We learned early on a couple of interesting things about how people book wedding photographers. First and foremost we realize that the vast majority of our clients are doing this whole wedding planning thing for the very first time. So while professional photographers are completely used to how the whole process works, most people are not. And like anything anyone does for the first time there are bound to be some questions. We have also learned that the primary source for information that brides look to when searching for advice are other brides. That’s not to say that the groom isn’t always involved in the process of selecting and hiring vendors (we certainly want them to be involved in at least the photography selection), but in our experience our main contact is usually with the bride. And it’s usually the bride who comes in to our meetings with a list of questions. Questions are awesome, and we truly believe that the more you know, the smoother any process will go. Now to be direct, a lot of the information circulating around the internet seems to originate from brides to be, and not brides that have been. There are some misconceptions regarding photography that become evident to us early on when we began meeting with clients. Hopefully by answering some of these questions here we can spend more time at our consultation getting to know you, and talking about your wedding!
STANDARD QUESTIONS:
What do you consider your photography style to be?
Inspired photojournalism. Very rarely are you going to come across a wedding photographer who is a true photojournalist when it comes to wedding coverage. There are always going to be some posed elements to weddings. Continuum approaches our events favoring an unobtrusive documentary style. We are there to document the story of your day, not write the script. That being said we are constantly inspired by things we see at weddings, be it the beauty of the venue, your wedding style, or the special moments we witness. So when the proper time comes for those posed shots we still approach things from a documentary style, just with a bit of inspiration we draw from our surroundings that day.
Do you shoot color, black and white, or both?
Continuum is a digital studio, so we have the capability for both color and black and white. We really like both looks, and unless our clients have a strong preference we typically deliver mostly color images with an average percentage of around 25% black and white. Our processing techniques are completely different for color and black and white, so we don’t provide two versions of a photo.
Do you bring an assistant or second photographer?
Continuum believes strongly that the advantage of two photographers is too strong to not incorporate in nearly all of our weddings. One of our primary photographers will always shoot the event, but we may also bring assistants to some events depending on the length of coverage and size of the wedding. It’s important to note that assistants are not necessarily photographers themselves, and are there to assist in carrying items and not photographing the event. We do employ second shooters (different from assistants) with some of our primary photographers. You will always know who you primary photographer is.
Do you work well with videographers?
We work well with everyone! We will never force you to place a higher importance on photography over video, or vice versa. It is important to know your videographer’s style and approach. We like to touch base with any video team prior to the wedding day.
Do you correct your photos?
Yes. Incorrect photos are terrible! We have a very strict quality control, and do not keep or show unflattering images. We also color correct every finished file. Retouching on select files is also available.
Can I give you a list of shots that I want?
The answer to this is two fold. First when it comes to family posed formals (the part everyone loves to hate), we require a list. Trying to take family photos without a list is chaos, and we’ve worked hard to perfect an efficient system of getting through family portraits quickly. When it comes to the rest of your day, we do not operate off of a list. We’ve shot a lot of weddings, and none of them have been working off of check lists! Why would you want to hire a photographer that needed a list to work off of the whole day?
How many photos do I get?
Answer: Hundreds. Here’s the deal… to us this isn’t a specific numbers game. We do not shoot our weddings with number quotas in mind, we are simply there to tell the story. Continuum’s philosophy is quality over quantity. Every wedding is different, every timeline is different, and there really is no way for us before an event to predict the ebb and flow of action. We hope that the type of client we attract is the sort that realizes that the photographers are the only ones there (perhaps with exception to videographers) that are creating an artistic representation of the day’s events. Covering a wedding as a photographer is a lot like shooting a movie… a lot of footage has to be cut in the editing process in order to tell an intriguing story. Much like a studio who entrusts their millions over to a director to tell a story, you hire a wedding photographer whom you trust to tell the story of your day with enough quality content to be worth what you paid. If you are considering hiring Continuum, you’ll be welcome to check out a complete gallery to get a feel for how we cover an event.
How long have you been shooting weddings?
Continuum got its start in 2005.
Is my wedding the only one my photographer will be shooting that day?
I’m not sure how you could shoot two weddings in one day, but Continuum’s photographers only shoot one event per day.
What type of equipment will you be using? Will the lighting be intrusive?
This question is sort of important, and sort of irrelevant depending on how you look at it. It’s critical that all photographers have back up gear. Each Continuum photographer has a backup camera body, multiple lenses, and multiple flashes to ensure that if something fails your coverage will not stop. We currently use Nikon full frame digital bodies, and have a variety of professional fast aperture lenses and flash units. That being said, having top of the line equipment does not make you a good photographer, it just makes your job easier. The results are what matter, not specific brand names or model numbers. As far as lighting being intrusive we do our best to keep complex lighting set-ups to a minimum.
How long will it take to be able to view my gallery?
We endeavor to get your photos processed as soon as we can, but the answer to this question depends heavily on our current workload. Our contract states approximately 6-8 weeks, but we try to deliver before that. We would rather spend time delivering a quality product, and since we painstakingly look at and color correct each file this process can sometimes take awhile. Some photographers guarantee very rapid delivery times, and this can be confusing to potential customers because everyone works differently. In general, photographers that turn over their products very rapidly aren’t giving their photos the same amount of attention in post processing as we do. While there are different strategies photographers implement in their approach to processing, what we do at Continuum works best for us.
What time will the photographer arrive and how long will he or she stay?
That depends on you, and how long you want us there. We have always liked to be able to tell the story of the day completely, which generally mean being there as you get ready all the way to the dancing. All weddings are different, but we recommend a minimum of 8 hours of coverage.
Can I look at a complete album design, or wedding the photographer has shot?
Sure! It’s important to look at a complete event. Anytime you are looking at a wedding photographer’s website you are looking at the highlights of their work. It’s important to know that the entire body of work is sound as well. All we ask is that you tell us about your wedding so we might show you an event close to the size and duration of your own.
Are you familiar with my ceremony/reception site?
Alright I am going to go against traditional thinking in my answer to this question… now make sure you are sitting down and prepared for this. The answer is probably not! And we kind of like it that way! If we had a choice in the matter we’d probably never shoot the same place twice. We get a ton of inspiration in being in new environments, and a lot of our creativity is completely on the fly. Does that make you nervous? Well hopefully not too much, we’ve shot a lot of weddings, and due to our busy schedule the vast majority of the time visiting the venue beforehand wasn’t an option. We also shoot a lot of weddings in different states, which prevents us logistically from always having the opportunity to pre-visit sites. Will we scout out your venue if it fits in to our schedule? Sure. If not we will research the venue online beforehand. We of course don’t mind shooting the same place more than once, we just always like to be innovative and fresh with all of our events. We’ll make it happen either way!
How many other events will you photograph that weekend?
We may not know the answer to this question the day you book with us, as we accept bookings throughout the year. We typically shoot only one event per weekend, but on occasion we do shoot an event each day. We approach every day at 100% and won’t book events if there is ever a doubt that we’d wouldn’t be able to deliver the same level of quality the consecutive day.
What happens if you get sick, or die, or turn into a zombie?
None of us have ever missed a wedding, but we are (reportedly) human, so it is possible. Luckily we are extremely well networked with other photographers, so there is a very good chance we would be able to find a replacement of strong talent to help out! Another benefit in having two photographers cover your wedding is that it would be extremely unlikely that both photographers would simultaneously be down for the count. Ultimately you take a risk when you hire anyone to be an important part of your wedding day. There are no guarantees that any vendor will be able to provide a backup of equal talent. Even the big studios can’t guarantee that their other photographers won’t be covering events on your day. We make it a point to be constantly networking with other professionals, as well as maintain memberships with professional photography organizations. If we all die, hopefully you will understand why we couldn’t make it. And if we turn into zombies we will make every effort to eat your guests in order of importance to you, hopefully giving you time to escape.
Do I get the copyrights to my photos?
This is one of the biggest misconception questions we get. 99.9% of professional wedding photographers do not relinquish their copyrights to their images, and Continuum is no different in that regard. Does this mean you won’t be able to print your photos where you want to? No! While we’d love to be able to ensure our quality level across the board, our Clients will receive a print release granting them permission to print at the lab of their choice. Unless your goal was to sell the photos taken at your wedding for profit, there really is no need to own a copyright to your photos.
Do I get the RAW files in addition to the edited photos?
This is a question we get sporadically, and probably will be encountering more frequently as digital SLRs become more commonplace. The answer is no, we do not offer RAW files to our clients. Part of the reason why you hire us in the first place is because you like how our images look, and a lot of that look comes through our post production techniques. RAW files are essentially unfinished work, and it’s not our wish to have unfinished work in anyone’s hands but our own.
Will you restrict other people from taking photos at our wedding?
Of course not. We expect a lot of your guests to have cameras at your wedding. We do have two requirements/restrictions- 1) we are the only professional company hired to take still images at any given event, and 2) that during the family formal and artistic posed photographs we do not have anyone directly behind us taking photos. Obviously the policy about being the only professional photographers hired to cover the event is a no-brainer. The second rule comes from experience. When taking the family photos having multiple cameras behind the professional photographer is a distraction, and inevitably causes confusion in the subjects as to which camera to look towards. Ever seen those family photos with ten people looking in ten different directions? We want to avoid that. Secondly forward firing flashes from other cameras can cause over exposures in our photos. Usually we have very limited time to take these photos and the less distractions the better. Our shots are going to come out better than the average guest’s point and shoot, and while we understand the guest’s desire to have the photo right away, we have a job to do! Those are the only rules we have. Of course in a perfect world the guests would leave their cameras at home and enjoy the day and let us capture the action, but we fully understand the desire for photographs. Obviously we do! We only hope that the guests understand and respect that we are there to do a job for our clients, and try to stay out of our way.
What should I ask you?
We get this question a lot too. Well hopefully it helped you to read answers to some of the common questions we get from all of those lists floating out there. We also have a few things we feel are important to address and consider in hiring us or any other photographer for you wedding.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
We hate posed photos/I look terrible in photos!
Posed photos don’t have to be unbearable, they just usually turn out that way when someone forces you to do them who isn’t sympathetic to your discomfort. We’re not here to capture fake smiles or drag things out! For those who are really uncomfortable or not used to cameras we strongly recommend an engagement session. Is it going to be awkward in the beginning? You bet! They are awkward for us too… remember our strength as photographers is documentary, and none of our couples are models. We promise that having an engagement session in addition to capturing some good photos of the two of you as a couple, will actually be fun, and not as bad as you think. And if you can survive the engagement session, then you will be totally set for the wedding. If you can’t do an engagement session all is not lost, it’s our job to make people look good through use of angles, light, and depth of field. Another important aspect of having a professional take your photo is that we edit the results! We throw out the non-flattering images. Really though, how many photos on Facebook are out there that should have been instant deletes?
Why might I not be able to know who my second shooter is until we get closer to our wedding date?
Currently at Continuum Josh and Melissa shoot the bulk of our wedding bookings together, and Sarah our associate photographer shoots with a few select second shooters. In the wedding industry second shooters are professional photographers who are filling an unbooked day for extra work. It would be ideal to know well in advance who the second shooter is, and for our couples to be able to meet them as well. Consider however the plight of the second photographer who would have to turn down a full paying wedding of their own to book a second shooting event in advance. Full time pros will rarely agree to second shoot until about a month out, when booking an event of their own that day is not likely. We’d much rather hire a more talented second shooter a few weeks before an event, than book a less talented individual months before the date.
What’s the big deal with watermarks?
Watermarks are logos that photographers stamp on their works to protect them from theft, and also to promote their branding. We realize that seeing a logo on a photo may not be ideal, but it is strictly for online posting. A watermark will never appear on prints, high resolution images you download on a per picture basis, or images you receive on one of our discs. Do people really steal images? Actually the answer is yes, they do. Usually it’s more from websites looking for wedding images and don’t want to pay for stock photography than it is photographers, but there are unscrupulous photographers out there who pass off another artist’s work as their own. We hope you don’t mind the look of our watermark, we tried to keep it as minimal and stylish a possible while still being identifiable.
What are the advantages of hiring a professional, as opposed to my family member or friend who is an amateur photographer, or a student photographer, etc?
You only get one shot at this, we urge you no matter who you decide on, that the person you hire is a dedicated professional who will be there on your day to cover your moments. When Melissa and I got married even though I was in the beginning phases of my business and had shot a few weddings myself, I still didn’t grasp how incredibly meaningful having photographic coverage throughout our day could be. Like everyone we were on a budget, and we happened to know a few aspiring amateur photographers who were also close friends and had offered to take some photos that day. Those amateurs were also guests, and while we have have some nice photos through parts of the day, we really missed out on having someone there completely dedicated to documenting the story. The good part that came of this was a new understanding of what wedding photography is all about. So that’s the biggest and most important reason to have a dedicated photographer there whose only purpose is to photograph the event. But why does that person necessarily have to be a wedding photographer? Shooting weddings is a lot of fun, but if you’ve never shot one before they are stressful and downright frightening. There are no do-overs in wedding photography, and there is a lot riding on this day for most people. Having someone there who is experienced in shooting weddings, can remain cool under fire, and anticipates when events happen can make the difference in capturing the magic.
Why aren’t we just talking about money?
Because you are more important than a package. Obviously it’s important to establish if we are within your budget and not waste each other’s time, but ultimately products can be bought and sold later. We’ve had clients who could barely afford our basic coverage, but understood how important it is to have a passionate photographer there to cover the day. They sweated the details of the album, the CD, the prints and all of the products later. Sure they might have found a cheaper photographer who offered more stuff at a lower price, but how much stuff do you want to order if you have regrets about the images? Even if it’s not Continuum whom you choose, we hope that you choose your photographer based on the merits of the work, and your connection with their personalities. You will never regret investing in good images from your day.
Speaking of money, why does this cost so much?
The cost of running a small photography business is far more expensive than most people realize. We carry well over $20,000 worth of camera gear to our events (please do not try to rob us). In order for our processing to be top quality we have to invest in powerful computers, large color accurate monitors, and Adobe does not give away their software (yes we buy licenses for that stuff). Business insurance, health insurance… we pay that ourselves. Marketing expenses, equipment repairs, the list could get really long. For every wedding we shoot there are hours and hours involved in post production. We sometimes joke that the wedding is our off day, because we get to take photos all day at a big party, and that’s what we really love doing. There is rarely a day that goes by that we are not working on someone’s event. The point of this isn’t to whine about the costs of our business, for us it’s worth it to be able to deliver the level of quality we want to deliver. Like any business we’re in it to make a profit so we can continue to do business. We love weddings, and we love our clients, and think they are worth the costs!
Our wedding is only going to have a really small number of people, shouldn’t we get a discount?
We don’t discount our passion for photography, we don’t discount our enthusiasm for your day, and we definitely don’t discount the results of your photos. We work just as hard at a small event as we do at a large one. If we commit to booking an event we immediately begin turning down other bookings and we only book one event a day. We do our very best to be able to work with as many budget ranges as possible and still remain profitable as a company.
What’s a first look?
A first look is when the bride and groom see each other all dressed up before the ceremony. First looks are the best thing ever and we love them. Why? Well wedding itineraries are usually pretty to the minute things, and very rarely will there be a big opportunity to take great artistic shots of the couple together, making use of the venue or other key locations if the first time our couple sees each other is during the ceremony. Agreeing to have a first look really can open up the timeline of the day, and allow for a much more relaxed event. First looks can also be intimate and meaningful. Often times we are able to capture better angles of the moment you see each other during a first look than we would at the ceremony where we have no choice in where you meet. Of course if our couples would rather see each other for the first time during the ceremony we will respect their wishes. Often times in order to take the sort of fun bride & groom/bridal party shots you see on our website our couples either sacrificed some of the time at their cocktail hour, or they had a first look.
I want a CD of my images, but I’m not sure why?
There is a huge emphasis these days on having all of the edited full resolution images on a disc. To answer the age old question, yes Continuum does offer the disc. Aside from archival purposes, what do people do with their discs? Do you often sit down at your computer and browse through hundreds of photos from your day? Certainly there may be some who do that, but we feel that having tangible representations of the images through prints, or albums is a much better way of enjoying the imagery of your day. There are lots of great products out there, and we’d hate to have your images sit on a hard drive somewhere and not be enjoyed on a regular basis! We can help you get your images off your disc too!