10 Things a Bride Should Ask a Photographer Before Hiring Him

By Kip Shaw of kipshawphotography.com And price shouldn’t be one of them — you can find that on the the photographer’s website. And she will be sure to tell you anyway. But here are some things that they won’t necessarily share unless you ask. So ask.

1. What are her photo backup strategies?Let her answer that before asking about these details: Does she shoot with one or more cameras? Does she use a camera that writes to two cards simultaneously? Or does the camera shoot in RAW and JPEG at the same time? (You don’t need to know what that means — and it’s sure to impress her!) Does she store the images on more than one hard drive? Does she store the images in the cloud?

2. Does she come alone or with an assistant? Does the assistant also shoot photos?

3. What is her shooting style like? How does she work so she isn’t interrupting the flow of the event. Ask her whether her camera has a silent shutter (mirrorless cameras do). Ask to listen to her shutter.

4. How does she dress? Monotone, so as not to attract attention? (Perhaps this would be a good time for me to shift to the “he” pronoun; male photographers aren’t always known for their understated attire.)

5. How long before you get the photos? How are they delivered? Does the photographer provide a few “teaser” shots within 24 hours that you can post on Facebook?

6. Is an online album included in the price?

7. Does she provide a checklist of shots that she provides to you so you can alert her to the photos you want to be sure she’ll take?

8. What kind of “license” (rights) does she give you with the photos? Are they for you to do with what you wish, or are there constraints?

9. What rights does she maintain? Can she use them for marketing purposes without your consent?

10. And, finally, because stuff happens, what are your options if you for any reason are dissatisfied with her work?

If you politely and professionally ask these questions, you should expect the photographer to politely and professionally reply. If she gets huffy, better to find that out now, rather than later. And, by the way, I do have an ulterior motive here, because I would answer all these questions to your satisfaction. So keep me in mind! You can see my work at kipshawphotography.com. References upon request.

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