Wedding Questions For Calgary Photographers

Let’s face it some questions are easier to ask your Calgary wedding photographers and some might feel a little more awkward. We totally get it and that is why we are digging deep into the questions you might have when planning your wedding but are a little unsure how to ask your wedding photographers.

How much does wedding photography cost in Calgary?

Wedding Photography in Calgary, and anywhere for that matter, is an extremely personal industry. Most companies are owned and operated by a single individual or two people. Because of that there is a wide range of prices and services offered. On top of that every wedding is unique with different needs, wants, locations and schedules. Eliminating the cheapest and most expensive options you get a range of about $2500 to $6000 for an average day of wedding photography in Calgary. An average day of wedding photography would be anywhere between 4 and 10 hours. Keep in mind that while some photographers initial price is low there may be other fees and costs to receive all the photos you would like to have.

How many photos should I get from my wedding photographer?

Like with wedding photography costs this is different for every wedding photographer. Some photographers shoot and edit more and some are more minimalist. Also there will be a major difference between the photos made and edited between a single photographer, a main photographer with a second shooter and a photography team. Another thing to consider is your wedding day schedule. The photographer will be giving you more photos if there are more opportunities to photograph. A good average to start with is somewhere between 40 and 100 photographs per hour. This would mean for an 8 hour wedding you wold be receiving between 320 and 800 photos total. Of course this is an average and there will be some hours of the wedding where you'll be lots of photos, like the ceremony, and some hours where there will be less taken, like driving between locations and dinner time.

Do Calgary Wedding Photographers give unedited photos?

As with everything with wedding photography it depends on the photographer, but most professional photographers do not give unedited photos. Most wedding photographers see the editing as part of the art and giving an unedited photos would be like giving an unfinished painting or partially completely sculpture. Plus most professional wedding photographers shoot in RAW format which isn't a usable format until it is converted to something like a jpeg. This conversion is normally done along with editing. See below for a continuation of this question.

Can you ask a wedding photographer for all the photos?

As with editing taking out many of the photos is part of finishing the wedding photography. And a photographer dropping all the unedited photos on you is not doing their job. As an example last wedding we photographed we took about 6 500 images, each, that's 13 000 photos! Wedding photographers take multiple photographs of the same thing and choose the best ones. From there they can carefully choose and edit those images to give to you. Different wedding photographers will deliver photos to you in different ways so make sure you find out how you can expect your photos to be delivered For us at The Nogues Photography we never limit the amount of photographs we give the ones that turn out best are put on your USB!

How long after the wedding do you get your wedding photos?

Most professional wedding photographers who work at it full-time should be able to deliver your finished wedding photos about six to twelve weeks after your wedding. This is, of course, dependent on if they are in their busy season and how long your wedding was.

Can you ask a photographer to recreate a photo?

You should feel comfortable asking your wedding photographer just about anything, however, many photographers don't like copying other photographers work. But it would definitely depending on the photographer and the photo you were trying to copy. A years later recreation of a childhood photo with your siblings could be a lot of fun for a photographer. An exact copy of another wedding photo you've seen made by a different wedding photographer might take away their creativity and make it seem like you don't trust them. You should be hiring a wedding photographer because you like their eye and unique style so trust them and let them do their thing that will result in the best photos from your day.

Do you tip a wedding photographer?

A tip is always appreciated for a job well done, but a tip is definitely not expected by wedding photographers in Calgary. Most photographers are running their own business and so they charge the price they believe they are worth. If extra hours are required on the day an extra cost could be added to the wedding photography fee. If you feel they have gone above and beyond then feel free to tip, but don't feel obligated.

Do we really need an engagement session?

Check out this whole blog about this question if you'd like more information. The short answer is no you don't need it, but there are a lot of good reasons why you may want it. Reasons like it can help you to feel comfortable in front of the camera, you can use the photos in things leading up the wedding and it can be a good trial for your vendors including the photographer.

Do wedding photographers edit all the photos?

Yes and no. Most professional wedding photographers will choose the best photos that they are going to give to you and then edit those ones. They won't edit every photo they take, but most will edit, at least a little bit, every photo they give you.

Do you have to feed your wedding photographer?

Some photographers have a specific answer to this in the contract, and will require a meal on the day. At the very least you will need to provide them with a portion of time where they can leave to eat if they are photographing your whole wedding day. It is a courtesy many couples give to include their photographer in their guest count an provide them with a meal. This also allows them to stay on sight and some photographers don't mind getting up from their meal to photograph while others have a specific time they will be off duty.

What happens if your wedding photographer can't come to your wedding?

This is very different for every wedding photographer, but any photographer who has been in the industry for a while will have some sort of backup plan for an emergency. They may have photography industry friends who can step in in their place or a photography partner who will shoot the wedding themselves in the case of an emergency. Ask your photographer and make sure they have a plan in place.

Do wedding photographers do wedding videos too?

Some wedding photographers try to do both photography and video on the wedding day while others have a team of two one who does each. With how much is going on during a wedding day one person doing both photography and video would be a major stretch and would more likely be a half done version of each.

Do we need a second photographer?

That all depends on your wedding day. If you are having a wedding that is all in one place with no overlapping events and not too many guests to manage you could maybe forgo a second photographer. However for many weddings a second photographer can help make the day run smoother, give you more flexibility and reduce the number of hours you need to hire a photographer for not to mention having two artists seeing and interpreting your wedding day through their lenses making for more unique, memorable and artistic images. Not all second photographers are created equal. Some photographers will bring an assistant who might just be at their first wedding ever and are just looking to learn the ropes. On the other end of the spectrum you have photography teams where both photographers have photographed weddings by themselves and you can trust either one of them as the lead photographer. You definitely want to know which you are getting as in one case you maybe get a few extra photos, but really they are mostly there to help carry the photographers equipment. On the other hand you could be getting a professional photographer in two places at once, as with the bride and groom getting ready in different locations as well as different artistic eyes seeing your wedding day from different creative angles.

How do wedding photographers choose which photos are in colour and which are in black and white?

This is totally up to the photographer and the person doing the editing. You will want to choose a photographer that has an editing style that you like so you can trust them to shoot the right amount of black and white or colour photos for you.

Can my guests take photos on my wedding day?

While some photographers have more strict rules about this it should really be more up to you. They are your family and friends and they are there to celebrate and have fun with you! It shouldn't be only about the wedding photographer! However, during your ceremony you may prefer your guests to stay seated, nothing is a romantic buzz-kill like chairs scrapping against the floor. Considering an unplugged ceremony where no one is on their devices is definitely a great option for some people as it can make you feel more connected with your guests when you can see their faces and not their phones. Many photographers have great reasoning to want to be the only ones taking photos so discuss it with them and make a decision together then relay that message to your guests.

Do you back up our images?

Every wedding photographer definitely should do this, and if you trust them this should be a no brainier. At The Nogues Photography we're almost TOO careful when it comes to backing up our photographs. Our cameras each have two memory card slots, so every image we take automatically gets backed up just in case. From there we then upload the raw files onto two back-up drives. We also backup all the photos to the cloud until we give you the finished ones.

What do we do if it rains on our wedding day?

There are lots of indoor locations that are great for photography in Calgary, and we are always ready to photograph in any situation! We will always make a rain plan for your day which will depend on your style, timeline and wedding location. This is part of our consultation a week before your wedding.

What if there are other unforeseen circumstances?

We pride ourselves on being flexible so we always do our best to make any situation work. Whether it requires us staying extra hours on the day, helping to move chairs or rescheduling the date entirely.

Are you able to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination?

The Nogues Photography team is fully vaccinated (with boosters) and happy to show proof of vaccination.

What do we do if something happens to you?

We are a team so we have a backup built in, but if neither of us are able to photograph your wedding we have other options. We are close with other photographers and photography teams who we can suggest and help you transition to. Your day would get beautifully photographed, and that’s a promise. But hopefully that doesn’t happen because even if we have to make our way like John Candy and Steve Martin in Trains, Planes and Automobiles, we’ll make our way to your wedding.

How long does it take to get our wedding photos back?

Since we don’t limit the number of photographs we take or deliver, it takes between six to eight weeks from the wedding date to upload, carefully select, touch up each image and deliver them to you on a USB. Need a few for your thank you card? We are happy to email a few right away!

When should we book our wedding photography?

We feel most comfortable taking wedding bookings between one and one-and-a-half years from the wedding date. But we'd love to hear from you any time. Usually photographers are booked right after the venue.

Do you offer discounts for off-season wedding photography?

Yes, we do depending on that year’s availability. Often there are less weddings in November, January, February and March, but every year is different so please feel free to contact us for a special quote.

Will you help us with our schedule?

Yes, planning a wedding is hard! Even after photographing weddings for eleven years, at the time we got married in 2019, we were still surprised by how many things there are to do! We will help you out in any way we can, but the schedule is one of the big ones. We can give you suggestions of how long things will take, what are good photo locations for you and things to consider you might not have thought of. We'll even make you the list of family photos to take so we don't forget about Aunt Ginny!

Do you offer photo booths?

At this time we do not offer photo booth, however, we strongly recommend checking out Flash Co. Not only do we know you’ll be in good hands, they are super friendly, provide fun backgrounds and props and can print your photo on site - how cool is that? If you’re looking for a more refined experience, check out Our Lavish Guests who provide beautiful black and white portraits at your event.

How long do wedding photographers save your wedding photos?

This is very different for every photographer. Some will delete them after they are delivered to you while others will save them for years and years.