Here are some general frequently asked questions for you to keep in mind while looking for your wedding photographer. There will be many other questions to ask, but these will give you a good start to finding your perfect photographer.

1. Style?

This will be what attracts you to a specific photographer, hopefully Allison Ragsdale Photography, in the first place. There will something about our images that you just love. We are more than documenters; we want to affect your imagery with our unique style. You will choose your photographer based on how their style fits into the overall vision for your wedding. Identifying whether you prefer meticulously posed, fashion or editorial techniques, environmental portraiture, photojournalism, and/or fine art will help you choose your photographer.

2. Experience?

Your photographer should be a well rounded professional who understands the many elements that need to come together at a wedding. They must have a sense of the grander scheme and be able to contribute to the overall look and feel of the event.  This means your photographer should have shot enough weddings to be able to meet any difficult challenges during the day and not get thrown off course. This, especially on a wedding day, is an essential skill. Allison Ragsdale Photography photographs, on average, 10 weddings a year and has been shooting weddings for 5 years, which gives you the individualized attention you deserve and us the experience we need to be the best we can be. Your photographers should use professional gear and have plenty of backup equipment. Allison Ragsdale Photography always brings multiple cameras, lenses, flashes, batteries, cards, etc. The more experienced your photographer, the better your experience will be.

3. Time?

Allison Ragsdale Photography lets you choose the amount of time you would like to have a photographer at your event, from 6 hours and up. We only schedule one event per day, so if for some reason you end up needing us longer than you originally thought, it is not a problem to add time to your wedding collection the day of. Be sure to know what extra charges you might incur should your photographer be required to stay longer than expected. It is possible that we might be booked for multiple weddings in one weekend, so if you are interested in a Day After session, make sure to book that day at the same time you book your wedding to be sure we are yours for the entire weekend.

4. Contracts?

A contract is written up for your protection, and for your wedding photographer’s protection. We will both sign a contract which covers services, pricing, resolution for termination, delivery date of images, etc along with your deposit to hold your date.

5. 2nd Shooter?

Allison Ragsdale Photography is a husband and wife team, so you will always have 2 photographers at your wedding. Having a male and female photography team will prove to be a tremendous asset to your wedding photography as not only will it ensure complete coverage, but your event will be covered from two very different point of view/perspectives, telling a more complete story of your day. This is also important in ensuring the bridal party, groomsmen, and guests feel comfortable with the photographer.

6. Back-up plan?

While it is unlikely that your photographer will become ill on the day of your wedding, it is vital that your photographer team has a backup plan. Allison Ragsdale Photography works closely with another male/female wedding photography team in town and can ensure you will have a male/female photography team at your event, even if it cant be Matt and Allison.

7. Insurance?

Insurance will provide your wedding photographer with liability protection should something go awry on the big day, as well as protect your photographer from equipment theft. Allison Ragsdale Photography has full coverage business liability insurance as well as equipment insurance.

8. Post-production?

While every studio should provide you with basic post production of your images, what they do stylistically with your images could vary drastically from studio to studio. Think about whether you want any images in black and white or sepia toned? Allison Ragsdale Photography will choose the best images from your wedding day (usually 300) and will provide basic postproduction editing for each image. This includes color correction, exposure control, saturation and our signature look. If you choose a wedding album or any portrait product to include in your wedding collection, each product is custom designed and of the highest quality available.

9. Copyright?

This can prove to be an interesting question and one to get clear about with your photographer. Federal copyright law is very clear about image ownership. They belong to your photographer, who has the sole right to print, display, and sell them. You should expect the price of digital files, if available, to compensate your photographer for their work and talent. There is a misconception about digital photography being cheaper than film photography. The equipment is much more expensive, replacements are necessary more often, and the workflow, maintenance, troubleshooting, and constant education requirements make digital much more expensive. Even at that, the real value of digital files comes not from the cost, but what the files contain: the work and artistry that prompted you to choose that photographer. If you purchase files, expect to pay a price that values the work, and is sustainable for the photographer.

10. Attire?

We, as your photographers can be with you throughout your entire wedding day and want to blend with your guests and be as unobtrusive as possible. Allison Ragsdale Photography will always ask in you pre wedding consultation what the attire for your wedding day should be to ensure we are dressed appropriately.

11. Pricing?

Many studios differ in their pricing and charging. Allison Ragsdale Photography is completely unique in that they have a “base” or “starting” collection; then they let you build your own collection from there. You can choose how many hours you want your photographer at your event. You can choose whether you want a wedding album and if so, what size, cover, design, etc. You can also choose whether you want parent albums, mini accordion albums for gifts, thank you cards, and so on and so forth. You dont even have to make all of these decisions up front. You can purchase the base collection before the wedding and then decide what else you would like once you have seen your images. With Allison Ragsdale Photography, all coverage, no matter how many hours, includes 2 photographers (Matt and Allison), a pre wedding consultation, online viewing and ordering of all wedding images, an engagement session, product credit, an album discount, custom reception cards, and all of your digital images. You can also add on Bridal sessions and/or Trash the Dress and Day After sessions.

12. Turn Around?

Most wedding photography studios that develop and produce their images properly will take anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months to deliver your final images to you. Allison Ragsdale Photography strives to have your online proofs available within 2 weeks of your wedding day, with an online sneak preview of our favorite images within 1 week of your wedding day. As for your album, print products, and digital packages, that process really begins after you’ve seen the final images and can take anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks to produce.