Frequently Asked Questions |
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1. Do you do formal and group photos? Of course. That's part of documenting your family--how great they looked. We have ways of making even the posed photos look more spontaneous. 2. I'm planning a traditional wedding. Does the photojournalistic style fit? Yes, photojournalism shows your wedding as it is. You'll get some beautiful, traditional photos, plus a lot more. Even very traditional moments, such as the bride coming down the aisle with her father, look best as action shots. And, you'll see all the preparations for tradition behind the scenes. 3. What kind of camera do you use? We shoot the entire wedding with a 8.2 megapixel digital camera--a Canon 20D employing a variety of lenses. The photos can be enlarged to 12x18", revealing incredible detail. Digital photography has a number of advantages over film, including ease of retouching, conversion of any photo to a beautiful B&W print, and creative improvements. Digital photography is especially good for unusual lighting situations, because the photographer can see the results immediately, making necessary adjustments. For example, during your reception we can go out onto the streets, and get stunning photos in the moonlight, or in the colored light of neon signs. 4. Do you improve the digital images after the wedding? First, we edit the photos, removing any poor shots (such as group photos with people blinking). Next, we give each photo individual attention, adjusting it for contrast, color balance, and lightness and darkness. Then we convert some photos to B&W. Since we shoot in the RAW digital format used by top professionals, we have complete freedom to adjust the photos after the wedding. 5. What are the "proofs" like? We provide a CD with low resolution images so you can review and share your photos. The proofs are provided in a slide-show format. Each image (sized about 4x6) appears on the screen for 10 seconds, followed by the next. You can also scroll a column of thumbnail images to quickly find any photo. By clicking on a thumbnail, you can instantly jump to that image in the slide show. You are free to copy the CD for sharing with your relatives, or e-mail photos, but you are not allowed to print photos from the CD. 6. Do you provide paper prints? After you have reviewed the proofs, you can order prints in a variety of sizes at our regular rates. The price includes complete artistic enhancement--the kind of loving care that old-time photographers used to do in the darkroom. Our photos are usually printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper, using a true photographic process. They are archival prints, so they should last a hundred years. 7. Can we print our own photos from the digital files? Usually, we do not include the "negatives" (the full resolution digital files) in our 7 hour package, but we sometimes include them in shorter "a la carte" packages. If the negatives are not included in your package, you can purchase them a year after your wedding. When you have the high resolution files, you are free to print from the files. Low-resolution files do not produce good prints. 8. What about printing from our hi-res files? Local stores like Woodman's usually produce excellent prints, since they have the latest high-tech printers. However, these stores use software that is designed to "improve" your photos, but it doesn't always work properly. The prints may come out lighter or darker than they really are, and the color may shift. The photos are also cropped slightly, which could mean you won't see the whole face, when the photo is framed. Because of these problems, about 10% of your prints won't look as good as they should. Also, keep in mind that printing photos is an art. Realizing the full potential of your photos requires professional work in Photoshop. For example, to find "diamonds in the rough" and polish them to finished gems, or to get the most out of any photograph, it may need additional work in the "digital darkroom" of Photoshop. All our prints receive this special artistic attention. You can also ask us to artistically improve your photos at the rate of $100/hr, and then print them yourselves. The 72 "enhanced prints" included in our Digital Plus package ensure that your favorite photos have received the loving care of an artist. If you purchase the high resolution files a year later, you will of course receive these improved files. 9. What kind of lighting do you use? Ambience uses a variety of advanced techniques, used by few other photographers, to provide wonderfully natural and atmospheric photos. Usually we don't need flash during the ceremony. Experienced with outdoor weddings. 10. Do you have backup equipment? Yes, we have at least two of everything. We study the mistakes of other photographers like the FAA studies airline crashes. 11. What if you are sick? I'm rarely sick, but I'd jump from my deathbed to photograph a wedding. Ambience has agreements with several good wedding photographers to provide back-up in case of emergency, if they are available. If Ambience is unable to photograph your wedding due to sickness or emergency, or to provide a backup photographer acceptable to you, Amvience will promptly refund the full price of your wedding. 12. How do you organize family and group photos? We believe in thorough planning, so we have more energy for the unexpected. At the planning session, we work with you to develop a checklist and timetable. We identify special guests for candid photos. Especially important is deciding how to gather family members for the next photo--we can suggest several methods that might work best for you. We schedule the largest group photo just before (or after) the wedding, so people don't have to wait. 13. Do you bring an assistant? Usually not, because I'm very energetic. But an assistant is available, if our planning indicates that your situation requires it. To compensate for working alone, I arrive a little earlier for setup, and the groomsmen or ushers sometimes help me carry a few things about. If you have a long list of family photos, it might be wise for us to appoint someone from your family to be a "photo Nazi." Preferably a high-school gym teacher, complete with whistle! An assistant is only needed in certain situations: If your wedding is very large; or if timing means the main photographer won't be able to get photos of decorations before guests arrive; or if there's lot's of walking around far from a parked car. 14. Is it best to take formals and family photo before or after the wedding? We recommend that most of the formal photos be taken before the ceremony, when people look their best and are more relaxed. After the wedding, people want to boogey! 15. How much time do formal and family photos take? The one thing that most contributes to better photos--is to allow ample time! The best photography results when you plan for about three hours of photos, including a stop at a park or garden. If you don't want to take so much time, we can develop a game-plan for getting good photos in less time--it might involve a shorter list of photos and more reliance on candids. We'll discuss your particular needs at the planning session. 16. My fiancé hates having his picture taken. What do you suggest? The photojournalistic style is ideal, because we can capture candid shots, while he's barely aware his photo is being taken. Setting up activities that the groom joins in, like a visit to a third location, provides additional opportunities for candid photos. 17. Can you put our wedding photos on the web? Yes. The main advantage is that you don't have to order photos for everyone (they can do it themselves on the web), and relatives who live far away can still see your photos. 18. Can you provide references? Gladly--please call. We have a number of clients who plan their wedding from a distance, and are unable to visit Ambience before booking. We'll be happy to put you at ease by providing great references, sending samples, and answering questions over the phone or by e-mail. 19. Tell me more about engagement photos. We like to do engagement photos outdoors in interesting settings, such as Allen Centennial Gardens on campus, about an hour before sundown when the light is best. It takes about an hour of fun, interactive posing, and you get to keep 5 4x6 proofs. There is also one free enlargement--you can purchase additional prints at our regular rates. The engagement photo is a good opportunity for us to get to know one another, and to find out what kinds of smiles and poses work best for you. 20. I'm not sure I need 800 photos--why do you shoot so many? If you shoot more shells, you get more ducks! Because I try to capture spontaneity, I have to shoot on "instinct" when I think something interesting is going to happen. Sometimes I'm wrong, but often I capture exceptional shots. I also shoot many shots of important photos, and large groups, to ensure that no one is blinking. Shooting a lot helps people relax--they know they have more than one chance to look good!. I document everything, showing flowers, table settings, details, and overviews of the church and reception hall. I also look for sequences of two or three photos that give a feeling of action. In short, shooting more means better photography. 21. Why choose a photographer with photojournalist experience? First of all, because you're getting more--you get a complete set of formal or group photos, plus candids showing the action and fun, plus photos documenting all the details. Ambience does the work of two photographers. Secondly, because it takes much more experience and maturity to quickly grasp the essence of a room full of people, then find a way to pack this essence into a single great photo! A photojournalist pours his heart and soul into every photo. Thirdly, a good photojournalist can't shoot too many weddings or he'll burn out--he has to study his craft between weddings and plan carefully for each wedding. Each wedding is unique, and it's his job to find and capture what's yours alone. 22. These days, everyone says they do photojournalistic style. How do I spot a real photojournalist? There's a big difference between "candid" photos and "photojournalism." Anyone can shoot candids, which means "unposed photos." Instead, look for naturalness and spontaneity, sequences of photos, and especially, the one great photo that tells it all. Look at photos from a whole wedding--was there complete coverage, from beginning to end, that told the story of the day? 23. What kind of service do you provide? We believe in thorough planning, and answering all your questions, at any time. If there are any issues, like a dimly lit church, or what's the best garden to visit, we solve them in advance. We recommend other service providers. We provide suggestions on how to crop and improve photos when ordering for your family. We believe in flexibility, so there are options you can add to your basic package: You can add or subtract hours from our 7-hour package. We provide engagement photos. We completely organize, number, and edit your paper proofs. We provide complete advice on design of your album, while allowing you to have as much choice as you want. 24. Do you mind if relatives take photos of groups while you are working? I don't mind, as long as they don't get in my way. But it's to your advantage to keep photos by relatives to a minimum. It's distracting, and can slow things down. I'm usually taking the same photo, and you'll look better in my photo. 25. Can you recommend a good videographer, DJ, or florist? Gladly--please see our links page. 26. What about video and disposable cameras for capturing the fun? Photojournalism captures the peak action and tells stories, so there's less need for video or disposable cameras. I think you'll discover that disposable cameras, operated by kids and amateurs, produce disposable photos. And don't forget to figure in the cost of processing the film. Instead of buying disposables, you'd get better results, and save money, if you paid Ambience to stay longer. 27. Do you expect dinner at my wedding? Wedding photography is long and hard work, so it's customary to provide supper for the photographer. However, there are often toasts and other "photoops" during dinner, so I'm often working off and on during the meal time. For packages less than 7 hours, I'm willing to "stop the clock" while I'm actually eating. I prefer to find and empty seat at a table, rather than have a place assigned (if that works for you). That way, I can find a good angle for toasting photos. |
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