Top 10 Wedding Photography Questions

I get asked a lot of questions in regards to wedding photography. How much does it cost, what are the different types etc? So I have decided to put the top 10 most popular wedding photography questions here for you, as asked by you! If you need professional advice, you can contact Andrew Defrancesco and get the best advice.

Top 10 wedding photography questions

If you have any queries with what a photographer does, or how to find a decent snapper for your wedding, look no further. Check out this top 10! If you have a question that is not covered here, please leave a comment below and I will do my best to answer you. So, grab a glass of wine and let’s begin…

1. How far in advance do I book my wedding photographer?

Good photographers can get booked up 2 years in advance! But as a rough guide I wouldn’t leave it longer than 1 year and a half before your wedding day. If there is a photographer you love, enquire today and get it booked. You will kick yourself if you leave it to long and miss out.
Kings-College-London-Wedding-Photography-Jemma-and-Alex-524_WEB

2. How much is a wedding photographer?

In today’s industry, you can pay anything between £200 – £1800 for the basic package. But there are a lot of charlatans within the industry these days that it pays to do your research. To many newbie photographers who picked up a camera yesterday, usually offer the cheapest packages. They are inexperienced and have limited kit to do the job professionally. If you see a ‘Groupon’ deal that’s to good to be true, it usually is. A good, professional photographer will charge between £1200 to £1500 and that’s the ball park figure to budget for. Usually this will be a basic package, so if you want to add in a gorgeous album, you are likey to pay between £1500 and £2000.

3. Why do I need a wedding photographer?

There are only two things you take away from your wedding. Your memories and your pictures. It’s easy to think of all the other key components of your wedding long before you choose a photographer. But what can happen is when it comes to choosing, you realise all the good ones are either booked or now over budget. You don’t want to regret not having amazing images of your wedding day. Wedding photographers are skilled at what they do, have experience of weddings and know how to handle the complex lighting situations. If you seek good images, you need a professional wedding photographer.
Wedding At South Farm Near Royston

4. Can I get I get a friend to photography my wedding?

You may think, ‘oh my friend is a great photographer. He gets a lot of likes on his Instagram feed, I’ll ask him to do it.’ But unfortunately this has caused so many issues for couples, lost friendships and even family feuds. I think the main issue starts with cameras on the end of every phone, tablet or electrical device. It appears photography is easy and anyone can do it. This then leads to a general thought that the friend, who takes awesome images of  their dinner, will be good enough to photograph a few low key images at the wedding. Wrong. When the wedding day is over and your dark, blurry and very grainy images are handed to you, you will be very upset. It’s not quite what you had in mind. The problem is the friend will probably not have the right kit to shoot in low light, will struggle with the technicalities of flash and not have the experience of a wedding day. So, if you’re thinking about your friend doing the job, please re-think and book a professional.

5. How long does a wedding photographer stay at a wedding?

Again different photographers offer different packages that offer different things. Photographers could offer 6 hours, extending to 8 hours and then full day. As a matter of experience you will certainly want 8 hours or more. Bridal prep usually starts around 10:30am and first dance usually around 7:30pm to 8:00pm. So to cover everything you will want around the 9-10 hour mark. That would be what I class as full day. You may need to specify with your photographer. Some photographers will not include the 6 hours or less packages on peek days, so it’s worth enquiring with them regarding that.

6. What different types of wedding photographer are there?

There are 2 main types, that numerous sub categories then fall from. There is your formal photographer that works within a more structured format. This style has been around for generations. It’s the type your mum and dad had, your grand parents had etc. It probably falls from your old Victorian period.  Then there is your documentary photographer. This style of photography is very unstructured and focuses on a more natural approach. Photographing people unaware and unobtrusively. These are your main two types, but falling from them you get sub categories and blends of both. You have an arty feel, using elements of the traditional. You have a documentary photographer blending elements of traditional. A fashionable look right now is recreating old film. Making your wedding pictures look like that were shot in the 60’s, or 70’s or even modern day but with retro film. The lists are endless.
Pembroke Lodge Wedding With Andie And Dan

7. How do you find a good wedding photographer?

At the end of the day it’s down to your own style and what you like, that you book. But to find the best, check out online blogs and portfolios. Search google but don’t just stick to page one. Go through at least the top 5 pages. Find out who has been published online or in printed media and make a short list. Finally go through it and find the one that means most to you. Then contact them. DO NOT PRICE SHOP. Don’t go with the photographer who is cheapest or who will do a deal. Simply go with the photographer you picked initially from your shortlist and pay their fee. You will not be disappointed.

8. What do I receive from a wedding photographer?

Most photographers offer similar packages and services. Initially you may receive a consultation. That means you meet, or talk on the phone or go through your initial plans via email. My consultation runs throughout as I get initial details and then get the full plans 6 weeks before the big day. Then you will have a photographer turn up for a period of time on the day. Whether that’s 6, 8 or a full day, it’s down to what touchable booked. The photographer will then shoot everything needed to make that wedding look amazing. Depending on your photographers styles, they will work around you and your guests and try and stay in the background most of the time. After the day, photographers work differently. I offer a sneak peek on Facebook a day or so after the wedding. Then 4 weeks later my clients receive a password protected online gallery, with the full album of pictures. Normally 350+ images. Finally we setup which images go into the album and I design that for them. Everything is the posted out to the client.Friern Manor Country Hotel Wedding With Denise and Ben

9. Do I receive the digital files from a wedding photographer?

A lot of modern photographers now offer the digital files as their most standard package. This will be the full album delivered onto a USB drive or CD. The client can then print as and when they please. I offer the same in my basic packages. Rights are given to my clients to print, copy or display as they please. Other photographers offer albums as their main packages and offer an additional fee for the additional digital files.

10. Why should I have an album from my wedding photographer?

I highly recommend getting your images printed onto a professional wedding album as this is the best way to display your images. A USB usually gets put away into a draw and hardly looked at. If friends or family ask to see the pictures, it so much better getting an amazing book out rather than a USB. Wedding albums are not the full, boring and dated books of old. Albums now have a more magazine feel and are much more arty and modern. I work with an amazing album company called Folio, who offer hand made leather albums which are designed by me. They are simply beautiful.

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I am a Kent wedding photographer who has been featured within Your Kent Wedding Magazine, Rock n Roll Bride and Your Sussex Wedding Magazine, with images also published in the The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The Independent, The News Of The World and many other large newspapers and magazines.

Interested in booking me as your wedding photographer or have a question not covered here? I’m happy to help. Drop me an email to info@rosshurley.com and I will answer your questions. Alternatively head over to my Facebook and drop me a comment there.

Wedding Industry Awards 2015

Ross Hurley Photography has been featured in

Kent Wedding Photographer Ross Hurley

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