Photography is an investment. Therefore, it's important you research who you want to shoot your day. Hopefully, I can answer a few of our most frequently asked questions.
Are you Flexible on Your Pricing?
Within reason we can be. For weddings that are out of season or Monday-Thursday we may be able to offer some discount. However, for weddings that occur more than 90 minutes from our base, we may need to add on accommodation and surcharges on fuel/food.
Who is the Second Photographer/Assistant?
Generally, this is my husband Matt. We work together well and actually really enjoy working together. We have 3 daughters , so a wedding is a day out for us. We have been working together for around 5 years now. Generally, Matt assists me with some of the shots such as the detail shots and if the groom is in close proximity then you can also add groom prep in to the package. It's nice to have the second person shooting as they can cover things from a different angle such as the ceremony from the back speeches. If Matt isn't available due to his other work commitments or childcare for our 3 girls, I do have 3 or 4 other photographers I have worked with before who will work for me at weddings.
How Many Images Will I Get?
I never guarantee a set number of images because there are so many different factors which have an impact on this. Some of these for example would be how many guests there are, how long you have booked me for, the weather, how long is allocated for photography, the time of year, the ceremony start time etc. As a professional photographer, it is part of my role to select the images that tell the story of your day and to reject the ones that don't tell this in the most positive way.
Do We Receive The RAW/Unedited Images Of The Day?
The RAW unedited files aren't available for viewing or purchase. I liken this to that you wouldn't ask a chef/caterer to give you the left-over ingredients of your meal. The images I select to edit and for final delivery are reflective of my high standards. Be assured though, I don't reject images to meet a certain number of delivered images, the rejected images are basically duplicates or outtakes where things occur such as closed eyes, someone walks in front of me the composition is off etc.
Can We Meet You Before The Wedding?
We have an office in the NG6 area of Nottingham. I like couples to come here as it gives them security about who we are. However, my office is based within another company and I am bound by their office hours (Monday-Friday 9-6 and Saturday mornings 8-1). So, I appreciate that this may not always be possible. Also, I tend to have a lot of weddings booked on Saturdays. So, if this isn't possible we can always come to you a couple of weeks before the wedding, or, if you are outside our zone then we could arrange to meet half way. If this isn’t possible in some circumstances, we will be happy to go over everything again via video call.
How Do We Book You?
Studio -
If you message the FB page and let me know what kind of shoot you would like I can get back to you with my availability.
Wedding -
If after our initial phone consultation, you decide you would like to book us for your day, we require a 25% non-refundable booking fee which will secure your date in our diary. This will also ensure I don’t book another wedding either side of your date. Due to having small children, I only work part time and will only book a limited number of weddings per month. So, while I may not have a shoot on your day, I may have already reached my quota for that month. Once we have received this we have some paperwork that we need completing and this can either be sent over by email or in the post. The remaining balance is due at the latest 12 weeks before the wedding day. If you wish you can pay in instalments so long as complete payment is received 12 weeks before. I can also help you to set up a standing order if you wanted to pay a certain amount each month.
If I am not available on the date of your wedding and/or you choose to go with another photographer there are a couple of things to ensure before you book with them. Firstly, make sure they have real wedding experience. As photographers, I aim to go on courses a couple of times per year to learn new skills and improve my photography. I usually get some nice shots from these days and I have used a couple in my portfolio. However, be aware of someone who only has portfolio day photography on their site. Ask to see a full day and ask to see shots of different couples. It’s great doing courses and learning new skills but transferring this knowledge over to a real wedding where there are more time constraints and usually are running late is a different thing. So please ensure you can see proof of real life wedding experience.
Do We Need To Provide You With a Meal?
Generally for a full day wedding we are out the house over 12 hours. So, a fresh hot meal is always welcome. However, we don’t have it in the contract that we need to be supplied with one. Often the venue may have staff meals which they will add on to your package, but, sometimes they will charge you what they would charge a guest. We don’t want you to be paying in some cases £200 plus for the two of us to eat. We would rather you put that towards an album after the wedding. We will research if the venue has an area they serve food to the public and by food at the venue. If not, we will stop at a supermarket on the way over and buy a meal deal. We will take a break while you sit down to dinner as no one wants images of them eating and it means you can relax and enjoy your meal.
How Long After The Wedding Will I Receive My Images?
I go through every image taken on the day myself and decide which need to be culled and which are edited. I hand edit each one individually making sure that the colour balance is right, that the composition is correct, that they are level. Also, on close of portraits of the bride and groom I will also soften skin, brighten eyes, whiten teeth, remove blemishes etc. In peak times, I will say to my couples I aim to have the images edited within 10 weeks and the full catalogue (high res, unwatermarked, full size JPEGS) uploaded for you to view and download from a private gallery. In the mean time, I aim to give a sneak peek (on my Facebook page) a day or so after the wedding of 1-2 images of the day. Then, as I edit I will upload more sneak peeks as I go along. Please be aware that there may be one or two weddings to edit before I get to yours.