Professional Wedding Photography

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Weddings of around ten hours usually. Portrait sessions on location under two hours. We also get high school seniors, as well as professional models looking for portraits.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Shop around, look around for a photographer that not only has at least 10 years professional, verified experience shooting weddings, but also make sure they have a guarantee...if they cant stand behind their work then why would you trust them with your once in a lifetime wedding? One last piece of advice, always ask what kind of backup equipment they are bringing to your wedding (they DO have backup equipment, right?)

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. The biggest inside secret for a bride shopping around for photographic services is the pitfall to avoid of the "newbie with a camera" that tries to outbid professionals like Pixelus with a $25 or $100 wedding! A $100 wedding!?? Wow. Trust your wedding day to someone thats a professional. Not someone who happens to have the latest camera/whizbang and thinks they are a photographer. Verified experience counts. We have 15 years worth!

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. How long they have been in business. Are they registered with the state/business license. Do they have insurance. Do they have backup equipment. Do they have verifiable experience. Do they provide any after wedding services (albums, prints, etc). Do they know a wedding is a once in a lifetime event that cannot be shot again. Do they have rehearsal coverage? Do they offer bridal sessions.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Research the potential photographers professional experience, wedding day backup equipment, wedding day assistants, wedding day coverage, as well as engagement sessions and possible rehearsal coverage

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I always strive to capture the casual mixed in with the posed images for your wedding or portrait session. I have a few signature effects that I do, to make a Pixelus portrait stand out from all the others out there.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Sharing in the most special of days with two people in love and all of their closest friends. The fact people put their full trust in me to photograph their wedding with excellence a phenomenal feeling to have.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Do you shoot film or digital? We shoot mostly digital but have the occasional client ask us to shoot film. We will happily oblige and have a great time returning to our roots for the day (we got started shooting in film in 1996).

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. That wedding photography is a skill learned by experience and constant shooting. You cant just pick up the latest Nikon or Canon whizbang camera and shoot a wedding and expect professional results. If you can, call me, I would like to see the images. I wish brides searching for a photographer would not be swayed by the lure of the $100 wedding coverage. Anytime you spot very cheap photographers there is a reason. They might be brand new, and YOUR wedding might be their FIRST!

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. A wedding is a special day for all involved. I enjoy sharing in the wedding day emotions with my clients. Ill even shed a tear sometimes when those unforgettable moments happen. I also love the after wedding emails I get, saying how much they loved the pictures, and how they cannot wait to book a session with their newborn baby! Being a part of someones life in this way is special to me.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Yes! Always earning, since photography is an ever evolving field you can either keep on the cutting edge or be left behind. Its really that simple. I read books, attend seminars, as well as shoot shoot shoot every singe day.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. The latest developments in our field are simply more megapixels for cameras. More megapixels doesnt exactly mean better pictures. Keep that in mind. Thats about it. The posing, stays the same mostly.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Wait until you have at least 50 weddings under your belt. Backup equipment for every piece of main equipment you have (even synch cords). And insurance! I also recommend a business license, and a certification by a professional photography organization.

Q. What is your greatest strength?

A. I am a people person, so being able to sit down face to face with clients and come up with a package that suits their needs as well as their budget.

Q. What are you currently working on improving?

A. Catching up on my emails! I am constantly behind the lens improving my craft, or teaching at trade shows/learning everything I can. What suffers? The email responses. I am happy to say I have a laptop now, and able to catch up in the field!