Choosing a wedding photographer is often one of the most important decisions to be made when planning your Big Day. Your photos will be a lasting record of your celebration, so you need to ensure you choose a photographer with the right combination of professionalism, creative flair, skills and experience. I’ve already written one post on this topic, but I’ve recently been asked a few ‘worst case scenario’ type questions by a client – hence this new blog post.
Crisis #1: Help! My wedding photographer is ill on my Big Day!
Ok; so you’ve been planning your wedding for months – maybe even years. This might be one of the worst things that could conceivably happen. Although the chances might be slim, it’s worth asking your chosen photographer about their contingency plan.
Online groups exist which are exclusively for photographers to call upon in an emergency that prevents them from fulfilling their contractual duties. There is no other chat in these forums – they exist exclusively for emergency cover. I addition, my own personal network of photographers is a tremendously friendly community. I’d not hesitate to call on it for help if I needed it.
Crisis #2: My wedding venue is inaccessible – no photographer can reach us!
If your wedding venue is in a remote location then it’s worth asking your photographer some questions. If bad weather is approaching, I will consider getting to a venue 24 hours prior to a wedding. The show must go on!
Crisis #3: A broken camera – what to do?
Picture the scene … Your photographer has set-up his camera on a tripod. It is in a slightly precarious spot on a windy day and amongst some unruly children … The inevitable happens. What’s the plan?
I always pack two cameras (sometimes two tripods!) Each camera contains two memory cards. One stores the photos I take, and the other is a back-up that duplicates those photos. I carry even more, spare memory cards in addition to these four that live in my cameras! When I’m accompanied by a second photographer, they are likely to have a similar set-up to safeguard kit and photos.
Crisis #4: A member of your wedding party has been injured by some of your photographer’s equipment
In the previous situation, or in this tricky alternative; you might also wonder who is liable for the damage. Your photographer should have the necessary insurance to cover damages such as this. Injuries to any guest as a result of their actions should also be covered.
Crisis #5: My photographer’s studio has been burgled – my wedding photos were stolen!
This sounds like a major nightmare for everyone concerned! Not to worry though; any photographer worthy of your fee will be insured for this type of loss. Ask your photographer about how they store and back-up their photographs. It is likely that they’ll have more than one server in operation (3 in my case). One should be off-site and away from their studio incase that crisis is a fire or similar.
In summary …
It’s well worth considering the ‘worst case scenarios’ that could potentially happen on your wedding day. Certainly do ask your wedding photographer about them. It’s likely that a professional and experienced photographer will have contingencies in place to protect your memories from being lost.
More questions
I hear so many questions from engaged couples that I’ve written another blog on this theme – read it here.