Wedding Photographer FAQs are a must when you are getting married for the first time, which most of you are. Booking your wedding photographer can be a daunting task. There are so many options and it’s hard to compare apples to oranges. So, I have compiled a list of questions that we get asked a lot and provided the answers too!
HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR STYLE?
We aim to capture your day authentically and creatively. As the studio owner, I place a lot of importance on careful planning, but we also love to be spontaneous when we shoot. We love to keep things moving, no long pauses or awkward poses. In a nutshell; a blend of photojournalism but with guidance, and portraits are an essential part of it as well.
HOW DO I CHOOSE MY LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER – WHAT ARE THEIR DIFFERENCES?
Our team has a very cohesive style. I have chosen each photographer because we share a similar aesthetic. I love beautiful portraits, scenic shots, natural poses. Most of all, I choose photographers who are warm and lovely and get along well with everyone. You may see some slight differences between each shooter’s style but the work does look very similar because it is all edited by our expert post production team. The main difference between our photographers is that some have been with us longer than others, and therefore will have more work on our site, and will be mentioned more often in our stellar reviews.
HOW MANY PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL BE AT MY WEDDING?
For the average size wedding (around 120-200 people) we would send two photographers. One lead and one second. We don’t send a third person just to hold the light. We find that we get in each other’s way. For a wedding which is a larger scale, or multiple locations we may recommend a dedicated lighting assistant. We will let you know exactly what we recommend for your wedding when we have our first discovery call.
SHOULD I HIRE A VIDEOGRAPHER FOR MY WEDDING?
If it was my wedding I would definitely hire a videographer. I look back at some of my precious moments in my life that were captured on video and am thrilled that I have them. They only become more special as the years go by.
I actually get this question a lot. A lot of couples are conflicted and are wondering whether it is worth it to hire a videographer, or whether they can hire one for “only the ceremony.”
My answer is that you should not go beyond your budget. However, if you absolutely must have videography and you don’t have the budget allocated for it, then you might want to reconsider your budget or reconsider videography. We can’t shoot only a ceremony or only produce a only highlight reel, we have fixed costs and offer only top knotch videography services.
HOW MANY VIDEOGRAPHERS WILL BE AT MY WEDDING?
We offer a package with one shooter or two. We always prefer to send two whenever possible but we understand that video often takes a back seat to photo and couples prefer to allocate more budget towards photography. I will let you know if I think that you should hire two or if you can get away with one.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY PHOTOGRAPHER IS SICK?
First of all, that rarely happens, so please don’t worry. However if something terrible happens, that is the great thing about working with a team (like us!) we do have other studio photographers and videographers we can call on. We also have a network of photographers and videographers we have worked with over the years as well.
WE DON’T KNOW HOW TO POSE, WHAT WILL WE DO?
Don’t worry at all, our photographers have worked with plenty of camera shy couples over the years. We know how to bring out the best in each shot and will make the process as painless and dare I say fun as possible!
HOW MANY PHOTOS WILL WE GET, AND WHEN?
You will receive around 70-100 photos per hour (on average) I would say the average 8 hour wedding is about 800 images. This number varies based on a lot of factors, so don’t quote me on this but we will deliver all the good stuff to you. We don’t throw out any good shots! The photos are typically delivered around 1 month after the wedding. However in busy season it can be a little more and in the slow seasons it can be a little less.
WILL MY PHOTOS BE EDITED? WHO WILL EDIT THEM?
Yes, every single photo that you receive will be fully color corrected and retouched to our high standards. We place a lot of importance on post production. We have a separate post production team as that is a full time job in itself. That way our photographers can focus on their shooting and nobody is stressed out or wearing too many hats. We have dedicated experts who handle culling, color correction and retouching. All the work is checked and finishing touches are done by Emma herself. (I am a bit of a perfectionist) I used to be a retoucher for MILK studios! I know exactly how to retouch you to look like you belong on a magazine cover.
WHEN SHOULD I BOOK MY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR VIDEOGRAPHER?
Now! The sooner you book, the more options you have. We do have a small team so we can shoot more than one wedding on a date. However if you have your heart set on a certain lead shooter. I would hate for you to do all this research and then they get booked. We have a lot of “balls in the air” at all times so it is hard for me to know when a contract is going to come back or when a date is going to go.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I BUDGET FOR MY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY?
The budget for wedding photography can vary based on factors like location, photographer experience, and the services included. On average, couples in New York and New Jersey spend between $3,000 to $6,000 USD, but premium services can range from $7,000 to $30,000 or more. It is typical to spend around 10% – 15% of your overall budget on photography.
