WE ANSWER ALL YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS
What the faq?
What kind of gear do you use?
We use full-frame professional bodies & lenses, along with an assortment of lights and doodads. And yes, we bring back-up equipment for everything.
Do you carry liability insurance?
Yes.
How is your travel fee calculated?
Events taking place outside of NYC and Northern NJ will incur a travel fee, typically covering accommodations and/or transportation (gas, tolls, airfare, car rental, etc). If you're unsure, feel free to contact us and we'll be happy to provide you with an estimate.
Can we skip the engagement session?
You're free to do whatever you'd like! Because it is a complimentary service we provide, there are no cost-savings we can offer clients who wish to skip the session altogether.
Can we hire you for the engagement session only?
Of course! And we would be happy to deduct the cost of this session from your wedding photography package if you decide to book your wedding with us in the future.
How do you handle reschedules for engagement sessions?
We allow clients to reschedule their engagement sessions up to 2 times (so 3 dates total) for any reason (literally, any reason) before the engagement session is forfeited. Any reschedules that occur after the 3rd cancellation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
How are permits handled?
Most private properties, parks and landmarks will require permits of some kind, and clients are responsible for securing these permits before the engagement session or wedding day.
What if we only want 8 hours of coverage? Can we use the leftover time for something else?
The rate you see is my daily rate, capped at 10 hours. And there's a 99.99999% chance we're going to use all of it!
Can we book you for more than 10 hours?
Overtime coverage is considered on a case-by-case basis, and will be based on our availability. The good news is that we are usually able to document all of your deliverable images well within those 10 hours of coverage.
Will you scout our venue/locations before hand?
We'll generally do some online scouting to see what's available at your venue/location(s), and if time permits, we'll do some scouting on the day of as well. The trouble with scouting locations in advance is that shooting conditions may be different between the scouting time and the wedding day (lighting, weather, season, etc). If there are any specific features at your venue/location that you'd like us to use, please let us know and we'll accommodate those requests as best we can.
Do we have to feed you?
While you are not required to feed us, a warm meal is always appreciated. We definitely don't want to pass out on the dance floor! If a warm meal is not provided on-site, we'll simply take a 30-45 minute break off-site to find something to eat. Our time spent off-site will be determined by how far we are from the nearest restaurant. We would not be responsible for any missed photos during this time.
Can we give you a shot list?
For family formals, yes. For obscure details (like a piece of your grandma's wedding dress patched inside your dress) and ceremony formalities that could be easily missed, sure! But for everything else - that's probably not a good idea, because copying other people's work is a huge no-no!
Our ceremony space/venue has many restrictions; will this be an issue?
That won't be a problem. It's their house, and their rules. As long as YOU are aware of these rules as well, know that we'll 100% be abiding by them.
How many photographers will be providing coverage on the wedding day?
Always two. Barring a tragic catastrophe, Ben always guarantees his presence for your event.
What if there is an emergency?
Between our 3 wedding photography brands, we have a total of 6 qualified lead photographers who could step up should the need arise.
What if you got sick, died, or joined a traveling circus?
We work really hard to avoid any of those 3 scenarios. But nevertheless, we have access to a huge (and I mean, HUGE) network of local talented colleagues whom we're also honored to call our friends. You won't be left hanging - promise :).
How many images will we receive?
A typical wedding will generally yield anywhere between 70-90 images/shooting hour, There are many things that couples can do to increase their image yield, which can be found here:
How soon can we get our images?
We guarantee delivery within 16 weeks of your event date, but we typically deliver them within 8-12 weeks (or sooner, depending on time of year). Engagement sessions are guaranteed in 6 weeks, but we typically them deliver around 3-4 weeks.
How will we receive our images?
Our clients will receive a private online gallery, where they may view/share/order their images. You can also download the full resolution files through this gallery as well.
Can we get the raw files?
No. This would be like going into a restaurant's kitchen and asking the cook for the ingredients so you can make your own meal. We have a professional responsibility to provide our clients with a finished product; nothing less, and possibly a whole lot more.
Do we get the copyright release?
Yes. Non-studio clients (weddings, elopements, engagement sessions, and family sessions) will all receive a copyright release for their images, which will allow them to make prints/albums on their own. Studio clients will receive a copyright release with their print/album purchase(s).
We're on a really tight budget. can you offer us any discounts?
No. We have a professional responsibility to keep our pricing consistent with all of our clients.
How long will you hold our date?
We'll hold your date for a week while you look over the contract details. Nothing is guaranteed until we receive a signed contract and retainer. Our availability is determined on a first come-first served basis.
How far in advance should we book you?
Our schedules are typically booked up 12-18 months in advance.
We're very private people, and would like to keep our photos private. Is there any way we document our wedding day without signing the model release?
Our ability to obtain new clients relies heavily on search engines and social media. If a client found us and wishes to hire us, there's a very good chance that they've already viewed our work online and determined we're exactly what they're looking for - a benefit they can now enjoy because past clients were willing to pay it forward. So unfortunately, the short answer is "no".
Pretty please? You already have so much portfolio to share already - certainly keeping one wedding private wouldn't hurt!
While there may be a ton of photographers out there in the universe who may agree to endorsing an NDA, we just don't happen to be one of them. If you'd like to keep your wedding images private, there's certainly nothing wrong with that. This would simply be a simple case of square pegs and round holes, that's all :).
