How much is your session and what does it include?

One of the most important aspects in looking for a photographer is how much their session costs and what it includes. There may be some out there that will say that the imagery is worth the investment, which I am entirely sure it is for their experience, but there’s no reason to max out a credit card and eat Ramen for the next two months. Also, you want to know exactly what you are getting when you are hiring a photographer. Will you have to order prints through them? Are the digitals an additional price? How many images should you expect? All of these questions best help you understand exactly what you’d expect from a photographer.

How long after a session will I be able to view my gallery?

Do you hate waiting? I can be a bit impatient myself due to excitement, but by knowing when to expect your images to share with your friends and family will help you overall prepare for your session and expectations!

Do you have an agreement?

This might sound a little scary, almost like the time you got locked into a phone plan for two years. But, this is a protection in place to protect you, the client, and the photographer. These agreements usually go over expectations from the photographer (cooperation for images, payment terms, etc) as well as the client should expect from the photographer in terms of cancellations, what happens in the event of poor weather, and emergencies. By having an agreement, it is in writing what you should expect from your photographer, and what your photographer expects from you. Always keep a copy to reference and never be afraid to ask any questions in terms of your contract!

What am I allowed to do with the images once they are delivered?

For some this may be an extremely touchy subject. Firstly, photographs are copyrighted the moment they are taken. The copyright remains with the creator of the photograph – in this case this will be the photographer – and does not belong to the subjects in the photographs. Technically speaking, you do not have the inherent right to do whatever you like with the images from your session. Many photographers, including myself, do offer their clients a release to use the photographs. This may or may not include the right to copy or reproduce them. It is very important that you clarify this with your photographer before you sign on. Copyright violations can be very expensive and create ill will all the way around.

Overall – knowing exactly what you are getting and what to expect with a photographer, or just about anything, is very important in your overall expectations. By being entirely confident in what exactly you are getting will make the session go that much easier.

Like always, thanks for reading, and until next time,

Catherine