Wedding Series Pt.2: FAQ with a Photographer (me!)

A photographer is typically one of the first vendors that couples book when they start their wedding planning journey. Lauren with Every Little Thing Events wanted to interview me with some questions she gets asked all the time, and I was more than happy to answer! I have the full interview below, or you can read the notes below!!

What questions should you ask when looking for a photographer?

Other than the obvious questions about price and package options that you might have, let’s talk about some other questions that you should consider asking when looking for your wedding photographer. Ask about their experience - how long have they been doing it, what kind of equipment do they use? Ask what their contingency plan is. Hopefully this doesn’t have to be used, but it’s good for you to know about the back up options and plan B! If you haven’t selected a venue yet, ask your photographer about their favorite venues to photograph. Lastly, talk to them about their style of photography and overall personality style. Asking these questions will ensure that you’re working with a professional and with someone that you’ll gel with. 

On the wedding day, how many photos will be posed vs candid?

Overall, photos typically break down to 80% candid and 20% posed photos. With some direction to help with posing, I really just let the love flow between the couple. There are usually some formal portraits and family portraits that will be posed photos. Other than that, I try to curate a moment and make sure it looks pretty, but I really just let it unfold and capture it as it happens.

What equipment do you use on a wedding day? 

You might not need to know the specifics of the equipment, but there are a few things you should look for when talking to your photographer about the equipment they use. Your photographer should be working with 2 professional cameras. If one goes down, they definitely have a back up! They should also come prepared with multiple lenses and lighting equipment. I personally shoot with Nikon and have 3-4 lenses that I really like to work with. 

How many photos do you deliver from a wedding day? 

I don’t have a photo guarantee, but a good rule of thumb is 100 photos per hour. So if your photographer is shooting for 8 hours, you can expect around 800 photos, which is a lot of photos! 

How many hours of coverage do you recommend for a wedding day? 

It depends on your timeline for the day, but I think 8 hours is a good go to number and then go up from there. 8 hours will make sure that everything from start to finish is captured. It’s a long day and there’s a lot that happens!

What is a second shooter and should I have one on my wedding day?

Sometimes a second shooter can be confused with an assistant. A second shooter is a trained professional. All of the second shooters that I work with also have their own photography

I hope that was helpful for you guys!!