Brides-to-Be: Are You Asking Your Potential Photographer the Right Questions? Part 2

July 7, 2009 by Lyrical_Lens_Photography ·

Here is part two to our last blog post:

Make sure your asking the right questions!

12. Will they mark your proofs with a watermark, or copyright?

A good photographer will know what your proofs mean to you. If a photographer is proud of their work, there should be a copyright on the back of the image-but not a copyright or watermark on the front. To us-that’s just wrong (and slightly cheesey…) And I think that it points out a amateur photographer from a professional.

13. Do the digital negatives come in the package or can you purchase them?

This is a touchy spot for many photographers, including ourselves. We understand both sides of the topic. On one side-the couple wants the negatives so they will know that they have all the images from their day-and they want to be able to make prints themselves and not pay the outrageous prices of some photographers. Yes, we understand that. One on the photographers side-our work is our art. If we give you a disk of your images from your day we are giving up the integrity of our work. We are saying that it’s okay for you to go to around-the-corner-mart and print our gorgeous images with a lovely green tint that wasn’t there before. Then you turn around and show those around-the-corner-mart prints to your friends who are getting married-or looking for a studio-and they say-’wow-those are great!’ (Meanwhile they are thinking-’wow-that looks awful-remind me to never use that photographer!!’) So it’s great to get a photographer who gives out their disks for a next to nothing price-but are they taking pride in their work? Or is your wedding just another notch in their camera bag?

With us, we do offer a package that includes the disk, we know you brides want it! We also offer the disk ala carte.

15. What time will they arrive, and when will they leave?

This answer varies as well. If you want bridal-prep captured we usually arrive 1 hour early. If not, then we get to the church (or venue) at LEAST 1/2 hour before the bride arrives. During this time we capture the guests coming in, the groomsmen hanging out and doing boutonnieres Birch Meadow Banquets, Bloomfield, CT , and then the bride arriving. We do not leave until we know that everything you want is captured.

16. Is there an overtime fee?

We do not squabble over a few minutes to an hour…(especially if everything ran late). But, if you ask us to stay past our allotted time or if we cannot finish up whatever hasn’t been captured in a reasonable amount of time-the we do ask our hourly rate be paid.

17. What will the photographer(s) wear?

We’ve seen many photographers wear many different things. Most of them is not good. We dress in dark colors, usually dress pants and an appropriate blouse. We make sure that we look well groomed-are dressed appropriate and are comfortable-knowing that there will be a lot of walking-squatting, and possibly chair standing!

18. Is my wedding album included in the fee? Are parents’ albums included?

That depends on the package you choose-but whatever the package-albums can be purchased ala carte as well-and sometimes at a discount.

19. How many photos are included in an album, and what layout will they use? (Will it look like every other brides?)

The photos included in the album obviously vary by the size of the album. We will meet with the client again at this point if they need help deciding what album they want or what images they want to go in them. I usually ask the client to pick a handful of images that they definitely want in the album. (This is always difficult-they say that they can never decide on just a few!) The album is then designed by me-we don’t out-source our album design. This insures that your album will be unique. The client has final say over what photos are used-and if they like the layout. I always tell our clients that “I’m not easily offended-so tell me if you don’t like something-and I will change it!!” Our brides, grooms-and studio clients have loved our wedding album design as much as I have enjoyed making them!

20. Can they show you a complete wedding they’ve shot?

If they can’t: RUN, I say-RUN!! No, seriously, if they can’t show you a whole wedding, that probably means that they don’t want you to see one. We can show you an exact duplicate of a brides proof magazine. (actually we can show you more than one…)

I hope that this list (although not all inclusive…) helps a little for your search of a reputable photographer. I also hope this shows how we set ourselves apart from everyone else. Do you have a question that isn’t covered here? Click below to go to our contact page and ask us yourself!!