FAQs
I noticed your online samples and proofs are all watermarked. Will my final images have a watermark?
No, your final images on DVD will not be watermarked. I watermark my online samples to avoid internet scammers from stealing them as their own as happens so often now a days with fake businesses or fake photographers, etc.
What kinds of image files will I be receiving and will I be able to print and post on Facebook?
You will receive images in both high resolution for printing and also web sized for uploading to Facebook, emailing to friends and family, and web use in general. Except for rare shoots such as mini sessions which may not include a DVD, you will receive a print release which will allow you to print anywhere you want.
Why do you need so much time to shoot formals? I don't have a lot of groups it should only take 10 minutes?
This is a very important one that comes up not so much before the wedding but during the wedding. More than not weddings will run late, and it's not a cause for alarm, but you need to leave room for error. I require at least 30 minutes be set aside for formals. It might take less time but this is usually a safe amount of time to set aside to get to the location, set up, round everybody up, etc. Sometimes someone is missing, the weather could not be cooperative, we might have to wait for the location, sometimes the children will not cooperate for photos, or maybe I may have technical difficulties and might take a little longer to set up. There are so many things that happen during a wedding and it's important not to rush the photos. Rushing a formals session will result in loss of quality and these are the photos couples and families usually want to hang up on their walls for most of their lives.
Do I really need to cover everything from the beginning of getting ready time?
I know some couples do not care so much about the details before the wedding, and some couples care more about the details than the actual wedding. I always suggest spreading out your coverage to at least cover some of the getting ready portion to the reception. During the getting ready time I also photograph all your details that you have been planning or even making for months. These are things that will get thrown away and forgotten after the wedding, and they are all part of telling the story of your wedding day. An album with close ups of your glamorous shoes, bouquet, your proud emotional mom helping you put on your dress, will all be worth having for a life time to look back on and will show the anticipation and feelings moments before the big moment. I ask for 30 minutes for the bride and 30 minutes for the groom for the getting ready portion.
Time management
This is not a question exactly, but a lot of couples have time figuring out their schedule. If you have a wedding planner this will of course make things easier and I will coordinate all this through them. I always have advice on how much time I need for each portion but please keep in mind the time it takes to get between locations. Some couples have up to 3 different locations and may run into traffic. Please take this into account when you choose your coverage hours.
What if I want copyright to my photos? Does this mean I can't use my photos?
This is where a lot of clients get nervous. The times of receiving only prints for your photography session are slowly disappearing. Most photographers especially for wedding & event photography are giving clients a DVD with their images, as am I. The clients receive a DVD with both high resolution images and web sized images so that they may print them and share them online or in person as they like as long as it is not for profit or advertising. By keeping the copyright to the photos we protect ourselves as photographers from people who want to pay for private photography and then use them for commercial purposes (which costs more). You can think of it similar to music licensing except you as a client have permission for unlimited personal use. Keeping the copyright also allows us to use the photo as a sample as you have seen on Facebook, album samples, website, etc., which is how you found us! :)
Do you retouch/edit the photos?
I edit all photos given to clients. I do not give out any unedited photos except for proofs in some cases which may not be duplicated. This guarantees a higher standard for the photos my clients receive, and my photos are not considered finished until they have been edited. I see it like selling a half finished cake with no frosting. I do different kinds of editing depending on the session. For wedding and event photography I do basic retouches which include adjustments and enhancements to colors, contrast, sharpness, cropping, and will do some extra retouching on bride and groom portraits which include some skin smoothing, stray hair removal, eye brightening, etc. For portrait sessions I include full retouching, which is a tedious retouching process that includes blemish removal, skin smoothing, stray hair removal, eye brightening, a little nip and tuck if needed, removal of certain objects, etc. I also usually include black white versions of portrait session images free of charge.
Do you have an assistant?
For weddings and events, yes I always use an assistant. I used to offer the option of doing events solo but that proved too stressful and also risky since I could not be everywhere at once and having to take breaks to change and carry around equipment could cause me to miss important shots. I always require my assistant to be with me and he helps with setting up my equipment and taking it from one place to another. He does usually have a back up camera on him when he has down time but he is not an official photographer, so any photos taken by him are extra/back ups and will usually not be included in the photos I give.
No, your final images on DVD will not be watermarked. I watermark my online samples to avoid internet scammers from stealing them as their own as happens so often now a days with fake businesses or fake photographers, etc.
What kinds of image files will I be receiving and will I be able to print and post on Facebook?
You will receive images in both high resolution for printing and also web sized for uploading to Facebook, emailing to friends and family, and web use in general. Except for rare shoots such as mini sessions which may not include a DVD, you will receive a print release which will allow you to print anywhere you want.
Why do you need so much time to shoot formals? I don't have a lot of groups it should only take 10 minutes?
This is a very important one that comes up not so much before the wedding but during the wedding. More than not weddings will run late, and it's not a cause for alarm, but you need to leave room for error. I require at least 30 minutes be set aside for formals. It might take less time but this is usually a safe amount of time to set aside to get to the location, set up, round everybody up, etc. Sometimes someone is missing, the weather could not be cooperative, we might have to wait for the location, sometimes the children will not cooperate for photos, or maybe I may have technical difficulties and might take a little longer to set up. There are so many things that happen during a wedding and it's important not to rush the photos. Rushing a formals session will result in loss of quality and these are the photos couples and families usually want to hang up on their walls for most of their lives.
Do I really need to cover everything from the beginning of getting ready time?
I know some couples do not care so much about the details before the wedding, and some couples care more about the details than the actual wedding. I always suggest spreading out your coverage to at least cover some of the getting ready portion to the reception. During the getting ready time I also photograph all your details that you have been planning or even making for months. These are things that will get thrown away and forgotten after the wedding, and they are all part of telling the story of your wedding day. An album with close ups of your glamorous shoes, bouquet, your proud emotional mom helping you put on your dress, will all be worth having for a life time to look back on and will show the anticipation and feelings moments before the big moment. I ask for 30 minutes for the bride and 30 minutes for the groom for the getting ready portion.
Time management
This is not a question exactly, but a lot of couples have time figuring out their schedule. If you have a wedding planner this will of course make things easier and I will coordinate all this through them. I always have advice on how much time I need for each portion but please keep in mind the time it takes to get between locations. Some couples have up to 3 different locations and may run into traffic. Please take this into account when you choose your coverage hours.
What if I want copyright to my photos? Does this mean I can't use my photos?
This is where a lot of clients get nervous. The times of receiving only prints for your photography session are slowly disappearing. Most photographers especially for wedding & event photography are giving clients a DVD with their images, as am I. The clients receive a DVD with both high resolution images and web sized images so that they may print them and share them online or in person as they like as long as it is not for profit or advertising. By keeping the copyright to the photos we protect ourselves as photographers from people who want to pay for private photography and then use them for commercial purposes (which costs more). You can think of it similar to music licensing except you as a client have permission for unlimited personal use. Keeping the copyright also allows us to use the photo as a sample as you have seen on Facebook, album samples, website, etc., which is how you found us! :)
Do you retouch/edit the photos?
I edit all photos given to clients. I do not give out any unedited photos except for proofs in some cases which may not be duplicated. This guarantees a higher standard for the photos my clients receive, and my photos are not considered finished until they have been edited. I see it like selling a half finished cake with no frosting. I do different kinds of editing depending on the session. For wedding and event photography I do basic retouches which include adjustments and enhancements to colors, contrast, sharpness, cropping, and will do some extra retouching on bride and groom portraits which include some skin smoothing, stray hair removal, eye brightening, etc. For portrait sessions I include full retouching, which is a tedious retouching process that includes blemish removal, skin smoothing, stray hair removal, eye brightening, a little nip and tuck if needed, removal of certain objects, etc. I also usually include black white versions of portrait session images free of charge.
Do you have an assistant?
For weddings and events, yes I always use an assistant. I used to offer the option of doing events solo but that proved too stressful and also risky since I could not be everywhere at once and having to take breaks to change and carry around equipment could cause me to miss important shots. I always require my assistant to be with me and he helps with setting up my equipment and taking it from one place to another. He does usually have a back up camera on him when he has down time but he is not an official photographer, so any photos taken by him are extra/back ups and will usually not be included in the photos I give.
