Lara Swanson Blog

Alright, so you’ve probably seen many lists on the web of questions to ask your potential wedding photographer. I’m going to group the typical ones into some overarching themes I’ve seen and include some tips on helping to choose the right photographer for you.

Can I trust you?

This is something you’re thinking while interviewing every vendor. Questions to appease this fear often include:

• Do you have backup equipment?
• What’s your photography education?
• Can you give me some names of previous clients and their contact information? (You may also want to ask for vendor referrals, too, to see how well s/he works with others.)

All of these are solid questions, and definitely things you should ask. Combined with the next set of questions, these both demonstrate to your photographer that you care about getting this done right and want to make sure that, logistically, you will be a good fit.

Just checking…

Things aren’t always as they appear. You want to make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for. Questions often include:

• Will you (the person you’re talking to) be shooting the wedding, or someone else?
• Will there be stamps/imprints/the studio name on the images I receive?
• Can I see samples of albums, prints, and a whole wedding (not just sample images)?

Again, all solid questions. You deserve to see a representation of what you’ll be receiving (not just the best images that the photographer is choosing). When I meet with clients, I bring along two sample albums and one full album that I actually created for a client. It shows a spectrum of my work but also proves that I can photograph an entire wedding.

What’s your style?

Oh goodness, this again. Photojournalistic, traditional, candids, posed, the list of things that we like to call ourselves goes on and on. I think that calling yourself just one of these things is often misleading. For example, I have a street documentary background (so, photojournalism without the news aspect) but also love posing formal photos and also posing “fake candids”. So what do you call that? I call it catering to the client and what s/he wants. I have my own style and add my artistic abilities to each photo that I take, so it’s not that I’m being untrue to my approach to photography. It’s that, by communicating with my client, I can make sure that the right combination of approaches is taken and that everything’s covered. Questions to ask:

• Can I see some examples of posed shots?
• Can I see some examples of true candid shots?
• My venue is dark. Can I see some examples of low-light?

Getting to know you

This is very important to me when I’m interviewing a client. On top of everything else, this can really affect how much of a “good fit” you make with your photographer.

• Why do you enjoy photographing weddings?
• What’s your favorite wedding photography experience?
• What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Alright, maybe not the last one. But really get to know the person who you may be working with. I guarantee s/he will take better pictures and you will be happier having them be a part of your special day. A little insight into what makes them tick may be exactly what you need to assure you they’re who you want.

Watch and take notes

These aren’t questions to ask, but they’re things to look for. They can be subtle cues that signal their experience and attention to your wedding.

• Is your photographer making eye contact with both you and your partner?
• Is she or he answering questions directly or dancing around them?
• Is she or he afraid to say “I don’t know”?
• Is she or he taking notes if this is in the contract-drafting stage?
• Is his or her personality one that you feel comfortable being around and engaging in conversation?

Remember, this isn’t just about you and your soon-to-be-spouse. Your photographer will be interacting with everyone at the wedding - your guests, your other vendors. To ensure a smooth wedding and good photos, your photographer needs to be able to work a crowd, ask nicely, not be in people’s ways, etc. Although the interview may not be the place for your photographer to demonstrate these abilities, watch for body language and interaction cues that show this person can probably play well with others. Be sure to ask about this topic when you contact previous clients.

Miscellaneous Questions

• How long will it take for us to receive our proofs after the wedding?
• What kind of retouching capabilities do we have in our package? Number of photos, amount of retouching?
• What if I want to buy more stuff from you later? (Prints, albums)
• Are you willing to walk around our location site (with us, if possible)?
• Are you okay with guests taking photos?
• Will you be photographing any other events that day?
• Any discounts we may be eligible for? (Paying in full up front, having a wedding on a Sunday)
• Do you have any reviews online? Unsolicited reviews?

My two cents

No set of questions will be able to completely cover your photography interview. In order for you to feel comfortable, you need to feel your way around the time you spend with him or her and ask questions that pop into your head. Feel free to just have a conversation, or have a follow-up meeting where you ask questions that occurred to you later. Soon, I’ll post about what questions to ask the referrals your photographer gives you. In the meantime, start scouting out photographers who you think you can really get along with and would enjoy having at your wedding.