A List of Tough Questions For Wedding Photographers
Finding a wedding photographer can be a really difficult process. For most people, you have never done it before and you may not know where to start. Here are 5 questions for wedding photographers that you can ask – to help make it a little easier.
1. What Is The Worst Wedding That You Have Ever Shot?
Now this may seam like a really odd question. That’s because it is! With this question, you can gain a lot of incite on the Photographers perspective. Chances are, if they have a lot of examples off the top of their head – this may be a red flag. The answer to this question may also highlight any issues with organization, the Photographers reliability, etc. For example, if the Photographer tells a story about a rowdy crowd that they were not able to organize for the family pictures, etc. this may be a red flag. An experienced wedding photographer will be able to organize wedding family pictures by being organized and assertive. All of the groupings should be listed out beforehand and the Photographer should make this portion of the day stress free.
2. Are You Flexible With The Terms of The Contract?
Nearly every Photographer will require you to fill out a contract. The contract goes over many different things and at the end of the day it makes things clear and upfront for the Photographer and the couple. Seeing if the Photographer is willing to budge on certain policies will give you an understanding on how serious they take their business.
For example, if the Photographer is willy-nilly on when the deposit and final payment are due – this may not be a good thing. However, if they are flexible on terms of the contract that relate to your specific situation – this can be a good indicator of their character. For example, I once had a military couple who were really great to work with. One of the policies that I have is that the full balance of the wedding is due if it is cancelled within a certain amount of time. For this couples situation, the husband was deployed and if a worse case scenario were to occur – they wanted to know if there was any leniency on this part of the contract. Due to the situation of the couple, I was willing to be flexible on these terms of the contract.
3. What Is The Biggest Mistake You Have Made As A Wedding Photographer?
This is another tough question. Photographers want to highlight the best aspects of their business and it may be difficult to answer. Depending on the answer given, you can gain a lot of incite about the Photographer. For example, if they had an issue where their camera died on them in the middle of the wedding – this can be another red flag. Professional Photographers should ALWAYS have back up equipment. If they do not own it, they can certainly rent the equipment.
There are always instances where things could have gone a little better, but the answer to this question should not be alarming! If a Photographer is willing to share with you their faults, have learned from them, this can be a positive.
4. Will You Take A Shot With Us During The Wedding?
Now this can be a tricky one 🙂 Depending on if the answer is yes or no, it will be another question that gives you incite into their personality. If the Photographer says, “yes, of course – as many shots as you want,” I’d consider it a red flag! However, if they say, “I’d love to. Just at the end of the night when I’m done picture taking.” This may be more in line with the level of professionalism a Photographer should have. You are going to have this person around your closest friends and family for 8 or more hours. Trusting their judgement is really important.
5. Where Do You See Your Business In Five Years?
The answer to this question can be really important. If the Photographer is looking to transition out of Photography, it could spell a red flag. If they do not plan on being around in the near future – maybe they have lost the passion to shoot weddings. There can be various different answers to this question but the answer will give you an idea of how they view their business.
Hopefully these questions for wedding Photographers have been helpful. The people you choose for your wedding is a VERY emotional decision. Make sure you know as much as possible about the Photographer before hiring them 😉
Of course, if you are looking for a wedding Photographer, I’d love to connect. The best way to reach me is through the contact form on my website. Thanks!
