Looking for your wedding photographer…

I wanted to share some information for those of you who are looking to book your wedding photographer over the next couple of months.  I was talking to a bride a couple of weeks ago and I was booked for her date.  So she was asking me what I would want to know if I was picking a wedding photographer for my own wedding.  I have seen some of the “lists” of questions to ask your photographers on bridal sites and some of them are really good, but most of the things on there are really overkill.  Here are a few things that I suggested to her…

1.  Are they insured?  Most venues are now requiring a proof of insurance on file before they will let you work at their venue.

2.  BACKUP EQUIPMENT.  Do they have it? I cannot stress this enough to photographers who think that going to a wedding with one camera  and one or two lenses is going to cut it.  Things break.  Even expensive things.  If that camera breaks what are they going to use?  “Can I borrow your bridesmaid’s camera so that I can finish your wedding?”  Maybe Uncle Bob would let you use his camera…but I doubt it.

3.  Their personality…Do you get along with them as a person?  I think we have all been in weddings or gone to weddings where the photographer looks like they are bored out of their mind, or the photographer who barks orders and is not patient with anyone, or any other types of things that might be a concern.  Your photographer is going to be with you all day long.  There needs to be a good level of communication, time management skills, and of course experience.  You don’t have to become best friends with your photographer, but if it is somebody that you just do not feel comfortable around during your first meeting or two then there is a good chance that your pictures will reflect that as well.  Also you should ask your photographer how many weddings that they have shot in the last year or two.  Are they a sports or senior picture photographer who shoots weddings or are they a wedding photographer who might do a few other types of photography?  I am not saying that they cannot do an awesome job, but there is a difference.  A wedding is a once in a lifetime event and you can’t do a reshoot.

4.  Their style…Do they take formals or is everything from a photojournalist approach?  Do they have a balance of both?  Do they seem to catch the moments of the day?  When you look at their pictures do you see yourself in those pictures.  If you don’t then you should move on to someone else.  Ask to see a complete album or two from a recent wedding.  This will give you a much better idea as to their work as a whole.  Anybody can shoot four or five weddings and get a few shots for their website or a “best” album.  If you don’t see shots on a photographer’s website that you love then you will probably not see shots from your own wedding day either. 

Hopefully these will help you get started when looking for a wedding photographer when that special day comes into your life. 🙂

Mike Wise Photography ~ Indiana Wedding Photographer

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