| What types of photography do you provide? |
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I specialize in event and portrait photography. I photograph all kinds of events
from weddings, engagement parties, bar and bat mitzvahs, birthday parties, and celebrations. I photograph engagement portraits, business portraits, children, newborns, couples, families and pets. Most of the questions on this page refer to wedding photography. If you have questions about a type of photography, please contact me.
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| Will we meet? How do we get started planning our wedding photography? |
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Yes, I would like to meet with you to review options, talk about your wedding and share more of my work with you.
Let's get a coffee and talk about your plans! Every wedding is different and I like to hear about what is really important to you.
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| Should I have one photographer or two? |
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There are many benefits to having a second photographer. You'll get many more photos, capture more moments and capture different moments, because one photographer can't be in two places at the same time. For example, one photographer is taking photos at the cocktail hour / beginning of the reception while the other photographer is doing portraits. If you have more than 100 guests, I especially recommend two photographers for thorough coverage.
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| How far will you travel for a wedding? What are your fees? |
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No distance is too far. I currently live in New York City, but, I am originally from the D.C. area and love to shoot weddings in both locations. If the the one-way travel time does not exceeds 1 hour from either NYC or Odenton, MD (near Fort Meade and BWI) there will be no travel fee. Otherwise, travel time is computed at $30 per hour.
If your event is further away, or is a destination wedding, all expenses incurred during travel such as tolls, hotels, airfare, etc., must be covered.
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| Will you check out the site of our event beforehand? |
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It is not necessary unless your reception or event is being held at an unusual venue. If you require a visit, please let me know and we can discuss. I believe a good photographer should be able to shoot anywhere!
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What kind of equiptment do you use? |
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As a photographer who is classically trained in the arts, I think my most important tools are my eyes and my heart.
In terms of gear, I shoot with a Nikon DSLR D700s as my primary and back up cameras (12.1-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor, assures professional image quality with low-noise, high-ISO performance). My camera features a dual memory card writer, which means that every picture I take is automatically saved on to two different memory cards. Your images are backed up from the second I shoot.
My primary lense is an 18-200 zoom lens, which alows me to go striaight from wide-angle to close up shots without missing a beat. I also use 35 and 50mm portrait lenses. I prefer natural light, but when it is unavialble I use professional hot-shoe mount flashes: SB-700 and SB-900 speedlights.
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| What is your philosophy about wedding photography? |
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My goal is to create beautiful photographs that tell your story and capture special moments. After the dress has been worn, the vows have been said and the cake has been eaten, your memories of your wedding are what you keep forever. I want to record your wedding in a way that you will continue to cherish through every anniversary. I feel so lucky to be able to do something I love and document the joy of your wedding day.
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| What is photojournalistic photography? |
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Photojournalism is a style that captures real moments as they unfold and tell your story. Rather than posed portraits, studio, or directed photography, this style is about being unobtrusive, candid and real.
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| What do you wear to photograph a wedding? |
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My goal is to look professional and blend in. I wear black pants and a neutral or dark top. If you have specific requests for attire, please let me know in advance so I can try to accomodate themes, colors or traditional styles.
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| Do you eat during the reception? |
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Yes, I will need a short break to eat. I usually eat when you are eating at the reception (no one really wants to have photos of their mouth full anyway!). It is customary to provide vendors with a meal during the wedding. If you cannot provide a meal for me at your reception/event, please let me know ahead of time and I will plan a brown bag lunch. Some couples have generoulsy offered to have me sit at one of the main dinning tables. Althoguh this is very kind, I preffer to eat quickly behind the scenes so that I can quickly get back to the action. I do not have any food allergies.
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| Do you drink alcohol at weddings? |
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No, never, just water and sometimes coffee.
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| Can you work in dim light or by candlelight? Indoors and outdoors? |
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Yes, I am experienced in all kinds of shooting situations. I use a flash indoors and in dark locations. Please be aware that your church may have regulations about how I can use my equipment.
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| When do you recommend shooting the portraits? |
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It's up to you and is something we can determine together. Just make sure you allow enough time to get all the shots you want. I will be happy to help you plan your timing. Depending on the number of people, I recommend around 30 minutes for groups and 30 minutes just for the couple. Portraits can be set up all at once or split into different time segments. If you want your hair and make-up to look best, try planning as many portraits as you can early in the day. When you plan your schedule you may want to consider doing a first look.
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| What is a first look? |
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A first look is one of the biggest new trends in weddings and refers to a couple choosing to see each other before the wedding ceremony. I love when couples choose to have a first look and here's why...
You can take control of this very special moment and make it only about the two of you. I know some people think it takes away from the tradition and that's okay--the first look is not for you. But, if you want to be able to see each other, tell each other how amazing you look and ease your nerves with a quiet moment together before the ceremony, then the first look might be a great choice. Think about walking down the aisle and seeing each other for the first time, you are so caught up with emotions and then, as you reach the end of the aisle, you go straight into the ceremony. With a first look, you can savor the moment and share it with words and affection.
I think it works best when the groom waits for the bride with his back turned. The bride then walks towards the groom and either turns when she calls his name or waits for her to tap him on the shoulder.
Another great benefit of a first look is that it offers a much easier schedule for family pictures and cocktail hour. If a couple has already seen each other then there is no reason why we can't plan for family pictures and/or bridal party pictures to take place before the ceremony, when your make-up is fresh and your hair is perfect. Plus, your family and friends, and possibly even the bride and groom, can enjoy the cocktail hour!
Whether you decide to do a first look or not, be sure to do whatever feels right for you and will make you happiest.
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| What are formals and how many do I need? |
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"Formals" is another way to say posed portaits. These are large group, family and bridal party pictures. You can do as many or as few of these as you want. They can be traditional or non-traditional. Decide what you and your family will truly value and how you want to spend your time. Some couples don't do any formals and some have long lists. Be sure to have enough time for your portraits, including casually posed group shots and ones of just the two of you.
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| What if you get sick and can't come to the wedding? |
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I have never missed a wedding! If I am too ill or injured to work, I have arrangements with several other photographers who have similar styles and can step in for me in the very unlikely event that I cannot attend.
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| When should we have our engagement photos taken? |
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Anytime! Some couples wait for a particular season to make the most of spring's flowers or fall's changing leaves. I can also recommend some area locations I think are particularly nice. If you plan to use your pictures for a save-the-date announcement, be sure you plan enough time to have your printing done. If you want to submit newspaper annoucements, check with your publication of choice for individual deadlines and policies. Click here for a ton of great info to plan your engagement session.
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| How long will it take until we get our pictures/albums? |
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I will mail your CD/DVD to you within 2-3 weeks. Albums will take about 1-2 months to be designed, reviewed by you, printed and shipped.
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| What will the album look like? |
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I design a beautiful custom 12 x 12 inch book using your top 100 photos from the wedding. The album is book-store quality using premium 100-pound silk-finish paper with a cover image printed directly on the hardcover, creating a sophisticated effect and a durable matte finish. I will show you a digital draft of your album before it is sent to print. Please ask me about samples. A 7 x 7 inch companion book is also available for family members.
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| Can I make my own prints from the CD/DVD? |
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Yes, you can print as many copies as you like. I can recommend some photography labs for the best printing.
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| Do I own the copyright to my pictures? |
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You own rights to print as many copies as you want, but you don't actually own the copyright. The copyright to any photograph stays with the person who took the picture. Transferring copyright ownership of a piece of artwork is a very complex legal process. However, you will have the digital negatives on DVD or CD for your own personal use. This information is also in your contract.
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| Do you edit the photos? |
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Yes, your photos will be delivered on a disc broken down into 4 folders - getting ready, ceremony, reception and favorites. Any photos with closed eyes or blurred focus will be edited out so that you only receive quality images. Within the favorites folder you will see all of my preselected favorite images, some with minor retouching and some in black and white. If there are any photos you decide you would like in black and white, just let me know.
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| Are you able to do retouching? |
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Yes, I have a very strong graphic design background and can do anything you like - fix a stray hair, remove a blemish, remove a wrinkle in your dress, make the sky blue, cover up a fire hydrant, add or remove someone from a photo, create a vintage look, adjust color, crop, combine several large group photos to create one where everyone looks great, etc. Most retouching is about $30 per photo depending on the complexity.
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| Do you save copies of our photographs? |
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I do backup all of my work and photographs, however as soon as I deliver the disc of images to you they become your property and responsibility. Please save and backup your images. |
