Wedding Photography FAQ's

Wedding Photography

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I hire a professional photographer instead of getting my friend/brother/cousin to take pictures?

Your wedding will probably be the most important and most memorable day of your life. After you've eaten the food, toasted with the drinks, danced to the band or DJ, and have enjoyed this day you spent so much time and energy planning for, the only thing you'll have left to show for it will be your wedding dress, and your pictures! Wouldn't you want to make sure that you have photos that can help you bring back all of the beautiful memories of your special day and let you see those moments that you may have missed because you were too busy having fun and enjoying your day?

A profession photographer's job is to concentrate on capturing your day in the best way possible so that you'll be able to relive it every time you look at your pictures. Hiring me as your wedding photographer gives you the security of not having to worry about bad pictures, special moments that were missed, batteries running out, equipment failing, or all of those other things that you don't want to think about on your big day.

What about just using a bunch of disposable cameras?

The disposable single-use cameras with built-in flash (required, since most receptions are indoors) are good for the 5-7 foot range. They work best for guests taking snapshots of other guests and things like that. Unfortunately, what almost always happens at weddings where these are distributed is that a few of these cameras get inadvertently carried off by guests, and of those remaining, about only about 40-50% of the shots are printable (others are usually badly composed, too dark, or too blurry). With the cost of developing and printing,you'll be spending about $17-20 per camera for photos that may not be very good. The disposables are just not a substitute for professional coverage. If you have already devoted adequate resources to your professional coverage in photography, the disposables are a nice addition and will give you another perspective on the wedding. Just make sure the guests know how to activate the flash and where to deposit the used cameras. If your photography budget is tight, better off devoting that extra $200 to your professional coverage because you can at least be certain that you'll get quality results for your money.

How early should I book my wedding photographer?

Most weddings take place between May and August and/or on a Saturday so the timing of booking a wedding photographer is very important in your wedding-planning process. If your wedding will be during the summer months, during a holiday, or on another popular date, you may want to consider booking your photographer as early as 12 to 18 months ahead of time. If photography is very important to you(and we hope it is), you will also want to book as early as possible even if your date does not fall into one of those busy periods. In any event, it's in your best interest to have your wedding photographer booked at least 10 months in advance.

How can I be sure that my wedding photos will look like the samples you show me?

Because I will be the photographer taking your wedding photos. I will be able to listen to all of your needs and preferences and give you personal attention. You won't have to deal with a bunch of different people because I will be your main contact person throughout the entire process. I also provide you with a wedding checklist where you can choose the poses you want (and don't want) for your photos, special features, ceremonies or people that you want us to capture, etc so that your photos are a better reflection of what you want instead of just being cookie-cutter pictures.

How much does wedding photography cost?

Wedding photography costs vary anywhere from $700-800 to over $10000 per wedding. Photography costs will vary based on the area, the skill of the photographer, the date of the wedding, the amount of time you'll need the photographer for, how many products you want in your package, etc.

How much should I pay for my wedding photography?

Some bridal consultants say 10-20% of the overall budget. I make all of my packages flexible so that you can add or transfer different elements around so that you can get what you want at a price you can afford.

Why is your photography so much less expensive than the other photographers I've seen?

Because I have less overhead and expenses than the other photographers and studios. When you are given a price from the average photographer, his price not only includes his/her products and services, but also the rent for his/her studio, his/her her utilities, advertising costs, phone and web site bills, and all of the other costs of his/her doing business. I keep my costs down by only renting studios space as I need it and operating a mobile service. That way I don't have the same costs the other photographers do and I can offer you professional quality service at a fraction of the price that the other photographers and studios charge.

Does a higher priced photographer = a better photographer?

That's usually what the higher priced photographers and studios will tell you. In reality, all wedding photographers have to consider all of their costs and add in a profit margin and that's the price they charge you. I have less costs and my profit margin is less astronomical than most photographers, so I can charge a lot less. I have worked for a photography studio where our cheapest wedding package started at $1799 - I am using the same quality equipment and am offering the same professional quality products and service at half the price. If pricing was based on the service and quality a photographer can provide, then my prices would be closer to the $10000 range (and I'm modest too)!

How much time will you spend at my wedding?

That's entirely up to you. I want my coverage of your day to reflect your needs so I can start from when you are at home getting dressed and end when your reception is over or just cover the wedding and ceremony. I'll be happy to discuss this with you when we are going over the details of your wedding.

How many pictures do you take?

I never put a limit on the number of photos I take. I'll take as many photos as are needed to capture your special day in the best way. For some weddings that may be 200 pictures and for others it may be 450-500. I never charge you based on how many photos I take and this policy holds for all of my packages, from the cheapest to the most expensive.

Will I be given all of my photos or just a certain number to choose from.

You will receive all of your pictures.

I like black and white pictures, can I get that?

Yes, the beauty of digital photography is that any of your photos can be converted to black & white or sepia. By the way, we don't charge any additional fee for this like some firms do.

I'm not sure if I prefer posed or candid pictures

I usually do a combination of the two - posed photos for your formal shots, and candids throughout your ceremony and reception. We can discuss your preferences so that I will take more of the types of shots that you want. Remember, this is your day and my job is to help make it as wonderful as possible for you so let me know what you want and I'll make it happen.

Do you have backup equipment?

Yes, I'll carry at least two cameras with me and enough backup equipment so that in case something unforeseen happens, it will not interrupt my ability to capture your special day in any way.

Will me and my guests be able to view my pictures on the internet?

Yes you can. At your option, we'll collect the e-mail addresses of your guests and send them a link to your password protected site, allowing everyone the opportunity to relive your event! They'll even have the opportunity to order reprints via our secured server.

Where can I see more samples of your work?

Contact me and I will send you a link to my secure site with more samples of my wedding photography

Do you have references from other weddings you've done?

Yes, and I'd be happy to share them with you. Just call or email me and I'll send you the info and answer any other questions you may have about my wedding photography services

Got Questions? Call me at (404)446-6764 or email me at hgreaves@usa.net and I'll be happy to answer them personally for you


Wedding Photography Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I hire a professional photographer instead of getting my friend/brother/cousin to take pictures? Your wedding will probably be the most important and most memorable day of your life. After you've eaten the food, toasted with the drinks, danced to the band or DJ, and have enjoyed this day you spent so much time and energy planning for, the only thing you'll have left to show for it will be your wedding dress, and your pictures! Wouldn't you want to make sure that you have photos that can help you bring back all of the beautiful memories of your special day and let you see those moments that you may have missed because you were too busy having fun and enjoying your day? A profession photographer's job is to concentrate on capturing your day in the best way possible so that you'll be able to relive it every time you look at your pictures. Hiring me as your wedding photographer gives you the security of not having to worry about bad pictures, special moments that were missed, batteries running out, equipment failing, or all of those other things that you don't want to think about on your big day.
What about just using a bunch of disposable cameras? The disposable single-use cameras with built-in flash (required, since most receptions are indoors) are good for the 5-7 foot range. They work best for guests taking snapshots of other guests and things like that. Unfortunately, what almost always happens at weddings where these are distributed is that a few of these cameras get inadvertently carried off by guests, and of those remaining, about only about 40-50% of the shots are printable (others are usually badly composed, too dark, or too blurry). With the cost of developing and printing,you'll be spending about $17-20 per camera for photos that may not be very good. The disposables are just not a substitute for professional coverage. If you have already devoted adequate resources to your professional coverage in photography, the disposables are a nice addition and will give you another perspective on the wedding. Just make sure the guests know how to activate the flash and where to deposit the used cameras. If your photography budget is tight, better off devoting that extra $200 to your professional coverage because you can at least be certain that you'll get quality results for your money.
How early should I book my wedding photographer? Most weddings take place between May and August and/or on a Saturday so the timing of booking a wedding photographer is very important in your wedding-planning process. If your wedding will be during the summer months, during a holiday, or on another popular date, you may want to consider booking your photographer as early as 12 to 18 months ahead of time. If photography is very important to you(and we hope it is), you will also want to book as early as possible even if your date does not fall into one of those busy periods. In any event, it's in your best interest to have your wedding photographer booked at least 10 months in advance.
How can I be sure that my wedding photos will look like the samples you show me? Because I will be the photographer taking your wedding photos. I will be able to listen to all of your needs and preferences and give you personal attention. You won't have to deal with a bunch of different people because I will be your main contact person throughout the entire process. I also provide you with a wedding checklist where you can choose the poses you want (and don't want) for your photos, special features, ceremonies or people that you want us to capture, etc so that your photos are a better reflection of what you want instead of just being cookie-cutter pictures.
How much does wedding photography cost? Wedding photography costs vary anywhere from $700-800 to over $10000 per wedding. Photography costs will vary based on the area, the skill of the photographer, the date of the wedding, the amount of time you'll need the photographer for, how many products you want in your package, etc.
How much should I pay for my wedding photography? Some bridal consultants say 10-20% of the overall budget. I make all of my packages flexible so that you can add or transfer different elements around so that you can get what you want at a price you can afford.
Why is your photography so much less expensive than the other photographers I've seen? Because I have less overhead and expenses than the other photographers and studios. When you are given a price from the average photographer, his price not only includes his/her products and services, but also the rent for his/her studio, his/her her utilities, advertising costs, phone and web site bills, and all of the other costs of his/her doing business. I keep my costs down by only renting studios space as I need it and operating a mobile service. That way I don't have the same costs the other photographers do and I can offer you professional quality service at a fraction of the price that the other photographers and studios charge.
	Does a higher priced photographer = a better photographer? That's usually what the higher priced photographers and studios will tell you. In reality, all wedding photographers have to consider all of their costs and add in a profit margin and that's the price they charge you. I have less costs and my profit margin is less astronomical than most photographers, so I can charge a lot less. I have worked for a photography studio where our cheapest wedding package started at $1799 - I am using the same quality equipment and am offering the same professional quality products and service at half the price. If pricing was based on the service and quality a photographer can provide, then my prices would be closer to the $10000 range (and I'm modest too)!
How much time will you spend at my wedding? That's entirely up to you. I want my coverage of your day to reflect your needs so I can start from when you are at home getting dressed and end when your reception is over or just cover the wedding and ceremony. I'll be happy to discuss this with you when we are going over the details of your wedding.
How many pictures do you take? I never put a limit on the number of photos I take. I'll take as many photos as are needed to capture your special day in the best way. For some weddings that may be 200 pictures and for others it may be 450-500. I never charge you based on how many photos I take and this policy holds for all of my packages, from the cheapest to the most expensive.
Will I be given all of my photos or just a certain number to choose from. You will receive all of your pictures.
I like black and white pictures, can I get that? Yes, the beauty of digital photography is that any of your photos can be converted to black & white or sepia. By the way, we don't charge any additional fee for this like some firms do.
I'm not sure if I prefer posed or candid pictures I usually do a combination of the two - posed photos for your formal shots, and candids throughout your ceremony and reception. We can discuss your preferences so that I will take more of the types of shots that you want. Remember, this is your day and my job is to help make it as wonderful as possible for you so let me know what you want and I'll make it happen.
Do you have backup equipment? Yes, I'll carry at least two cameras with me and enough backup equipment so that in case something unforeseen happens, it will not interrupt my ability to capture your special day in any way.
Will me and my guests be able to view my pictures on the internet? Yes you can. At your option, we'll collect the e-mail addresses of your guests and send them a link to your password protected site, allowing everyone the opportunity to relive your event! They'll even have the opportunity to order reprints via our secured server.
Where can I see more samples of your work? Contact me and I will send you a link to my secure site with more samples of my wedding photography
Do you have references from other weddings you've done? Yes, and I'd be happy to share them with you. Just call or email me and I'll send you the info and answer any other questions you may have about my wedding photography services
Got Questions? Call me at (404)446-6764 or email me at hgreaves@usa.net and I'll be happy to answer them personally for you