Questions To Ask Your Wedding Photographer:
Over the years of working withphotographers at weddings here inTipperary and all over Ireland I have found that 90% of photographers really go above the call of duty on the day but some don’t! So it is well worth while to ask them a few questions; it’s like booking a wedding videographer – make sure you view some work they have done. When a bride makes an enquiry to me at Abbey Video for wedding videography I try and match a sample of the ceremony with where they are getting married and also the hotel they are planning to use on their wedding day. This way they can see for themselves what it might look like on their wedding day and get a feel for it.
So you need to ask your photographer have you ever shot a wedding at the venue location before.
Style is a huge part of photography in my view. Are they going to be posed _ formal, relaxed, photojournalistic, candid, traditional or reportage.
Will you receive both colour and black and white prints? Colour of course goes without saying but black and white is also a must as it has that timeless look about it.
Will you have backup equipment available – very important as well.
Now a dodgy one!… Can other people take photos while you are taking photos? Some photographers don’t like people standing behind them covering all the well posed shots. Sometimes this can make his job more difficult as guests can be calling out to the bridal party and this might upset the pose he has set up, that’s why they often take the bridal party away to a location and let the guests off to the hotel.
How many photos come in each package is also a good thing to know!
Should the event last longer than scheduled, will you stay? Extra charge? This is like asking how long is a piece of string – while most weddings are roughly the same run time, some couples like their photographer to stay to photograph the speeches or even in later times the dancing so it’s worth asking them this.
Do you have liability insurance? This is a must as well – should you wish to have your photos taken in an OPW site like the Rock of Cashel, Cahir Castle, Kilkenny Castle and a lot more, your photographer must have insurance. Without it you don’t get to have your photos inside the site.
Can you give them a list of specific photos you want taken.
How long after your wedding will the proofs be ready – again this is worth asking as during busy times this can take a few weeks / months.
Abbey Video Productions Ballykisteen Hotel
Do they provide a written contract?
Do they charge you for travel ?
Is a deposit required? If so, how much?
When is the remaining balance after deposit due?
Are there any additional charges not mentioned?
What time will you arrive?
I think experience in wedding photography is the most important point that should be asked before hiring a photographer. Anyone can grab a camera, go out and take photographs of a flower or a field but a wedding day is totally different! Hope this little bit of knowledge is helpful for you ~ Joe