FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


Our work is a combination of photojournalism & portraiture. We prefer to tell each story the way we see it unfold through creative and artistic images. We find inspiration in unique individuals, intimate moments, beautiful landscapes, light, and movement.

 

FAQ

Question:

Answer.

How many weddings have you shot? How many weddings do you shoot each year?

Lets just say…A LOT! Just by guessing somewhere in the hundreds. These days we only shoot a select few usually totaling no more than 30per year. We prefer quality over quantity.

Who will be my photographer?

Paul will usually be your lead photographer. but we also offer associate packages when Paul is already booked or you have a smaller budget- we have an AMAZING team of associate contracted photographers - depending on who is available. The five of us have spent many years shooting together to create our specific photography style, the images you see on our website are a combination of all of our work.

Where are you based? Do you travel?

We are based in the PNW, (Ashford,Washington – the base of Mt. Rainier to be specific) but we have happily been stricken with wanderlust for sometime now & would be ecstatic to jump on a plane again, no matter the destination — internationally or even just in the states!

How far in advance should we book a photographer for our wedding?

The earlier, the better! If your wedding takes place on a Saturday in summer, photographers are usually really busy and quickly booked out. If you would like to know, if we are still available on your wedding date, please fill in the contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

How would you describe your style?

Our style is really a hybrid. We have so many inspirations that come from so many different sources, and we try to incorporate them in our images. We love the raw emotion of photojournalism and the clean, crisp, creative look of editorial photography. Our style is a blend of those. We truly strive to create images that reflect you and your story.

But does anyone ever look at the camera??

So we call those- “mantle shots.” These are the shots your mother, your grandmother want. Photos of you two posed and looking at the camera, smiling big happy grins. You probably won’t see too many of these on our social media – but of course we get these too! We will take a handful of these shots plus any family and group shots you want! We’ll discuss a group shot list way before your wedding to ensure not a single soul gets missed.

Will you, or do you need to tour our venue/location?

If we have shot there before- no we don’t need to tour it. If we have not been there before- we would love to tour the location with you if it is local (less than 1hour away)- but no it is not a must- if your venue is further away, we always arrive early on the day of to scout everything out and find the best light, etc. So no need to worry if we cannot tour it with you before the big day – we will research beforehand and again arrive plenty early!

If we give you a pinterest shot list, can you capture specific images or re-create others we have seen?

Unfortunately, No, this is something that just does not work with our style of imagery. We don’t carry shot lists or stick to stringent schedules in the strictest sense. The reason our photos are candid, photo-journalistic and capture ‘real moments’ is because we simply follow the action and what is happening in front us & our camera. We do not want to stop to check a shot list (& possibly miss an important moment) and we do not guarantee certain shots. Also, we do not stage, setup or manufacture these moments, they simply have to happen naturally in order for them to mean a lot more and be ‘real’. We prefer to capture your day in its authenticity rather than create contrived images for you. Of course we strive to capture all the ‘key’ moments and do our best to arrive before guests in order to capture little details that tell your story. Please remember as well, one photographer can not be in two places at once capturing different things, so we highly recommend a second shooter- if capturing ‘everything’ is important to you.

Will we be a good fit for one another?

Well, if you made it this far- we HOPE so!!
If you're looking for an amazing, authentic, original visual story of your day and some instant friends vs just another vendor - than YES- Let's do this!!!

If you’re just wanting a photographer to show up and get those typical, cheesy posed, smiling “perfect looking” shots, we might not be the best fit - I mean we are more than happy to get a few of those, but thats not typically our cup of tea or whatever - we wear our heart on our sleeve and pour ourselves into each and every client's story & we’d love for you to do the same. The more you allow us in, the more real and meaningful our work is.
Either way, its all okay, because everyone deserves to have a photographer that will fit their style.

What are your travel rates?

They vary depending on the wedding location, but they are reasonable. We are super low maintenance. No need for first class flights or suites. We just want to be there to capture your wedding !

Is wedding photography worth the investment?

Wedding photography is the only medium that will capture and hold your wedding day so it can be relived again and again. Wedding photography is an heirloom. It is an investment into your future. Wedding photography plays a very large role in your big day – so is it worth it? You make that call!

What do you require for booking?

We do require a retainer to secure your date. That can either be 50% of the package or $500 with a monthly payment plan in place.

Will you photoshop us?

Keeping in sync with our Authentic/ True to you style - We really believe in promoting self love and body positivity, so we don’t alter the way you look other than blemishes / anything temporary that would not normally be there (acne, cut, bruise, etc).

What happens when you arrive at my wedding?

We will check in with the bride or groom to let you know that we have arrived, we will make sure everything is still on schedule and no last minute changes have been made. Once we have that all taken care of depending on the schedule of the day we may go out and get some venue detail shots, or get right to capturing your day- pretending we are invisible in most cases, unless we arrive and go straight into formals. It largely depends on the schedule of the day!

What is a first look?

We are firm believers in the first look; an immensely intimate moment when the bride and groom see each other before the ceremony. There is only so much time couples get to laugh and cry and dance with the most important people in their lives who have come to celebrate their love. A first look allows portraits to be taken before guests arrive, and gives couples the freedom to enjoy cocktail hour without being pulled away from their loved ones for photographs. In addition, a wedding is a celebration of your love for one another, yet you spend half the day getting ready, away from each other. A first look allows you to spend more time with the person you love on your wedding day. We also highly reccomend if you do a first look to keep it private, just you, your other half, and us ?

What about a timeline? Do you make us one? Do we need one?

Yes! We highly advise to have a tentative “timeline” of events during your wedding day- We know that weddings rarely stick to the timeline, and we are pretty great at going with the flow and improvising but its nice to have an idea of when certain things should happen to refer to. We will have you fill out a pretty extensive questionnaire a few months before the big day that includes a timeline section, as well as family member groupings, your bridal party, special shot requests, etc- to ensure we cover everything that is important to you!

Do you have backups?

We have backup gear, backup for your photos, & backup photographers- so yes we use/have backups everywhere!

Do you require a meal? How will you be dressed?

Yes, please- if your coverage is longer than 4hours! We are better at being creative and capturing your love if we are not starving- and trust a few of us definetly get hangry!!;) We prefer to be served right after the bridal party- so that we are able to eat and get back out there to ensure we don’t miss anything! Please also allow us a couple bathroom breaks ? If you have two shooters we will do this opposite of one another. We dress business/casual – we don’t wear jeans, but wont be showing up in a full tux either – ?

What is the best light to photograph in?

Light is a very important element in photography. For weddings, We always suggest getting ready in a bright, naturally lit room with very little clutter. We also suggest sneaking away for a bit during the hour leading up to sunset to get some nice warm photographs and to spend a bit of time alone together.

I’m really awkward in front of the camera, what can I do ?

This is probably the question we are asked most and we say pretty much the same thing to everyone. We hate being in front of the camera as well (probably WAY more than you do- I promise!), there’s less than a handful of acceptable photos of us in existence. For the most part, we will shoot in an entirely candid / photojournalistic fashion, letting the day flow as naturally as possible. Obviously when it comes to location shots, we will provide you with some loose direction, however we really just encourage you guys to be yourselves & relax. After a while, you’ll get used to having us around, and once you just begin to enjoy yourselves, it will be instantaneously reflected in camera resulting in some awesome images.

What happens if the weather takes a turn for the worse ?

We’ll be honest, some of our favorite wedding photos have been taken during the most torrential rain you could imagine. Being a photographer, you have to learn to adapt. If you’re happy to jump out in the rain armed with a couple of umbrellas and embrace the precipitation, we are too as long as we can avoid getting our gear soaked anyway- umbrella’s & someone to help are a must! !

What is the best time of day to factor in our location photographs ?

The best time for location shots is where the sun is a little lower. During the middle of the day through to mid afternoon when the sun is at its highest can be a bit of a pain. It tends to cast some pretty harsh unflattering shadows resulting in squinty photos and very bright & highly contrasted skin tones. Late afternoon tends to be the best time for photos particularly the last hour before sunset. If you’d like to chat with us about getting the most of out your photos / day, please do.

How many photos will we get, and when/how do we get them?

Each wedding is unique and we typically deliver a different product every time. There is no end goal for a set number of images for your day. We want to capture as much of your day as we can and give you the best of the best. We on average deliver for weddings about 800 - 1,000 photos. For all other sessions, 75 - 150. We never put a cap on the amount of photos you receive, these are just some of the averages. We also provide a color and black and white copy for each photo. Pretty sweet, right? And the best part, they're all yours. We provide a Print Release, so you can have them printed wherever you like or print them directly from the online password protected gallery. Your online gallery will typically be ready within 6-8 weeks from the date of your wedding but may take up to 12 weeks during the busiest months (August-October). We always do our best to have the quickest possible turnaround time but our best work does take time:)

After I download my images can I print/Post them?

Yes, OF COURSE! You receive a print and usage release with your digital files so that you may print, post, and brag about your images as often as you would like! We only ask you to please not throw an IG filter on it!

We want to book you for our wedding, what next?

Get in touch with us as soon as you have your wedding date. If everything works out, pay a retainer fee to reserve the date, sign our contract and boom we're all yours!

2
of
8

Any other questions?

Feel free to contact us either via the contact page, we would love to answer any questions you may have!