Frequently Asked Wedding Photography Questions
Do you need to meet us?
I’m happy to arrange to meet up before your wedding, if you feel you would like to. However, I know this isn’t always possible because of time or distance restraints. I do feel quite strongly, though, that it’s important for us to have at least a telephone conversation prior to the wedding.
Do you need to see the venue?
This is an interesting one. I used to believe it was vital to visit the venue beforehand, but the longer I do wedding photography, the more I’ve realised that this can sometimes be counter-productive. It’s unlikely I’ll see the venue exactly a year before the wedding, so the weather and light is bound to be vastly different on the day. Usually, what I like to do is arrive at the venue fifteen minutes before coverage starts, so I can explore the grounds and choose the best areas for portraits and group shots.
How long does it take to get our images after the wedding?
Depending on the time of the year, your images will be with you between six and eight weeks time (May to September is my busiest time). I don’t believe it’s fair to you for me to rush through the editing of your pictures. Wedding images need to last a lifetime (if not longer!), so I pay close attention to each photograph, cleaning it up and colour correcting it.
Will there be an online gallery for our friends and family to see?
Absolutely. Your friends and family can purchase images if they wish to from your online gallery. (The gallery also has an option for you to ‘hide’ any images you would rather keep private).
Will you require food and drink on the day?
For any weddings over five hours coverage, I will require some food and drink. I certainly don’t expect the same meal as your guests, but something warm and filling would be fantastic!
Are images retouched?
As I mentioned above, I know how important it is that your wedding images look as good as they possibly can, they have to look beautiful for years! To this end, I’ll ensure they are all colour corrected and correctly exposed. In terms of actual skin retouching, if only light skin work is required, I include this in my basic editing, however, if extensive editing is required, there will be a small charge, which I will discuss with you before proceeding. I’f I’ve done my job right, you’ll never notice any skin editing I’ve done. 😉
How long do you archive your images for?
I archive your images for at least one year after the wedding, however I cannot guarantee this. Please ensure that as soon as you receive the gallery of images from me, you download and save the files to either a USB stick, or an external hard drive, so you have a back up. Cloud storage is also recommended as an extra back up.
What happens if the weather is awful on our wedding day?
Obviously, we all hope for glorious sunshine on a wedding day, or at the very least, a bright overcast day but, this being the UK, the chances of that happening aren’t high! The truth is, the best wedding pictures are the ones that capture emotion or amusing moments, and fortunately this has nothing to do with weather. I doubt any of us look at our grandparents’ wedding photographs and comment that we wish the weather had been a bit better!
What equipment do you use and do you have a back up?
I shoot on professional Canon mirrorless cameras, flashguns and lenses. I always, always bring a back up camera, as well as back up batteries, flashguns, memory cards, etc.
What if you fall sick or get injured?
This has never happened to me, however, I know that I can’t promise that it never will. Please be reassured that, should I be unable to attend the wedding, I have a large network of highly capable wedding photographer colleagues who I can ask to step in at short notice.
Do you give images in colour or B&W?
Some photographs suit colour and some really work best in black and white. I make these creative decisions as I’m editing. You’ll probably receive a mix of roughly 25% black and white, and 75% colour. Also bear in mind that indoor tungsten lighting can be really unflattering to skin colour, and therefore some images, such as the speeches, look better in black and white!
Are you fully insured?
I certainly am (up to a maximum of two million pounds worth of public liability cover).
Where do you work?
Although I’m based in Muswell Hill in North London, I’m happy to travel to weddings, either within the UK or beyond it. For weddings outside of the M25, there is a travel charge of 45p per mile. If the drive is longer than two hours, I may require overnight accommodation. With regard to destination weddings, flights, travel and accommodation costs will need to be covered (as a guide, this is usually a flat fee of around £550)
Do you use a second shooter?
Depending on the size and complexity of the wedding, I will sometimes require a second shooter to cover parts of the day that I can’t physically attend to. I like to use people who are of a similar standard to myself (rather than someone who is still learning their craft) as I believe that their images need to blend in well with mine in the final edit. The charge for a second photographer is around £250-£300. Please let me know well in advance (at least a month’s notice) if you would like me to bring a second photographer with me.
How many images will I receive?
Depending on the size of the wedding, the number of guests and variety of locations, you’ll get approximately 80 images per hour of coverage.
Do you do group shots?
I truly believe that group shots have an important part to play in a wedding. How often are all these family members in the same place? It may be something you’ll regret not doing afterwards. Having said that, it’s also vital that these do not take up a huge chunk of the day. I recommend no more than eight to ten groupings. This should cover all the bases, and you can swiftly get back to sipping champagne, chomping those expensive canapés and chatting to your guests!
We’d love to book! How do we proceed??
Excellent, I’m delighted to hear that! As I only take on around 15-20 wedding commissions per year, it’s important that you check my availability here first, and if I do have your date free, I’ll send you a wedding agreement, and an invoice for the deposit. For destination weddings, please get in touch for my destination brochure.