wedding blog

AVOID A WEDDING DISASTER

JOES DEFABIS’ LIST OF 5 MUST ASK QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN HIRING A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.

I have been hearing many more horror stories from lately couples who have regretted the decision they made in choosing a wedding photographer.   Your wedding images will be cherished and viewed not only for your lifetime, but your children’s as well.  One of the biggest mistakes a Bride can make about your wedding photographer is to assume that all photographers are capable of producing “Professional” images from their wedding day.  This can lead to disaster so I have prepared a list of 5 MUST ASK QUESTIONS FOR YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER.  I hope this helps you avoid the disappointment and heartache of some who were not as fortunate to get this advice.

There is a huge difference between a professional photographer and an individual who has purchased a great camera, have had some luck in creating a really nice image or two and feel confident enough to tackle an entire wedding often to find that they are in over their heads or in a situation that requires much more experience or equipment.   I hope this list of questions helps you make a more informed decision about your wedding photographer.

1.  What kind of wedding experience do you have?
Wedding photography is very demanding for even an experienced photographer.  Wedding photographers have to be able to adapt to every situation during a wedding, and they have to react instantly and with confidence because there is oftentimes no second chance. Surprise situations happen all the time at weddings, such as a bride’s reaction to seeing a long lost cousin, or the groom spontaneously picks up his bride and swings her around. If the photographer is inexperienced, those are moments that can be missed if they are not ready or not anticipating the moment. Also, the variety of photographic challenges is enormous. Some venues are dark, some lit with fluorescent lights, some have mottled shade, some have constantly changing light such as a partly cloudy day.  The better photographers tend to cost more precisely because of that experience and their work should reflect it.

2.  What equipment do you bring to a wedding?

There is a huge difference between a professional DSLR camera and a consumer model.  Without getting into makes and models of cameras, a simple way to see if your photographer is using professional equipment is to just ask how much his camera body costs.  A professional grade DSLR ranges between $2500. and $5500.  Anything below that will not produce “professional” quality images, especially from a wedding party of 15- 20 people.  At the very least, your photographer should bring 2 – 3 professional camera bodies to your wedding with at least 1 – wide angle lens, 1 – medium length lens, and 1 – telephoto lens.  ALL THE LENSES SHOULD BE A 2.8 APERTURE ( usually $1500.00 each ).  As far as flash photography goes, your photographer should use both on camera flash and an additional light for off camera situations.  One flash on the camera is just not enough horsepower to light a large wedding party in a church! Beware that some photographers will rent equipment for your wedding day, they are often surprised when the local camera store has already rented the camera or lens and they have to do without at your wedding, leaving your wedding images to suffer.

3. Can I see some sample albums of COMPLETE weddings?
Every wedding photographer should be able to show you some samples of COMPLETE weddings they have shot. If they only show you a couple of highlights from selected weddings,  you won’t have a very clear idea of how your pictures will turn out or maybe they can’t photograph all parts of the wedding with professional results.  A professional photographer will be able to show you pictures from the whole day of a complete wedding, so you should see pictures of people getting ready, the ceremony itself, the formal group pictures and portraits, and the of course the reception.

4.  How much direction or posing do you do during the day?
This question speaks to style and how you will interact with your photographer during the day.  An experienced photographer will combine photojournalistic images and elegant posed images from your day.  Beware of the photographer who shows only “ non posed or purely photojournalistic images, they may not have the experience to pull of that stunning portrait of you in your dress or captures the beautiful architecture of the church.

that looks natural, shows all the detail in your dress and compliments your figure.  An experienced wedding photographer will direct you in some basic modeling positions to make you look amazing in your wedding photographs.

5.  Do you have a contract, insurance, and tax ID number ?
The photographers contract should at the very least describe in detail what you are getting (prints, albums, slideshows, CDs of files, hours of time, etc.), when you can expect to get it, how much it costs, when your payments are due, and what is refundable or not. If there are any terms in the contract you don’

So there you have it, five MUST ASK questions to talk over with your photographer. The key thing to remember is, don’t be afraid to ask questions, even after you’ve signed on the dotted line.

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