As a wedding photographer, today I’m sharing five questions every bride should ask photographers. Photographers play a vital role in the wedding: they’ll be present at every single intimate moment of the wedding, you’ll spend hours communicating with them prior to the day, and they’ll be producing images for you to look back on for the rest of your life! It’s so important to feel connected to your photographer. Here are five questions brides should ask photographers…

With so many wedding photographers, how do you choose who should photograph one of the most important days of your life? A bride has so many decisions to make for her wedding; she has to choose the linen color, the wedding look, her gown, the venue, etc. It can easily become overwhelming.

What is your photography style?

For the first question brides should ask photographers, it’s about style. For the bride, it’s so important to know what kind of style your photographer tends to shoot in. There’s an entire spectrum of styles: dark and moody on one end, light and airy on the other. Look at the photographer’s Instagram feed and website to get a feel for what their style is. Is their style similar to what you want? Could you envision yourself in their photographs?

I tend to shoot in a light and airy style, but what a lot of people don’t know about me is that I love dark and moody styles as well! Fun fact: Studio portraits with dramatically dark backgrounds excite me.

Do you shoot in digital and film?

Photographers that shoot both in digital and film photography (not to be confused with videography) are called Hybrid Photographers. They typically will carry more than one camera, need time to roll the film, and then need to submit the film for development at their preferred photo lab.

It’s important for brides should ask photographers if they are capable of shooting in film. That typically suggests that they are more trained than those that can only shoot in digital. Those that can shoot in film understand total functionality of cameras and are technically skilled. Typically it takes years of experience to master film.

Film is considered a pure artist medium. Film images tend to be softer and can handle skin tones better as well as harsh light better. Essentially, it’s difficult to replicate the colors and tones that film produces.

Can you photograph in dark venues?

Imagine this: you are getting married in the winter, when the sun sets at 5 PM. Your ceremony ends at 4 PM, and from 5-9 PM it will be dark. Does the photographer have experience shooting in the dark? Will the darkness of the venue be an issue for the photographer?

It’s so important to consider how much lighting experience your photographer has! You want your wedding day to reflect you in the best light; the photographer needs to have a skill set that can adjust.

Do you do a venue walk through prior to the wedding?

Each venue has different spots that are optimal for photographs. Some photographers like to do a venue walk through prior to the wedding so that they can have those spots pre-selected for your wedding day. Other photographers (like destination photographers) do not have the opportunity to visit the venue.

As a destination photographer myself, I like to fly out a couple of days early so that I can location scout for my brides. The last thing I’d want is to take time away from them by doing so the day of!

How much experience photographing weddings do you have?

Is your photographer familiar with the hustle and bustle of weddings and directing family photos? Are they used to wedding timelines and how sometimes things don’t go as planned? There are so many photographers, but it is important to know if they specialize in weddings specifically. They can the biggest asset to your day!

Summary

Those are the five questions every bride should ask photographers! Remember that above all, the connection that you have with your photographer is the most important aspect to your decision!

And just so you all know, I shoot in light and airy style. I am a hybrid photographer, a lighting expert, and I have over ten years of experience! Let’s work together. Reach out here.