40 Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers
Oh, wedding planning and the little nuances that come with it! There is so much to do and so little time, it seems. From small details to determining vendors, there’s a lot to juggle. While I can’t speak for all vendors, I can assist with what questions to ask wedding photographers, aside from determining wedding costs.
We’ll break these down into question categories:
Here we go!
Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers
Need to Know
- Are you available for my wedding date?
- When do I need to book you?
- How long have you been in business?
- How many weddings have you photographed?
- Have you done any that are similar to mine?
Style
- How would you describe your photography style?
- How would you describe how you work with your clients?
- (If candid) Will I still get formal, posed portraits?
- (If posed / editorial / traditional) Will I still get candid photos?
- Do you shoot weddings in digital, film format, or both?
- Do you have experience shooting in large, indoor spaces with low light?
- Do you have an up-to-date portfolio or recent wedding I can see?
- Can I give you a shot list?
Logistics
- Will you be the photographer at my wedding?
- Will you be bringing any assistants or second photographers?
- What will happen if you are unable to photograph my event? (Sickness, accident, etc.)
- What will you be wearing to my wedding?
- Can other people take photos while you are taking photos?
- Have you worked at my wedding venue before?
- Will you be visiting my venue before my wedding date if you haven’t worked there before?
- What time will you arrive to take photos?
- What happens if we want you to stay longer than our original time? Will you stay and what is the additional charge per hour?
- Do you have liability insurance?
Process
- What is your deposit to book you as my photographer?
- When is the deposit due?
- Is the deposit refundable?
- What is your refund/cancellation policy?
- What is your travel fee?
- What do your collections include?
- Do you include any prints?
- Are you able to do a same-day slideshow during the reception?
- What kind of touching up will you be doing on the photos?
- How long before I receive the photos?
- How many photos can I expect to receive?
- Do you provide album designs?
- Do you have any albums for me to see?
- What is the ordering process after the wedding?
- Will I receive high-quality downloads?
- Will I have printing rights for the photos?
- How long after the wedding can I order prints?
Social Proof
- Do you have a list of reviews or testimonials? (Check this out to see why this question is so important)
- Why you and not someone else?
- Do you have any vendors you recommend?
- Videographers
- Caterers
- Planners
- Venues
- Cake
- Etc.
- Will I receive a written contract when hiring you?
- How long do I have to sign the contract?
- What is the process of taking me on as a client?
Self Check
- Do you feel your personalities get along? If not, they may not be right for you.
- In 3 years, will you still love this style of photography?
- Did the photographer make you feel heard?
- If money is not an object, would you want to hire this photographer immediately?
Questions to Ask Wedding Photographers That Are Silly
- What camera do you use?
- What lenses will you be using?
- What lights are you using?
- Can I have the RAW files? RAW files are a file type, not an unedited photo.
- Will you bring your own food?
- Can you help my [cousin, brother, sister, etc.] with taking photos?
- Can I just have all of the images?
- Can we remove the engagement photos to reduce pricing?
- Can you split your time so we can extend our coverage?
- Can you reduce your pricing since this will be great exposure?
While these are all questions to consider (or not consider) during the interview process, remember that you don’t have to ask every single question.
Some answers can be found by exploring the photographer’s website and reading their FAQs.
Photographer Consultations Coming Up?
Download these questions as a PDF or as a Spreadsheet to use on your consultation!
