all the qs.
you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.
we understand finding a wedding photographer is such a personal decision. and making sure we’re all on the same page is super important to us. we try our darnedest to put out all the information you may need, or not even know you need, on our site. so please take your time looking through this, because we just want to be on your team. and if we happen to miss anything don’t hesitate to ask!
basics.
a wedding day allows us to switch back and forth between being flies on the wall to being the director of the show. we really lean into allowing moments to happen organically and fluidly, not trying to ruin a real moment by asking you to “do it again” or make you laugh on cue or having you fake something. we believe in telling the story of the day which includes getting all the big memorable moments and also the small, quiet, unseen ones. then when it’s time to hold the reins, we make sure to direct you while still allowing for real moments to happen. we like to say that our style is a mix of photo journalism with an editorial edge, which sounds like a hot mess but we like to think we pull it off.
yes we are both taking photos. together we started this business and from day one have worked alongside each other. with both of us shooting we bring two different viewpoints while creatively syncing together. Kathrina brings the high energy and vision. while Joe brings the calm and finds the quiet beauty. we balance each other out and work together harmoniously.
initially we were kind of surprised when inquiring couples asked if we were comfortable with shooting their wedding that had over 150 guests. short answer: YES.
long answer: we’ve photographed weddings with 300 guests. although we do specialize in small weddings, we also photograph a lot of weddings with over 100+ guests. we realized people asked us this because our approach, whether you have zero guests or hundreds, is to photograph personal. a lot of weddings we have posted on our website have over 100 guests but you may not be able to tell because we take on an intimate look at your wedding.
so yeah, we’re okay with this misconception that we only photograph small weddings but just know that if it’s the right fit, we are most definitely comfortable with larger weddings as well.
each year is a little different but right now we’d say anywhere between 10 to 20 weddings a year. we’ve always wanted to be able to give our couples the best experience and to create without feeling like we’re just going through the motions. we value connecting with our couples and taking on less allows us to do so.
we get this all the time. 99% of the people we photograph are not used to having their photos taken, we understand that. most of the people we photograph are not sure what to do in front of the camera. the people you see smiling, laughing, and even working the camera, in our photos most likely told us they were camera shy. it’s our job to get you comfortable and to get you moving and grooving. as long as you embrace the experience, trust us to do our job.
most of the places we’ve photographed are new to us. and honestly, we love that. but regardless if we’ve shot there before or not we are always trying to see places with fresh eyes. we’re not trying to shoot the same thing for every couple. we’re always hunting out different corners we can take photos at or trying to capture something differently. so whether or not we are familiar with a place doesn’t really matter to us. your day is unique to you and we treat your photos the same.
thank you for asking but we do not do site visits. it’s different for us versus those who need to see how they can design the space, where they can place things, etc. we can’t anticipate how lighting will be the day of your wedding and or recreate a moment months in advance. we don’t plan out specific shots because things will be different on your wedding day. we do do our homework though and look up the venue beforehand and always make sure to arrive early on the day of so that we can scout out the place to get ideas.
yes. if your venue is requesting that don’t worry we have that covered. just let us know and we’ll send over a certificate of insurance.
can we tell you a secret? we love when the weather switches it up and it’s foggy or windy, or ::gasp:: raining. we always encourage embracing whatever the weather ends up being like. we can play and shoot in any type of light and are comfortable doing so. if the weather throws us a curveball, it’s all part of the experience! of course if the weather is a chance of meatballs and can potentially damage our gear we can absolutely reschedule or postpone.
absofreakinglutely. look we know planning a wedding is overwhelming, thinking about your session is a lot. it’s not everyday you do these things. know that we are not a hire-us-and-you-won’t-hear-from-us-again-until-the-day-of kind of photographers. we are on the journey with you. we can help brainstorm locations, send vendor referrals, give honest opinions, share our knowledge with you. we have lots of info and opinions to share. we are here for you.
photos.
we like to think our photos are slightly reminiscent of film photos. with a little warmth and some moodiness to it. while we try to keep our edits consistent, every day and moment is different—with lighting (both natural and artificial), skin tones, backgrounds, outfit colors, all of that and so much more affects how a photo comes out. we keep it minimal with a punch, because our photos are still our art.
between both of us shooting, trust us, you get a lot. because it’s never just about one-photo-and-done for us, or getting only the big moments. we’re getting all the moments, big and small, the unseen, the in betweens, we are always shooting.
so there’s no set number of photos we send out, every wedding and session is different. on average we say about 80-ish images per hour-ish (real technical). we believe in quality over quantity but let’s just put it this way, no one has ever complained to us that they didn’t receive enough. if anything they’re usually pleasantly surprised at how many photos they have received.
we upload all your images onto your own personal online gallery where you can download the high res and web res (perfect for social media) files. you’ll also be able to send family and friends the photos for them to view and download. plus you can order prints through your gallery from a lab that we trust and offers quality products.
for weddings we typically say 4-6 weeks. for sessions about 2-4 weeks. trust us, we work hard on getting them to you asap while not rushing through them. once we’re done with them we’ll upload all the photos onto your gallery first and send you the link so you can view them right away.
no.
we never give those out. editing your photos is half the magic and process and a reason why you chose us. without it the work would be half done. we lovingly go through each file and make sure they look good.
in the words of Kendrick Lamar we are “so sick and tired of the photoshop.” we are not photoshoppers, we are photographers. we believe in making you feel good and comfortable in front of our cameras, just as you are. if you have a blemish or if there’s something in the background that’s distracting then yes we will, otherwise we like you just the way you are. truly.
short answer: yes. long answer: yes, absolutely!
our cameras have dual sd slots creating backups as we shoot, and after that we back up the files onto multiple external hard drives while it backs up on to the cloud. backups of backups of backups.
so, yes.
add on options.
tell us what you’re planning for your day and we can give our advice on how many hours we think would be enough to cover everything you want with enough time to create photos together as well. our intention is always to make the best use of our time and make sure you’re getting the most of your investment in photography.
please know that every wedding is different and that is why we like to discuss your plans to give a more custom answer to your day. but to give an overall idea about coverage, typically we start with about an hour left of getting ready and then we end about 30 minutes after the dance floor has opened.
our collections start with a base amount of hours, after that you can customize the package to what fits best for your day.
we always work with you on the schedule beforehand to make sure we are making best use of our time and are able to get the photos we need and want for you within the coverage you choose; but just know that it’s super easy to add additional hours if need be.
our wedding collections are based on the area where your wedding is located. if your wedding and/or session requires overnight stay, is out of state, or out of the country then travel accommodations may be required—which may include any of the following: lodging, flights, and transportation for two. if your wedding and or session requires travel we will discuss this in more detail so that we are all on the same page.
we are primarily digital photographers. HOWEVER, we do offer film add on options ::throws confetti::
because it’s California law. and although we are all about breaking “wedding rules”, we run a legit business paying our taxes. you know when you save up money for those boots you’ve been lusting over and when you pay you see the total is more because of sales tax. you were expecting it, you knew it would happen, it sucks but what do you do? you pay it. because you know it’s the law and there’s nothing you can do about it. please understand that sales tax is just us following California law and not us making a profit, it goes straight to the government.
most definitely. if you need time to decide on any of the add on options you can easily just let us know once you figure that out.
yes please! we set it up so that through your own personal online gallery you can view your photos, download the images, share photos with family and friends, AND order prints. we’ve chosen a local photo lab that we trust and will deliver quality prints.
oh yes! just like photo prints, we set up your personal online gallery so that you can also order an album directly from there. if you prefer for us to design the album we also offer that for an extra fee.
no, we only focus on photography. if you’d like referrals for videographers that we have worked with before and have gotten along with, we are happy to refer them to you!
booking.
couples typically reach out to us up to a year and a half to as late as a month before! we prefer not to book over a year in advance but if it feels right and you’re ready then we are more than happy to do so. communication is key for us, if you’re interested in our work reach out to us and we can go from there.
first let’s chat and make sure we’d make a good team! if all goes well then to make things official we require a 50% nonrefundable retainer (full payment for sessions only) with your signed contract to hold the date. the remaining balance is due 4 weeks before your wedding day. if you want a different pay schedule just let us know and we’ll work with you on that.
Zelle, check, or Venmo. (and don’t worry this will all be outlined in the contract!)
misc.
joe. rhymes with go, no, doh!
you mean kathrina. it’s kaTH-reena. rhymes with math…reena. call her katrina or katherine and…she’ll still respond. but she won’t be happy about it!
yes, yes he is.
anything else?
didn’t get your question answered here? just ask us! we are always happy to answer questions and or clarify anything. ready to talk more?