We’ve all heard the horror stories on the news. A loving couple is planning their wedding, they hire what they think is the best wedding photographer for them, and come wedding day, their photographer is a no-show. They were scammed out of their money by a criminal. What a nightmare! But, this doesn’t have to happen to you! It’s easy to avoid, and it all comes down to just making sure you’ve hired a legal professional photographer.
One of the best ways to know if a photographer is legal is to find out if they have a business license. A license is required to operate a small business, and if the photographer you’ve selected doesn’t even have this one simple legal requirement, it’s a huge red flag, and you should run as fast as you can in the other direction!
Another important part of the puzzle when it comes to hiring a legal professional photographer is liability insurance. More and more venues require that all vendors have proof of insurance before they allow them to work on their properties, and if your photographer can’t produce this paperwork, it might leave you both vulnerable. Even if your venue doesn’t require this of all their vendors, it’s still not a bad idea to ask if your photographer has insurance, just so you know everyone is protected.
Even if a photographer isn’t a criminal on the hunt for a mark, it’s still important to make sure they’ve done their homework enough to set themselves up legally, so you know you can depend on them not to crack under pressure and be a no-show when the day comes. Of course, a contract outlining everything is the ultimate key to protection, so make sure you know what should be in a wedding photography contract, and get one before paying money to a photographer.
And if you’re curious, the answer is yes! I have both a business license and liability insurance. If you’d like to discuss more about me working for you, contact me now to start the conversation.
