Top 10 Things You Should Ask a Wedding Photographer Before You Book Them

When it comes to finding a wedding photographer, several questions are obvious. “What is your rate?” and “Are you available?” are the standard questions for most people. Although these are very important, are these really the questions you should be asking?

North Carolina-based photographer Missy McLamb was chosen to photograph Grover’s wedding because both he and his bride felt comfortable with her personality and style. (Photo by Jock Fistick)

I interviewed a panel of trusted and experienced wedding planners. I wanted to know what types of questions they ask when helping a bride and groom evaluate a wedding photographer.

My panel of expert wedding planners is:

Laura Weatherly, Engaging Affairs, Inc.
Janie Medley, The Bride’s Cafe
Heidi Baumgart, heidzillas
Andrea Villarrubia, Sayulita (Mexico) Dream Weddings
Jennifer Ramirez-Jasiczek, A Regal Affair
Candice Dowling Coppola, jubilee events

Elizabeth G. Dunderdale, Gracie Lou Events

10) How are your people management skills?
While the bride and groom are busy exchanging vows, stuffing cake in each other’s mouths, or trying to talk to as many guests as possible, the photographer is usually off on their own trying to navigate a sea of friends and family members they’ve never met. For this reason, it is important that the photographer be able to manage people in a friendly, effective way.

Ask a photographer to describe any particular wedding photography challenges they may have encountered in the past where their people management skills played a positive role.

Recently, I’ve been encouraging clients to inquire about a photographer’s people management skills. While it may not seem all that important at first, if a client has a large family and bridal party — or just people with low attention spans — it’s absolutely imperative that they hire someone who knows how to manage people.
– Candice Dowling Coppola

9) Are you familiar with my type of wedding ceremony?
Not all wedding ceremonies are the same. In fact, it is common for the bride and groom to customize the events of their ceremony to match their individual personalities or interests. Describe the ceremony to the photographer, and then ask them if they have ever shot a wedding with a similar structure.

Have you ever shot my style of wedding before? This is especially important if you are having a particular type of ceremony like Hindu or Persian because the photographer needs to know what’s going on and what’s important to capture!
– Laura Weatherly

8) Can you show me a complete, unedited wedding shoot?
This can make some photographers cringe, but it is a really great way to get an idea of how they work, and what you should expect after the day has come and gone. Keep in mind that photographers tend to take a lot of pictures, and then edit them down to only the best. Don’t freak out if you see some out of focus images, or many images of a particular moment.

By looking at a complete shoot, you can get a sense for how the photographer thinks and moves. And, while you’re at it – ask the photographer if you will have the opportunity to see the full shoot from your own wedding.

Be sure to ask for a complete wedding. Many photographers have sample albums to showcase their best work. While those albums are beautiful, be sure to get an image of you a whole wedding will look like so you are not disappointed, and so you can completely and accurately relay your wants to the photographer. They aren’t mind readers.
– Jennifer Ramirez-Jasiczek

7) Are you comfortable with providing direction?
The bride and groom, and many of their guests, aren’t usually professional models, and may get uncomfortable in front of the camera. They may hold themselves in an awkward position, and the resulting images may look unflattering.

Ask the photographer if they are willing to coach people into more flattering poses, and ask if they can show you some images where their direction played a large role.

While images on blogs and in magazines may look “natural” and “un-contrived”… they are often times poses set up by the photographer. If you are anxious in front of the camera and feel like you could benefit from some direction– ask your photographer if they are comfortable providing it. I’ve worked with many photographers on events, weddings, and photo shoots and based on my experience, a photographer who provides direction on what to do gets the best pictures. Period.
– Candice Dowling Coppola

Can you share some ideas for creative engagement/portrait/trash-the-dress shoots? How do you work with clients to come up with something that represents them and breaks the typical mold?
– Andrea Villarrubia

6) Can we arrange to do an engagement shoot first?
If you can set up an engagement shoot first, you are essentially giving the photographer a trial run before the big event. Assuming all goes well, you will both get to know each other better, become more comfortable with each other, and the results will likely show in your wedding images.

If the photographer offers engagements as an addition, please buy them. It is a great way to continue to build the relationship, spend time together doing what you will do on the wedding day. Relationships matter and we all want to spend the most important day with you, but only if you really want us, not just to take your money.
– Jennifer Ramirez-Jasiczek

If you can swing it, do an engagement shoot with your photographer prior to your wedding, so you can get to know each other, and see their work and shooting style in action.
– Andrea Villarrubia

5) What is your turn-around time?
It’s important to know how long it will take to get to see the pictures once the event is complete. The time will vary based on many factors (film will take longer than digital, and amount of retouching involved are a few) so ask a photographer to give you a time estimate based on what you’ve requested. An experienced photographer will be able to provide you with an estimated timeframe.

What should the B&G expect after the wedding as far as seeing online album, getting proofs on a disk or in a book and album turnaround.
– Heidi Baumgart

What is the timeline on getting the proofs back to you?
– Janie Medley

What is your turnaround time? This is just so you have a realistic idea about when you’ll see your images. Some photographers have images for you to see in a few days and some take a few weeks. Don’t start calling your photographer a week after your wedding if you know he usually takes 3-4 weeks to deliver.
– Laura Weatherly

It’s really no great surprise that people love instant gratification. A deciding factor for many brides is turnaround time. If she loves your work but won’t see so much as a teaser for 6 weeks she’ll probably pass you by.
– Elizabeth G. Dunderdale

4) Are you easy to get along with?
You can’t really ask this question directly, but you need to get the answer anyway. Unless you spend time with each other, in person, it will be difficult to figure this out. When interviewing the photographer, don’t limit your questions to just weddings and photography. Ask about their interests, try to get a feel for their sense of humor, and try to find some things that you have in common.

If you end up having a great time talking with the photographer, and you feel like this person would fit in well with your family and friends, then congrats – you will get along just fine.

We are building a team that will be with you all day long, so personalities matter. Great work is great work, but if the personalities don’t mix well, then the relationship won’t grow organically and it will show in your pictures.
– Jennifer Ramirez-Jasiczek

You also want someone that you can relate to, that you are comfortable with, that you like and want to open up to. Talk to them on the phone, and ask as many questions as possible via phone or in person, to really get a sense of their personality, as well as to get their honest and off-the-cuff answers (as opposed to email where responses are more “crafted”).
– Andrea Villarrubia

Don’t hire someone you don’t like (no matter how great their work is). You will be spending a lot of time with your photographer on your wedding day and if he or she annoys you or irritates you, the day will seem very long (and it will show in the photos).
– Laura Weatherly

Do you feel we’re a good fit for one another? Honesty is the best policy here. If the couple chooses you to shoot some of the most intimate moments of their lives, they deserve your honest opinion. If you don’t click with them be courteous yet blunt. Be sure to make some recommendations as well. They’ll respect your professionalism and probably refer their friends to you.
– Elizabeth G. Dunderdale

3) How long have you been shooting weddings?
In most cases, you don’t want to hire a total rookie to shoot a wedding. You want someone with experience. During your questioning, be sure to ask questions that will cause the photographer to reveal their experience. How many weddings have they’ve shot in the past year? What camera gear are they using, and how long have they been using it? (You want someone who is very comfortable with their gear, and not experimenting with some strange new gadget during your big day.)

Some photographers may not have a ton of weddings under their belt, but they may be experienced photojournalists who have worked under the daily pressure of a newspaper. The point is – ask questions that will give you an accurate account of their experience shooting weddings and/or similar events.

What events stand out in your memory as the most fun to photograph, and why?
– Andrea Villarrubia

If I’m unfamiliar [with the photographer] I like to hear about their approach to the wedding day as far as what they like to shoot, when they arrive, etc.
– Heidi Baumgart

How long has he/she been shooting weddings? And please remember, if the photographer has only been shooting weddings for a short period of time, please don’t think that they can’t do the job. We all are “beginners” at some point in our lives. Knowing that the photographer hasn’t been shooting weddings for as long as you may like, will let you know that there maybe a few shots that you may want to ensure that they get.
– Janie Medley

2) Do you work with an assistant?
Shooting a wedding is a lot of work for a photographer, so it is common for them to bring an assistant. It is also common for the assistant to shoot some of the pictures. You should ask the photographer if they plan to bring an assistant, and if so, ask what role that person will be playing.

It’s perfectly acceptable to ask for sample photographs from that person.

Is there an assistant? Do they ever split up in order to cover multiple locations such as girls and guys getting ready or formals during cocktail hour?
– Heidi Baumgart

Will the photographer have an assistant with them on day of the wedding? This is most important, especially if you are having a large wedding and there are a lot of detail shots needed. One person can’t do it all and you want to ensure that there are photos of everything. Also, will you be able to meet the assistant shooter before the wedding.
– Janie Medley

Who will be there on my wedding day? Make sure the photographer you’re meeting with is the same one who will be at your wedding. If you’ll be working with an associate photographer, be sure to meet him or her.
– Laura Weatherly

Do you work with an assistant? What is the assistant responsible for shooting? Can you share images shot by your assistant while working with you?
– Andrea Villarrubia

1) Can you describe your photographic style?
Asking a photographer about their personal photographic style is probably the best way to start a conversation that will reveal what makes them tick. This is one of the things that makes photographers unique. It’s like a fingerprint – every style is different.

In short, their style should match your personality. The way the wedding images are shot should be be a subtle reflection of the couple’s personality.

Ask a photographer about their influences. Which photographers and artists did they admire most when they were just starting out? If they give you some names, go home and look them up – you may end up being inspired too!

What is your shooting style? Don’t try to fit a round peg in a square hole. Don’t hire someone for their photojournalist style and then hand them a list of 50 groups shots. If you like the photographer’s style, give him or her the freedom to do what they do best.
– Laura Weatherly

What are your top ten key shots that you make sure you get at each wedding? How do you personalize them for each couple?

What inspires you? What do you like to photograph on your own time? What are your favorite locations?

– Andrea Villarrubia

What is the photographer’s style of shooting? Traditional, candid, posed, photojournalistic? You want to make certain that their style of shooting is a “fit” for your style!

Will they shoot the wedding mostly in black and white or color? This is very important to know, I had a client a few years ago and when they received all the proofs from the photographer, 80% of them were in black and white…needless to say, the couple wasn’t happy!
– Janie Medley

Describe your style in three words. If those three words are posed, soft focus and traditional it may be time to retire.
– Elizabeth G. Dunderdale

What questions do you think are the most important when it comes to choosing a wedding photographer? Please contribute to this story by adding your comments below.

A large directory of wedding photographers from all over the world with many different styles and abilities is available on in the PhotoShelter photographer directory. You can search by geographic region, see examples of their work, and contact them in one easy place.