Hiring a Wedding Photographer

Looking for your photographer for your special day can be a daunting task, we like to think it's an exciting style matching process.  If you ask a few basic question you can get a good feel if the photographer you are interviewing is the right fit for you.  If you are considering Jack Arent Photography or another studio, the below thought provoking questions will make the process easier on you and your fiance.   

1.  Do you primarily photograph weddings?

Most photographers (even wedding photographers) cover various kinds of events, it's important to know what else they shoot as it will influence their performance during a wedding.  Most photograph family and newborn portraits and others may cover something very different.  Your best and most trusted advice will come from a friends first hand experience, but if you do not have a lead from a trusted source, knowing your photographers history is helpful.

2.  What is your style?

First and foremost; you of course like your potential photographers style if you are in communication with them.  Beyond just liking their photos it's good to hear them explain what his or her style is, you will probably get a three or four tiered answer.  While viewing various websites you can come to a quick conclusion that the photographer is a _____ (insert the blank) Natural Light Photographer, Journalistic Photographer, Portrait Photographer, Trendy Photographer, Traditional Photographer, Fine Art Photographer.  You may come to an inaccurate conclusion after a quick look at their website, ask them and you'll get an insightful answer.  Some photographers try to cater a particular style to the clients taste and others are hard set in their style.       

3.  Do you work with an assistant?

In rare cases should a photographer work alone, generally if your wedding has more than 50 people you should book a package that has a photographer and an assistant/photographer.  During your interview ask what their preference is and you will gain insightful information as to how they work and what they will cover during your wedding.   

4.  Will you cover the whole wedding?

This is a great question because it opens up more dialogue as to how the photographer works and in turn this will either give you confidence or a feeling of concern, most have a minimum and maximum amount of hours you can reserve.  Seasoned photographers will give you stats on what their typical bookings look like, furthermore, they will explain when they usually start taking pictures and when they stop, and most importantly, why?   

5.  How professional are you?

This is a very basic question I wish couples wouldn't have to ask but they should, and what I mean by; "How professional are you?" is how is your performance on a wedding day and thereafter.  -On a wedding day you should never see your vendors wearing street clothes and then changing into work attire one hour before your wedding, nor should they be hustling into the venue and asking where should their equipment be placed and constantly digging through their equipment bag looking for gear.  A good vendor will wear dark clothes so they do not stand out in the background of your photos.  After the wedding you should already have an idea of how long delivery of your edited photos typically takes, my expected delivery time frame is approximately 6 to 8 weeks (the national average is 10 weeks).