Negatives: Often clients would like to know whether they receive the negatives and/or high-resolution digital images or do they remain the property of the photographer and who owns the copyright to the negatives. This is an all-important question and one of the most commonly asked questions. You may think that you will get the negatives from your photographer because you believe you own them. But in reality it is not so. Most of the photographers offer you the option to have the negatives either as a package or as an optional extra cost. Regarding the copyright issue, according to the copyright law photographers own the negatives. Actually you own the copyright. However, photographers usually compel you signing over that copyright to the studio at the time of booking. Otherwise they may refuse to photograph your wedding moments. There is a particular reason for this signing over the copyright; so that the photographer have control over where your wedding images end up, such as which magazines or other publications. Most magazines believe that the photographer is the real owner of the copyright to those wedding photos or that they have got permission from the owner of the copyright (if no agreement to the contrary exists) to publish those photos. If you have a package, which includes the negative rights, you will have license to copy those negatives from a photo lab for your family and friends without breaching the copyright law. To your information, remember that you do not own the right to publish any of those wedding pictures in any form of media without specific written permission from your photographer. This is often referred to as a limited license. It is always safe to arrive at an agreement between you and the photographer, if and when you will receive the negatives, before signing a contract or paying the advance fee. Some photographers might be prepared to hand over the negatives to you free of charge after a certain time frame. Therefore be alert and be specific with respect to the negative rights and ownership.

Packages: Never assume that having the standard package you will be able to customize it. If you think that you have a special photographic requirement ask your photographer openly whether he/she can vary the package and how much the variation costs. Most photographers might be only too happy to oblige you, but if he/she is reluctant, ask for other alternatives. It may not be their policy to include the negatives, but may be ready to give them after certain period, say, after 10-12 months. Again, if you want two numbers of 20”x 60” wall prints instead of 150/200 6”x4” prints, ask your photographer whether he/she can do it. Tell your preferences boldly and clear your doubts properly, so that you will not lose your favourite wedding photographer.