What Do I Ask? Where Do I Begin?
1. What are your professional credentials? This is the most important question to ask during your meeting with a potential wedding photographer. It is becoming increasingly common for individuals to buy an inexpensive camera and begin working as a photographer. You should be leery of this since your wedding day only happens once and do not leave your most important memories to an untrained beginner no matter how good the price. The other main concern is the sustainability of the company. Make sure to ask your photographer how many years experience. May I call some professional references and past clients?
2. May I see a complete wedding? Ask to see a complete wedding to be certain of the photographer’s quality and consistency. You can quickly see if the images they include in their portfolio are part of a consistent style and quality or just a few lucky shots.
3. Are there hidden fees? What is your retainer? Fees are different with every photographer and you want to make sure you have a clear understanding of the package or collection you are receiving and what additional fees and deposits are charged before and after the event. It can be frustrating to be surprised by unanticipated fees. The industry standard for retainers is to charge 30 to 50% upfront to reserve the date. Make sure to read the contract to make sure what is said is the same as what is written in the contract.
4. How many professional photographers will be at my wedding? How many assistants? Make sure you understand who is attending your wedding and what their responsibilities will be. Some photographers will arrive with a professional second photographer while others may bring an amateur or an assistant. Amateurs are helpful but their images are not to be relied upon. Assistants can be necessary depending on the complexity of the photographic coverage. This is also important to know in regards to how many extra people you are feeding during the event.
5. If I purchase the digital files what do I actually get? The digital files are a very valuable. They give you the option to print your own products or share your images online. Because of this photographers have different policies on these files. Some photographers will offer FB sized files—while others offer the hi-resolution images for different prices—while others will wrap the cost in their package—and others don’t offer them at all. Make sure to find a photographer who matches your priorities.
6. How long will you be at my wedding? What about overtime? Photographers take two approaches to this question. Some photographers will work hourly and charge additional fees to stay longer than the specific time allotted. This is usually a budget saving technique and includes 2-3 hours of coverage and the photographer will try to book several weddings per day.
Other photographers will include eight to ten hours in their packages which allow them to cover the duration of the event and allows for flexibility with the coverage. If you select to go hourly charges please make sure you keep an extra budget for additional time so if your wedding is running late you can keep the photographer around longer. The worst thing is not having a photographer available for the important moments of your wedding day because the event is running behind schedule.
sturat thurlkill MH photo
World class photographer
Stuart Thurlkill has been recognized
internationally for his work as a
photojournalist. Stuart is the owner
and principal photographer of Eyes 2
See Photography, a wedding photography
firm, specializing in timeless images
of elegance and emotion.
To schedule a consultation call 602.327.7974.
Visit the web site: www.eyes2see.com
