FAQs
— answers to all your questions
Before I get into answering
all your questions I REALLY recommend you read this blog post I wrote. CLICK HERE. It explains my philosophy when it comes to what I do and how invested I am with my couples and clients. I really believe that what I do requires collaboration between my subjects and myself. We are in this together.
YOU: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SHOOTING?
ME: I have been taking photos for a long time. I started with film. I even know how to print in a darkroom, in both black and white and color. I shoot all digital now. I have been shooting professionally for about 18 years. To me, professionally means you get paid to do what you do.
YOU: WHAT KIND OF GEAR DO YOU USE?
ME: I’m Nikon all the way. I have a lot of gear! I shoot with two cameras and have a wide range of lenses. I can light any room, no problem.
YOU: ARE YOU INSURED?
ME: You bet. I always say insurance is like birth control. You never think you need it until it’s too late. I have lots of coverage and can provide your venue with documents to prove it.
YOU: DO YOU SHOOT ONLY WEDDINGS?
ME: Nope. If it has a face, I photograph it. I photograph Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, seniors (the high school kind), musicians, dancers, families, and, although it doesn’t have a face, I also shoot food.
YOU: WE ARE HAVING A DESTINATION WEDDING IN A FAR-AWAY LAND. DO YOU TRAVEL?
ME: I can travel pretty much anywhere. (Far away means anywhere outside a 100-mile radius.) I have traveled as far west as Los Angeles, Paris, Colorado, and Texas, and as far south as Puerto Rico for shoots. I travel to Philadelphia and New York a lot, especially for Mitzvahs. I charge a flat travel fee that includes flight, lodging, and a daily per diem rate.
YOU: HOW DO WE GO ABOUT BOOKING YOU FOR OUR WEDDING/EVENT/ INSERT JOB HERE
ME: First, please complete this contact form on my website. Once I receive your information, I will send you a brief questionnaire to gather more details about you. Then we meet up for dinner/drinks/coffee or even a Skype/Zoom or FaceTime session if you are far away. I’ll show you some albums so you have proof that I can shoot an entire wedding. If you choose to have me be a part of your life, I will build your package, send you a contract, and you will sign it along with a 50% deposit to hold the date. We are then good to go.
YOU: HOW FAR IN ADVANCE HAVE YOU BOOKED?
ME: I usually book up about a year in advance for weddings. Bar and Bat Mitzvahs can book up to 2 years in advance. I have been known to book the occasional last-minute gig in the so-called “off season”.
YOU: DO YOU SHOOT ELOPEMENTS?
ME: Of course! I love them. I also offer a special elopement package, complete with helpful information (such as restaurants, hotels, and local attractions) for out-of-town guests.
YOU: WHAT IS A FIRST LOOK?
ME: This is when the bride and groom see one another before the ceremony. This is a great way to have some very intimate alone time together, get your portraits out of the way, and even complete all the formals, so you can actually attend your cocktail hour. I love doing them, but some of my clients still like things the old-fashioned way and wait until the actual ceremony to see each other. This is totally the couple’s call. You don’t need to decide until a few days before your actual wedding, so I’m good either way. It’s your day!
YOU: WHAT IS AN UNPLUGGED WEDDING AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
ME: This is when all cameras, phones, iPods, and iPads are shut down and put away during your ceremony. Some of my couples choose to have their entire wedding unplugged. In today’s plugged-in world, I think it’s essential to take a break from all things technology, especially on your wedding day. When people are at your wedding with their faces smashed up against their cameras and phones, they are missing everything. Not to mention they get into or ruin a lot of very important shots that I need to take, including the bride walking down the aisle, the recessional, the kiss…pretty much everything. Additionally, I believe it is crucial for your guests to be fully present during your ceremony. So I request that technology be turned off, at least during your ceremony. I have also started requesting that everyone put their phones away while I am capturing the getting-ready moments. There are several reasons for this. 1. I don't want to hand the couple a whole bunch of photos of nobody talking to one another because they are so distracted by their phones. 2. We are now so preconditioned to post so much about our lives with photos on social media, the last thing you want is someone taking a photo of the bride or the groom while they are getting ready, post it on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, only to spoil the first look because that photo on social media spoiled it.
YOU: YOUR WEDDINGS LOOK SO WILD AND CRAZY. OUR WEDDING IS FORMAL BUT WE LOVE YOUR FUNKY EDGY STUFF. ARE WE GOING TO BE EDGY ENOUGH FOR YOU?
ME: I get this question from time to time. I shoot all types of weddings, from formal to funky. Love is love! It's all about a state of mind. It’s about a marriage, and not necessarily about a wedding. If you want to have fun, it doesn't matter if you are getting married in a warehouse or the Four Seasons; it's all about having a good time, period. My clients are teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, construction workers, bigwigs in finance, burlesque dancers, musicians, artists —you name it. No two are alike, and I love that about my job.
YOU: WHAT IF WE WANT A 2ND SHOOTER? HOW ABOUT A 3RD SHOOTER?
ME: My main package includes a 2nd shooter. If you want a 3rd shooter (which I recommend for over 275 guests), you can add that when you build your package. All my additional shooters are actual wedding photographers with their own businesses. They know their stuff and love to 2nd shoot. I also 2nd shoot from time to time so that I stay on top of my game!
YOU: WE WOULD LIKE AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION IN OUR PACKAGE. DO YOU DO THOSE?
ME: Yes, of course I do. I like to call them a “practice session”. This is a great way to see how I work. It also helps you, as a couple, feel more comfortable around me as well as the camera. It allows me to know if you are a blinker, what angles you look best in, and other fun stuff. I always tell my couples before we start their formals on their wedding day, “Remember how we did your engagement session? Well, it’s the same thing, you're just in fancier clothes”. This session is complimentary.
YOU: HOW LONG BEFORE WE GET OUR FINAL PHOTOS?
ME: This is a two-part answer. I come, shoot your wedding, go home, and cull (a basic edit to remove unwanted photos), back up everything, then do the final edits with light retouching. Approximately 90 days after your wedding date, your images will be uploaded to a private proofing gallery, allowing you to view and purchase prints and products. This gallery stays live for one year.
