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Q & A

Q&A

 

Hello friends,

I have put together a list of questions and answers that I have previously been asked about my photography and my way of doing things. These may help you in your decision to hire me or maybe NOT hire me as your photographer. Many photographers use technical “mumbo-jumbo” to try and make the client feel as though they have something better or more appealing than the other photographers. I try to do the complete opposite! I want you to feel as if you know exactly what you are getting as a final product! I leave nothing to guess work with absolute transparency, as it should be. I have had many clients look at the screen on my camera after I take a shot and say, “YES! That’s exactly what I was hoping for!”. That’s when I know I’m on the right track! If you don’t find an answer to a questions you may have, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thanks!
John

 

 

How long have you been a photographer?

I have been a photographer for over 20 years. I started in high school and continued on from there!

 

Can I customize a package if my needs don’t fit exactly into one of your packages?

Absolutely! We make packages as a starting point. If the package has exactly what you want, perfect! If not, let me know what you’re thinking and we will build you a custom package to fit your needs!

 

How many weddings do you shoot a year?

On average I shoot about 3 weddings a month along with shooting portraits, college graduations, corporate events and senior & family photos.

 

How good are your second or assistant photographers?

Easily as good as I am, without a doubt. I never want to worry if they are doing a good job. I just know they are! 🙂

 

How long after my wedding or event can I see my photos?

I can usually have your images posted on line within 2 to 3 weeks after your wedding or event. After posting your images on line I mail out a DVD or thumb drive of all your high resolution images to you so that you can view them on your computer.

 

If I book my wedding or event with your company, will you be the photographer or will I get one of your associates?

You will always get me as your primary photographer unless it is 100% understood when you book your event or wedding that I will not be your photographer. The only way I would have another photographer replace me at your wedding or event is if for some unforeseen reason I become very ill or was suddenly hospitalized for an emergency, such as a car accident on the day of your event. It has not happened in all the years I have been a photographer and I don’t plan on it happening in the future either! If this situation should unfortunately present itself one day, I am well prepared to call one of my associate photographers to shoot your wedding or event if needed. Rest assured, these are very skilled photographers that are easily capable of performing the same caliber of photography as I am without missing a beat. For what it’s worth… I am very careful when driving to every photo shoot. I leave early to avoid traffic for this exact reason. I never want to rush to a wedding or event photo shoot simply for the reason that I know how important this day is to you and everyone involved.

 

Do you ever shoot more than one wedding a day?

You’re kidding right? LOL….. I never shoot more than one event a day. Never. And I never will. The stress would kill me….  lol….

 

Do you have restrictions for sharing photos online or for publication? Do you own the copyright to the photos?

When I shoot your wedding or event, we both have shared copyrights on the images. That basically means if I want to sell an image I shot at your wedding to Bride Magazine, I would need to contact you before doing so and we would need to come to some sort of an agreement on how it is to be handled. If you want to share the images I take at your wedding or event, you may do so however you see fit, but…. I only ask that you keep my logo or “watermark” visible when doing so. Do you have to? No, not at all. But again, I would greatly appreciate it since a majority of my clients find me through social media. The watermarked images will be the images I post on my website gallery from your wedding or event that can be shared right from the gallery itself.

 

What do you wear when shooting weddings or events?

Unless a certain dress code is requested, I wear black Dockers with black dress shoes and a dark Polo type shirt.

 

Do you have insurance?

Most definitely. Insurance is a must in this business. You should always ask every vendor you hire if they carry insurance. I carry $1,000,000 in liability insurance.

 

If my wedding or event runs over on time, will you stay longer?

Sometimes things don’t go as planned. I understand that and I actually always count on it happening even if it doesn’t. 5 minutes is no big deal,but if you need me to stay for additional half hour or longer, it is priced at $75 per half hour with a half minimum.

 

If I give you a list of photos to take, will you follow it?

Honestly, no. I say this because I never want to be the one holding “The list”. I always tell my clients to designate someone to hold this list of important photos you want taken. It is even in my contract. If I were constantly referring to a list of images to take, we would never get things done in a timely fashion. It is always best for you to designate someone to check off photos that have been taken and to round up the people that are to be in said photos. Even without any type of list, I always manage to get the photos the bride needs without any problems.

 

How do you coordinate with the DJ, videographer or other vendors?

This is a standard practice for all vendors. Coordinating between us is an absolute MUST! I always make it a point to introduce myself to the DJ, videographer, venue manager, and anyone else that might be involved in making your day run smoothly. This ensures we are all on the same page. That way no one misses a beat!

 

Do you color correct and retouch all of my photos before I see them?

After I’m done shooting your wedding or event I open every single image and tweak it the best I can. Yes…. every image.  When you see your images, you are seeing what I call, “Polished Proofs”. These are essentially 95% of what you will see when I print your images for enlargements or gallery wrapped canvases. When you place an order for prints, albums or canvases, I will open every image again and do final retouching on it prior to printing it.  Maybe you have a small blemish or want that porcelain skin? Maybe there is a person in the background you want removed? (Yes, I can remove people to an extent). These are the things I will fix prior to printing any images, albums or canvases just to make sure you get photos you will LOVE!

 

How far will you travel to be my photographer? What are the additional charges for destination weddings?

I have no limits on where I will travel to shoot a wedding or event. I have traveled 1000’s of miles to shoot weddings all over the map. Travel charges will vary from event to event depending on a few factors. At the bare minimum, I charge a flat rate of $350 for traveling over 175 miles from Flat Rock, MI. Rates would increase based on mileage after that. If a flight is involved, flights and times would need to be discussed in detail for your wedding or event. Contact me for details!

 

Do you keep my images backed up in case I want to order prints or albums at a later date? 

I keep your files in three separate places for many years actually. After shooting your wedding or event I instantly make a backup copy of your image files on DVD and on a hard drive. Then after I’m done processing your images, I again back them up on DVD and on TWO separate hard drives.  I always tell my clients to make back up copies of their DVD’s or thumb drives and keep them in two different places, just to be safe!

 

Is your equipment all up to date and in perfect working condition?

Absolutely! All my camera gear is within a few years old and always in perfect working order!!

 

Do you or did you ever shoot film at a wedding? 

I most definitely did shoot film for years! I have shot many weddings using film. I switched to digital format around 2001. I still have film cameras and I will actually shoot a few film shots along with the digital photos at weddings here and there just for kicks. 🙂

 

Do you like it when a bride shows you Pinterest  photos and wants you to match them?

I get asked this a lot. Some photographers hate this. They think you are taking away from their “craft” by suggesting they don’t know how to come up with a good idea for a photo. I on the other hand welcome it with open lenses…  lol… This is my take on it… if you know what you want, and you can show me a picture of what you want, I think I should give you want you want! Now, obviously I cannot guarantee your photo will look exactly like the Pinterest photo, but we will sure try to get you the “look” you are going for!!

 

How would you describe your style? 

That’s a good one…. I suppose I would describe my style as my own! I know that sounds kind of cliche’ but it’s true. I look at other photographers and other styles and I think, “Hmm… interesting”. I try to mix it up a bit with some traditional style shots mixed in with some artsy type shots and whatever else jumps out at the time! What is most important to me is that I shoot YOUR style! 🙂

 

Does it bother you when family members take photos along side you? 

Ahh yes… the inevitable “Uncle Bob”, (as us pro photographers call them). There have been many horror stories written on the internet about old Uncle Bob and fancy his new camera. I personally don’t mind at all if other people want to take photos at the wedding or event. After all, they were invited, so they should be able to take some photos, right? It’s when the “Uncle Bob” starts to get a little pushy or starts to adjust people after I have already gotten them into position for photos is when it starts to get a little stressful. You spent your hard earned money on my services and it is totally unfair for anyone, even Uncle Bob, to start sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong! If this were to happen, I very politely and kindly ask “Bob” to step aside and let me do my job because it is getting to be rather difficult to control the situation and your images may be suffering as a result of it. I’m more than happy to take suggestions from family members about a possible different way of shooting a particular photo or group of people, but let me do the job I was hired to do first. 🙂

 

What if it rains at my outdoor wedding or event? 

Well…. that would be rather unfortunate now wouldn’t it? Actually, unfortunate is not the right word…. NASTY is more like it! It has happened to me in the past and I’m sure it will happen again. After all, we are dealing with Mother Nature here. If it does happen to rain on your big day I’m sure the venue has a backup plan. If they don’t, you had better! You never want to leave yourself out in the cold, (no pun intended). Always have a backup plan or a covered area as a go to shelter if such an evil situation should take place.

 

 

 

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