Questions To Ask Your Photographer

When it comes to choosing your wedding vendors you may not know what questions to ask your photographer.

There is no doubt that the city of Columbus is saturated with tons of photographers jumping at the opportunity to provide their services for you.

Especially if this is your first wedding, you may find yourself unsure about the process, what to ask, or expect from a potential wedding photographer.

I’ve put together this blog to help shed some light on important questions to ask your photographer you inquire with.

What to Expect From Inquiring

First thing first, let’s talk about their contact form.

Maybe you’ve just recently stumbled upon someone’s page, or perhaps you’ve had someone in mind since before you even got engaged. Whatever the case may be, once you are ready to pull the trigger and get the conversations flowing, the first thing you will want to do is go to their contact page and submit an inquiry.

Inquiry forms may not all be the same. Some may ask for lots of information, while others may only want a little. Common questions to expect are:

What type of event (wedding, elopement, micro wedding)
The date of the event
The location for the event
If you want to set up a consultation call
How you heard about them

Some photographers also ask questions such as: what is your desired budget, what about their work stands out to you most, what do you love about your venue. Etc.

Every inquiry form is different but these are the main things to expect. Once submitted, most photographers reply within 24-48 hours.

Booking Process

Now let’s talk about the booking process.

Everyones booking process is a little different but for the most part you can expect to start with a consultation call. This allows the photographer to gain more information on your event, discuss the style and vision you’re going for, go over their packages, and overall see if you are a good fit together.

Once you complete your consultation you will be able to decide on your package. Whether it’s one made custom for you or a list of their pre-made packages.

After you have your package decided, expect to pay a retainer to hold your date. This will be a percent based off of the full package price. They will also let you know when the remaining balance is due. These final payments can differ from photographer to photographer but usually it’s 2-4 weeks prior to the event date.

Lastly, you will sign a contract to bind this agreement.

BUT. These simple points on what to expect the process to look like aren’t all I have to share. There are things you should ask your photographer during the consult call that are important to know!

When it comes to picking your wedding photographer it’s not just about their packages and style of work. There are a lot of important things to consider as well such as: their backup system, their cancelation policy, weather plan, and more. Here is a full list of things I would always ask your photographer regarding their business:

What is your cancelation policy for clients? (if you have to cancel).
What is your cancelation policy for yourself? (if they have to cancel. Be sure to ask the difference if they cancel a month out compared to the day of).
What is your weather policy? (if applicable to your day).
How do you backup the images? (ensure they do everything possible to avoid faulty equiptment).
What is the expected turnaround time?
When are the payments due? (you can even ask if they offer payment plans).
Will you help pose us? (ensure confidence that your photographer knows how to pose you).
Do you offer second shooters?
Will you be the one photographing our wedding? (some companies use multiple photographers and hire them out to weddings. Be sure to make certain the person you are hiring is the person actually showing up).
How long have you been shooting weddings/how many weddings have you shot?
What type of add-ons are available for your packages (engagement sessions, extra hours, etc).
What happens if we book for 8 hours and something runs over the day of? (do they allow time to go over, how do they handle invoicing for extra time, etc).
Can we flex our time once the contract is signed? (let’s say you book for 8 hours then decide a month later you only want 7, will they let you adjust your contracted package?).

Additional Questions to Ask | Style and Approach

How would you describe your photography style? (this gives you insight on the vibe of their work so you can ensure it matches your vision).
What is your approach to wedding photography? (are they more laid back? front and center? they will be with you for more than likely the whole day. Ask this to know what to expect their presence to be like).
What format of photography do you do? (digital, film, maybe they also offer video, etc).
What is your style of shooting? (to add to the question above. Some photographers focus more on documentary style vs. posed).
Have you ever shot at our venue before? (does not have to be a deal breaker for you, but if your venue is bigger/complex you can always ask).

Questions To Ask Your Photographer | Summary

First and foremost, always remember that the photographer is just as excited to talk to you as you are to them. With this list of questions to ask you should leave their consultation call feeling confidence and reassured that you are in the best hands for your day.

Not every point is intended to be a make or break question. The most important thing you can do is decide what is a priority for you and what boxes have to be checked for you to feel confident in them.

If you’ve enjoyed my information on picking a wedding photographer and feel like we could be a good fit, please feel free to inquire here for your special day!

For additional information on Columbus weddings and engagement locations, click here to return to my blog home page.