Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

As digital camera equipment becomes more affordable, more and more wedding photographers are coming on to the scene. If your pictures are important to you, though, you're going to want to stick with a true professional. How do you separate the good wedding photographers from the bad? Here are some questions that you should ask every photographer you are considering.

What is your education/training?
Not every great photographer has a degree in photography, but it is a sign that you are on the right track. Consider the college the degree is from as well, although two year art schools do turn out some good photographers, a Bachelor's degree in Photography is preferred. You will at least know that they can use their camera and compose a shot correctly. If they do not have a degree, ask where and how they trained. Wedding photography is not nearly as easy as it sounds, and some time under another professional gives a photographer a good leg to stand on. Ask this question regardless of experience, even if they have spent the last 10 years shooting weddings, it does not mean they necessarily know how.

What are your professional affiliations?
If a photographer is a member of the PPA, or the Professional Photographers of America, you can feel much more secure. Not only does the PPA offer valuable training and certification, they also offer insurance to all of their members, so if a tripod crashes through a stained glass window at the ceremony, you know the damage is covered. The PPA is also a great place to start your search for a photographer, they have a searchable database on their website. You can also request certified photographers only and know you are getting someone who has been trained and tested in their craft.

Are you a traditional or photo journalistic photographer?
Traditional wedding shots are posed and formal. Photo journalistic shots are more artistic and candid, very popular right now. Many photographers specialize in both types of shots, frequently taking traditional shots of the ceremony and photo journalistic shots of the reception. However, if you would like both traditional and photo journalistic shots of the ceremony, you will need to choose a studio who will send two photographers to your wedding, at least to cover the ceremony. A note about photo journalistic photographers: it is a very specialized art to get good photo journalistic shots. A photographer must be good with his camera, quick with lighting and able to compose a shot on the spot.

Who will be taking my pictures?
Ask this question especially if you are using a large studio or popular photographer. Many times couples have thought they were paying for a photographer with 20 years of experience only to find an intern fresh out of school shooting their wedding. If you are looking for specialized shots that require a certain piece of equipment, a fish eye lens, for example, make sure that the photographer they are sending will have the necessary pieces and know how to take the shots you want. It may be that you need to pay extra or find a different photographer altogether.

Can I see a whole wedding proof collection?
Many wedding photographers have a wedding portfolio for you to look through, a collection of the two or three best shots from each wedding they've done. Especially if you are looking at a photo journalistic photographer, this is not enough to make an informed decision. You will need to see a full collection of wedding shots from one or two weddings to determine if the photographer is truly talented or just get lucky with his shots every once in a while. If the photographer does not have any former clients he can send you to for references or produce a full wedding of proofs, it is probably better for you to find someone who can rather than run the risk of only having two or three good shots yourself.

Do you release the negatives?
Releasing the digital or film negatives may not be a big deal to you, but it's still good to know. When a photographer releases negatives to you, he is giving you permission to have the pictures reprinted yourself. Some photographers charge an extra fee for this and release them immediately, some hold on to the negatives for a year or so and then release them to you. Some never release the negatives. If you are dealing with a newer photographer, it might be a good idea to purchase the negatives in case the photographer closes up shop sometime soon to ensure you can still get prints in the event something should happen to your originals.

At which locations are you willing to take pictures?
Some photographers are strictly ceremony and reception, while some are more willing to spend the day with you and get shots of the pre-wedding preparations. There is also a great trend known as "park hopping" where the wedding party will travel with the photographer from one park to another taking outdoor formal shots in gorgeous locations before going to the ceremony. You might also have specific locations you would want your portraits taken, for example, in front of the restaurant where you had your first date. If location shots are important to you, find out in advance if the photographer is willing to travel before it's too late.

Are you able to shoot specific photos from a wish list?
Most photographers will have a checklist of classic wedding shots that everyone expects to see among the proofs. You, however, may have some shots that you want the photographer to take. Unless you want to spend your wedding chasing around your photographer and tossing groups of people in front of his camera, make sure he is willing to take your list of requested shots and add them to his traditional list. You can assign a member of the wedding party to the task of helping the photographer get these specific shots and making sure they are being taken, but first assure yourself that the photographer is willing to work with you.

Do you like this person?
Not a question you should ask, but something you should consider. Your wedding photographer will be a big part of your wedding, interacting with your wedding party and your guests. Is the photographer pushy? Demanding? High maintenance? Unfriendly? How would you feel about having this person as a coworker? You will need to work very closely with your photographer, and if you feel the two of you have a personality conflict, save yourself the stress and find someone you can work with. Spend enough time with potential photographers to really get a feel for who they are and how they will treat you and your guests at the wedding.

Your wedding pictures will be a great reminder of your big day, and you want to find the best photographer in your budget to make sure those memories are preserved. Remember, it's your wedding, it's all about you, and don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need so the job gets done right.