thing you have left after the day is over.
It helps to think about how you want to relive and remember your wedding day.
That will help you determine the style of wedding photography you want whether it’s classic, modern, photojournalistic, artistic, or something else.
Then, it’s important to realize that you might be spending more time with your wedding photographer than anyone else on your wedding day.
Your photographer will be present throughout your wedding day, so you want to feel comfortable around them and ensure that they bring the right energy to the event.
What do I want from a photography package?
Lastly, you’ll want to determine what you want from a photography package.
Sometimes, you might decide to follow the photographer’s lead on this one because they’ve worked with hundreds of couples and usually build packages based on what couples want.
However, it’s a good idea to think through package ingredients so that you know if there are any deal breakers for you.
You might know you want two photographers or be sure you need a wedding album.
Perhaps you want coverage for the entire weekend or you know you want an engagement shoot.
You can look at different wedding packages to get an idea of common offerings but sometimes it’s hard to compare because every photographer has a different way of structuring things based on their photography style.
One of the big differences is how inclusive the package is up front versus if there will be additional costs after the wedding.
Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer
We’ve now arrived at the section of this article where I’ll give you interview questions for wedding photographers.
However, if you did the exercises above you’ll have a pretty good job description of the type of wedding photographer you’re looking for.
Then, these questions will seem fairly obvious and natural.
Questions before we go any further: Are you available? And can I afford you?
Before you spend too much time falling in love with a wedding photographer, you need to make sure they are available and within your wedding photography budget.
Most couples already have their venue and wedding date finalized by the time they’re shopping for a photographer.
Additionally, it’s a waste of everyone’s time to get too invested if the budget simply won’t allow you to hire a certain photographer.
As obvious as this seems, it’s not uncommon for me to have spent a bunch of time helping a client think through their photography needs only to have them pick a venue on a date we’re not available.
And it’s very common for some couples to price-shop as we do with all our shopping but it’s a good idea to make sure you’re shopping at least in the range of what you can afford.
I like your photos, can you tell me more about your style and philosophy?
I assume that you’re going to be interviewing photographers whose photography you appreciate.
Once you know that you like the resulting photographs, it’s good to get an idea of what the experience will be like.
You know the pictures are going to turn out beautiful, but will the photographer be fun or disruptive?
It’s good to try to learn about the photographers from their website, but talking to them is a great way to gut-check your impressions.
This is a good way to make sure their vision matches your vision.
What do I actually get in my package and when do I get it?
Above I mentioned the importance of knowing what you want from your photography package.
This includes things like the number of hours, products like prints or albums, digital files, and additional coverage like an engagement shoot.
Pay attention not only to the actual things included but to how the photographer presents them.
Do they love their wedding albums and think it will add value to your life?
This is also where it’s good to understand the difference between lead photographers, second shooters, associate shooters, and assistants.
If you want two photographers, make sure you interview two photographers; otherwise, be aware that the experience of the second shooter may not be what you’re expecting.
Additionally, you’ll want to know when your photos will be ready and when you’ll receive any products.
Turnaround times can be a shock to a bride who just assumed they would get their wedding photos soon after their wedding.
Different photographers have different editing speeds and timeframes so you’ll want to make sure you’re aware.
How can I get the best photos possible?
Most of the time, couples ask questions about what gear we use or how we edit, which is fine, especially if you know and care about that sort of thing.
However, the times when I know that I have an awesome potential client in front of me is when they ask me questions about how they can get the best photos possible.
This shows an understanding and respect for how hard it is to create magical photos.
It’s not just about the photographer, it’s about the subject too.
Many of our couples, for example, are open to understanding the importance of planning the schedule of the day around the light.
Other couples know that the more hours they hire us for the more we can immerse ourselves in the day and tell a photojournalistic story.
Imagine hiring an architect or interior designer; you ask them questions about their expertise and give them a chance to show you how you can create a great design for them.
Do the same with your photographer, and ask them the best way to get great photos.
This is an overlooked but high-impact area of questioning!
I’m confused about _____ can you explain that to me?
Lastly, it’s important to make sure you ask questions about anything you’re confused about.
Like everything else, wedding photography involves a lot of jargon, so you’ll want to make sure you understand the lingo.
If you want to understand travel fees, print rights, shot lists, or lighting, these are great questions to ask.
Not only will you understand what you’re getting into but you’ll be able to learn more about the photographer by how they answer the questions.
Summary of Best Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers
Hopefully, you not only know what questions to ask potential wedding photographers, but now you have a great strategy for deciding which questions are most important to you.
After you’ve determined that a wedding photographer is the right fit for your budget, style, vision, and priorities, then you might want to get into the nitty gritty of their contract or the gear they use.
Most importantly, you want to ask questions that will help you decide which photographer best fits your customized job description.
The first step is coming up with that customized job description for your wedding photographer based on your vision for the day and for your photography.
From there you can formulate questions that help you determine the best photographer for the job.
Then you can ask questions that will benefit you by relying on the professional for advice on getting the best photos.
And finally, you can clarify any confusion and concerns.
