Photography Tips · Brussels

What Should I Ask a Photographer Before Booking, to Avoid Paying for Photos I Don't Like?

By Dmytro Derkach · Brussels-based commercial photographer

Ask three things before you pay a deposit, not after.

First, ask how the preview works. A serious process shows you a real, edited selection before the final invoice — not a promise, not a “trust me.” If the answer is vague, that is the answer.

Second, ask who you are actually paying. An invoice from a registered structure — in our case SMart, a recognised Belgian cooperative — gives you a paper trail. A request to transfer to a private account does not.

Third, ask to see work from the last few weeks, not a ten-year archive. Recent, unedited-for-highlight-reel sessions tell you more about what to expect than a curated best-of.

• Ask for the preview step in writing, before you book
• Check the invoicing entity, not just the price
• Request recent work, not archive highlights

If a photographer can’t answer these three questions clearly, that’s worth noticing before you pay anything.