For weddings, most couples start to book us anywhere from 12-18 months prior to their wedding day for weddings that occur during high season (May – October). We find that most couples prefer to book their ceremony and reception venues first and then once those have been secured they begin locking in their other vendors. For portrait, event & commercial photography we recommend contacting us as soon as you have your dates confirmed. Spring and fall tend to be busy times of year for engagement and family photos so we recommend booking early for the best selection of dates. We require a 50% non-refundable retainer along with a signed contract in order to reserve a date. Once a date has been reserved, we guarantee our services for that day and turn away other inquires for that date and it is for that reason that once a retainer has been paid, it becomes non-refundable should the event be cancelled or need to be changed to another date.
The number of images we deliver will vary depending upon a number of factors including the amount of time spent travelling, timelines, the time between events, etc. On average, most of our clients should expect to receive between 40-60 images per hour of coverage. On a 10 hour wedding day for example, there is typically about 8-9 hours of photography after you take out time for travel, dinner, setup, etc. That would result in approximately 400-500 fully-edited images. Sometimes the amount is higher, sometimes it is lower but our goal is to deliver quality over quantity without sacrificing any important moments of the day. We carefully select and edit only the best photographs from your special day.
That totally depends on your needs and budget! Our average wedding is around 8-10 hours but we’ve had weddings as short as 4 hours or as long as 14 hours. It’s all about feeling comfortable knowing that you won’t have to rush and that we’ll be there to capture what’s most important to you! If things run a little behind schedule or you decide that you want us to stick around to get some great shots of Aunt Beatrice crowd surfing at your reception, you can always hire us for a few more hours on the day of the wedding and we’ll just invoice you after the wedding.
The one word that describes our photography style most accurately is relaxed. We like to be in the moment and capture memories as they happen. As photographers though, we know that every now and then, guidance is needed and these are the moments when we step in and make even the posed photos look as natural as possible. Our style of working is a mixture of photojournalism blended with contemporary portraiture. Our goal is to make sure that everyone involved in the wedding day has fun and feels relaxed around us. We take the time to learn the names of the most important people involved in the wedding (bridal party, parents, etc) and we listen to what you want us to capture.
To put it simply, shot lists take away from the day. There’s no need to worry about us taking the standard wedding day photos like the first kiss, walking down the aisle, etc because we’ll be there with you capturing every moment! We do ask for a list of “must have” family member photos, and we suggest having a point person that can round-up all of the people on this list to make sure that they can be captured as efficiently and smoothly as possible. Pinterest boards can be a blessing and a curse for photographers. On one hand, they provide us with an idea of the style of photography that you prefer. On the other hand, many of the most popular images you see on Pinterest aren’t typically from real weddings. Many of the beautiful images you see brides pinning come from styled shoots utilizing professional models and photographing under the optimal lighting conditions so they can create unrealistic expectations when it comes to your day. Pinterest boards are great for inspiration but don’t expect your photographer to copy another photographer’s work. Put your trust in your photographer and allow them to capture your day as it unfolds using their artistic talents and vision.
Absolutely! If you choose a package that includes a hi-resolution collection of images, you can print the photos however large or small as you’d like. For the best quality, we’d encourage you to contact us for professional quality prints. We’re best friends with our lab and they make sure our photographs come out looking exactly the way they are supposed to. Plus when you buy prints from us, you’re supporting local business & that’s just good karma. While places like Costco or Walmart may offer cheaper printing options, the colour quality often isn’t the best. All of our wedding collections also include a folder of web-resolution files. These files are optimized for sharing on social media and contain a small watermark. We ask that you use these versions of your files when sharing your images online and we’d also appreciate it if you provide credit for our hard work. We kindly request that you do not alter or modify our images (e.g. Instagram filters) as these modifications likely won’t represent our editing style.
Yes and yes! From backup cameras, flashes, batteries and memory cards, absolutely every piece of equipment is backed up at all times! We only use professional grade memory cards and the camera bodies we shoot with have dual card slots. We could cut corners and buy cheaper gear but we decided early on that we would only buy the best gear so each time we click the shutter, a duplicate image is automatically created ensuring that your precious memories are protected. And the process of protecting your memories doesn’t end with the gear we bring to your wedding. Before our heads hit the pillow, we take extra steps to ensure that while you’re still enjoying your reception, your images are safely being backed up on multiple hard-drives and onto our cloud storage system. By the next day, your images are safely stored in multiple locations to prevent loss from hardware failure, theft, fire, or other natural disasters. With regards to insurance, as a professional business licensed by the City of Edmonton, we carry complete liability insurance which covers ourselves, your guests, and our equipment!
Something we take great pride in is our delivery times. We know that you’re excited to see your photographs and we’re just as excited to share them with you. The exact timing will depend on the length of your day and the time of year your event is taking place, but generally, we try to have your images processed and ready for you to see in about 4-6 weeks from the wedding day and 3-4 weeks for events and portrait sessions. For packages that include an album, we aim to have the first draft of your album ready for you to review when we deliver your digital files. Once the album review process has started, the ball will be in your court to send in your changes. Once you’ve signed off on the final design, production and shipping of your album normally take between 6-8 weeks.
We’re sure your friend is a really great person and their offer sounds very generous but having a fancy camera doesn’t ‘automagically’ make someone a professional photographer. While the advancements in digital technology have made photography much more accessible for people, it hasn’t changed the need to become proficient at things like exposure, lighting, composition, posing, and post-processing. Like any profession, photography is an art that takes years of experience to become proficient at. Weddings & live events are fast-moving events that often take place under challenging lighting situations. Chances are that your friend or family member doesn’t have backup equipment, lighting, or the range of professional lenses required in order to properly deal with these situations. Hobbyists and others offering inexpensive or free photography on sites like Kijiji are typically not your best choice when it comes to choosing a professional photographer. Your event is often a once-in-a-lifetime event and you should hire an experienced professional to tell your story. You probably wouldn’t hire someone to cater your wedding or bake your wedding cake just because they have a nice oven. You wouldn’t hire someone who enjoys gardening to design your floral arrangements. Why gamble on something like your photos? What if the images your friend or family member takes don’t turn out? Now you’re left without photographs from one of the most important days in your lives and you’ve likely ruined a friendship in the process. Let them relax and enjoy your event with you and leave the photography to the professionals.
All the planning in the world won’t help you if Mother Nature decides to deliver some nasty weather and you don’t have a backup plan. Make sure you have a backup plan that includes booking an indoor location for your photos and/or ceremony. One of the advantages of hiring us is that we have a beautiful loft space that our clients have used for their formals. It’s not a huge space but it’s big enough to accommodate groups of up to 12-14. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding ceremony, speak to the venue coordinator to see what they suggest as a backup location. In terms of other indoor locations for formal photographs, we’re happy to recommend some great locations but it is your responsibility to secure an indoor location. Many of the best indoor locations require you to pay a fee and they often book up pretty far in advance so make sure you secure your backup location as early as possible. If you’re working with a wedding planner, they can also suggest some venues for you as well. If the weather isn’t too bad, our gear can stand up to the cold and a bit of moisture provided you’re up for it. Wear appropriate footwear, bring along some nice umbrellas, and be prepared for your dress to get a little dirty. If you’re planning a winter wedding, make sure you & your bridal party dress appropriately. Warm boots, cute scarves, fur wraps, and matching mittens can make it more comfortable for everyone to stand out in the cold and they can look super cute in photographs. At the end of the day, if the weather was less than perfect, all you can do is just embrace the weather and make the best of the situation. As long as you’re having fun and are surrounded by friends and family, the photographs of your day will reflect that.
People often confuse personal printing rights with copyright. According to the Canadian copyright act, as the image creators, we retain the copyright to all of the photographs that we create. This just means that we retain the rights to use the images for marketing and promotion and that you would require our permission before any of the photos are altered, sold, published, or entered into any contests. Digital files include a personal use license which provides you with the right to print & share the photos as much as you’d like for your own personal use. If you have any questions though, just ask!
