How To Choose The Best Photographer
For Your Wedding

Great Short Duration + Short Notice + Micro-Wedding Discounts – Please Enquire

Long after you have returned from you dream honeymoon you will appreciate the homework you did to ensure that your wedding day memories are kept vivid with gorgeous professional photography.
Unfortunately the UK industry is completely unregulated and there have never been greater numbers of amateurs, hobbyists, wannabes, part-timers, and out and out chancers masquerading as professionals.
This checklist was compiled by members of a private online community of professionals based chiefly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It includes the questions most frequently asked by prospective clients plus the questions they may not have known to ask. Its not in order of importance and not necessarily reflective of your own priorities. But it should help you to remember to check the points that matter to you.

Checkout Your Photographer With Care

Experience

How long have you been in business. How many weddings have you personally shot as the main photographer. Do you belong to any trade organizations and why

Sample photographs

Were these shot by you. Be very specific in your questioning. Several studio and franchise businesses supply their photographers with idealised sample photos featuring professional models. Some wedding album manufacturers supply similarly "setup" photos. Some photographers buy photos from picture agencies with which to promote their business. Some even steal photos from others websites. Insist you see lots of galleries - not just "greatest hits" compilations. Were the photos taken whilst the photographer assisted as a “second shooter” under the direction of a more experienced professional

Equipment

Do you use professional grade i.e. reliable equipment. Do you have full backup equipment. What extra off-camera lighting do you use - usually essential for interior shooting of portraits and group photos especially in low ambient light

Preparation

Do you visit the ceremony/reception location before the wedding day. Do you go to rehearsals

Execution

What is your “style” of photography n.b. is it all candid / reportage or can I have lots of posed photos if I wish. What parts of the day do you cover and for how long (e.g. bride preparing at home, arrival at the wedding venue, the ceremony, formal group and individual shots, bride and groom at local beauty spot, reception, speeches, evening dancing and entertainment). Will you be the person taking the photos. Do you have assistants, and are they experienced photographers or simply helping out (normal reality). How many photos do you take – and how many photos do I receive. Will you accept suggestions for certain poses and shots. When can the formal photographs be shot e.g. before/after the ceremony. Will you go off site to shoot requests. What if I need extra time on the wedding day. What happens if it rains. Do you restrict guests taking photos. What do you wear. Do you require a meal

Costs and payment

What are your fees, when are they due, and what do they include. How much is the deposit (called the "retainer" in this industry). What payment methods do you offer for the package and for reprints. Refund policy on retainers and deposits. Does it cost extra for album design or is that included. How much are extra prints and reprints. Do you offer off-season or weekday or short-notice discounts. If I don't want something in the package do I get a discount. What do you charge to travel. Are there any extra fees (either on top of listed package prices or that come up after the wedding). Can I pay you after the wedding. Do you sell the high-resolution digital files (now normal but NOT universal). My parents want to pay for part of the photography – how is this done as the contract is with me

Afterwards

Do you offer a website gallery and online proofing. How soon after my wedding does the gallery go online. Do you stop having an online gallery until an album or prints have been purchased from the photographer. For how long does the gallery stay online. Do you do proofs in print. What albums do you offer and how long do I have to choose my album and reprints. Can I design my own album layout. How long does my album take to produce. Do you offer parents albums. For how long do you keep the digital files. How do I receive my digital files. Do you offer a photo slideshow to play on my TV (easy to do yourself now!)

Video

Do you offer actual video (n.b. not photo slideshows sometimes including some audio incorrectly called videos). What do I receive

Sundry

For how long can you keep a provisional date open. Do you offer engagement portraits. What happens if the photographer gets ill. My reception site requires that all wedding vendors carry their own insurance. Do you have insurance and what type of policy is it n.b. it should be a Public Liability and Professional Indemnity policy. If disaster should strike what is your policy on re-shooting

Recommendations from venues

Many venues recommend photographers on the basis that large fees are paid by the photographers to the venues either directly indirectly. Some staff even insist on cash or benefits in kind such as gift vouchers! That is why they are so keen to recommend vendors to you. You may wish to treat recommendations with caution as they are unlikely to have anything what so ever to do with competence in photography

Website presence

Sophisticated "professional photography" websites can be purchased for just a few £, providing an illusion of competence and experience. Some are even free! The "photographer" may even go on to populate their site with images purchased from agencies, stolen from other photographers, or obtained from shooting a handful of weddings for friends. All so that the "photographer" appears more experienced or competent than is the case. If your photographer cannot show you dozens of great galleries you may not wish to be their guinea pig for your wedding day!

"Award Winning" & "Qualified"

There are several thousand "awards" made each year in the UK, many classes of which have less than a handful of entrants. Qualifications other than from some universities and colleges are completely unregulated and have more in common with camera clubs than with rigorous academic and practical achievement. Caveat emptor - buyer beware - do your research. In the UK there are three trade organisations catering to wedding and social photographers: The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) The Master Photographers Association (MPA) The British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP). You may wish to visit each website and make your own assessment as to the difficulty of achieving their qualifications and their relevance to your requirements

Video

Almost all UK wedding videographers are hobbyists inexperienced in shooting weddings. If you plan to have video you should exercise the same care as when researching your stills photographer. Ideally choose one of the Ashton Lamont standalone video or combined photography and video plans!