The questions you ask a photographer matter more than the portfolio you scroll, because the answers tell you how your actual day will go. Here are the five that matter, and what a good answer sounds like.
Quick Answers:
- Ask what you expect their turnaround time to be
- Ask who is actually shooting your day
- Ask what happens when the timeline slips
- Ask exactly what you receive and when
- Ask what happens if it rains
"What do you expect your turnaround time to be?"
A common complaint I often hear from clients talking about their last hired photographer is that they took forever to receive the photos. Sometimes it is because the photographer truly was slow. Yet other times it comes down to a miscommunication about timelines. For me, I always communicate upfront what I expect my turnaround to be, depending on the event type - and then I stick to it and put it right on the invoice so you can see it clearly.
"Who is shooting my day?"
Some studios sell the owner's portfolio and send an associate. Nothing wrong with an associate if that's the arrangement, but you should know whose work you looked at and whose camera will be in your face at 8am. If you're booking me, you're getting me.
"What happens when the timeline slips?"
Your day will run late somewhere. Hair and makeup overruns, family traffic, a venue that needs the room 40 minutes early. I get it. And I'm flexible. The most important part to me is that your most cherished moments are captured beautifully. We can sort out logistics and invoice adjustments after the key moment has passed.
"What exactly do I receive, and when?"
Get specifics: how many edited photos, delivered how, by when, in what format. Vague answers here become disagreements in week six. Mine: every edited photo, no caps, a black-and-white set the morning after for most events, and a private online gallery within for sharing and downloading.
"What's your rain plan?"
Toronto weather doesn't consult your timeline. You want a photographer with a real answer: grey light can be flattering light, there's always an indoor option, and this is a thing they've handled before rather than a disaster they've feared. When I see rain on the calendar, I know to start scouting indoor options if adjustments become necessary. Plus my camera gear is weather protected so a little drizzle won't make me run away.
