Finding the right photographer for you
These days, when the saying "professional" is outdated and unrealistic,
you should look for a Photographer with proven experience and reputability.
This is someone who has only REAL weddings in their portfolio
rather than "styled/staged" photo sessions with models.
Styled sessions do not reflect the Photographers work
in a real wedding situation and with REAL COUPLES.
By knowing which questions to ask,
you will be confident finding the RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER for you.
Don't be shy. You are the paying client and receiving everything in writing is absolutely necessary. Do not take any verbal promises for any service.
Where do you start?
Website
Your first impression of a photographer should be their website, NOT their Instagram and NOT their Facebook account. These platforms are used for highlights, staged shoots and nothing more.
Ask yourself, is your photographer really taking their business seriously if they wont invest in a website? Websites take time, love and commitment and that's what you deserve as a client.
A Strong Portfolio
At MINIMUM you should ask to see 2-3 FULL wedding galleries. This is the only way to have an understanding of what you, the paying client, will receive from your photographer after that 4-6 week wait and large investment into a photographers services.
If a potential photographer only has "HIGHLIGHTS" to view, they likely don't keep consistency in their work and that is not professional. Things to keep in mind are,
- Are the edits consistent to their profile
- Do the images appear consistent in exposure and composition
- Do their images always seem blurry or poorly lit
- How many images are in the full day galleries
- Do they get the kind of shots I need
Just simply ask your photographer to see some full galleries as most websites only show their best work, it is a major red flag if this request is ever denied or responded with any excuses.
Gear and Backup Gear
It's always a good idea to ask your photographer what they use for gear (please don't judge us on brand, we like what we like)
There are zero reasons a photographer to decline to answer this question unless the answer is one you don't want to hear.
A professional photographer will have invested in professional quality cameras and lenses, such as, full frame camera bodies and prime lenses. These types of equipment are considered high end and professional gear and they are NOT cheap, this is why most professional photographers tend to cost a little more to book compared to the friend who can do it cheaper.
Backup gear is just as important as their day to day carry. What happens if they fall or the camera/memory cards fail on the job? Any professional photographer will have at least one backup camera and a selection of high end lenses to resort to in the case of damage or failure. Their backup gear absolutely MUST be able to perform as well as their main gear and anyone who hasn't invested in such, could be a potential disaster.
Backup photographer/team
This is a VERY important question to ask. What happens if your photographer falls ill or has a sudden emergency last second? What do you do? Hire someone else and risk losing your deposit?
Your photographer should, at all times, have a contingency plan in place in case of emergency. This is NOT your job as a client to make sure there is a backup plan.
As a photographer I see posts on Facebook every wedding season from the same "professionals" looking for last minute available photographers to step in and take over their bookings for them with poor excuses to follow. (yes, I said the SAME people every year) These are not the people you want to work with and deserve to know if we have backup plans.
Editing Process
Many photographers send your images out to 3rd party companies to edit your images for a faster turn around in this day and age(we do not). You as a client deserve to know who is working on and viewing your private images and many photographers DO NOT disclose this without being asked.
If it matters to you who sees your images, as the paying client you deserve to know who does this work and how many hands your images will pass through along the way.
One thing I cannot stress enough, please look at your photographers portfolio. Your images will be delivered in THEIR editing style and THEIR shooting style. There is nothing worse than delivering a fantastic gallery to have the client come back unhappy because their images don't look like the ones they saw on Pinterest or Instagram.
Consultation
The MOST important part of booking your photographer. Your first REAL conversation with them is the time to ask these questions among other things.
The firs thing you should ask yourself during your consultation ( be it phone call, zoom call or face to face), do we vibe together?
Just because someone takes amazing images and has a wonderful reputation, you may not click as photographer and client and that is OK! But keep in mind that while they may have all these green flags, if you don't see eye to eye, you aren't going to be happy with the end result.
Any consultation should be completely free, I find that anyone asking for any sort of deposit to sit down and have a conversation is more worried about what you bring to the table rather than what they have to offer. NEVER pay for a consultation.
If you've had your consultation and you are happy but still on the fence about investing? Book your engagement shoot with them! Any reputable photographer will waive that fee if you decide to move forward to booking your big day.
3rd party companies
With 3rd party photo and video companies on the rise, be sure that these companies allow you to directly interact with your photo and video team. If you do not have this opportunity, you may run into the possibility that you and the team don't click.
When choosing a 3rd party company, all of these rules and questions apply the same as picking your individual photographer. One thing to note, is the photographer themselves will have access to the full galleries, however, the 3rd party uses outsourced editing for a consistent look and their product will not match the photographers finished product. The photographers for 3rd parties are paid lower wages because we are simply expected to show up, take photos for the booked amount of time and head home. We do not edit, cull or deliver the final images.
As we do contract to a 3rd party company here in Calgary, they are country wide. This means that you may be dealing with a head office out of a different province that doesn't quite know how things here in Alberta are going, which is why it is key to be able to speak with your chosen team and organize with them.
For a list of trusted 3rd party companies, please reach out as they are great for a budget wedding, but always keep in mind, you always get what you pay for.
BOOKING YOUR SESSION IS EASY
From first contact to final delivery, here is what to expect with Second Nature Photography. We understand times are tough and money is tight, but we also expect you to understand that as a professional photographer, we have invested THOUSANDS of dollars and hours into our craft and our business.
Starting with the first contact, you haven't quite yet to have a chance to go through our website and there's a million other photographers replying to your inquiry. I understand this can be very overwhelming, don't worry I get it, but I am also going to reach out to see if you are still interested in booking me in a couple days. My main goal is to set up a no strings attached consultation to learn what I have to offer and discuss what you need as a client. bonus points if we click! Typically if we meet in person we will grab a coffee or drink to discuss the finer details before you make your decision on hiring me and my team.
You've decided to book! Amazing, next we finalize your contract and accept your deposit. from there we will confirm all CURRENT details of your wedding (and your complimentary session if you booked a full day). My main goal is to be as stress free as I possibly can, and doing that I make sure you understand that I will be here every step of the way to answer your questions. I will even help you find your other vendors! My last check in before radio silence is 2 weeks before your big day unless something changes last minute!
Your best day ever has finally ended and now what? You do you, you go have your honey moon and you let me get to work on your photos! Typically 4-6 week delivery time (but don't forget I deliver samples within 24 hours! don't worry, I wont pause for suspense) One thing that separates us from other photo teams, I personally cull and edit each individual image (sometimes up to 4000 or more). But on the down side, I also work a Monday to Friday job so this does slow down return time. This being said, my "slowed" return time is still on par with 90% of the photographers out there (and they probably pay a 3rd party to do the work for them!)
After delivery, you can expect me to check in periodically to see how every one is doing. After being a family member for the day, its hard for me to let go. We DO NOT destroy your images after delivery, with that being said, it is 100% YOUR YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to download and back up your wedding photos after they have been delivered. We will only deliver your images a second time at no cost as we may only hold onto the un edited images and have to re edit your gallery before delivery.