FAQ’s

Q: Can we meet beforehand?  –  Absolutely! If face to face meeting is difficult then Skype or Zoom meetings work well. By chatting you, I can gain a clear understanding of your needs. I encourage people to share their ideas and no request is too difficult to consider. 

Q: What areas of the Country do you cover?  –  I cover all areas of the UK. I would consider any location, but an overnight B&B might be required if Travel time to your Wedding over 4 hours.

Q: Do you visit a location beforehand? – Yes, if your Wedding is being held at a venue I had never shot at previously. Sometimes this has been combined with a couple pre-wedding shoot.

Q: How can confirm a booking with you?  – I will supply a PDF contract for you to complete, a booking bfee of £300 is due to confirm the booking. The final balance will be due 2 weeks prior to the Wedding Day.

Q: What equipment do you use and do you have back-up equipment?  –  I use FujiFilm Professional Cameras with a wide range of high quality lenses. I carry at least 2 spare camera bodies with as back-up as well.

Q: How long do you spend photographing us and also the group shots?  –This will depend somewhat on the couple/schedule of the day. Typically I only need to spend approx. 15 & 30 minutes with each couple during the drinks reception. For group shots I advise that you think creatively about these. Typically I estimate about 3 minutes per shot, as you can see this can soon eat up time if you require a large list. Avoiding your guests waiting around for too long at this time is always the best. After all they are all here to party!!

Q: How many Photographs do you take?  –There is no set limit to the number of image taken on your Wedding Day. The number of images taken can be influenced by a number of factors, length of coverage, number of guests, number of formal group shots, length of time between Ceremony & Reception. I work quietly and efficiently and you will have enough time to mingle with your guests as well. As a ball park number fort a full 10-12 hour Wedding you can expect 500+ edited images to be delivered

Q: Do you require food?  –  It is always appreciated if some food and soft drinks are available whilst you enjoy your Wedding Breakfast. I don’t shoot people eating..

Q: After the wedding, what happens next?  –  I will upload your photos to a password protected gallery and e-mail you the details a few days following the Wedding. After returning from your honeymoon browse the gallery at your leisure, pass on the password to family and friends to enjoy.

Q: Can prints etc be purchased on-line and how long will gallery be available to view?  –  Yes, all images can be purchase with a number of various size / finish options, typically all Wedding galleries stay on-line for approximately 12 months.

Q: How long after the Wedding can we expect to receive the images?  –   Approximately 4 – 5 weeks after the Wedding your final edited files will be ready. I generally shoot RAW & JPEG images at the same time. The low res Jpeg images are used to upload to the on-line wedding gallery shortly after the wedding (usually1-2 weeks after). All the RAW files are then converted individually and checked, this process takes some time to complete.

Q: What advice can you give me for our Family Portrait session?

Choose to wear clothing that is neutral. Simple clothing often looks best. Bright colours are OK, but patterns, checks and especially logos tend to dominate the photograph and distract from the face. They also can make images looked dated very soon if something goes out of fashion. There are exceptions to this rule however. For example, in winter outdoor portraits of children, bright coats and hats look great.

If the photograph is of more than one person, try to dress in colours that blend together so that nobody really stands out (for example: if 3 wear grey and the fourth person wears red).

Clothing should ideally be of a similar type e.g. all casual in jeans or all dressed more formally.

Try to avoid telling children to smile for the camera or “say cheese”. This is likely to result in unnatural smiles and strained faces. It is better not to tell children that they are going to have their photograph taken at all so there is no build up or pressure on them.

Accessories can sometimes look great in photos with children and babies – bring along your favourite toys etc, also helps when children are not in the mood!

Finally and above all else – relax and enjoy the session.

Q: How long will it take to get our Album?  –  Following your review of the images you have chosen to be included. I will create the draft layouts to take a look and suggest edits you would like. On your approval of the final layouts, most albums should be printed and available in 2 weeks.

LOOKING AFTER YOUTR PRINTS & ALBUMS – General Care Information

Causes of damage and deterioration:

• High temperatures will speed up any chemical deterioration such as fading & tarnishing (also known as “mirroring”).
• Exposure to light, especially sunlight, causes fading.
• Damp conditions can result in mold or discolouration.
• Very dry conditions can cause cracking and brittleness.
• Poor-quality storage and framing materials emit pollutants which can cause chemical changes such as fading, discolouration and tarnishing.
• Poorly-designed storage and frames and inappropriate mounting techniques can cause physical damage such as tears and creases, staining from adhesive tapes, or photographs sticking to glass.
• Some photographs (and their associated cases, frames, albums and boxes) are particularly susceptible to insect attack by silverfish, woodworm, book-lice & carpet beetle.
• Handling causes further deterioration for vulnerable photographs; fingerprints leave marks on emulsion and dirt can scratch delicate surfaces – the popularity of a photograph can be a source of its demise.

Simple actions to prevent & reduce Deterioration

• Store photographs in a cool environment as this will help to slow deterioration.
• Avoid very damp or dry conditions, and particularly fluctuations between the two. Aim for a stable environment and if possible, a relative humidity within the range 30-40%.
• Avoid displaying photographs at high light levels or for extended periods of time. Ultraviolet filtering glazing helps protect photographs during light exposure.
• Heep handling to a minimum and avoid touching the image later. Make sure your hands are clean and dry or wear cotton gloves, and handle photographs by the edges, using a support such as a sheet of stiff paper or card to move fragile photographs.
• Keep and display photographs in good quality storage and framing materials. Most photographs can be safely kept in paper enclosures; some can also be safely stored in some types of plastic enclosures. However, plastic is not suitable for hand-coloured prints, prints with surface damage, glass or metal-based photographs, nor for film-based negatives and transparencies from the 1950s, unless the latter are in cold storage.

Materials for storage and display:

Choosing the right types of paper and plastic is cost-effective and will ensure your collection does not deteriorate. Papers and boards used in frames or to make enclosures should be of a very high quality to avoid future problems – they should be 100% cotton, unbuffered (i.e. pH neutral and not acid or alkaline) and free of impurities. The most widely-used materials recommended in the museum world are:

• Papers for enclosures: Argentia, Silversafe and pHoton™.
• Mount board: Heritage 100% cotton TG off-white unbuffered museum board.
• Plastic: Melinex (inert polyester) although some grades of polyethylene and polypropylene are acceptable. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) should never be used and no plastic should include plasticiser (used to make the plastic flexible).