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The questions to ask a wedding photographer before you sign, from full galleries and delivery times to usage rights, backups, and what happens if they are ill.
Before booking a wedding photographer, ask to see two or three complete wedding galleries (not a highlights reel), then pin down what the package covers: hours, a second shooter, how many edited images you get and when, how the photos are delivered and for how long, what you are allowed to do with them, how they back up files on the day, and who covers if they are ill. Get every answer written into the contract, because the contract is what you can actually rely on.
A portfolio shows a photographer's best twenty frames. A full gallery shows what you will actually receive. Ask:
Coverage questions and why they matter: How many hours are included, and what does an extra hour cost?, Getting-ready shots and a late send-off can push you past the package.; Is a second shooter included?, One person cannot photograph both of you getting ready in different places, or the ceremony from two angles.; Who exactly will photograph our wedding?, Some studios send an associate, not the person whose work you saw.; How long do family formals usually take, and do you want a shot list?, Big families can eat most of the gap between ceremony and reception.; What do you need from us on the day (meals, breaks, a contact person)?, Many contracts require a meal for vendors working through dinner.; Are there venue or officiant rules you will need to follow?, Some houses of worship restrict flash or movement during the ceremony..
Roughly how many edited images will we receive? A range is fine; a vague answer is not. When will we get a preview, and when the full gallery? Put the delivery deadline in the contract. What editing is included? Colour and exposure correction on every image is normal; retouching skin or removing objects is often extra. Do you deliver unedited files? Many photographers do not. Ask, and do not assume. How are the photos delivered, and how long does the online gallery stay up? Download everything as soon as it arrives and keep two copies in different places. What do prints and albums cost, and are they optional?
Under US law, copyright belongs to the author of a work, not to whoever owns the physical copy, as the US Copyright Office explains. In practice the photographer usually keeps the copyright and gives you a licence to use the images. Rules differ in other countries, so read your own contract. Ask:
Do you shoot to two memory cards at once? Cameras with dual card slots can write every frame twice. How do you back up files after the wedding, and how long do you keep them? What happens if you are ill or have an emergency? Ask whether they have a named backup photographer, and what the contract says about refunds if nobody can come. Do you carry liability insurance? Many venues require vendors to have it, so check with yours.
What is the deposit or retainer, and is it refundable? When is the balance due? What is the policy if we postpone or cancel? Are travel, parking or accommodation extra? This matters most for destination and rural weddings. Are there any fees not in the quote? Overtime, a second shooter, album design and rush editing are the common ones. See hidden wedding costs.
Only highlight images, never a full gallery. No written contract, or a contract that does not name a delivery date. Pressure to pay in full immediately. Vague answers about who will actually shoot the day. No plan for illness or equipment failure.
As soon as you have a date and venue, especially for popular Saturdays. A photographer can only work one wedding at a time, so the ones in demand get booked first. See what to book first for your wedding.
Usually not the copyright. In the US, copyright belongs to the author of the work, so the photographer typically keeps it and gives you a licence to print and share. Check what your contract allows.
You can ask, but many photographers do not hand over unedited files, because editing is part of their work. Agree on the number of edited images instead.
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