I think we’ve all seen those blog posts about “20 questions to ask your photographer” and while some of them are helpful when searching for your wedding photographer for the most part they are questions that are really irrelevant to choosing the right photographer for you. So here are a list of 7 questions that you might have been told to ask but in reality they hold no weight and are really a time waster; here is why.
1. WHAT TYPE OF EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE?
Unless the bride and groom have are very knowable about of photography and gear, asking a photographer what kind they use is doesn’t really matter. Most likely you are hiring them because you saw their work and fell in love with it. So it shouldn’t matter what kind of camera and lenses they use. I’ve seen photographers with simple and basic gear and they deliver stunning images. On the other hand I’ve seen photographers that have a lot of very expensive lenses and lots of extra gear but their images are not up to par. It’s more about if you love their work rather than what they are shooting with.
2. HOW MANY PHOTOS WILL WE RECIVE?
This is a valid question, however I often feel like couples focus way too much on quantity rather than quality. Would you rather have 1000 mediocre photos, or would you rather have 600 stellar images? Remember that quality is more important than quantity!
3. HAVE YOU PHOTOGRAPHED A WEDDING AT THE VENUE BEFORE?
This is one question that I think is by far one of the irreverent questions to ask your Tampa wedding photographer. Although it is nice when when your photographer has shot at your your venue before, but it it shouldn’t be deal breaker if they haven't. And here is why, if a photographer has never shot at your venue before they will doing lots of online research of the venue and do a walk through of the space to familiarize themselves with the grounds in preparation for your upcoming wedding. I personally have done this several times! I do my venue walk throughs about a week before the wedding and at the same time of the ceremony so I can see where the light will be hitting during that time. I walk around and see where I can find little spots with great lighting for portraits. Also consider this, many destination wedding photographers don’t shoot at the same venues over and over. They are often in once city one weekend and in a different area the next. A good and professional photographer will know how to shoot and create beautiful images no matter where the wedding is.
4. WILL YOU GO BY A PINTEREST LIST OF IMAGES?
Please for the love of god do not give your Sarasota wedding photographers a copied list from Pinterest of your “must have photos”. You have to trust your photographer and remember you want to hire them for a reason, you love their work and what you see on their website. Now yes a shot list of family groupings are very important so that no one is left out of family photos. But if you hand your photographer a list of images you want to copy they will be missing out on the little candid snaps, those real and emotional moments. Should you give your a photographer a list of images of things or people you want photographed? Yes, but leave the creativity up to them. If you have a certain pose you really like then by all means show it to them, but leave it up to the professional on how to pose it in a way that complements you in a genuine way!
5. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EDITING STYLE?
It should be obvious what kind of editing style the photographer specializes in when you look at their work. If you love what you see by all means contact them! If you ask the photographer this question it might make them wonder if you even really are interested in hiring them or if you even love their work. The wedding photographer might feel like you’re waisting their time because you didn’t really decided if you like their work or not before reaching out to them. Study their portfolio and if you love what you see then contact them. If you're not sure you like their work then move on to someone who's images stop you in your tracts, someone that you have no doubt that you want to talk to!
6. DO YOU HAVE A DEGREE IN PHOTOGRAPHY / ART?
Rather than asking the photographer if they have a degree ask them what got them interested into photography. You will find that most photographers do not have a degree in photography. While it is extremely important for your photographer to have extensive knowledge of their equipment and how to use it, you don’t need a degree to learn how to use it. In my case I am self taught. A lot of photographers journey with photography started with a passion for art and their hobby snowballed into a legit business. Above all make sure they are insured and have a business license, but a degree shouldn’t weigh your decision.
7. CAN WE GET A DISCOUNT?
Don’t ask this, its weird and rude. However you can say something to the effect of “I have a budget of $3,500 is there a way we can customize a package to fit my wants, needs and budget?” You will find that most professional photographers are more than willing to customize a package as long as its with in reason and with in their price range. If not then I am sure they will be able to give you referrals to other photographers with in your price range and with a similar shooting and editing style.
If you've enjoyed reading this post and would like to read more about what to ask your Tampa wedding photographer check out this blog post!
