I’m sure you’ve seen your share of Top 1 Billion Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer.You know the ones. Question #1 What gear do you use?Question #29 How many photos will be in black and white vs color?Question #154 What do you love about weddings?Question #782 Will we be best friends forever?I love reading these.Some are so obvious.Some, maybe not.But many of those questions mean nothing to you when it comes to finding a photographer that you can rely on.There are quite a few really important questions to ask your photographer.Here are just 3 of the big questions that I’m never asked.Maybe they aren’t important to you but I’ll explain why they should be.

Tell me about Backups. Do you have backups for your backups?

Obviously, your photographer should have a back up camera.In the event that their camera is dropped, dumped in a fountain, or just simply fails, they should be able to reach for their backup to finish out the day.Aside from that, did you know that your entire wedding collection could be lost from a memory card failure!Not trying to scare you, but guys, this is a real thing.Your photographer should be able to handle that situation.Whether it be that they shoot the entire wedding on multiple smaller memory cards, or their camera allows them to write each image to multiple cards.Check with them to see how they can ease your mind about this situation. They should also be explaining how they protect your images after the wedding with backups.I could go on and on about image backups.Ask me what I do about someone stealing my gear bag before I get the images imported!

Can we go over the timeline?

Will your photographer know where you will be throughout the day? Will they let you know in advance when the groom and guys need to be ready for photos? Will they have the chance to explain to you that noon is the worst time to schedule your outdoor formals? What if the timeline starts to fall apart? Is your photographer experienced enough to handle that situation? If there’s been enough communication about the timeline, they will know if things can be adjusted. Going over a timeline in advance will give everyone peace of mind on your wedding day.

How do you handle reception lighting?

Receptions are one of the top areas where your photographer’s experience and ability will make or break your gallery. Up lighting, twinkle lights, and candles are sometimes the only source of light during a reception. Camera’s these days are seriously amazing but even with the highest light sensitivity, photos can end up grainy, blurry, or can be left with an odd color tones.Sure, they captured the moments, but it can be hard to look at images that just aren’t sharp and well lit.

If they say they use flash, is it off camera?Do they plan to “bounce” their flash.Note: This just isn’t an option in some venues with too tall or too dark ceilings.Will they just use on camera flash or will they have multiple flashes set up? Either way, they need experience in low light situations and should be prepared with multiple options to cover your venue’s lighting. If you have any concerns on their response to this question, ask if you can see a sample of their typical reception lighting.

What other questions do you really want to know from your photographer? What did you wish you knew before your wedding?I would love to hear!

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