You may well be asking why there’s a need for wedding photography FAQs? Surely you just rock up, take loads of photos then say ciao until the pictures are delivered, right? Well, like many things in life, it’s not quite that straightforward - although I pride myself on ensuring dealing with me is kept as simple as possible.

Given your wedding photographer will likely be documenting one of the most important days of your lives, alongside all your favourite people in the whole world, it probably makes sense to find out as much as you can about what they do, how they do it and what you can expect from them. So here goes…

Miniature bride and groom next to cupcakes taken at William Cecil Hotel

How would you describe your photography style?

Some people desire a Vogue-style photoshoot at their wedding and are happy to spend a considerable amount of time with their photographer being directed and posed at various locations throughout the day. Others might want a less intrusive approach and prefer a more emotive set of pictures which aim to capture the essence and heart of their unique celebration. My perspective is:

I’m at a wedding, not a photoshoot
It’s not about me, it’s about you and your story
I aim to record the reality of the day, not fabricate fake smiles
The gallery you receive from me will showcase genuine memorable moments that reflect exactly how you felt on the day

If this resonates with you, then I’m pretty sure we’d be a good fit.

Do you take group photos?

As you can probably guess by now, I primarily document rather than dictate. However, I will happily allocate a portion of your wedding day to photograph groups of close family and friends as these can be important keepsakes in the years to come. Most weddings I photograph will include a big group photo of everyone and then up to 8-10 family formals which we will have agreed upon in advance for the sake of efficiency on the day. I know it sounds crazy, but it really does take about 3 minutes on average to gather people together for each group photo, which is why it’s worth limiting the overall number to no more than ten so you’re not kept away from your Champagne for too long!

And what about posed ‘couple’ portraits?

Immediately after the group photos, your guests will likely be frantically trying to find either the loo or the bar (and quite possible both)! It’s at this point when, should you so wish, we can spend 15-20 mins or so away from the crowds to take a few shots of you having some quiet or reflective time together. Again, my philosophy is to let you decide how you’d like this part of your day captured, so it might be just a gentle stroll through some pretty gardens or running piggy back through wheat fields! The only other time I might suggest escaping from your guests is during ‘golden hour’. This is the period just before sunset which, if weather allows, can produce a lovely, warm, romantic tone to your photographs. However, I never forget it’s your wedding, so it goes your way.

How do I get my photos?

Your beautiful photographs will be saved in an online gallery allowing you to view, download and print all your pictures. You can also share a link with your family and friends so they’re able to enjoy your photos too. You will be able to download your pictures in both original high-resolution (perfect for printing or archiving) and web-size (great for emailing or sharing on social media). In my opinion, some pictures just seem to look better in black & white – I’m thinking groom prep photos in particular. However, I don’t think it’s fair that I be the arbiter of which pictures get delivered in black & white or colour, which is why you will receive an entire set of photos edited in both styles.

How long will I wait before receiving my photos?

Your gallery link will be sent to you within 6 weeks of your wedding. I can honestly say I have NEVER taken this long to deliver a gallery and my workflow ensures I don’t keep my couples waiting ages for their photos to arrive, so 6 weeks really will be worst-case scenario. But rest-assured, I don’t rush things and firmly believe that quality is more important than speed.

How many pictures will I receive?

Now this is a tricky question, because there’s no hard and fast rules as it depends on a variety of factors such as the venue, number of guests, weather and, of course, how long I’m hired for. As an approximate rule-of-thumb you can expect around 50 photos per hour which equates to about 500 images on a typical full day wedding.

Can you help us with the timeline of our wedding day?

Much of the art of documenting a wedding is being in the right place at the right time. Around a month before your wedding I’ll send you a short questionnaire which will help us map out the running order of your day and mean I won’t have to ask you loads of questions when you should be having fun with your guests. Most weddings can be broken down into a series of events such as prep, ceremony, confetti, group pictures, couple portraits, drinks reception, speeches, cake cutting, first dance and so on. Knowing when these events are scheduled to happen and where, ensures I can record the entire story of your wedding exactly as it unfolds. I pretty much only put my camera down when you and your guests are having a sit-down meal (photos of people eating is rarely a good look) but the rest of the time I’ll be there documenting the key events mentioned above alongside all the meaningful moments in between.

Can you provide wedding albums?

I sure can and I use who I consider the best album producer in the business to make them for you (these are definitely not mass-produced photobooks). As they are fully bespoke items in terms of cover finishes (linen or leather) and number of pages needed, they’re costed separately. Feel free to check out my album page here or drop me an email at hello@ginozisa.com for a brochure.

Do we need a second photographer?

In most cases, probably not. However, if it’s a big wedding (over 120 guests) or split into different locations, then it might be worth including a second photographer in your package to ensure there’s complete coverage of your entire day. Any pictures taken by the second shooter will still be edited by me to ensure the colours and tones remain entirely consistent with my own.

Do we need to feed you?

You don’t have to but it would be greatly appreciated. Photographing a 10 hour wedding consumes a lot of calories, so it would be amazing if I could also refuel at same time as you and your guests. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy and most venues can provide great value ‘supplier’ meals that will keep me going until well after the first dance!

What if disaster strikes and your equipment breaks or you get sick?

Thankfully, neither of these scenarios have ever happened to me, but part of being a professional photographer is having contingency measures in place. I carry two cameras with me at all times and leave another in the car. I also carry spare lenses, flashes, batteries and memory cards plus a change of clothes. It may seem like overkill, but I honestly wouldn’t feel comfortable or at ease documenting a once-in-a-lifetime event without this level of backup. I’m also a member of a wedding photographer group that allows me to call upon other superb professionals in your area who shoot in a similar style to mine. I’d still be responsible for editing the images, so your gallery will receive exactly the same processing, care and attention as any wedding I’d have photographed myself.

Are you insured?

Most definitely. All professional wedding photographers will have public liability and professional indemnity insurance. Some venues may also want to see proof of insurance, so if that’s the just let me know and I can provide a certificate.

How far in advance do we need to book?

Most weddings happen at weekends between May and September. That’s a pretty narrow window and many wedding photographers get fully booked up during this period several years in advance. I also refrain from shooting back-to-back weddings on consecutive days as I’ve found I simply can’t perform optimally when I’ve been working upwards of 12 hours the day before. Therefore, it’s really important not to delay. Please get in touch via my contact page to check my availability and avoid disappointment.

Great, how do we book you?

The booking process is straightforward, but first, PLEASE get in touch with me here or at hello@ginozisa.com to check I’m available on your chosen wedding date. If I am, great, we can then schedule a little chat to discuss your day and, assuming we get on like a house on fire, I’ll email you a link to your contract which you can sign online. Then once I’ve received a deposit I’m booked! Once booked, I’ll lie low for a while (although always available to answer any questions you may have) until about 1 month before your wedding when I’ll send you a short questionnaire to nail down all the timings and locations and request the balance to be paid.

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Posts tagged with Wedding-photography-FAQs

Wedding Photography FAQs