What to ask a wedding photographer when hiring them?
Choosing a photographer can be quite overwhelming.
My advice?
Determine your photography style first and look for Los Angeles professional wedding photographers than fit your budget. After you’ve narrowed them down, you can conduct an interview and ask them a few questions to see if you feel comfortable around them.
Here are some of the questions you can ask:
- Have you ever shot at our decided wedding venue?
If so, then they may have wedding albums to show you, providing you an idea of the style and look photos you will have. This also makes it easier for your photographer to show you the little spots for beautiful shots.
If they have not been there, then you can just ask them to go and check it out or have a walk with your around.
- What’s included in your package?
When comparing for fees check whether albums, prints, and proofs as well as extra coverage, like engagement shoots, are covered. These can significantly change the cost.
It is not necessarily a bad thing if, for instance, an album is not included, but you want to make sure that you are comparing fees in order to get the best value. And if you have a shooter that uses film, make sure to ask about the cost of film and its processing fees.
- How many hours of service coverage do we get? What’s the charge for overtime?
If overtime is going to cost you a lot, then you need to plan your wedding hour accordingly. For example, if you think your wedding will take at least 8 hours from the preparation to the wedding ceremony to the reception, then you can just ask them to leave after cutting the cake.
Or perhaps you can choose a longer page that costs you more up front and avoid a large hourly overtime rate later.
- Do you have any full album from a wedding?
There are some photographers that will just show you a collection of their best photos rather than a whole wedding album. You will want to see photos from every part of the wedding and not just the most dreamy and creative portraits.
- Do you have a backup plan?
What happens if the photographer becomes ill or runs in an emergency? For peace of mind, make sure that you find out their backup plan. A professional photographer will always have a plan and may have a list of trusted photographers to call when they can’t make it.