Research is a very important part when it comes to making your final choice for your Wedding Photographer. Not only should you be able to see examples of their work and pricing information, there are several other things you should know about the person preserving your memories of one of the biggest days of your life.
Here are a few of the more popular questions from wedding sites and some that have been asked of me:
Q: How soon should I book my photographer?
A: I’ve noticed the popular answer in most of the wedding guides tell you to book 9 months before the wedding. What you have to remember is that good photographers will sometimes book over a year or more in advance, especially during popular wedding months. Therefore, the sooner you can book, the better.
Q: What is your photographic style?
A: My wedding style is a combination of Traditional, Portraiture, Contemporay and Photojournalism. And, of course, there are fun shots thrown in for good measure!
Q: How much experience do you have photographing weddings and is this the only thing you photograph?
A: I have been a professional photographer for over 20 years and photograph just about everything from babies, children and families to businesses, schools, bands and sporting events to even domesticated animals such as horses or pets. I have even photographed some famous celebrities! In that 20+ years, I have photographed over 700 weddings.
Q: How much do you charge?
A: My package price list varies depending on what you want. My Basic Wedding Package is $795 and includes 5 hours of coverage and comes with a DVD slide show. My Elite Wedding Package is $2,995 and includes coverage for the entire day and you get a disc of the images and a wedding album along with 2 parent albums. I can also customize a package based on your needs and wants. Plus, I also offer my green screen business, Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes, which is a great addition to any event, and everyone gets to go home with a souvenir! (all package pricing is on my website)
Q: Are you available to shoot extra hours and how much do you charge for this?
A: Yes, my usual rate is $125 per hour over the package price for extra coverage.
Q: Do you charge for travel?
A: Yes, if the event is outside the Greater Toledo Area, I charge $30 per hour travel time (there and back) and if more than two hours away, I may request a hotel room also (depending on the time of the event so I am not driving in the middle of the night). Also, depending on where the wedding is, where driving would not be possible, the flight would also need to be considered. {Yes, I do destination weddings also!}
Q: Do you have liability insurance?
A: Absolutely! You can never be too careful!
Q: How many photographers will photograph my wedding?
A: I will be the only photographer that will actually be shooting. I know the popular trend now is for two photographers. Generally, when there are two photographers, one is the main “shooter” for the event and the other captures the audience reactions or shoots the same thing at a different angle. Also, many times the second photographer may be a student or someone trying to get into the photography business. If you also include Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes in your package, my assistants will be running that and at least one will have had professional photography experience.
Q: What equipment do you bring with you on the day of the wedding?
A: Obviously I will have a camera and lighting with back-up equipment, plus anything else that would be needed based on what you want me to photograph.
Q: Do you shoot digital or film?
A: I have been shooting digital for many years now.
Q: Do you shoot in color or black and white?
A: I always shoot in full resolution and in color. Any pictures that you want to have special effects can be edited later. I have extensive knowledge in PhotoShop, LucisArt and Painter, so I can create whatever type of images that you would want.
Q: Do you have experience shooting in various lighting situations?
A: I have lots of experience shooting in all lighting situations.
Q: Will you be the one photographing my wedding?
A: Yes, I am the only one from Kurt Nielsen Photography that photographs the event, but if you just have Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes, and not my Wedding Photography services, I may have other people photographing the green screen shots.
Q: Do you schedule yourself for more than one event in a day or weekend?
A: I only book myself for one event per day. As I stated above, if my wedding photography services are not required, someone else may be the photographer for Kurt’s Kustom Keepsakes. Therefore, I could have two different events in the same day, but I would be the one that would photograph the wedding.
Q: Do you have a replacement photographer in the event you become unavailable on the day of the wedding?
A: I have never missed an event (knock on wood), but if there is some dyer emergency, yes, I could provide a back-up photographer.
Q: How soon after the event are the proofs ready for viewing?
A: Usually within two to three weeks after your wedding, I will have your photographs posted on line and have your lifelong DVD (which is yours to keep) ready for pick-up. This, of course, depends on how busy my studio is at the time because I do all of the photography and editing.
Q: Do you retain the copyright for the photos and the right to publish the photos?
A: I retain the rights to use all images for advertising, samples or other purposes, and this is in the written contract that the Bride and Groom sign when they book my services. My Elite Wedding package includes a disc of all of the original images. For any other package, a disc of the original images may also be purchased for an additional fee. Any images that have been created from the original images (Art Images) will not be included in the disc.
Q: How many photographs will you take?
A: I never limit the number to a minimum or maximum amount. The number depends on what you want me to photograph and what is going on during the day. It is nothing for me to have taken over 300 photographs before I have left the wedding site (church) and over a thousand before the night is over.
Q: What kind of albums do you offer?
A: This depends on the wedding package that is purchased and the customer’s needs and wants. I have several style samples in my studio for viewing. Upgrades and extra albums are also available.
Q: When will we receive our wedding album?
A: Once the bride and groom receive their proofs from the wedding, they should begin to decide on which images they want for their wedding album. I will then create their wedding album pages and have the bride and groom approve the pages or make any changes. As soon as I receive the final approval from the bride and groom, I will submit the album pages for the album to be created. Once the album artwork is submitted to the printer, it usually takes two to three weeks for the album to arrive at my studio. Basically, the process depends on how many changes are made and how soon the bride and groom give me the final approval for the artwork for their album.
Q: How will you dress for my wedding?
A: I will be appropriately dressed for the occasion, depending on your dress code. Obviously if it is a formal wedding, I will not show up in Bermuda shorts and flip flops and if it is a BBQ reception, I am not going to show up in my tux.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
A: If you are just postponing your wedding to a later date, I will transfer the deposit as long as I am still available for the new date. However, if I am not available or you cancel the wedding completely, the deposit is non-refundable unless (and until) the date can be re-booked. A $400 deposit is required to hold the date for you. The rest of the amount of your package price is then due no later than two weeks before the wedding. Of course, the $400 will be applied to your package purchase price.
I hope this helps you in your research for your wedding photographer. Of course all consultations are always free so if there are more questions, which I am sure you will have, I am always available to answer them. Just call my studio at (419) 885-7153 to schedule your free wedding consultation.
