I frequently get the same questions over & over again. I felt that it would be best to answer some of them here as an easy reference point. Have a question you need an answer to? Feel free to contact us!
Is it important that I like you if you are going to photograph my wedding?
I feel that it is very important that you like your photographer. It comes across in your photographs if you are at ease with me. I know I am not the perfect photographer for everyone out there - I’m not trying to be. I want us to be a great fit. I do hope that if you have read this far, I am the right photographer for YOU, and if so, I would love to be a part of your big day. I look forward to hearing from you.
How much does wedding photography cost?
I detail this further on the Investment . Your wedding day will go by at a whirlwind pace. When all is said and done, your memories that you will treasure will be all wrapped up in the photographs from your special day. Not only will you look at them with fond memories over the years, but your family will also treasure them for generations. My commissions for wedding day coverage currently start at $550.00, with full album coverage starting at $1200. Please inquire for more details and to find out if I am available for your wedding day, as I take on a limited number of weddings each year. Prices are subject to change throughout the year, and are normally modified quarterly. Reserving your date now will lock you in at my current rates.
If I hire you, will you photograph my wedding?
That question may sound redundant, but trust me - it is something you should ask. I’ve actually heard that there are photographers out there that have a salesperson that handles the meetings for them, or that will have you meet with one photographer, but someone else shows up to shoot your wedding.
I don’t like that approach, and I would never do that. My name is on the figurative door because I am at every single wedding that I book. I feel it is very, very important to have a special relationship with your photographer so that they can effectively capture your wedding day. Evan is my permanent second photographer and comes to all of them too, unless he isn’t available due to work (she still has a 9-5 day job, while I am a full time photographer) or other personal commitments, which we would inform a client about well in advance if they ever came up.
How many weddings do you photograph a year?
We are available for approximately 20-25 weddings per year. We feel that this is the best fit for us, as it allows us to give all of our clients the best service possible. We normally book only one event per weekend.
If my package includes the DVD of high-resolution images, why should I buy prints from you?
Years ago, photographers used to feel it was critical that they control your photographs. Times have changed. I want you to have them.
However, there is something to be said for having me print your photographs. Then I can control how the images come out, because my monitors are calibrated for my lab. My prints are heirloom quality, and printed on papers only available to professionals. Much like the old photographers used to do it, we take your proofs and do additional digital work to them to make them perfect before they go off to print. We tweak the colors, and just make them pretty before we send them off.
When it comes to getting prints from me, my lab is a professional lab, that only prints for professional photographers. I work closely with them, printing a high volume each year. I have worked to make sure that photographs look the same way on our screen* as they do when our lab prints them. We know them, and we trust them. T
How many photographs do you take at a wedding?
I present our clients, on average, with approximately 100 proofed photos per hour that we are shooting. On a side note,I have found that on average, for every hour that we shoot, there is 2-3 hours of editing involved in the post-processing end of things.
Why does every wedding package include an engagement session?
It is a great chance for us to spend time together and take beautiful photographs. Photographs that you will love, that are about your love, and in the process you’ll hopefully love me a bit too in the end. I get to learn how you are in front of the camera. I get to figure out what makes you laugh, so I can use it on the day of your wedding to put you at ease if I need to. I also get to learn if you have a “good side” when it comes to pictures.
When is the best time to take our engagement photos?
I recommend taking them 2-3 months before your wedding day, and even earlier if you would like to use them for Save the Date cards to send out. (I do offer Save the Date cards for sale, if you would like me to assist you with the design!) If you would prefer to do them closer to the wedding date, that is also an option if you prefer to wait for the seasons to change or if you have a special time of year or event that has meaning for the two of you. If you would like to create an engagement album to use as a guest book, having a 2-3 month lead time works well to get the book made.
Where will you photograph our engagement session?
This is completely up to you! What parts of town do you like to visit? Are you a nature person or an urban person? Which style of photography do you prefer - lots of trees and natural elements, or lots of buildings and that sort of thing? Is there a part of the city where you go frequently on dates, where you went for your first date, where the proposal took place? All of these can be fun locations for a shoot. The choice is up to you!
How much time should we allow for our session?
Most of my sessions involve between 1-2 hours of shooting, so be sure to allow plenty of time. If you are available for it.
What time of day is best for our session?
Have you ever noticed the lovely warm glow that the sky gets about an hour before sunset? I prefer to start shooting about one and a half or two hours before the sunset set to take advantage of that. Late afternoon in the winter, or early evening in the summer, work best. High noon, when the sign is harsh and too bright is not a good time for your session. Depending on the style of photography that we are going for, evening shots may also be a good option.
What should we wear for our engagement session?
I suggest that you wear complimentary colors, although they do not need to match exactly. You don’t dress like twins the rest of the time, so don’t feel like you have to dress like them for these photos. I do recommend that your colors harmonize well together, and are similar in “tone” - both light, both dark, but not one wearing dark rich red and the other wearing a pastel green.
When you photograph a wedding, how long do you need for the formal photographs?
Lets be honest here - no one likes taking the formal photographs. You know, the group shots with the bride and groom and all the family members? But I feel they are a valuable historical reference, and they should be taken. So we do them - fast. Looking back at the weddings from this year, our average was 20-30 minutes. The amount of time we spend depends on what the bride & groom want, and also if we are allowing family members to take photos at the same time. Again, up to the bride & groom if I do that - I will be happy to stop them if you want us to be super fast, or I will take it slow if you want to let them get shots too after I take my shot.
If you have a cocktail hour planned and are in no rush to get to the reception and want to get more creative, I am happy to take a larger variety of photographs. Really though, by the time the ceremony is over, most people just want to get to the party to celebrate. I want to do my part to get you there quickly.
When do you take artistic photos of the couple alone?
Normally after all of the formals with the family and wedding party are all said and done. We would go off and take a few picture’s with just the two of you. Or if you wanted to hit up the party for a bit, than as the guests are enjoying themselves we can sneek off for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Our wedding is over; what happens next?
This question is going to take a little bit of work to answer properly - think of this as the initial placeholder, and it may even develop into a page of its own. Here is the core information though.
- After the wedding, I will back up all of the wedding photographs as outlined above.
- Within 1-2 weeks, your proofs will be online for you to review at the link listed I emailed you. You are encouraged to invite family & friends to have a look at your gallery.
- Once the proofs are online, we ask that you choose your Favorites that you would like to see us include in your wedding album.
- Once your album layout is finalized, it will be sent to the printers & album maker and the book will be created. The time for the book to be made varies. You will be informed of the status as we are informed by them.
- When your album arrives, we will meet so I can deliver it, or I will send it to you via UPS if you are not local.
- You live happily ever after, you refer your friends when they are getting married (I give referral gifts of prints and other goodies!) and you call me again when you decide you would like to have a lifestyle session done with your family!
