With Wedding Season gearing up and Wedding Expos around the corner, it can be overwhelming for the Bride and Groom to determine who to hire as their Wedding Photographer.
When heading to a Wedding Expo or to meet up with a potential Photographer for your wedding, it can be hard to decide who is right for your needs/budget.
You should first determine your budget, what type of photography style you like, how many hours of coverage you are going to need, and if you are wanting any products (albums, thank you cards, canvas prints).
Once you have determined your needs it's good to get a list of questions you would like to ask your potential photographer.
1) Ask to see an entire wedding album. It's easy to showcase your best image or few images from a wedding, you want to see that they can capture an entire wedding well.
2) Ask about their years of experience, education, and gear. You want to make sure they have some experience, they are well educated in photography and the workings of their camera, and you want to make sure they have a backup camera & lens and a lighting kit. You have to expect and prepare for the unexpected. A good photographer will have backup gear incase anything malfunctions with their main gear.
3) Ask about how the images will be processed. Does "raw" to them mean straight out of the camera or lightly processed? Also if you are receiving "retouched images" what is retouched/included in that?
4) Ask about the contract and the deposit. Read your contract thoroughly. Make sure to keep a copy for your records as well.
5) Lastly ask them about their products. What they offer, what different options they have, and the timeline for you to receive your products and digital images.
When looking to hire a potential photographer the best quality to look for other than their work is good communication. You want someone who is going to listen, ask questions and give feedback.