5 Expert Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer BEFORE You Book

You’re engaged!!! What a wonderful, exciting time in life.

There is so much involved in wedding planning, it can be a bit overwhelming. And while I can’t help you finalize your guest list or choose your meal options, I CAN help you make the best choice when it comes to your photographer. So whether you’re right here with me in Toronto, or in search of a photographer somewhere else in the world, here are 5 questions to ask your wedding photographer you may not have thought of.

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1. Do You Back Up Your Images? For How Long?

If the answer is, “Um, yeah, kind of, for a little bit,” run far, far away.

These are the most significant images in your life, and you want a photographer that treats them as such.

They should be recording two copies of each image on separate memory cards, then backing them up in 3 places. One of those places should be off site or on the cloud. And they should be backing up for several years.

2. What is Your Approach to Lighting?

There are all types of approaches. Some photographers are natural light only, some bring huge lighting rigs, and everything in between.

Many factors on a wedding day, including time of year, time of day, and venue choice, will be better suited to different lighting approaches. A potential photographer should be able to talk about how they use light, and explain why it will work best for your day.

3. Can I See a Single Wedding Gallery?

All wedding photographers put the best of their image collection on the portfolio page. The “greatest hits” so to speak. To make extra sure your photographer is going to nail it on your wedding day, ask to see a collection of 50 images or more from the same wedding day.

This also, and perhaps more importantly, indicates how a photographer approaches telling THE STORY OF YOUR DAY. It’s one thing to be able to capture a great portrait or two, but quite another to be able to recreate your narrative in a compelling and beautiful visual representation.

4. Are You Open to Inspiration?

Some photographers disagree, but I love it when my couples spend a bit of time on Pinterest and come up with a few shots they’d love to incorporate. If you’re a Pinterest queen like me, make sure your photographer is open to you bringing some suggestions to the table.

I always tell my clients to treat these shots as “inspiration” rather than “recreation” because every shooting situation is different, but I believe all photographers should be open to meeting their clients’ requests.

5. Do You Use a Professional Grade Lab for Prints and Albums?

Not all printing labs are created equal. Far from it. Quality is key when it comes to prints and albums.

There are certain labs that produce professional, fine art quality products that are open to professional photographers ONLY, and not accessible by the general public. If your photographer is not using one of these labs, they need to seriously step up their printing game.

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In the end, go with a photographer who has a style you love, a personality to enjoy, and a professionalism that you respect. These questions to ask your wedding photographer will help you discover that.

And, as always, trust your gut.

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Book Your Consult! 

I’d love to discuss how to create visual magic with you on your wedding day.