9 Crucial Questions You NEED to Ask Before Hiring Your Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photographer Kansas City
9 Crucial Questions You NEED to Ask Before Hiring Your Wedding Photographer | Wedding Photographer Kansas City
You’ve found a wedding photographer whose work you love, and they are available for your wedding date! Celebrate! That’s a feat in itself!
But before you celebrate too much, it’s time to stop and evaluate whether this wedding photographer is the right fit for the two of you and your wedding day.
There’s far more to hiring your wedding photographer than meets the eye, so today I’m serving up some serious tips and crucial questions to answer to help you make sure you’ve found the right one for you.
Grab a pen and paper and a cup of tea, and let’s get to work.
1. Are They Located In Your Area?
This sounds obvious, but I’ve known of more than one couple who hired a wedding photographer who marketed their services in the local area where they lived…never realizing they would have to pay extensive travel fees because the wedding photographer was based several hundred miles away.
The first thing you should do when evaluating a wedding photographer is to determine if they are located in your area. An experienced wedding photographer will highlight this information in prominent places on their website, and will confirm the location of your wedding ceremony and reception.
There are wedding photographers who service multiple locations and do not charge travel fees because they split their time between locales, but these are more the exception than the rule. When in doubt, always find out.
2. What Type of Wedding Photography Do They Deliver?
No two wedding photographers are the same, and when it comes to your wedding photography, it is so important that you love your final images.
First, do your homework and familiarize yourself with the style(s) of photography that you like and appreciate most. Figure out if you prefer warm, moody images, bright, true to life images, or light and airy images. Scroll through the wedding albums of your friends and family and find out what resonates the most with you. Then, find wedding photographers who provide that kind of work and add them to your short list!
3. Does Their Personality Resonate With You?
Here’s the deal: you will spend more time with your wedding photographer on the day of your wedding than you will spend with anyone else, including your new spouse. It is vitally important that your personalities are a good fit.
Stalk their social media (if they use it), and spend a while clicking around on their website. Does their voice appeal to you? Are the things they have written speaking to you? Or are you turned off by their approach?
Schedule a phone conversation, or a consultation, and really spend a little time talking to them. Is the conversation stilted and awkward? Are there long pauses and uncomfortable silences? Do you feel tense or stressed when talking with them?
Really think about this, because there are plenty of other stressors on a wedding day. Your communication and rapport with your wedding photographer should not be one of them.
4. What is Their Wedding Photography Experience?
Are they a new wedding photographer just transitioning to shooting weddings on their own? Or do they have a significant number of weddings under their belt? (Read: 30+)
There’s nothing wrong with giving a new wedding photographer a shot; you’ll likely save a little on your budget, and there’s something to be said for that. However, do understand the trade off. A new wedding photographer simply has not experienced enough to know the many things that can go wrong on a wedding day, or how to prepare for those possibilities or what to actually do if things should go sideways.
Experienced wedding photographers have seen it all…from missing bridesmaids to hair and makeup running two hours late, to wedding party transportation going to the wrong address, to weather challenges. And, they know what to do about it. This is a major part of what you are paying for when you hire a wedding photographer. You are hiring them to document your wedding day, yes. But you are also hiring them because they will know how to respond in any situation, and that will give you peace of mind.
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5. What is Included in Their Wedding Photography Services?
This digital age is amazing, but it also means that many things are fluid. What’s posted in one place today may be deleted or completely different tomorrow. You need to find out what is included in your potential wedding photographer’s packages, and what it will cost.
Most wedding photographers are happy to provide a wedding guide or price list that outlines the cost of each available package and what is included. For my Kansas City wedding photography clients, I provide a price range on my website, as well as a full wedding guide for every inquiry. This includes my most often booked wedding packages, the hours of coverage included, the number of photographers, whether an engagement session is included, and any other pertinent information. I also include my payment terms and travel fees for weddings outside of my coverage area.
6. Approximately How Many Images Can You Expect From Them?
The industry standard for wedding photography images is approximately 50-60 images per hour of coverage.
For ten hours of wedding coverage, you can expect approximately 600+ final images. Of course, if you have selected a coverage option with two photographers, you can expect more like 75-85 images per hour of coverage.
This may seem excessive, but remember that wedding photography is different from every other type of photography. Wedding photographers are there to document the whole day, from the decor and details to the ceremony and reception, and everything in between. 600+ images may sound like a lot, but in the span of a wedding day, you’ll find it’s just the right amount to document all the moments you never want to forget.
7. Are They Experienced With Both Natural Light and Off Camera Flash Lighting?
If you’re planning to wed outdoors during daylight hours, and your reception will be held outdoors before dark, then you might be safe to hire a natural light photographer. However, if your ceremony and/or reception will be held indoors, you need to make sure your potential wedding photographer is capable of handling lighting for any environment.
Wedding receptions are notorious for featuring difficult lighting situations. Once the DJ turns down the lights, your wedding photographer will need to be able to understand how off camera flash works, and use it well to light your dancing photos, as well as photos of your guests enjoying the reception, visiting, etc.
Don’t be afraid to ask your potential wedding photographer a few clarifying questions, such as:
Do you use off camera flash photography for the wedding reception (and ceremony, and other times, if needed)?
Are you proficient with off camera flash photography? Do you have a complete wedding gallery we can view, including images taken at the reception with flash photography?
How many flashes do you typically use for wedding receptions?
If your wedding photographer is a professional and secure in their ability to handle off camera flash lighting, they will not be offended or taken aback by your questions. They’ll be able to answer and provide what you’re asking for, and you’ll be able to make sure you are hiring a wedding photographer who can handle all your wedding photography needs.
8. Do They Offer Engagement Photography?
Your engagement session is a great opportunity to get to know your wedding photographer better and become a little more comfortable in front of a camera, and it really helps your wedding photographer get to know the two of you before the day of your wedding.
Some wedding photographers in Kansas City and other locations require every couple to have an engagement session with them, and while I don’t require it I do include them in the majority of my wedding packages.
There are many reasons why an engagement session with your wedding photographer is the best course of action, and rapport is a major reason. If you’re planning to incorporate photos of the two of you into your wedding, you can order prints of your engagement photos and display them in various ways at your wedding reception, or use them in your “save the date” cards.
An engagement session is also an ideal time to schedule your wedding makeup trial. I highly recommend my brides do this. Not only will the trial run allow you to iron out any wrinkles or clarify what you really want for your wedding day, but you’ll also be able to see how your wedding makeup will translate to wedding pictures.
9. Can You Trust Them to Care for You and Your Loved Ones With Respect and Care on Such an Important Day?
This question is the last, but it is also one of the most important ones on the list.
Your potential wedding photographer may have won awards, or may have a social media audience in the hundred thousands, but at the end of the day you are inviting a virtual stranger to witness one of the most important days of your lives, and to share space and interact with all those you love most.
This decision is a big one, and the personality of your wedding photographer and their ability to remain calm, cool, collected and kind in potentially stressful situations is vitally important. The last thing you want on your wedding day is a wedding photographer who unintentionally escalates tension.
That being said, remember that first meetings and conversations are always a little awkward for everyone. Put in the time, ask the right questions, and trust your instincts. Chances are if you get along well, and they hit all the other important markers, you’ve found the right wedding photographer for you.
You’re ready to meet with some potential wedding photographers! Be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know how this helped you, or any questions you would add!
Happy Planning!