Wedding FAQ

Can you elaborate on your style of photographing a wedding?
Being a wedding photojournalist simply means that I tell a story with images. These images convey all the emotion and excitement of a wedding, without staging or forcing moments to happen, which look stiff and posed. This natural approach allows clients of mine and their guests to just be themselves and enjoy the celebration. The result: a pictorial narrative that communicates all the excitement, energy and emotion of the wedding, as documented by a true photojournalist.

Do you take posed family and wedding party photographs?
Of course. The images of the bride and groom, along with their families and wedding party are very important. My approach to these types of images are very relaxed and fun. And typically these "formal" type of photos only take thirty minutes or less with an average size family. Please remember that clients commission me to document their day in a unique, photojournalistic style. The more time doing formals means less time capturing the excitement and reality of the wedding. Sorry, no table photographs.

What types of albums do you offer?
The leather bound albums and coffee table books I offer are hand made by professionals. They have a very clean and tasteful look, unlike many of these gold, frilly wedding albums you may have seen. Each photograph is mounted and treated for its protection. My clients have the option of presenting a single image on a page or multiple images on a page. And every page may be designed differently. I would be happy to design your album for you. A typical 8×10 custom designed leather bound album or coffee table book with up to 50 images is $1900. You can add as many as photographs to an album as you wish. All items are priced separately, so you only pay for what you desire. The great thing is that the price for exact duplicate albums (the same size and design as the first) are reduced by 50%. That is a huge savings off any additional albums purchased for other family members or friends.

Do you offer other products, such as thank you cards?
Yes, I would be happy to show you samples of other products that I offer, such as thank you cards, signature boards, and customized DVD's during our initial meeting together.

How do your rates compare with others?
Many photojournalistic wedding photographers charge from $5,000 to $10,000 or more for similar services. Naturally, there are those that charge less, but I find the quality of their work usually reflects their lower price. But if rates are a top issue for you, please consider this: Years from now, when you're looking through the album and seeing your wedding day once again, and looking at the images of loved ones and dear friends that are now older, or perhaps departed, and you're moved by the stories the photos have captured, be assured, you won't be concerned with the price then.

Do you travel?
Yes. I will travel anywhere in the world to document a client's wedding. Travel fees are quoted upon request. The fees above cover any wedding within ninety miles of Boston, Massachusetts.

What is needed to retain your services?
First, the most important issue is whether I am available for your date. I only photograph a limited amount of weddings each year and dates do book up fast. If I am available for your date, I require a deposit of 50% of the total fee to secure the date. The balance is due thirty days prior to the day of the wedding. If you plan on ordering additional products afterwards, you can pay that amount as you go.

Can you hold the date for me?
I am unable to hold a date without a deposit. My services are provided on a first come, first serve basis. Currently, I am only photographing twenty five weddings per year. I suggest contacting me early in your planning stage. Lately, clients have been booking me well over a year in advance. Contact me to inquire about my availability for the date of your wedding.

Can you provide me with a list of past clients we can use for references?
Yes, I'd be happy to provide you with a list of former clients after our initial meeting together.

Do you know really good florists, makeup artists, musicians, videographers, etc.?
Yes, yes, yes. There are some great individuals and organizations that I love to work with and do spectacular work. I'd be happy to provide you with a list of these professionals during our meeting together.


Capturing weddings digitally
I am so thrilled to be now capturing all of my wedding images digitally. The benefits to my clients are many. To mention just a few, clients of mine and their family and friends can now view all of their images on the web and order online. Each color digital image can be printed in either black and white or color with no tonal loss of quality, as with film. The bottom line is that capturing images digitally benefit my clients tremendously. Below are some general questions one may ask about digital imaging. If you are considering to commission me to document your wedding for you, please contact me with any other questions you may have regarding digital imaging or anything else for that matter.

What are the main advantages of digital over film?
What I like most about shooting digitally is that the entire creative process rests in my hands. With film, I have to put a great deal of trust in my photo lab to try to interpret my artistic vision. While they almost always do a fantastic job, there is often some compromise between the image in my head and the one they produce. With digital, nothing stands between me and the perfect image in my head. Using today's best imaging technology, I can now have complete control over color balance, precise cropping, toning and many other aspects of the art of photography. Another obvious advantage of digital is that I can see the image as soon as I shoot it. Exposure issues are addressed immediately. Image quality surpasses traditional film. And I am free to shoot much more than I even have before, which means more images for my clients to choose from.

How long do digital prints last?
The images that my printers produce are guaranteed to retain their quality for as long as you own them. These prints are made using the latest technology used by professional printers. I consider all the prints that leave my studio to be of heirloom quality. I guarantee that should any print become discolored, faded, or damaged due to aging, I will replace it at no charge to you at any time.

How many cameras do you use?
I use some of the best digital cameras made by Fuji and Nikon today. I also have back up cameras as well.

How do you back up the images?
I back up all of the images from the day first to an external hard drive. Then I burn all the images onto two separate CDs or DVD's, which are stored at two different physical locations in case of fire. And finally, all the high-resolution image files are stored again on my lab's servers. I am much more secure in knowing that there are four sets of "virtual negatives" that will never loose any quality due to aging.

How large can prints be made from digital files?
Typically my clients hardly ever order prints over 11×14" from their wedding. However, these image files print beautifully well up to 20×24".

Is the paper on which the digital images are printed as heavy as the paper of traditional film prints?
Yes. In fact, the paper used to print digital prints is the same exact paper used to print traditional film prints. I consider all the prints that leave my studio to be of heirloom quality. I guarantee that should any print become discolored, faded, or damaged due to aging, I will replace it at no charge to you.

Can friends and family order prints off the web?
Absolutely. By directing your friends and family to this web site, they can order prints securely without any involvement by you.


What happens when CDs and DVD's become obsolete as a means of archiving images?

Inevitably, technology changes. Formats evolve. The beauty of digital is that, while the CD format will undoubtedly be replaced several times in our lifetime, the ones and zeros that make up the image always should be readable one way or another. I am confident that you will be able to transfer digital files (without image degradation) from one standard to the next.