Choosing your photographer: five questions to ask

Past forty weddings a year, fatigue overtakes attention. A photographer shooting sixty or eighty weddings a year materially cannot give you the same quality of attention or the same care in post-production. Twenty-five to thirty is our limit. Ask the number. Ask whether it changes year to year. Be cautious of any hesitation to answer.

Many photographers outsource post-production. It's legitimate, but it changes everything. If the person retouching is not the one who photographed, the intention of the shoot dilutes. Ask. Ask also whether retouching is done image by image, or in automated batches.

Every serious professional camera has two memory cards. Recording must happen on both cards simultaneously. This is non-negotiable. It guarantees no image will be lost, even if one card fails during the day. Ask. If the answer hesitates, walk away.

A public portfolio only shows the twenty best images of the year. A complete gallery shows the six hundred images delivered to a real couple. It is the only way to assess the coherence of the eye, the rhythm of the documentation, and the quality of retouching on ordinary moments. Any serious photographer will agree to share a private gallery from a recent wedding, with the consent of the couple involved.

No one likes to talk about this scenario. Ask anyway. A serious photographer has a network of equivalent peers they can call as a replacement, at no extra cost to you. The contract should state this in writing. Ask.

The portfolio draws you in. The conversation must confirm. These five questions are not exhaustive — they are a starting point. If the exchange with your photographer leaves you, after an hour, with a sense of calm and precision, you are likely holding the right person.