FAQs
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
As smooth as possible! We both want to make sure we’re a good fit for each other. After you've contacted me or I've seen your request and quoted on it, I like to arrange a phone/video call to get to know each other and answer any questions we have. Once we set a time and location and both know what to expect, we’ll send you an invoice, and you can reserve the session with a 25% retainer. We’ll be happy to give some advice about what to wear, and other ways to prepare for the shoot. Whether you love or hate being in front of a camera, during our session we’ll make sure you feel comfortable and confident, like the superstar you are! You can be as involved in the creative process as you’d like to be. We love talking about photography and collaborating with my clients so that we understand and achieve their vision and goals for each project. Every client is unique, so your photos should be too! If it’s a wedding, we’d also love to meet for a coffee/drink beforehand (perhaps virtually) just to talk through your wedding schedule so everybody knows what to expect. A wedding is such a big event that we find it helps everyone involved to have a face-to-face before the big day. You're going to want to be focusing on having a blast and enjoying it rather than worrying about the schedule. We’ll want to know what the day looks like in terms of timing, what your officiant is going to say right before he or she asks for the rings or tells you to kiss so we can be ready, and who the immediate family and other "VIPs" are, so we make sure to pay special attention to them at the wedding. We have a list of things to keep in mind that we will send you later as well, so we're all on the same page. But we’d also love to hear about how you met, how the proposal went down, and how you like to spend your time. And feel free to ask me about myself. Ideally, when we show up at your wedding, we want you to know that you've got people you like and trust to photograph your special day.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
We have worked with people from all over the world and we respect the civil rights of all the people we serve. We operate our business without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
If I were you I'd ask any potential photographers questions that help you understand if they are prepared for challenging situations (low-light, moving subject, limited shooting time, etc.). Photography is about compromise: no camera yet created can come close to matching the range of a human eye, and each subject and situation is different. There's not necessarily one right answer to every situation, but any good photographer should be able to give you an answer and tell you why. For example, what if your photoshoot needs to take place in a low-light setting (indoors, or outdoors at night)? Your photographer could use a a slower shutter speed, increase the ISO setting, open the aperture on a faster lens, a tripod, external lighting, on-camera flash, or a tripod. Each of these has a drawback. A slower shutter speed means the shot is more likely to be blurry. Increasing the ISO means the photo becomes less crisp due to noise/grain. A faster lens is more expensive, has a narrower depth of field (easier to have the subject out-of-focus), and probably won't zoom (changing the frame-of-view is slower and more difficult). A tripod helps to keep the camera steady with slower shutter speeds but is less mobile. External lighting looks great, but requires more gear, and more set-up time. On-camera flash is more easily mobile but tends not to look as good. Each situation will suggest a different solution, or combination of solutions. And external factors (number of subjects, location, weather, time available, desired editing style) add even more variables. Ask enough questions to ensure that your potential photographer can give you answers and tell you why. Good photos help us document life, which most of us can agree is shorter than we’d prefer. A great photo does more. It can instantly communicate an idea that would have been difficult to explain in words. A great photo can boost your confidence by helping you present yourself in exactly the way you’d like to be seen. A great photo can move you to tears, or hysterical laughter, or maybe even both. Anyone can take a good photo by accident if they take enough shots, but great photographers create great photos consistently. A great photographer is dedicated to the study of the craft, and has invested time, energy and care into learning and understanding planning, lighting, color, composition, gear, settings, expression, pose, emotion, timing, editing and more, so that when the right moment comes along, they are ready, and all of those things come together to create something great. I’m not going to come out and say that I’m a great photographer, but I will say again that life is short, and I’m proud that I’ve spent the last decade of my life trying to become one. The journey continues.