Working Through Photo Requests on a Wedding Day

As a business owner, I've learned the greatest thing I can do for my clients is tell them YES. Yes, I will do what they ask of me, but I'm not afraid to set the terms of my agreement. That's what makes it a win/win for both parties.

So let's chat about that moment when a client wants to make photo requests. A few days ago I received an email from a prospective client asking if I'd be open to her making photo requests for her wedding day. I emailed her and here's my response:

“Yes, absolutely. I'd love to hear about your requests and what you envision on your wedding day. However, the only thing I ask my clients to keep in mind is the following:
1. Please refrain from requesting photos I will undoubtedly capture (like the First Kiss, or walking down the aisle, etc). I will definitely capture the day effectively and thoroughly…JD (my second shooter and husband, we've run the business together for nine years!) and we average around 100 images per hour, so an 8-hour wedding day will yield anywhere from 800-900 images at minimum…to say we shoot everything would be an understatement! 😉
2. Please view photo requests as a framework for your day, not a template. By this I mean while it's tempting to assemble a list of favorite photos on Pinterest, it's also important to understand that your day is uniquely yours. Your photos should be a representation of your love and personalities and this is accomplished easier when an experienced photographer is given the latitude to interpret the day on her own. I will absolutely review your photo requests with care and do my best to use them as inspiration, but please know your day is entirely your own and I aspire to create photos that future brides will use as their inspiration! 😉 “

I blogged in the past about How to Deal With Wedding Day Photo Requests once you have them, but today I wanted to share how photographers can work with clients in advance to ensure they're on the same page as they move forward.

I hope this helps and I wish you a beautiful weekend!