BASIC FAQ’s
What is behind your pricing philosophy?
Quality and professionalism shouldn’t be a luxury.
Sadly there are too many photographers that can end up personifying “you get what you pay for” and “too good to be true”. I assure you I use top of the line equipment and partner with some of the finest professional labs. I am registered with the state and insured. I am also a member of my local Chamber of Commerce.
I didn’t figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was about 28. In fact, I shot my first wedding the day before my 29th birthday and it was definitely love at first sight! As much as I would have loved to sit around and wait for my revelation, (well not really, I hate being idle for too long!) I had responsibilities and bills and had to get a ‘real job’. After brief stints pursuing a degree in music and working at a bank, I fell into the administrative field and I’ve been in my current position for over 6 years. A steady paycheck and scheduling flexibility mean I don’t have to rely on a wedding to pay for my son’s next karate lesson. That lets me start my pricing a bit lower and paves the way for a much broader spectrum of clients and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
What equipment do you use?
I’m a Canon girl all the way. I’m all digital and I have multiple bodies, lenses & flashes to help ensure there’s a back-up ‘just in case’. If you would like technical specs, feel free to email me and I’ll be happy to give you the current specifics of my arsenal!
Do you have a studio?
No, I do not. Someday I would love to have a permanent location to display my work & meet with clients. But that adds overhead which adds to my cost to you, and I like to keep that low low! If you’re scheduling a portrait session – the world is our oyster! Let’s find a corner of anywhere and make it our own.
Can we meet you in person?
Yes! Let’s meet! A coffee shop, restaurant, bookstore, your home or anywhere else you feel comfortable. Generally it’s easy to find a location convenient and within 30 minutes of Exeter. I can’t wait!
What are post-processing, online viewing gallery, and high resolution digital negatives?
Post processing is what happens after I leave you. I cull and organize all the shots I’ve taken and go through them individually for color balance, contrast & any other fun effects that I envision as I go along. After I’m through with that, all your images are put in an online viewing gallery and you get sent a link to check it all out. The online gallery link can be shared with all your family and friends and you can all order prints for the next 270 days. (you know, if you wanted to)
Whether purchased before or after your session/event the High Resolution Digital Negatives on DVD are the full sized, fully post-processed images you see in your online gallery. They come with a limited print release which allows you to make your own prints for friends and family for years to come. The ‘limitation’ is that you can’t use them advertisements, commercially or make a profit from them without my written permission.
My prints look different than the image on my computer monitor –why?
There are two main reasons. Every monitor has a different approach to brightness & color profiling.
First, imagine an x-ray. When held up to the light the image is bright and details are easily seen If you place it on a non-illuminated surface you can still see the image, but some of the details may get lost. A computer monitor can sometimes have the same effect. The image on your screen is basically ‘lit’ from behind, some brighter than others.
Second, color profile, is how your screen displays a specific color. Tomato-Tomahtoh, they both mean the same thing, but they sound (or look) a little different.
The monitor that I post-process your photos on is set darker than a standard monitor and has a color profile that correlates to my professional processing lab. My goal is for your pictures to look great on your computer and in your hand!
WEDDING/EVENT FAQ’s
Why should we hire a professional?/A friend of a friend will shoot the whole day for $300 + give me the images on DVD.
There are SO many choices out there and I am honored you’ve taken the time to consider me. I completely understand where this question comes from — weddings are expensive and anywhere you can trim the budget has to be good, right?
Chances are you’re dishing out at least some money for this event and you’re most definitely putting your heart and soul into it. The designing, the details, the hours spent planning, plotting & fretting. You want to have the best photos possible to help remember all the friends, family & fun that culminates from all that! That’s not to say that your DSLR loving uncle’s heart isn’t in the right place when he offers his services, or that the photos of your friends last vacation weren’t divine, it’s just that a photographing a wedding is a whole different sort of mind set.
A professional photographer will have extra equipment in case of failure, the right lenses to handle even the darkest stone church or dimly lit reception, and the patience and assertiveness to take hold of a moment that’s perhaps a little over-stressed. They will be ready to go with the flow, anticipate your moves before you make them, be in the right place for the cake cutting before the rest of the guests fill the dance floor and, most importantly in my opinion, be able to help keep the day moving smoothly and make the most of every moment you have.
After the event is over a professional photographer will post-process your photos for optimum appearance, provide you with sharing & ordering options and access to archival quality prints & products.
Your wedding photos will tell your story for generations to come. How will your story read?
Do you need to eat?
Well yes, we all need to eat! But in regards to your event, if you’ll be eating while I’m there I’ll need to eat too. Most reception venues have vendor meals that they offer at a lesser price than your per person head count price.
