Six questions to ask your wedding photographer

You've planned your wedding day to the finest detail so do make sure you choose your wedding photographer carefully. After all, your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and your wedding photographs are a lasting reminder of this happy time.

The digital camera revolution has led to an influx of wedding photographers. Taking "decent shots" has never been easier. However, you don't just want a decent shot for your wedding photographs. You want something incredibly special and beautiful. Wedding photography is a specialised art; it takes great skill and years of experience to get just right. A moment missed can never be recaptured. And the process doesn't end with the click of the camera. Professional wedding photographers spend much time retouching photographs using the latest digital imaging equipment. This is a highly skilled job that takes a creative eye and time to perfect.

So, how do you know if your photographer is right for you? To help you, I've put together a few questions you simply must ask. Don't be shy. All professional photographers will be happy to answer these. If they're not, well, they're not the right photographer for your special day.

1. Are you a member of a professional photographic body?

If the answer is "no", I'd recommend that you walk away now. Any professional photographer will belong to a professional photographic body. A professional photographic organisation provides you with the confidence that your photographer adheres to stringent codes of conduct.

The main bodies governing the photographic industry are:

The Master Photographers Association is the UK's only trade body exclusively for full-time qualified professional wedding, portrait and commercial photographers. It was established in 1952 and currently has over 2000 members.

The British Institute of Professional Photography. This is one of the oldest photography bodies in the UK, offering support, qualifications and training to professional photographers.

The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers/British Professional Photographers Association This is a worldwide association for professional photographers and a relatively new organisation. However, do be careful. Photographers can join without being qualified simply by paying for their membership so do ask your for their qualifications.

There are several other professional photographic organisations. Take time to do a bit of research on the internet. Some offer basic levels of membership while others have stricter entry standards.

2. Can I see some full weddings?

Fact. A photographer will only show the best of his or her work on their website. That's just natural and it will give you a good overview of what the photographer can achieve. It will help you narrow your search and get together a shortlist of potential photographers. But once you've got your shortlist, do ask each of them to show you several complete weddings. You want to be sure your chosen photographer is consistent. Don't be satisfied with seeing a wedding album - these are still carefully selected images from hundreds taken on the day. Professional photographers will be happy to show you full unedited sets of photographs. Most photographers will have permission from other clients to do so,

3. Can you provide references?

Ok, so you've established the photographer takes great photos but what are they like to work with? Will your queries be answered quickly? What are they like to have around on your wedding day? Arranging a wedding can be a stressful time and the last thing you want to worry about is the professionalism of your photographer. The only way to find out is to ask previous clients. Testimonials on a website are all well and good but remember only the best are displayed. Ask the photographer to provide contact details of referees and speak to them directly. Only then will you know if the photographer is truly a great one.

4. What happens at the end of the day?

In the old days of film, a wedding photographer's role finished with the big day. The films would be sent to a lab for processing and a small amount of retouching. How things have changed with the advent of digital photography. Today, the finished product is very much the responsibility of the photographer. I won't go into too much technical detail but basically the wedding images need to be downloaded and stored, backed up and filed. Following that, a photographer will spend a great deal of time retouching the images. This doesn't mean simply wiping out any red-eye or imperfections. It's a creative process that a professional photographer takes great pride in, and results in amazing, high quality images. Professional photographers will have invested in the latest equipment and software. Do ask your photographer about processes for managing and retouching your photos. Make sure images are stored securely and backed up and that retouching isn't outsourced.

5. Do you have a contingency plan?

Unfortunately, accidents do occasionally happen and things can go wrong. For your peace of mind, do prepare for this. What happens if your photographer gets ill or has an accident on the way to the venue? Do check that he or she has a back-up photographer to call upon in a crisis. It might not be ideal but it's a lot better than having no photographer at all. You should also ask your photographer if he carries spare cameras. Equipment can break and cameras can be dropped.

6. Do you have insurance?

This runs on from question 5. As I said, things can go wrong and you want to be covered for all eventualities. Your photographer should have two types of insurance:
Professional indemnity insurance This provides compensation for any mistakes or negligence on the part of the photographer. It also covers the breakdown or theft of equipment which prevents you from receiving your finished wedding photographs. Some policies will allow for the entire wedding to be re-staged so do ask your photographer about the level of cover.
Public liability insurance This provides compensation in the event that you or any of your guests sustains an injury as a result of, for example, tripping over photography equipment.
On the subject of insurance, do make sure you've got your own wedding insurance. A photographer's insurance will only cover accidents connected to their service. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

So, there you are. I hope this will help you in your choice of photographers. Photographers who answer all these questions to your satisfaction may not be the cheapest. However, do remember your wedding photographs are a permanent reminder of your special day and can't be replaced; they're invaluable and you should invest in them. But do also trust your judgement and instincts. It's important you find a photographer you get on with. You'll be sharing your plans and many aspects of your big day so you have to be comfortable in their presence. Here's to a fabulous day, some gorgeous wedding photographs and a very happy marriage.