The wedding photographer search can be a little scary, right? How do you know the person you choose will be all about you as a couple and all about your wedding day in the way you need them to be?
Read these 5 things that every legitimate wedding photographer will be!
Do they have insurance?
Similarly, a claim against them for injury or damage might put them out of business and again, unable to shoot your sessions or wedding.
There are two types of insurance that are important for a wedding photographer to carry - equipment insurance (to cover our gear) and liability insurance (to cover claims of injury, property damage, etc).
You should definitely ask anybody you're considering as your photographer if they're insured, because if something happens to a their gear and they aren't insured, they may not have the means to replace their gear (and yes, that means that they may not be able to shoot your sessions or wedding).
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Are they knowledgeable?
You want your wedding photographer to be able to handle anything the day throws at her!
Any seasoned wedding photographer will be able to answer just about any question you have about the way she'll handle your wedding before you book (at least in a "here's what I usually do" sort of fashion).
Make sure you ask every question you have before you book. If they hesitate or otherwise act like they're not sure how something works, that could indicate that they don't have a lot of experience and may not have the knowledge and skills to handle the complexities of a wedding day.
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Are they a legal business?
What happens if they get shut down by the IRS before your wedding? Or if they just tire of being a business owner? Your money - and your photographer - is gone.
If you're feeling tempted to try and save money by finding someone who does photography "under the table" to avoid taxes and licensing, please reconsider.
You wouldn't hire a bartender if they didn't have their liquor license, right? Ask your photography contenders if they pay taxes on their income and have all the proper licensing to be doing business in the area. If they don't, that's a very strong indication that they don't take their business seriously and it would be a mistake to trust them.
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Do they have backup systems?
Once home, images are stored on two solid-state hard drives (one in a fireproof box) and the original memory cards until delivery. Your photographer should definitely be doing something similar!
Any profession that requires the use of electronics carries some risk of equipment failure, and it's important as a professional to have systems in place to mediate the risk as much as possible!
So ask your photography contenders what their backup systems look like.
I carry 2 cameras to every wedding and multiple lenses at each focal length, just in case something fails. Each of my cameras writes to two memory cards, so if one memory card fails I will still have the duplicate.
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Read reviews & ask for full galleries.
Ask your photography contenders to send you a few full galleries, and check and see if their images are consistently good through the whole day, or if they're only good when conditions are optimal!
Listen, it's really easy to start a business Facebook account and throw up a wedding photography website. Anybody can grab 30 of their best images (or steal 30 images) and make a passable portfolio page.
Most review sites have failsafes to prevent spammy reviews from being posted, so check for great reviews on the photographers you're considering. Reviews are really like a beacon of light for couples looking for vendors!
Even harder to fake are full wedding galleries.
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So, make a list.
Of course, add the more tangible things to your list too, like whether you want just an engagement session or engagements, bridals and boudoir, and your approximate budget.
QUICK REFERENCE:
- Do they have insurance?
- Can they answer every question you have, based on their experience?
- Are they a legal business?
- What backup systems do they have in place?
- Are they willing to show you a few full wedding galleries?
It's important that you identify the qualities that are super important to you before you start shopping, or you'll feel a little like you're trying to walk on jello as you navigate each photographer's websites & offerings.
The person you choose will probably be with you more on your wedding day than your spouse will. Crazy, I know! But that's why you want someone who you'll enjoy being around, so think about things like personality or even belief systems. Is it important that he/she be fun & bubbly? Or feel the same way you do on major social issues?
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Are you still looking for a photographer you adore?
Email me at corriechildersweddings@gmail.com or text me at 479-200-7919.
Cheers to lots of good times together ahead!
xo
If you're on this page, it probably means that you've already inquired with me and had a chance to look over all my collection information.
If we're not already chatting about booking, don't forget to respond to my email! My calendar fills up so quickly, and I really don't want to miss out on your gorgeous wedding day.
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