Frequently asked questions
Below you can find general information on how a photo session is booked, conducted, and delivered. For information regarding specific events and sessions, click one of the pertaining links.
FAQ
"What is your style of photography?"
I like to think my style of photography as a reflection of what actually was, whether its cheerful sunny bright colors, or dark moody gothic grunge. My style will always end up being a combination of the subjects personality, the location, the setting, the weather, the emotions, the season, or just the vibe in general. because of that I will photograph just about anything worthy of remembering; good and bad.
I love getting really up close and intimate or really far back landscape style. Black and whites are also very close to my heart and by default i give all my clients black and white versions of their colored photos in the hopes that they appreciate it as much as I do.
"What can a proffessional do That an I phone cant?"
I am a firm believer that high end equipment does not classify you as a professional photographer. So what does? While a professional photographer should have extensive knowledge in camera gear and their functions, taking a photo with a fancy camera is really only a very small percentage of what a photographer does and offers. Yes, the end result is getting a nice high res image, but there is so much more that is involved. Our expertise includes, accurate interpretations of weather, tides, location of sun in the sky, lighting direction and shadow, composition, directing flow of movement and posing, anticipative reaction, file organization, transfer, and post processing.
"Can we meet first?"
of course we can meet! A phone call is perfectly fine for any regular booking but I always prefer to either face time or meet up with couples looking to book for their wedding. However, most of the time we meet during the engagement shoot. In any case, I am always willing to face time or grab a tea or coffee to chat, get to know each other, or answer questions.
"How many photos are included in a session?"
All sessions are different so there is no telling how many photos you will actually receive.
You can count on a minimum of 100 digital images for an hour session and 800 for and 8 hour wedding.
"Do you travel?"
Yes please! We can discuss anywhere you would like to go with negotiated travel fees. I am, however, a California photographer so you can always count on me shooting somewhere on the west coast of the Untied States.
"Why should I get Professional photos?"
If your already here looking for a photographer, then you probably already have an understanding of how important professional photos are! But let me give you my two cents; YES you can take photos on your phone or even your own DSLR camera, and I have to say they will probably look nice! However there are a few issues with taking your own photos. The first problem being that SOMEONE has to take them! and as someone who has spent years taking self portraits it is not ideal, easy, recommended, or fun. The second problem is that trusting someone who is not a professional risks mistakes. A few mistakes your friends and family may easily make would be photos that are blurry, too dark, too brights, out of focus, corrupted/not saved, or just plain unflattering. An all around un pleasant experience and therefore unpleasant memories attached to your photos.
"How do I book a session?"
To book a session, you MUST fill out the form on my Contact page. You can always message me through email, instagram, or phone, for questions, however the booking process does not begin until I receive the contact form filled out.
"How does payment work?"
For most photographic sessions, After you book you will receive a contract to sign and an invoice along with it. The invoice is set for two payments. The first payment is a 50% deposit of the total amount that officially books the day and time of your photo session. The other 50% of the total payment will be made on or before your session date.
"Do you run any specials or discounts?"
I occasionally will run holiday specials and mini sessions. You can find updates on my instagram as well as my mini session dates under the info tab.
FAQ
"What do I wear?"
Deciding what to wear can be stressful, but there are some easy tips you can use to make it easy! Usually the biggest mistakes people make when choosing outfits is having everybody match too much, or not matching at all. To avoid this, I would pick between 3 to 5 colors to include in your wardrobe depending on how many people will be in the picture.
Try to avoid bold patterns or colors unless you have a clean background such as a beach or studio session. If you need inspiration, you can always google "color pallets" and see what is complimentary.
How do I choose a location?
You can always ask me for location advice! However, I am still trying to get to know you and what you like, so doing your own research is extreamely important. I will always ask you to confirm that you are okay with the location picked and do. my best to prep you for what to expect at that location.
"How do I prepare?"
Always plan way ahead of time! Look up your location ahead of time to know when you have to leave or be ready by. Its a goo idea to go check out the location if you have never been there before.
Be early with everything you do! It is much easier to wait then it is to rush.
Things I have seen go wrong and mishaps and accidents to avoid are, car trouble, traffic, dry cleaning issues with cloths, rushed or unsatisfied hair and make up, last minute weather changes.
"Can I bring my pet?"
Yes please! I love animals but please let me know ahead of time, as well as, WHAT type of animal it is. I have not been shocked yet but you never know! The main concern with animals such as a Dog is that some dogs may need a babysitter to come along with you to the shoot so that they can be watched while they are not being photographed
"What if i need to reschedule?"
I will always try my best to accommodate when things go wrong. However, I can not guarantee That I will be able to reschedule your session for a date that works for you or shoot your session at all. In the case I am unable to shoot your session, partial refund arrangements can be made.
"How many people can be in a photoshoot?"
You can have as many people in your session as you want! I do ask however that I am notified of groups more than 5 so that we may make special arrangemnets. Depending on the size of the group, an additional charge may be added.
"What should I bring?"
I always say bring more just in case. That includes blankets, extra cloths, props, makeup and hair retouching items. If we are going to be walking around a lot, a walking pair of shoes is a good idea to bring if your other shoes are not great to walk in. I also suggest a easy to carry back pack or tote to put your things in as it is easier to haul around, keep things contained and a lot of times I end up helping you carry it.
"What if it rains on your shoot day?"
There are no full refunds for rain. Either the shoot continues in the rain or other agreed location, or we can reschedule depending on the schedules of both the photographer and the client.
"What time should I be there?"
I would advise arriving 10-15 minutes early depending on the location. making sure you have ample time to park and walk to the meet-up spot will allow us to stay stress-free and on time with your session.
FAQ
"Will you pose me?"
YES! YES! YES! Posing is something I am known for doing. You should be aware if your photographer is NOT posing you. I still consider myself a "candid photographer" because I will shoot tons of candids, but there is a time and place for both in any session. You can trust that in any regular portrait, I will be telling you what to do with every part of your body, even down to your fingers and toes!
How can I loosen up for a shoot?
As cheesy as it sounds taking deep breaths always helps. But the biggest tip I can give is to research and PLAN AHEAD. Last minute rushing will always peak your anxiety so make sure you have tried on your outfits, hair and makeup is done early, double checked the directions, and arrive early. Occasionally, people like to have a tiny bit of liquid courage to help loosen up! Although, NEVER drink or medicate yourself too much before a shoot as you may get sleepy eyes!
"What is a session like?"
Most sessions start out the same. We meet up, chat a little bit and take a look at the surroundings. Rushing you into shooting is never my plan or goal. I might discuss some location ideas with you and make a game plan to where we will start and end. Sometimes I will ask you to show me any outfits or props you brought.
I call the first 15 minutes a warm up. Its a way for us to feel each other out. I always put out low expectations for the warm up period so we can slowly work our way to more fun and dynamic posing. If the warm up ends up being amazing, then thats a bonus!
Are there any dos and dont's?
Do:
Embrace the day for what it is!
Let lose and let go! your not likely to enjoy your experience or your pictures if you are overthinking or feeling stiff. They are just pictures after all, and in any of the worst cases more can be taken!
Don't:
Let the little things get to you.
I understand it could be frustrating if the weather wasn't perfect or you left something at home you needed. But as long as I am there to help you make the day the best it can be, you will want to look back on your pictures and remember being happy, not sad!
"What if I get nervous?"
Being nervous is good because it probably means you have been over due for your photos and are finally getting them done! So nerves aside, you should be proud of this big moment! Half of what I do as a photographer is making people feel comfortable and confident. I will be supporting you every step of the way.
"How long does a session last?"
most sessions are about 1 hour long. But session lengths can vary, and I will always advise with you when you might be concerned if a session is going to be too long or short. You can find session lengths under the pricing and investment tab.
"What if I'm late to the session?"
I will always try my best to accommodate when things go wrong. However, I can not guarantee that if you are late I will be able to push the time of your session or shoot your session at all. Thats why it is so important for you to plan ahead and back up your day so that you can arrive early to your shooting location.
"What if the photographer is late?"
Accommodations will always be made to ensure you get the shoot you booked, whether that means we push the time back or make other arrangements.
FAQ
"How do you deliver the images?"
Images are usually delivered in a password protected online gallery. For a fee you can purchase a USB drive with all of your images on it.
"How long until I will receive my images?"
Most regular portrait sessions can take up to 3 weeks to be delivered to you. Please contact me and let me know if you need them rushed for any reason!
"Can I have the RAW images?"
Unfortunately, I do not give out raw images as they are not considered the final product of the services I offer. My service incudes editing, correction, cropping, and sizing.
"How many photos will I receive?"
Every shoot is different! The amount of photos is dependent on how much tie we spend getting comfortable, setting up shots, or walking around. However, you can always expect a minimum and often times you can expect to receive more than the minimum. The minimum number of photos you will receive will be listed on the pricing and investment page for each type of shoot.
"Do you add a filter?"
No. I get this question quite often from people who might be concerned about how the images will be edited. Filter is a basic term and while I understand the meaning of it, it is a very poor way of describing what a photographer does to the images in post processing.
I DO edit the images. Editing can include white balance, exposure balance, highlight and shadow adjustment, crop and rotation adjustments, and color correcting (color is usually corrected with skin tone in mind, not clothing or atmosphere).
Many photographers might also make a few other adjustments for flare and personal style. In this case if you are not fond of a photographers personal editing style I would not hire them as you want somone who fits best with a style you like!
"How do I download my images?"
You will receive an email from me with a link to a private online gallery with all of your finished photos in it. You can download entire gallery by clicking the download icon in the upper right hand corner of the gallery page, or by clicking on the images individually and clicking the download Icon on the image to download just one image.
IT IS IMPORTANT to download ALL of your images and back them up in two different places to assure they are safe. They will not being your gallery forever and technology has a way of breaking down when you least expect it! So back your images up!
"Do you keep my Images?"
I do. I have your images backed up on multiple password protected hard drives to ensure that they are never lost. But, please don't rely on me to save your images. If you lose your images, I can not guarantee to have them forever nor retrieve them fast and easy at your disposal.
If you have more questions about keeping your images please contact me.
"Will my images be private?"
Your online gallery is password protected so only someone with the password will be able to see your images. The images in the gallery can not be "right clicked" and saved. The only way to download the images in your gallery is to use a special pin that will be given to you. Aside from Boudoir, Your contract does give me the rights to post your images for social media and marketing purposes. There is an additional fee for those who do NOT want me to use there images for marketing or social media purposes.
In the case is In the case that you do not wan I can send you a USB drive with your images on it for an additional fee.
**Boudoir privacy and contracts are different. Please contact me if you are concerned about privacy!
"Can I alter the images?"
It depends on what you mean by alter. My clients have full crop and sizing rights and your gallery will usually include black and white copies so you don't need to adjust them yourself. Some photos must be lightened inorder to print them in which case I can do for you or you can try to do on your own. However, most people who have little knowledge about photography and printing may have a hard time making adjustments themselves.
As far as other adjustments, I will not chase after you if you stamp a instagram filter on a photo I took, but I might be a little insulted. If you have any issues with the photos I give you, its best to ask me about it directly so I can help make it better.
I will also not be mad if you down if you decide to photoshop any acne, wrinkles, or body parts on your own or through face tune. For a fee, I can retouch your images for you.
"Can I see all the images?"
Unfortunately no, and I promise you don't want to. All photographers are different and I happen to fall into the category of overshooting, meaning I am culling (going through) sometimes thousands of photos and taking out all the crazy blinking, talking, blurry, improperly exposed photos that don't even begin to make the cut of a nice photo. Saving all of the goods just for you!
"Do you make black and White?"
HA! I am the queen of black and whites!
I understand that black and whites are not for everyone... but I don't care! I LOVE them. Most galleries you receive you can expect every single color photo to have a black and white copy. Yes it may be crazy but I enjoy doing it, especially when I work with people who share the love for black and whites. Black and white images make great wall hangers when the colors in the photo don't match your house aesthetic or to bring more focus to the subject of the picture rather than focusing on distracting colors in it.
"Can I print my own images?"
You sure can!
BUT, I always warn people that you will get what you pay for. I try my best to offer affordable printing to my clients because contrary to what you might believe, printing is usually not as easy as just sending your file off to a random printer. You can obviously do that, but it most likely will not look like the image on your computer screen. Usually, adjustments and sizing to the image needs to be made, as well as having knowledge about how images from your specific print will print.
The best way to find out if you will be happy with a print is to oder 1 small print from me, and the same print and size from a store of your choice. If theres no difference or you don't MIND the difference between them, then go for it!
"How should I save my images?"
Depending on what kind of memory technology you have you should save your images in at least 2-3 places. Here a few options to choose from.....
- USB drive (can purchase from me)
- Hardrive
- ssd drive
- Directly on your computer (takes up a lot of storage)
- Internet based systems such as,
- Google drive
- iCloud
- Dropbox