THE BASICS
Are you insured?
Yes we are insured for over $1,000,000
How would you describe your photography style?
We offer stylish portraits as well as subject-unaware documentary photography. In this way, we are able to provide clients with a well-rounded collection of images from their wedding day.
Do you do custom quotes for complicated multi-day weddings or destination weddings?
We are happy to do custom quotes. If your event requires a custom quote, please ensure that you provide us with the following information: locations for all events, number of days, number of hours per day, guest count, and how many albums might be desired (just one, or one main album and two parent albums).
Do you charge travel fees?
Travel fees usually apply for jobs that are more than 75 miles from our Los Angeles studio, and for destination weddings. For most destination weddings, we would ask for coverage of two plane tickets, excess baggage fees, ground transportation, hotel and a per diem per air travel day per photographer. Please see “Destination Weddings” elsewhere on this FAQ page.
How do we book you? What are your payment terms?
Simply let us know what collection you’d like, and we can then put together a contract for you. We request a retainer equal to one-half of the total collection price with your signed contact. The remaining half (or balance payment) is due about a month before your wedding.
TIMELINE
How should we set up our timeline to ensure we get everything we want?
One of the most important steps in your planning process is ensuring that you have an accurate and reality-based major events timeline. This will serve as a realistic guide for vendors as well as your family. We are skilled at putting together reality-based timelines that can then be provided to your wedding coordinator or event planner. Our goal is to ensure that there is enough time to create all the images you’re hoping for.
What happens if things run late on the day and there’s not enough time to get everything we want?
Weddings are uncontrolled events and things can sometimes get off schedule. If things fall behind a few hours and we are unable to create the portraits that you were hoping for, you can always book us to shoot a day-after session. A day-after session is where a couple dresses up in their wedding outfits and we do a portrait shoot without any pressure. Many venues allow us to come back on their property to do a day-after session, as long as it is during the week (and does not interfere with another event).
We want to do a lot of group shots. How should we manage that?
We are very experienced handling jobs that involve many group shots, and we can easily provide you with an accurate estimate of how long it will take to create all the images you want with quotes with pictures if desired. To ensure you get all your desired group shots, we recommend the following:
– Make a list of group shots for each side (bride’s side, groom’s side).
– Assign a male relative on each side to line up the families. Brides often ask that coordinators help with this, but we have found that guests and family members are more responsive to male family members (preferably with a booming voice).
– Start with the largest groups first, as these will involve the setting up of chairs. It’s best to do the biggest group, then the next biggest group, etc., as this will ensure that we can just remove a few chairs for each image.
Can you work from my Pinterest board or a shot list?
While we are happy to review a Pinterest board, such boards often contain the best photos from numerous weddings, without regard for the time it took to set up each shot. Many Pinterest boards also bear no resemblance to a couple’s actual wedding. We do appreciate shot lists for group shots or family formals.
IMAGES & FILES
Do your collections include all the files?
Yes. We include all the color-corrected files with every collection. For collections that include albums, we also include the retouched album files.
What is the difference between a color-corrected file and a retouched file? And what is a RAW file (.CR2 or .NEF) vs. a JPEG?
Pro digital cameras create digital negatives that are called RAW files. These files are .CR2 (Canon) or .NEF files (Nikon), and require special software to view. RAW files are generally quite flat in appearance, as they seek to capture as much digital information as possible so it can then be interpreted using various software programs. Once the files are interpreted (or “color corrected”), they are then converted to JPEG (which is the format most people recognize).
How many images do we usually get?
We are generous with images, and generally remove only the clunkers and repeats. To date, our studio has never once received a complaint about too few images. In fact, we usually receive comments on too many. The image count itself depends on the guest count, hours and complexity of the day. A 15-minute ceremony at a 100-guest wedding will generate fewer images than a two-hour ceremony at a 500-person wedding.
Will we receive all the images taken?
We provide you with our selects, which represent the best images from your event. If you wish to own all files taken, you can purchase the full RAW shoot for an additional fee. RAW files are not JPEGs, and will require special software to view and convert to JPEG. They will also be uncorrected (or straight out of camera, as shot).
Color vs. B&W
Digital cameras capture in color, and we proof in color. We love B&W, though, and can convert any album spread to B&W upon request.
ALBUMS
How do we choose the images for our album?
Our goal is to get your album to you as soon as possible. Once we release your image gallery, we will create an album design for you, then set up an appointment to make revisions and finalize.
How soon after the wedding will we see our album design?
You should expect your design 1-2 weeks after we release your gallery.
What kinds of albums do you offer?
We offer beautiful custom albums from several manufacturers. Cover styles include leathers, fabrics, woods, acrylics and photo-metallics.
ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS
Should we do an engagement session?
Engagement sessions are a great way to get comfortable with your photographer and with being photographed. We always recommend that our clients do an engagement session (schedules and locations permitting).
How long are your engagement sessions?
Our engagement sessions range from 2-4 hours. The length of the session depends on the collection you’ve purchased.
We’re getting married in another state. Can we still book you for an engagement session?
Dina is sometimes available for engagement sessions for non-wedding clients, but it depends on her schedule.
Where do you like to shoot your engagement sessions?
We have a list of locations that look great and also allow photography, and we are happy to provide this list to our clients upon booking.
We have a great idea for a location. Can we send it to you?
While many locations do not actually allow photography, we always love to hear your ideas. Our goal is to ensure that you get a wonderful collection of images showcasing a wide variety of backgrounds. Some locations may not offer much variety or provide optimal lighting during their hours of operation. But we are happy to chat through your location ideas. Clients are responsible for all entrance and permit fees, as well as for setting up any permits that may be required.
What time of day do you like to do engagement sessions?
We generally do engagement sessions during the early morning or late afternoon, as this is when the sun is lowest in the sky (thus providing the most flattering light).
Can you shoot our engagement session on a weekend?
Weekends are generally reserved for weddings, so very few weekend days are available. We can sometimes do engagement shoots on a Sunday, but many of the locations we shoot at are heavily populated with people on weekends. Weekdays are often a better option. We suggest avoiding shoots on Friday, as the traffic can be problematic.
What should we wear for our engagement session?
We have an extensive list of wardrobe recommendations that we provide to all our clients. A quick summary:
– Think stylish! Think color!
– Wear outfits that you might wear if you were going out to a club with friends.
– Solid colors photograph best. Avoid logos or patterns.
– Avoid colors like white, beige, taupe, pale yellow, pale blue or pale pink. Men can wear a light shirt as long as they are wearing a dark sports coat.
– Avoid wearing black or gray. If a groom is wearing a black shirt, his partner should consider wearing a color.
– Make sure your bottoms match, so if one of you is wearing jeans, the other should not be wearing khakis.
Is there anything we should bring or leave behind in our car?
Yes. We always recommend that men keep their pockets free of bulky items, such as phones, wallets, etc. For women, we recommend bringing a tote bag that holds your high heels, lipstick, a brush and a mirror, as well as a sweater in case the weather gets chilly. If desired, bring your fancier shoes for height or to pair with a specific dress. But please consider wearing slip-on walking shoes, as we will be walking a long distance during our shoot. You can easily change into your heels as needed.
What happens after you release our engagement photo gallery?
We are happy to retouch a handful of images for Facebook or your wedding web site. Just send us a list of 10 images, and we’ll retouch, watermark and send you lo-res versions. We are also happy to provide a printable save-the-date file.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS
Will you travel overseas to photograph our destination wedding?
Yes. We love photographing destination weddings, and have photographed weddings in Colombia, Ecuador, Ireland, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Serbia, Turkey and the British Virgin Islands.
How much does it cost to photograph a destination wedding?
We put together custom quotes for all destination wedding inquiries. To put together an accurate quote, we need to know location, guest count, how many days we’ll be shooting, and how many hours per day we’ll be shooting. We also need to know how many albums you might want.
What travel fees would be involved?
We ask that our clients cover two plane tickets, one hotel room (two beds), excess baggage fees, ground transportation and breakfast each day. For international travel, we prefer to arrive at least two days early so we can scout and get on the right time schedule. Arriving early also ensures that we are still on time for your event, even if flights are delayed.
Based in Los Angeles, serving the world.
Available for local and destination weddings, multi-day weddings and portraits.
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