We were recently asked by Carats & Cake to provide some advice to couples who are in the process of hiring a photographer. I can’t tell you how excited we were to have a chance to give couples some solid advice. All too often we receive inquires from couples that include questions that are either not helpful or are asked at the wrong point in the conversation, so we were excited to have the opportunity to hopefully some solid advice out into the world. You read the full story here but below are a few main take-aways.
“First and foremost, I would keep the list of questions in your initial inquiry very short.”
You’ll also want to build a bit of rapport with whoever you’re reaching out to. A super detailed list right away can feel overwhelming—and may give off unintended type-A vibes! Save some of those deeper questions for a follow-up email once you know they’re available and within budget, and then bring the rest to your discovery call for a more in-depth conversation.
Start with the basics:
Are you available?
What is your general price point?
Share a few key details about your wedding and ask for rough pricing.
The Follow-Up Email—How to Get the Best Photo Examples
Instead of asking how many images your photographer delivers, request to see examples of full galleries. This will give you a much clearer idea of what to expect. Most photographers find it difficult to pin down an exact number since it depends on the number of details and other factors. They also tend to focus on quality over quantity. A promised image count won’t give you nearly as much insight as reviewing a full gallery.
On the topic of full galleries, don’t feel like you need to ask for examples from your exact venue. Another couple’s wedding vision and style might be very different from yours, which can make it harder to judge the photography itself. It’s often difficult to separate the quality of the imagery from the style of the wedding. Instead, ask to see examples from weddings that are similar in feel to yours (for example, outdoor and tented vs. indoor and metropolitan).
The Discovery Call
Always schedule a phone or Zoom call for a vibe check. Your photos will turn out so much better if you genuinely like your photographer and feel comfortable spending the entire day with them. Rather than making it a formal interview, this should feel more like a conversation. Here are some questions you can ask to start things off:
- What got you into shooting weddings?
- Why do you do it, and what keeps you going?
- What’s your favorite part of the wedding to shoot?
- What’s been your favorite wedding and/or couple, and why?
- Any crazy and/or challenging stories to share?
And Finally—Keep and Open Mind
Don’t stress too much about whether your photographer shoots film. If you love their work and can’t even tell whether it’s film or digital, it’s probably not as important to you as you might think.
I recommend being somewhat flexible with your photography budget. The cost of weddings—and wedding photography—can be surprising at first, and the sticker shock is real. Because photography is often one of the first investments couples make, there can be a tendency to hold back. But your photos are the one thing you’ll have forever, so it’s often worth stretching your budget a little to hire the right person to capture your day.
