What questions to ask me as your Wedding Photographer
WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
As a wedding photographer, I get asked many questions, sometimes not enough, as believe it or not, I want you to know everything I do before, during and after your wedding. It sure is so much more than just turning up on a wedding day, taking photos, then heading back home.
What questions do I get asked:
What time do you arrive on the day
Do you take photos in the morning during prep
Do you want a list for group photos
How many photos do we get
What time do you stay until in the evening
Is one or two photographers there on the day
Do you do video
How long do we have to wait for our photos
What if it’s raining
Will you travel abroad to photograph a wedding
These are just a few of the endless questions that get asked. I always encourage you to ask your wedding photographer, especially if you have booked me, as many questions as possible. I personally will bring these questions up when we chat. I understand that there is so much for you to think about, and I will help as much as possible to put your mind at ease.
I say it to all couples, my job on the day is to not only photograph these special moments but to make sure your day is as relaxed as possible. I will never drag you off for long periods of time to do your couple portraits, as your day is not just about photos, photos, photos. It’s your day to enjoy.
Let’s go through some of these questions:
The time I arrive will depend on a few things. Such as the location of your wedding, the time of your ceremony, arrival time of hair and make-up artists. This would be confirmed closer to your day when I have a catch up with you.
I will only need about 2 hours of prep time for the girls, and if a second photographer has been booked through one of my packages, then he normally only needs about an hour.
When it comes to a list of photos for group shots then unless there are some complicated family issues, as it does happen, then my advice is to stick to the immediate family. This includes grandparents, parents, and siblings. It’s surprising how many photos can be done with your family, but it can be done very quickly. This goes back to the early part where I mentioned that the day was not about photos, photos, photos. Yes, they are a must, and my advice if you had to provide me a list, keep it small.
This is a question that always gets asked. This certainly varies from wedding to wedding. This could be because you have a smaller wedding or a large wedding with over 100 guests. Photographers all provide different numbers of images that you get in your gallery. I know some that provide around 500 images, others up to 1000. I’m one of the others. I will take plenty of images on your day and although some are not …wow images, they are moments and that’s what your day is about. It’s not just images of you and your partner.
I will stay as long as it takes. I do not set a time. When you book me, you book me for the day. So if you want those extra nighttime creative portraits, then I am up for that, regardless of time.
You have a choice if you book just me as your wedding photographer. I offer more of your day to be covered for just a small cost, where a second photographer is included. There are options available to you and you can discuss these with me when booking.
Although I don’t offer a full day of wedding videography, I now offer a video highlight of your day. This was introduced last year. It does not replace a videographer, but it does offer a cheaper way to have a highlight video provided to you, which can be viewed on social media or your TV at home via YouTube. You have to ask yourself the question, do I want to sit and watch up to an hour of my wedding day over and over or would I prefer a short video that you can easily watch and share with family and friends?
The time you have to wait for your photos will depend on the time of year. At the peak wedding season, I could be photographing lots of weddings. Sometimes back to back weddings like Friday, Saturday, Sunday. This means absolutely no time to look at galleries or do any editing unless I dont sleep. The time it takes to work on your images, from selecting the favourites, to editing, is very time consuming. I understand you will be excited to see your wedding photos, but one thing I will not do is rush my work. So, in my contract, it states your wedding photos can take up to 12 weeks before you receive the full gallery.
Yes, this can be a worry for you, and I understand that. However, you must never let the weather spoil your day. Enjoy every minute of it, the only person who has to worry about the weather is me, so let me take the worry away from you.
Absolutely. Destination Wedding Photography is becoming more popular. You will be amazed at how many people are now taking a UK photographer overseas. There are many advantages to this. You may already know the photographer, you have seen their work, or friends have recommended the photographer to you. When you get married abroad, the packages you get offered by a travel company include a photographer. There are lots of issues with this. You don’t know them, you may not have seen much of their work, they don’t stay with you long, or if you are not happy with your photos after the day, it's difficult to contact them. These are just a few of the many reasons that booking me as your destination wedding photographer is so much more beneficial.
If you are planning to get married and looking for your perfect wedding photographer, here in the UK or abroad, then let’s plan this together.
