Hi! I’m Priscilla!
I am one of Kristen’s “Little Nuggets” (aka interns)! For my first blog post I wanted to write about the “10 things you shouldn’t ask your photographer and the 2 that you should”. Picking a photographer can be overwhelming but thats why you should pick someone you trust; someone whose style and personality fits your own. I complied my list searching google as well as consulting Kristen, Gabe, Lacey and a few other photographers we know here in Orlando. As a Radio/Television and Theatre Studies major I don’t have as much experience with photography as they do, so they were perfect to bounce ideas off of. If you’re wondering why I picked Will Ferrell, it’s because he is hilarious!
I hope you guys have as much fun reading my blog as I had writing it. :)
1. Can I have the reject photos?
Nooooooooooooooo. Photographers spend a
great deal of time making sure they’re delivering a perfect finished
product. Meaning there are many things that may need to be culled out of
the whole event (things like light tests, blinking and bad faces).
Please TRUST the author to best present the final masterpiece. PLUS!
It’s part of their job to narrow down all of these photos for you! ;)
2. Do you shoot in RAW or JPEG?”
Sure, there’s a preferred answer to this question; however, you need to know WHY you’d be asking, and not just asking because someone told you to. RAW and JPEG are different file formats in which the image saves. There are many differences between RAW and JPEG. To put it simply, RAW preserves the most information from the camera, such as lighting, exposure and temperature. JPEG saves the image by processing and compressing it. From Kristen: “We prefer to shoot in RAW because it gives us the most control in post production.”
3. Can you Photoshop that?
Sure! Honestly, we may be able to use photoshop to fix something here or there, but …. we believe that you should only use Photoshop to enhance a photo (if at all), not to change its composition. Different photographers with different styles may have a different stance (check with them on their editing policies before booking if this is important to you). Though your photographer may be able to photoshop what you want, there is often an additional cost associated with it. Retouching takes time – and time costs money. And you should never rely on photoshop and your photographer to fix things that aren’t right for you – if you don’t like your hair, exit signs in your venue, or your great aunt’s glasses – that needs to be addressed before your wedding. That’s not a photographer’s responsibility to fix later.
4. What type of equipment do you use?”
Let’s start by getting this out of the way – having professional equipment IS important. At the same time it’s about the artist and their eye (something they can’t buy or fake) and if you like their work, then there’s a good chance their actual equipment doesn’t even matter. Focus on someone’s style and personality of the photographer! After all, you’ll be spending more time with your photographer that day than any other vendor! A quick tip from Kristen: “Ask to see a full delivered gallery of images from a wedding so you can see that everything they’re delivering is matching what you see online. It’s easy to pick out 5 great photos for a portfolio, but you need to see that the other 500 are great quality. Bonus points if you can meet in person to see their work in print – especially large format. Online images can mask things that a print just can’t.”
5. Can I give you a list of specific shots we would like?
Of course you can, but you should trust your photographer! If there are specific, unique photos, those are worth mentioning!
6. Can we get a discount if we edit the pictures ourselves?
I say this with love, but thats a terrible idea! You are paying the artist for their vision! Why would you want an unfinished product? You would be taking away the value of the artist you are hiring.
7. Can we do this thing I saw on Pinterest?
Find out what it is that you like about that photo and share it with your photographer. This way, the photographer can understand what you are looking for and create a unique experience for you!:)
8. Can my friends and family use their cellphones for photos?
Don’t make your photographer compete for your attention up against all of the cell phone photographers. This can at times be detrimental to your professional photographer. Most photographers won’t even allow guest photography during any formals (like family, you and your spouse, etc). At such an exciting event people tend to get overzealous and get in the way of a shot, which can ruin your photo. If you don’t want guests shooting during the ceremony, ask your guests to simply be present at your wedding and enjoy the day. Your photographer will make sure your day is perfectly captured for you! Always check with your photographer or review their contract for their specific policies regarding other photography.
9. Can we still shoot our engagement/portrait session if it’s raining?
Consider all of the factors: hair, makeup and our equipment. A quick rain shot can be beautiful – but after about 5 minutes, your shoot will be a complete wash (literally). If rescheduling your shoot is an option due to weather conditions I recommend it! This way you can get the best photos possible. Shooting inside can restrict your photographer with location and lighting. Outside usually provides more variety! Keep in mind the photos that you see on your photographer’s website that made you book them in the first place – if they’re outside, light and airy – requesting an indoor shoot with lighting will yield a different result, so keep that in mind.
Side note from Kristen: sometimes at weddings, we have to work in all kinds of weather conditions and we have “make it work” moments all the time! But if there is some flexibility in scheduling for your session, why not wait until the weather is more ideal?
10. If I only need a few photos is it cheaper?
In most cases, you’re paying for a combination of time, talent and demand. Your final delivery and expectations should be clearly addressed by your photographer. Most will have an approximate number of images they’ll deliver within your contract. Reducing that number of images likely won’t change the final price, unless you’re paying for them a la carte.
The 2 questions that YOU SHOULD ask
1. Do you bring backup equipment and how do you backup your photos?
Crisis management might be one of the most important things a photographer can do at a wedding. With so many moving parts of the day, you don’t want to worry about the safe keeping of your wedding images! Let’s face it, things happen. Photographers rely heavily on very complicated and expensive pieces of equipment to do their job, and they’re not always perfect. Your photographer likely spends a lot of money on regular cleanings (they have to send everything out – cameras, lenses, flashes, etc), as well as repairs. One little “ding” can throw off the entire focus of a lens. So why does this matter to you? Well, a good photographer will bring working backup equipment that is as good as their main equipment in case of an emergency.
Following your wedding, your photographer has an extensive task by backing up all of your images before they even start to work on them. Usually this requires ample storage space both locally at their home or studio, as well as off-site. After your final images have been delivered, it’s good to know how they will save the images (IF they save them, and what images they will and won’t save). Always ask your photographer’s policies, and never assume!
2. What is the best time for a ceremony?
Read Original Article Here: http://www.kristenweaverblog.com/life/10-things-you-shouldnt-ask-your-photographer
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