My attitude toward wedding photography has always been to bring a calmness to the process and still get beautiful photographs. So much planning and anticipating has led up to this day; nerves can be tight; last-minute details and changes can frazzle even the most organized couple. I want the photography to be a fun experience for everyone.

Some frequently asked questions:

Do you do photojournalistic style as well as posed?

Yes, you need to catch the real moments during the day as well as the group photos. Thope photos will tell the story of your wedding day. Weddings are often family reunions where members of families are coming together from all over the country. I do assure my clients I will make the posed photos memorable and fun as well as the candids.

What about black & white?

With digital photography any image is available in B&W or color. I do tend to shoot with B&W in mind in certain circumstances.

How do we plan out the day in regards to photography?

I will work with you to create a rough “script” so that you know what the plan is. This varies from client to client, but in general I will arrive 1-1 1/2 hours before ceremony to photograph the bride getting ready. Then she and her bridesmaids in the garden. I usually photograph the men somewhere else on the property.

Should we do pictures ahead of time?

If the bride and groom want to have beach pictures (and who doesn’t?), it’s better to do these ahead of time, especially if your ceremony site is 20 minutes from the coast.

You can do these pictures at the beach after the ceremony, but if you are 20 minutes away, you end up leaving your guests for too long. If we do meet ahead, I always make it a special moment such as … he waits; she comes through a door and it’s their own private meeting for the first time on their wedding day. Everyone who has ever done this has said they were extremely happy with the resulting photos; taken at the beach or in a garden setting. You don’t have the pressure of the reception waiting for you. But everyone is different and we like to work with the desires of the client.

I always I like to get together with the women and do some “getting ready” shots plus the bride and her bridal party and, possibly her parents. In many cases I can photograph the men as they arrive at the ceremony site, before the guests arrive.

How long do family photos take after the ceremony?

Of course it depends on how extensive and complex the family is. Generally I don’t like to go more than 45 minutes. I know how eager everyone is to get to the reception! If we make a list so that the important members of the family don’t leave early, we can usually be pretty quick about it.

Why can’t my brother, aunt or best friend do all my wedding pictures?

Well, the simple answer is, they can! But having a professional is money well-spent. We help organize all the family groupings. We take the bride and groom off for some photos of just the two of them. We are very experienced in capturing all the details of the day. While you are on your honeymoon, your photographer is color correcting all images and uploading to Pictage. Many hours are spent working on quality control with these images before they are released to the client.

A friend just does not have the experience to do this. They may have a great camera, but the wedding photography of this special day is 25% technical and 75% something entirely different. Those of us in the business of weddings see many ways that the couples try to cut corners. The images are all you have after the day is done. We’ve heard too many stories of the families regretting that they did not hire a professional.

Do we own the images?

High-rez CDs are yours. You may use the images for thank you cards, enlargements, Facebook, etc. My studio reserves the copyright to use for promotional purposes. We will always contact you for permission and would never abuse your trust. I have CDs made of everything, so you will have digital files.

Do I get proofs?

Currently since I give you a CD of all the images, and put them online as well, there doesn’t seem to be a need for proofs.

Do you supply proofs online?

Yes, all images are placed online so that others may order. This is through Pictage and you are notified with a password. Only you and those you allow can see your images.

How do we get enlargements?

Pictage does an excellent job of printing your enlargements if you order through them. They have a 2-for-1 promotion that runs for a few weeks once your images are up. You should definitely take advantage of that. The time frame is very fast. No more than a 10-day turn around. OR you can get your own prints done from the CD … but I highly recommend you use a good lab like Pictage so that the money you’ve spent on the photography is not a waste by using a drugstore printer.

What about an album?

I include an album with 100 or so images of your choice in my 4-hour pkgs. I will work with you to help you with your selection. We can do this through email or by phone. Other albums (Parents’) can be ordered a la carte. They run $150 – $200. Contact me for more information on these.

Costs?

My packages run from $500.00 for a simple one-hour wedding to $3500 for all-day coverage. Please feel free to contact me for a rate sheet. I prefer to talk to you on the phone so that we can get a feel for each other; so that I can hear about your wedding, site, details and other information that might help in the planning of this very important event.