Hiring without risk
Printable list: what to ask the photographer and the videographer
The questions that matter are the ones you get in writing
Before you hire photo and video for your wedding or quinceañera, ask five things: who is coming to your event, exactly what the price includes, when you get your photos, what the contract says and what happens if something goes wrong that day. Below are 25 questions in groups, with what a good answer sounds like, plus a list you can print or download without giving your email.
Take it to every call. If an answer can't be put in writing, it isn't an answer.
Date and team: who will be at your event
Start by finding out whether your date is open and who will cover it. A studio with a team may send a photographer other than the owner, and that's fine as long as they tell you clearly.
- Is my date open, and how do I hold it? Good answer: "Yes, with a deposit of a set amount that counts toward your total, and the date is held only for you."
- Who will photograph and who will film? Good answer: clear names or roles, and a photographer and videographer who work together.
- What happens if that person gets sick? Good answer: "Another team member covers you, and if no one can, we refund what you paid."
- How many events have you covered? At IAZ, for example, more than 500 since 2004.
- Do you speak Spanish and English? If your family mixes both, it matters that the team understands everyone.
What the price includes: no surprises at the end
Ask what the price includes before you compare numbers. Two packages at the same price can be very different: one comes with video, an album and a pre-event session, and the other is photos only.
- How many hours of coverage, and starting when? Good answer: continuous hours, and what happens if the event runs long.
- How many locations on the event day? Church, park and reception hall count as three.
- How many edited photos do I get, and can I download all of them?
- Does it include the full video, a highlight video or both?
- Does it include a photo session before the event?
- What costs extra? Extra hours, an album, prints, travel, parking.
This is one of the lessons we repeat most: ask what the price includes, not just what it costs. At IAZ, the $2,150 Essential Package already comes with a photographer, a videographer, 8 hours, a Pre-Event Photo Session and a framed 20×30 photo.
Delivery: when and how you get your photos and video
Delivery is what worries families most, and for good reason. Read how to make sure you get your photos and video for the full picture.
- How long does delivery usually take, and when does the clock start? Good answer: a usual range, counted from a clear date. At IAZ, 2 to 4 weeks for photo only and 4 to 8 weeks with video, from when you choose your photos.
- Who chooses the photos, and how long do I have?
- What format do I get them in? Online gallery, USB, album.
- How long do you keep my files? Good answer: a specific time frame, so you know when to back them up.
- Can I print my photos? Good answer: yes, for personal use.
Contract and payments: what should be signed
A contract protects both sides. If a studio doesn't have one, you already have your answer.
- Will you send me the contract before I pay?
- How much is the deposit, and how do I pay the rest?
- What happens if I cancel or change the date?
- Do you charge for travel, and where is the distance measured from?
- Does the contract say what happens if equipment fails?
Our guide to what to include in a photography and video contract explains each clause.
Event day: how the team works with your family
Photos come out stronger when the team knows your family before they arrive.
- Do you need a timeline, and by when?
- Do you want a list of the people who can't be missed in the photos? Good answer: "Yes, please." We ask every family for that list, because on the day itself nobody remembers the aunt who traveled from out of state.
- How do you work if another photographer or videographer has been hired?
- What happens if it rains or it's very hot?
Printable list: 25 questions before you hire photo and video
- Is my date open, and how do I hold it?
- Who will photograph and who will film?
- What happens if that person gets sick?
- How many events like mine have you covered?
- Does the team speak Spanish and English?
- How many continuous hours are included, and starting when?
- How many locations are included on the event day?
- How many edited photos do I get, and can I download all of them?
- Does it include the full video, a highlight video or both?
- Does it include a photo session before the event?
- What costs extra: extra hours, album, prints, travel?
- How long does delivery usually take, and when does the clock start?
- Who chooses the photos, and how long do I have?
- What format do the photos and video come in?
- How long do you keep my files?
- Can I print my photos for personal use?
- Will you send me the contract before I pay?
- How much is the deposit, and how do I pay the rest?
- What happens if I cancel?
- Can I change the date, and how far ahead?
- Do you charge for travel, and where is the distance measured from?
- What does the contract say if equipment fails?
- When do you need the timeline?
- Do you want the list of people who can't be missed in the photos?
- What happens if it rains, it's very hot or another photographer is hired?
How IAZ Photo Studio answers these questions
If you ask us these 25 questions, we answer in writing, with the same terms the contract uses:
| Question | Our answer |
|---|---|
| Deposit | $500 that holds your date and counts toward your total |
| Payments | Installments, paid in full one month before the event |
| Cancellation | 4 months or more ahead, you lose only the deposit; under 4 months, what you've paid is lost |
| Hours | 8, 10 or 12 continuous hours, depending on the package; coverage ends at 10:00 pm |
| Photo selection | You choose your photos online within 4 weeks after the event |
| Usual delivery | 2 to 4 weeks photo only; 4 to 8 weeks photo and video, from your selection |
| File storage | One year; download and back up your gallery |
| Travel | No charge within 50 driving miles of Tempe, Arizona (I-10 and US-60) |
| If we get sick | Another team member covers; if no one can, a full refund |
Questions about interviewing photographers
How many photographers should I interview?
Two or three is enough. More than that tends to get confusing, because every studio builds its packages differently. Compare what each price includes, not just the total.
Is it a bad sign if the owner won't be at my event?
Not if they tell you who is coming and what happens if that person gets sick. With a studio team, what matters is that someone reviews the work and the style stays consistent.
Do I have to pay to get the contract?
You shouldn't. Ask for the contract before you pay the deposit, so you can read it without pressure.
More guides for hiring without the risk
- How to make sure you get your photos and videoWhat to check before you pay and what to do if it already happened.
- What to include in a photo and video contractEvery clause your family should see.
- What a wedding photo and video package includesTo compare packages on equal terms.
- Quinceañera photo and video costReal Arizona prices, with what each one includes.
Where is your event?
Ask our team these questions. Choose your city and we reply within 24 to 48 hours.
Ask our team these questions
We answer each one in writing and send you the contract before you pay. If you'd rather, text or call (602) 753-7969.