As a wedding photographer based in London I’m lucky enough to receive a dozen or more enquiries a month for the busy summer months, and it’s not unusual for the same wedding photography questions to come up again and again.
I think a lot of couples doing their pre-wedding research find lists of questions on wedding blogs with titles like ‘Twenty questions to ask your wedding photographer’, and they’re usually good basic questions that can help you determine who’s a professional wedding photographer and who’s maybe a bit too new to trust with your priceless images.
These are the main questions I’d be asking myself if I was looking for a wedding photographer:
- do I love their photographs?
- are they experienced and professional?
- do they offer the services we want?
- would we want to spend our whole wedding day with them?
The first question can be answered by looking through websites, and ideally some full wedding galleries. The second and third questions can be answered by having a chat with them, and asking some of the questions you’ve picked up from wedding blogs, and ideally this post too.
But the last one can really only be answered by spending some time meeting your shortlisted photographers, usually on Zoom these days.
So, in an effort to help speed you past the first two or three questions and onto the most important one, here’s my…
Answers To Wedding Photography Questions That I Am Often Asked
(hmm, there’s got to be a quicker, abbreviated way of saying that…)
• How many weddings do you typically photograph in a year?
I book 25 full day weddings a year, and book 20-40 smaller ceremonies and elopements on a seasonal basis depending on availability. I prioritise the full day weddings for weekends, especially during spring and summer. Usually smaller wedding dates are only available mid-week, but weekend dates are sometimes available for small weddings at short notice (i.e. a couple of months in advance)
• How would you describe your photography style?
This one’s a bit of a weird one as what they say and what they actually shoot could easily be different, so I feel like you’ll get a better idea by looking at their portfolio and then looking through some full galleries.
That said, I’m a story-driven documentary-style wedding photographer first and foremost, so that’s what you’ll see the most of on my website.
That means I want the photos to capture real moments, and real memories, so I don’t get involved dictating your day, ordering people around, setting up scenes etc. I just get into the thick of it, capturing stories where and when they happen. I won’t kidnap you both for hours to make group shots and portraits, I try to limit all that stuff to about 40-50 minutes out of your whole day, and the rest is entirely candid.
• What packages do you offer and what deposit do you require?
Weddings are such a unique and personal event I think it’s tricky to put a single price on every possible wedding. So, I don’t usually share suggested packages until I know which of those packages are even appropriate for the couple. I usually like to ask about their plans, where and when the wedding is, how long they’d like me, what’s important to them, and even how much they have to spend – not so I can raise my prices to match, but so I can suggest compromises that might help them afford me if they love my work.
Whatever package you settle on, the deposit is 40% upfront (minimum £200) and the rest in instalments before the wedding.
• What is included in your package (i.e. how many hours, do you offer an engagement shoot as part of it etc)?
It really depends what you’re looking for in the first place. My all-day option includes up to ten hours but I can stay later. You can add an engagement shoot if you want, or an album. Get in touch and I’ll send you my investment guide which includes a ton more info.
• Do you have a second shooter with you (or for getting ready pictures, if you offer these)? If not, can one be arranged and if so, what would the additional cost be?
100% of the weddings on my website were shot by me alone. With my style of photography it’s all about how I saw your wedding day, so I don’t like to dilute that too much with someone else’s perception of it. And I like there to be as few lenses on you and your guests as possible so you feel comfortable and relaxed.
But, if there’s some coverage you want that I can’t get alone, such as shots of the guys and the girls getting ready at the same time, I can add a second photographer. The price will depend on how long you want them to stay, but expect to pay at least £200 for a couple of hours in the morning, up to at least £500 for the whole day.
• What time would you expect to arrive and stay until on the day?
I don’t have any expectations, it’s your wedding day! But, typically for a full day I like to start 2-3 hours before the ceremony so I can capture the atmosphere while you get ready, and stay until 1-2 hours after your first dance, so we end with awesome party shots.
• How many photos should we expect to receive from the day?
For a full ten hour day at least 500, usually more. I don’t make any promises, it’s entirely down to what happens on the day, but I don’t set any limits – I include every photo that makes the grade during editing.
• How long after the wedding should we expect to receive the photos?
During the height of wedding season expect it to take 6-8 weeks, sometimes a little longer if I’m shooting more than one wedding a week. In quieter seasons expect 4-6 weeks. But if you need or want them back urgently, for a small fee I can usually bump you to the top of the queue!
• What format do the photos come in? Can we get the raw files? Do we get every single photo you took? Will images be accessible online?
The photos you’ll receive will be high quality JPGs converted directly from my edited raw files. You’ll get one set in high res for archiving and printing, and one set in low res for emailing or sharing on social media (smaller = quicker to upload).
I don’t deliver the raw files as they’re pretty ugly and useless without professional editing software. I compare it to asking a chef to deliver a plate of raw ingredients – I think you’ll prefer the finished dish!
I only deliver the photos I think are the best, not everything I took. The only photos I don’t deliver are technically unusable, or copies of better photos I already included.
The gallery is accessible online for six months after release, and if you’d like to keep it online longer you can purchase an extension before it expires.
• Do you offer retouching and is this included in your package rates?
My editing covers adjustments for exposure, colour, contrast, sharpness, vibrancy etc, all in my personal style. I don’t include cosmetic editing such as whitening teeth, making people thinner, removing double chins etc. This is because some people are offended if I ‘correct’ them, and it’s also too time-consuming to edit everything to that level if it’s not been asked for.
But if you’d like to have cosmetic editing on certain photos that’s no problem. Once you receive the gallery, pick out the photos you’d like to be edited further and I’ll commission a retouching expert to do the work for you. They charge per image depending what’s required.
• Can we request certain types of wedding photos?
It depends on what type of photos you’re looking for! Obviously if there’s very personal, unique details that you’d like captured then let me know – e.g. maybe you made your own rings, or you’ve had a personal detail stitched into your dress, or your friends made the ring cushion.
Beyond that, I don’t usually need a list of all the photos you want, especially if they’re mostly the sorts of shots every wedding photographer would get normally. If I’m too pre-occupied trying to tick things off a list I risk missing all those lovely natural moments that happen all day. You can trust me to get the first kiss etc!
• What is your refund / cancellation / postponing policy?
I’m happy to quote the relevant clauses in my contract for you to check out, just get in touch.
Generally speaking, if you cancel entirely then you lose the booking fee at least, and possibly up to 100% of the balance depending on how much notice you give. If you want to postpone then depending on how far away the new date is you may need to re-pay a booking fee. In terms of COVID-19 related postponements and cancellations it’s entirely dependant on the circumstances at the time. For example, cancelling or postponing because the government bans weddings would be treated differently to cancelling because you’re changed your minds about the risks involved.
• What is the backup plan if you are unable to shoot our wedding for an unexpected reason (sickness etc)?
With the sole exception of one fateful week in 2021 when I got covid and had to step back from two weddings that week, I’ve never ever pulled out of a wedding for any reason, sickness included.
That said, I have a plan! I’m part of a group of truly excellent wedding photographers around the country, and would turn to them as soon as I know I’m not able to attend. I’ve seen last minute miracles performed by members of this group, including multiple photographers racing into central London with spare cameras and batteries because one of our number messaged to say he’d accidentally left his bag in the taxi that brought him to the church!
So if I got sick I’d put the call out, and send you links for anyone who’s available. You could then decide who you’d like to take over – although you’re not committed to choosing any of them. If you decided against booking any of them I’d refund you entirely.
• Would you post about our wedding on any websites / social media or submit our photos to any magazines / blogs etc?
I only post examples of my best work on my website and on my Instagram, so that other couples can see that I’m active, and making the kinds of wedding photos they’d love to have themselves. I usually share some images with suppliers so that they can have a few examples of their recent work too, and I work with my couples to ensure any sensitive photos stay private.
Beyond that I’m often contacted by wedding blogs and magazines who want to feature one of my weddings. When that happens I introduce them to the couple and if it goes ahead I’m happy to supply images for them to publish so it’s one less thing for you to do.
I have photographed celebrities and people with sensitive careers so I understand if you want to keep your images secret with an NDA. If this is the case please let me know before booking and I can share my NDA pricing options.
