Frequently Asked Questions
Call me anytime at 866 507 2261 if you have questions! eMail this website to a friend
There are no travel fee's for most of Oahu.
BEFORE THE WEDDING:
Are you the person who takes our wedding photographs?
YES! I will always be the person taking your pictures. I don't hire other photographers to cover dates for me. I will often bring an assistant to help transport equipment and do some set up work, but I will always be taking your wedding photographs.
Are you primarily a wedding photographer or do you focus on different types of photography?
95% of my photography business is weddings ! I used to be a photojournalist for a newspaper and accept editorial work for a few magazines. In the past 5 years , I've photographed almost only weddings ! I feel that it's a huge advantage to the couples I photograph to have someone that specializes in weddings. Wedding photography has unique characteristics that make it different from any other type of photography. Having a photographer who is completely comfortable shooting weddings leads to a more relaxed day for the bride and groom!
What is your wedding photography style?
I shoot weddings in a way that allows you to enjoy your day ! I do a lot of unposed shots ( photojournalism style ) and I pose your family and couple shots. I also pull you aside for a shot here and there. The majority of my time on the wedding day is spent moving around you to get the best light and angles. I let the wedding day happen without constant direction from me.
What kind of Camera's do you have? How high is the image quality? Do you carry back up equipment
I shoot with a Canon 40D. The high resolution images can be enlarged to 24 by 36 inches perfectly (absolutely no distortion or loss of image quality) though most people only enlarge wedding photos up to 16 by 20's. I also have professional Canon cameras for my negative equipment. I ALWAYS have backup equipment OF THE SAME HIGH QUALITY AS MY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT with me. Generally, I'll be carrying 3 sets of camera's and lenses to your wedding.
Are the images that come on CD High Resolution? Are they marked in any way? Can I print from them?
The images are High Resolution images. You can print from your CD. They are not marked with a watermark or copyright. You own the images!
Are images from you edited and re-touched?
Yes! My digital artist goes through EVERY IMAGE and then I go through them to do additional editing and retouching. The extensive editing is what gives your pictures a polished and professional look. I spend every bit as much time doing editing work as a did when I first started weddings and was working in only film. I include many crops, many black and whites, and many retouched images on your CD! I provide additional retouching at no extra charge. This includes airbrushing skin, fixing "fly-aways" in hair, objects in the background, etc.
How did you get into photography?
I've have loved it forever! I've known since I was a teenager that it's what I wanted to do and I can't imagine doing anything else! I have a news and magazine photography background, but my work now is mostly weddings!
How many weddings have you photographed total?
I just passed the 200 mark in the summer 2008!
We have heard that it's important to see complete weddings by photographers. We want to see many images from single events and not just see hand picked highlights. Can we see full weddings online?
Yes! I always have 10-12 FULL WEDDINGS uploaded and ONLINE.
You can find complete weddings on shutterfly on this page.
You can find my most recent complete weddings on this page.
Call me at 866 507 2261 and I can give you names and passwords for even MORE complte weddings.
Do you refer other vendors if I need a: videographer, officiant, DJ, florist etc. ?
Yes, I have worked with hundreds of talented wedding professionals and can often help you find another pro at no extra charge.
Is it true that you work almost exclusively from word of mouth advertising and don't do bridal shows or advertise in the yellow pages etc?
Yes! It also means that it's important to me that my customers are VERY happy with my work! I depend of my former customers to keep doing business. It also helps keep costs down for my customers ( by not having to pay for expensive advertising) while still providing TOP QUALITY photography.
Have you really been to 19 states for weddings and have also done a couple of out of the country weddings?
Yes! I've done weddings in almost half the states in the country (including 3 wedding in Hawaii). I've been to Jamaica and Costa Rica for destination weddings! I have a Puerto Vallarta Mexico wedding scheduled for March 09! Travel is a personal interest of mine and it's worked well to blend that with shooting. I've had the chance to see some GREAT places! I hope to develop this website more to give a better sense of where I've been for weddings so far.
QUESTIONS ABOUT RESERVING WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES:
How do I reserve you for my wedding?
It's easy !
- Give me a call at 866 507 2261 to make sure your date is open and visit a little about the wedding.
- I'll fill out a sample contract for you with your all your wedding details ( date , location , shoot you selected ) and email this contract to you.
- Most shoots require a deposit of $500 to lock in a date. The deposit can be reduced for the 1.5 hour shoot. I can split the deposit into two payments if you want.
Are you able to take last minute bookings?
I try to accommodate last minute bookings . However , I do take on a limited number of wedding per year (between 35-40 events ). Taking a limited number of weddings per year guarantees excellent service for my couples before, during , and AFTER the wedding! Every year, I do have to turn some weddings down in order to make sure I have enough time to edit images and create albums. I can usually take last minute events during the low season, but not during the high season.
ON THE WEDDING DAY:
Do you check out the wedding location beforehand?
Yes ! I will be at your wedding location between 30 minutes and an hour early to check everything out , meet your families, and find the best spots for some formal photographs.
Does the time spent driving to my reception count against my photography time?
Only if it's less than 30 minutes away. If you have more than a 30 minute drive or have more than two locations, I can spend extra time to cover what you need without charging you for the travel between spots.
Do you have a limit on the number of photos that you take on the day of my wedding?
No. Expect an average of about 100 pictures per hour.
How will you be dressed for the photo shoot?
I'm always in black / grey slacks and a nice shirt.
Do we include you in catering figures?
It's appreciated, but never required. If I take a break to eat, you get 15-20 minutes added on to the end of your shoot so that you get your full shoot time.
AFTER THE SHOOT SESSION:
Approximately how long will it be until I can see my photos?
5 weeks. We can also email a few previews if you need a few faster.
After selecting the photos for my album, how long do they usually take ?
2-3 weeks.
How much retouching do you do? Just light and contrast or will you remove unwanted blemishes, bumps, stray hair?
We retouch light and contrast and also do other retouches on about 25 images . Additional retouching on up to 10 images for blemishes / flyaways, ect. is always FREE !
QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIALTY SERVICES
What kinds of alternative processes and prints are you doing?
As well as documenting your wedding with digital cameras, I can also use slide film and high speed film. Slide film enables me to make a Polaroid transfer print. The result is a see-through "floating" image on watercolor paper or Plexiglas. You see these in museums and high-end art galleries and they look incredible on your wall (great conversation pieces).
I also use high speed film which allows me to print grainy, high contrast prints, and shoot using all natural light indoors (since the speed is high, no flash is needed).
You let me know ahead of time if you would like either of these. The alternative processes are not meant to be the majority of your album (generally just 1-3 rolls taken). They just enhance the images already there by adding something different.
Did you make it to the end of the FAQS?
I love it when potential clients read the FAQS!
MENTION this page for a FREE 11 by 14 CUSTOM WALL PRINT with ANY shoot!
Reach me at 866 507 2261 anytime. We can also set up a specific time to do a phone consultation where we are both in front of a computer.
