QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
What is the diffence in your COLLECTIONS and Ala Carte coverage? COLLECTIONS are complete packages including an album and proofing. Ala carte coverage will always include a disc of full-resolution files and no album.
How many photos will you take? You will be presented with about 60-80 images per hour of coverage.
Can we stop at another location for photos? Absolutely! I love variety in wedding photos and you will to. There is no additional fee.
Do you work with an assistant? My wife Sharon fills the role of second photographer and assistant when needed. She will generally photograph the girls getting ready while I photograph the guys. Sharon continues to photograph candids throughout the day.
My wedding is out of town. Do you travel? I enjoy photographing weddings in unique locations and welcome the opportunity to join you anywhere. Please call for a quote.
What do you need to reserve our date for us? A signed agreement and $500 deposit will reserve the day. You may select your coverage at anytime before the wedding. We recommend booking your date 9-18 months in advance.
Below I have included some common questions a wedding planner suggests asking along with my answers to them.
Before you can hire a wedding photographer, you need to know if their style of taking pictures works with what you envision for your wedding. Here are some important questions to ask any wedding photographer:
1. What’s your primary style? Posed and formal, relaxed, photojournalistic, creative, artistic, candid, traditional?
ANSWER: I prefer a relaxed, photojournalistic style. The creative & artistic shots come all through out the day, and I am always happy to provide any traditional photos you like. We will discuss your preferences prior to the wedding so I am sure to provide you with what you are expecting.
2. Do you shoot in color or black and white? Or both? Do you shoot in a digital format that can create both color and b/w versions of the same picture?
ANSWER: I am 100% digital and can later convert images to black and white. All images are recorded color to begin with. Your online gallery provides you with the option to view your selections in b&w, color, or sepia.
3. What kind of input can we have on the direction of the shots? Can we give you a shot list to work from?
ANSWER: We encourage you to give us your input and ideas on when and where you would like photos taken. However, we appreciate flexibility as well. Sometimes the location is not ideal because of lighting. Sometimes the schedule changes and we will need to prioritize the photos we have time for. I have 10 years experience photographing weddings and want only the best for my clients. I will suggest alternatives if something else may work better but ultimately it is your day and we will do it your way! Lists of photos are best when they include the names of every person involved in the photo.
4. Are you the wedding photographer who will actually take our pictures? If not, can we meet the person who will be?
ANSWER: I (Chad) am the primary photographer at every wedding unless our agreement specifies otherwise. Sharon (my wife) is almost always with me as a second photographer.
5. Can we meet any assistants who will also be our taking pictures?
ANSWER: Chances are you will meet Sharon before the wedding. If you would like to meet with both of us we will do our best to arrange this. We do have 2 boys ages 4 and 7 and cannot always meet together.
6. How many times have you worked specifically as a wedding photographer? How many were similar to the size and formality of our wedding?
ANSWER: We have photographed about 30 weddings a year for the last 9 years. Before that I worked with some great photographers learning from them. I have seen very small weddings with 30 people total and others with about 600.
7. How many other events will you also photograph that weekend?
ANSWER: I only accept one wedding or event per day. We will not be rushing off to another project so extra time is not a problem. We do occasionally accept a small wedding the day prior. This will in no way affect our ability to cover your wedding though.
8. What kind of equipment will you bring with you? How intrusive will lighting, tripods, other equipment or assistants be?
ANSWER: We shoot with Canon professional equipment currently but are always upgrading to tools that work best for our style of photography. Whenever possible I will shoot with available light. When lights are necessary we use equipment that suits our style- unobtrusive.
9. Do you develop your own film?
ANSWER: Not film but we do work with the digital files. We will do the initial color and density balance to prepare images for you to view. Our lab will take care of the final output for prints using our custom profile insuring beautiful, consistent results. If you are receiving a disc of full-resolution images we will prepare each digital image individually for the best possible print.
10. Can we buy the negatives from you?
ANSWER: Full-Resolution images on disc are included in our upper level collection and any ala carte coverage. You can also purchase your images on disc with any collection.
After you’ve asked these questions of your potential wedding photographer, there are several questions you’ll want to ask yourself:
1. Do I like this person? Do I get along with them or get a good feeling from them?
2. Do I like their work as a wedding photographer? Is it well lit, focused, well framed?
3. From Chad: Can you see yourself in these photos?
Don’t forget to call their references. While it may feel a bit awkward to call a stranger, it can be invaluable to have an outside opinion on a potential wedding photographer. Remember, your photographs will be one of the most lasting aspects of your wedding – you’ll want to make sure you find the right wedding photographer for you
If you like we can certainly provide you with some contacts. In all likelihood you have found us by way of referral though.
This information was written by Nina Callaway for www.about.com You can read more about wedding photographers at -http://weddings.about.com/cs/photographer/a/photography.htm
I am positve there are plenty of questions not addressed here. For any of your unanswered questions please contact us.
For booking information- info@chadbridgephotography.com or 913.963.7427