Ahhhh, the internet.  Such a wonderful invention for brides, right?  You can find everything you need right at your desk, from the best color palette for your style and season, to bridesmaids dress styles, to hundreds of millions of Pinterest photos of tables capes, up-do’s, and the sometimes taxing “Questions to ask a wedding photographer” lists.  Personally, I love when clients come in with questions.  It says to me they are invested in finding a photographer who is just as invested in them; a true professional who can calm their fears and doubts, and obviously someone with whom they connect.  (Seriously, if you’ve ever met with me, and brought in a list, you’ve probably seen my face light up)

With that said, there are *some* questions I (and every other professional colleague I’ve spoken with) groan at, and that is:

“Have you ever photographed a wedding at my venue?”

Sometimes the answer is yes, because of course, we all photograph places more than once.  However, sometimes the answer is no, and trust me when I say, thats okay!  While most of my couples haven’t thought twice about hiring me regardless of where I have or haven’t worked, I have a handful of inquires or meetings every year that end in disappointment.  When I get the dreaded email “Thanks, we LOVE your work but we want someone who has worked at our venue” it takes every ounce of me not to push my iMac off my desk.  Its infuriating.  As a professional, I’m trained to think quickly, know what I need to do in any situation, and come up with solutions on the fly when I’m faced with a challenge.

Perhaps I’ll offer an alternative question.  Instead of asking the aforementioned question, ask your photographer:

“If you haven’t photographed a wedding at my venue, do you have examples of similar weddings?  Have you ever run in to a situation in a new location which was challenging? How did you handle it?”

I only wish I could find out why there is such a predisposition for some to turn down those photographers who have the right qualifications, but haven’t worked at a particular venue before.  I’ve brainstormed a few possible objections below, and have included images I’ve taken in locations where I’d never worked in before the wedding day:

1. “If you haven’t worked there before, you don’t know your way around.”

You know what?  At this point you may be right.    However, thats why a professional is  ALWAYS willing to do their research, and if needed, visit the venue beforehand.  A photographer having worked at a venue has no bearing on whether or not they’ll be good at what they do anyway, or whether they’ll be able to efficient and unique in telling your story.

2. “You won’t know the best angles & there might be tricky lighting.”

Hogwash!  Professionals are constantly on the look out for the best lighting and the flattering angles which will tell your story in a fluent manner, while at least doing their best to find the utilize (or create!) light that matches the ambience of the event.    Not to mention, having a new photographer  to the venue can actually work out in your favor, as long as you trust them.  Having someone new to the venue offers the opportunity of new angles and unique viewpoints that other photographers didn’t see, creating original work you haven’t seen in the numerous galleries you’ve already looked at.  A new perspective can be wonderful!

3. “The venue prefers to work with people they know.”

A huge part of a wedding photographers job is creating relationships with fellow vendors and venue managers.  It is true that there are more disrespectful photographers out there than I’d like to admit, who might have put a damper on a venues willingness to work with a variety of people.  Your venue probably has seen the worst of them, and I definitely don’t blame them for wanting to work with their own.  Personally, networking is my jam; I love making relationships with fellow industry vendors and letting them know they can trust in my services and ability to create gorgeous imagery for our mutual clients.

4. “A list on the internet told me to ask you (but I really don’t know why)”

Listen, the internet is a fabulous place for information and tips on wedding planning, and there are a ton of questions we absolutely love being asked.  However, just because a list told you to discount a photographer because they are new to your venue doesn’t mean you should.  The key is trusting your photographer to create imagery which drew you to them in the first place.  While I haven’t done the math, I bet over 50% of the images in my galleries are from locations that were new to me.

All in all, I do hope that if you are using one of the hundreds of lists out there floating around on the internet, about what to ask a wedding photographer when you meet with them, you will realize that we all have to shoot at venues the first time once, and because we’ve shot in so many varying locations, we should be able to handle most anything that comes our way.  Don’t discount a photographer based on if they’ve worked at your venue, instead, ask them about their experience, how they handle different situations, and dig deep into their qualifications.  That should tell you everything you really need to know.

 

Venues highlighted in this post (from top post to bottom):  Webster House, Mark Twain Ballroom, Eighteen Ninety Event Space, Castle Tea Room, St. Andrews Episcopal Church, James P. Davis Hall, Hard Rock Resort Punta Cana, Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, private residence, The Brass on Baltimore, Cider Gallery