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Hiring a Wedding Photographer

Among all the critical decisions you have to make about your wedding, selecting your wedding photographer may be the most important. Long after your wedding day, your photographs will live on and probably become the foundation of your memories of the day. In addition, your children and generations to follow will rely on these photographs to bring alive their family history. Your wedding photos become part of your historic record, a way to relive this once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

When do I start shopping for a wedding photographer?

Start interviewing wedding photographers early and if you find the one you want, make the booking. Top wedding photographers might be booked over a year in advance.

What should I look at when I’m interviewing a wedding photographer?

Be sure you are looking at the work of the particular photographer you are booking, NOT a compilation of the studio’s best work taken by multiple wedding photographers – some of whom may no longer even work for the studio. Ask to look at the most recent work available from the photographer who will be shooting your wedding.

According to Lolly Fleming of About You Photography, “one of the most important factors in your decision should be whether the photographer can show you more than one COMPLETE wedding and not just a few of the best photographs taken from several weddings. This is VERY important and can be hard to come by, but you should NOT settle for less! Anyone can snap hundreds of pictures at an all day event and be fairly certain that a small percentage of them will be good. Ask your prospective photographer to see ALL of the photos from more than one wedding, not just a selection of his best work… If you look at ALL of the images from three or four complete weddings and you are impressed, then you can be certain that he/she is a professional wedding photographer and not just a "moonlighter" that gets lucky on a few shots here and there. This is the true test of an exceptional professional photographer.”

What should I ask in the interview with a wedding photographer?

Here are some questions recommended by Fleming:
1. Are you the only photographer in this company? If I hire you, am I guaranteed that you will be the one showing up to shoot my wedding? If yes, can I get that in writing?
2. Is the work that I am seeing all yours and only yours or is it a compilation of work from more than one photographer?
3. Can you show me three or more complete weddings you’ve done?
4. What styles of photography do you offer? Traditional? Photojournalism? Or both?
5. Is color and B&W photography included or is there an extra fee for B&W?
6. Do you offer hand coloring for B&Ws, digital coloring for B&Ws or digital color separation? If so, are these services included in your packages or do you charge a fee for these?
7. Is unlimited coverage included in your packages or is there an extra fee for all day coverage? Are you willing to come extra early to get shots of us (the couple) before the ceremony if we choose to do that? Would there be a fee for this?
8. Do your packages include one or two photographers and is there an extra fee for a second photographer?
9. Do you work with an assistant?
10. How many and what kind of cameras do you use? Do you have backup equipment if something breaks? Do you use film based or digital cameras or a combination of both?
11. How far will you travel to a wedding before charging a travel fee?
12. Do you charge a fee if the wedding and reception are in more than one location? What if we want to go to a third location for pictures? Is there a charge for this?
13. Do you offer a web site and CD of my images? If so, is this included in the packages or this is an extra fee?
14. If your packages are not what I am looking for, will you be willing to try to customize a package for me that is within my budget?
15. Do you offer only traditional albums or do you have a wide variety of options to choose from?

Is one wedding photographer enough? Do I need two?

If you can find and afford it, a two-person team is usually better than a single photographer – especially if they come with different but complimentary strengths. Says Fleming, “the great thing about a two person team is that you get two separate points of view of your wedding. Some photographers offer strictly traditional photography while others offer strictly photojournalism photography. That’s fine if you’ve decided that you only want one or the other, but most brides prefer a variety and feel they are getting the most for their money if they can find a photographer that offers both. Additionally, traditional photography is usually what the parents prefer, while most couples tend to prefer photojournalism, so finding a photographer that does both is definitely a bonus.”

What are some of the things that should be spelled out in the contract with the wedding photographer?

Everything that’s important to you! Here are just a few things in particular to look for:
a. Ownership of negatives– if the studio holds the copyright, they may hold your negatives for years. Until you can purchase the negatives, you’ll only be able to get reprints by ordering from them – this can be costly, so know in advance what the studio’s reprint prices are.
b. Proofs – some studios don’t let you keep your proofs, or they mark them so they can’t be copied. If you DO NOT want this, be sure it’s spelled out in the contract.
c. Film and processing limits – look for a studio that provides unlimited film and processing in their package.
d. Overtime – If you event runs late, will you be charged overtime? How about the costs of keeping the photographer on for post-reception parties? What will it cost for the photographer to return for a next-day party?

Should I be concerned about scheduling my wedding photographer when I’m booking my wedding locations?

Leave enough time between the ceremony and reception to take pictures, especially if they’re in two different locations. Half an hour is not much time. If you worry that your guests will have nothing to do, how about letting them start the cocktail hour while the bridal party takes pictures? Allow yourself enough time to relax and enjoy these first moments of your married life together, and give your wedding photographer enough time to capture these beautiful moments for posterity, the way you’ll want to remember them.