Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many weddings do you typically shoot in a weekend?

The way I photograph weddings is very physically demanding. I'm constantly moving, working multiple angles, so I'm pretty much broken after eight to ten hours of that. It's important to me that I have the energy to commit to each wedding I photograph so my preference is only to photograph one wedding per weekend.

 

2. How long have you been a wedding photographer?

Since a friend asked me to photograph her wedding in 2004, I've been lucky enough to be invited into the lives of countless couples to document a turning point in the lives of their families.

 

3. Can you show us a full wedding album you've shot recently?

I'm happy to show an entire wedding of delivered images upon request.

 

4. How would you describe your photography style?

I would describe my style as contemporary documentary wedding photography. Having worked as a news photographer for daily newspapers in Ottawa for nearly 20 years, I know there is a strict code of photojournalism ethics. That means no photo manipulation or "photoshopping." However, I've found that when it comes to weddings, I like to add a bit more drama to the photos and, when necessary, clean up and distract elements that might pull attention away from the focus of the images.

5. Do you charge extra for travel or overtime?

In most cases, there is a charge for travel to weddings more than 200 km from Ottawa.

We've all been to a wedding that is running behind schedule so despite all the best planning some weddings can go beyond the coverage time purchased. It's important to me that couples not be stressing about time overages during the day so I'm happy to stick around if it looks like we'll get the rest of what's needed within an hour. For weddings where it looks like things are a little further off the rails (it happens), overtime is charged at $500 per hour.

6. Can we customize a wedding photography package to suit our specific needs?

Of course! If you don't see something that fits your needs, I'm happy to create a custom package that suits your wedding perfectly.

 

7. What type of camera equipment do you use?

I use professional-grade full-frame digital cameras two of them. I always photograph with two cameras at once. Each camera has two memory cards to and each image is recorded in the rare event that one card is damaged.

 

8. What is your approach to capturing candid moments vs. posed shots?

Documentary wedding photography is founded primarily in what's often referred to as "candid" photography. There is very little direction, allowing you to connect with the people who are with you on your wedding day and making sure that you don't feel that you are in an all-day photo shoot.

However, if needed, you can trust that I will step in to suggest locations are setups that may lead to better images or specific ones I'm trying to get.

Of course, when it comes to the family photography formals, that's when I take over the make sure the family photos are done efficiently and you get back to making memories with your closest friends and family.

9. How do you coordinate with other vendors, such as the videographer or wedding planner?

It's important to me that all wedding vendors work together. When it comes to your relationship with your wedding photographer and videographer, it is the most intimate of all your wedding vendors, so that partnership really needs to be seamless. That said, as someone who has also filmed a wedding, I do feel that if there is a hierarchy, the photographer is on top. The photographer can always be in a wedding film but a videographer creeping into a wedding photo can ruin it (if they can't be "photoshopped" out).

10. Will you be the one shooting our wedding, or do you work with a team?

I will always be the one photographing your wedding. Unless I get sick, you will be informed ahead of time and have the right to refuse the photographer, upon which time you will receive a full refund.

 

11  - What is your editing process like, and can we request specific edits?

On average, editing your wedding images takes about 1 to 1.5 times the length of the wedding. I start by culling or removing the images that don't meet my final quality check. Throughout photographing an average wedding, I can take anywhere from 3000-5000 images, more for longer weddings or weddings where two photographers shoot simultaneously. While the number of final images varies, I generally deliver 15-20% of my photographs. I don't like to "pad" the number of final images with images that are similar to each other. I offer more options for formal photos, as it's normal for people to be particular about how they look in portraits.

 

12. How long does receiving the final edited photos typically take?

The final images from your wedding will be delivered in four to six weeks, depending on the number of weddings I have booked around your wedding date. If there are delays, you will be notified well in advance.

13. Will we have the rights to the high-resolution images, and are they watermarked?

You will receive high-resolution digital files in a private online gallery. The images are not watermarked. You can print, share and, of course, download the images. The only restrictions are when giving or selling the images to other vendors and publications.

 

14. Do your packages include an engagement session?

My wedding photography packages do not include an engagement session, but one can be purchased separately. The average engagement session is about two hours and is available for $595 plus tax.

I like to have my engagement sessions incorporate some activity in a location that has meaning to my clients. I find having something else to focus on rather than having their photos taken can feel overwhelming without a distraction, like a fun activity or place to play.

 

15. What is your payment schedule and method?

For weddings, a non-refundable retainer payment of 50% is due upon booking, and the remainder is due one month before your wedding date.

For engagement sessions, 100% of the amount is due upon signing.