Once you’ve booked in a consultation with your photographer it’s time to start thinking about what you should ask on your call (or if you’re inclined toward in person socialising, over a coffee somewhere).

But here’s your problem: you’ve never hired a photographer before! And, even more likely, you’ve never hired one to photograph your wedding. So what should you be asking?

The next ten questions are a great starting point, and should help prepare you for your chat with a photographer.

1 — Who are you?

This one may seem a little obvious, but the real question can be more along the lines of “Tell me about yourself”. At the start of the call, it’s all about making sure the person you’re talking to lines up with the person you saw on their website. And also is somebody that you’re getting along with.

2 — What is your approach?

This one varies massively from person to person, and is great to get a feel for what you’d expect to see experience when working with them. I personally take the approach of being more like a guest with a camera (though one who makes incredible photos of course.) Meaning I’ll chat with your guests, make sure people are comfortable around me, letting me get genuine and meaningful photos of the day without people constantly feeling under pressure to perform.

Read more: What to expect from your wedding photographer – from booking to delivery

3 — What is your style?

While this may feel like the last question, it encompasses a very different side of what you’ll be getting from your wedding photographer. I work in what is known as a documentary style, meaning most of my photographs are unposed, honest, and creative reflections of your wedding day. Other photographers may have a more manicured, posed or editorial style. Understanding what best aligns with your desires is key here.

4 — What kind of couples do you like to work with?

Your relationship is just as unique as your wedding, as are the people you are outside of the wedding world. Knowing what kind of couples your photographer likes to work with will help you get a gauge of whether or not you’ll be a good fit. It can be useful to know how comfortable your photographer will be with you and your loved ones. 

Do they like working with weirdos, creatives, big nerds and the LGBT+ community? Do they love couples who are just really excited and doing things their own way? Do they hope that one day they have a couple who is doing your specific thing? (I definitely do, so if any of that is you, we’re going to get on swimmingly!)

5 — Will you be the person photographing my wedding?

This one might sound odd, but in the wedding photography industry there are a fair number of photographers who employ contractors to photograph bookings for them. So you would hire a company and whichever photographer was available for your date would shoot your wedding. When done transparently and with integrity, this can be a fine thing and, for some, can take the stress of finding someone they like out of the equation. But more often than not it means being surprised with a stranger on your wedding day and not having any recourse if they’re not your favourite stranger.

To put you at ease, when you book with us (me and my wife-slash-business-partner), it’ll be us who turn up. No surprises.

6 — What’s the cost?

By this point, you’ll have likely had a look at the photographers pricing page (or the brochure). But it’s important to chat costs once you’ve confirmed the scope of what you need for your wedding. Sometimes what you want isn’t covered in the way you hoped. Or, as we’ve more often experienced, sometimes what you want is already included in the coverage. 

Confirming prices, whether VAT is included or not, and what kind of coverage you actually need will help you make your decision about moving forward.

7 — What do I get for that cost?

Make sure to get the exact details of what to expect in your quote: how much coverage you’ll be receiving, any add-ons that may be required such as a second photographer, or videography services. This way you know not only how much you’re paying, but what your investment will be getting you. 

It’s also worth asking about things like albums and prints being included! You’d be surprised by how many people gloss over things like that when do their initial research.

8 — What’s your turnaround time?

This varies wildly between suppliers, so it’s important to make sure the turnaround time is in line with your expectations. We’ve seen everything from a weeks to a months as a standard turnaround time for some photographers. In that same vein, ask it you’ll receive sneak peaks and when that will be.

Here at Eyes Closed Head First we pride ourselves on providing top quality galleries, without you waiting months to receive your photos. (And, yes, we do sneak peeks!)

9 — How do you deliver your photos?

While a wooden box with a thumb drive in it may have seemed nice at one point, upgrading your laptop, or misplacing the thumb drive can make this romantic notion a nightmare for receiving and, more importantly, storing your photographs. Consider how you’ll actually want to interact with your photos and what delivery will make your life easiest.

We use a industry leading online gallery service to deliver your photos, allowing you to see them beautifully on your phone, laptop or tablet. As well as letting you share them with your family and friends. You can even do things like sort by faces, which is a feature guests absolutely love.

10 — Can I order prints or albums after the wedding?

So you have your gallery, now what? You want to make sure that you have some flexibility to choose what prints and albums you want, and when you buy them. And what if you didn’t get a photo package that includes them? Does that mean you can’t do it after the fact?

When working with us, for example, you get a store where you can preview your print products, sign up for promotional discounts, and order high quality albums. All in one beautiful and easy to access place. And, of course, if you decide you want an album after all, you can order one at any time.

So this is just the start of any questions you may have for your potential photographer, and I hope to have enlightened you on a bit of how we work here too. The most important thing to remember is that it is ok for you to have lots of questions! This is totally new to you and no one expects you to know everything about it yet. So take a breath, grab your coffee and go ahead an ask away!

If you think we might be a good fit and want to ask us some questions, get in touch! We can’t wait to give you answers!