He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. isaiah 61:3

Questions & Answers~

How long does it take to receive our pictures?

Wedding~
You will receive your disc of digital negatives and online gallery within 2 weeks after your wedding date. You will receive any products- prints, gallery wraps, wall portraits, DVD slideshow (excluding albums) 2 weeks after you choose your favorites for these products. You will receive your album(s) 4 weeks after you choose your favorites this product. (It will take approximately a month and half from your wedding date for you to receive your album, and 1 month to receive all other products, if you're quick about choosing your favorites). If your package includes a proof book, you will receive it 2 weeks after your wedding date.

Engagement/Family/Maternity/Senior Portraits~
Your online gallery and/or disc of digital negatives will be available 7 days after your shoot.

How long do we have to choose our prints?

Wedding and all other portraits~
You have six months to choose your favorite images for your products. Online galleries will be available for 90 days. After six months I will choose images to complete your album/prints/etc to satisfy our contract. I'm always open to extenuating circumstances -just let me know!

How long do you store our files?

I will keep your digital files for my lifetime.

What forms of payment do you accept?

Wedding and all other portraits~
I primarily handle billing through Paypal. There is no charge to you for using the Paypal service to pay me. You can pay through Paypal using a credit or debit card. I also accept money orders and personal checks on the contingency that your check clears before I send any products (which could result in a delay of delivery).

Do you require a deposit?

Wedding~
Yes. A deposit is required when you book your date. The deposit amount is half of your total package price or $300 if you choose an A La Carte pay per an hour option. The deposit is applied to the cost of your package or A La Carte preference. The deposit is refundable if you cancel 6 months prior to your wedding date. If there is a cancellation after 6 months, the deposit will only be refunded if I can book the date.

Engagement/Family/Maternity/Senior Portraits~
Half of your total price is due upon booking, the remainder is payable on the day of your portraits but must be received before the delivery of any products or posting of online gallery.

How are our payments broken down?

Wedding~
Upon booking your date your deposit is due (see above). The remainder of your payment is due on the date of your wedding, and must be received before the delivery of any products or posting of online gallery.

Do you charge a fee for travel?

There is no charge for travel within Tuolumne county. Travel to anywhere in Calaveras county is a flat fee of $15. I will happily travel anywhere within California for a fee of $0.63 (sixty-three cents) per each mile outside of zip code 95370. For destinations outside of California, please contact me for an estimate.

How much time should we devote to photography on our wedding day?

I am always open to the time you have to make it work! I have found, however, that devoting a certain amount of time yields the best pictures and more variety to choose from. That preference is: beginning an hour and a half before the ceremony begins I will photograph the bride alone with her ladies for a half and hour. An hour before the ceremony I will photograph the groom alone with his men for a half hour, leaving a half hour for the men to greet guests and the women to add finishing touches. After the ceremony, depending on the amount of group portraits the couple requests, photography can take an hour to 1.5 hours. This is certainly variable. Of this time, 30-40 minutes should be spent photographing the bride and groom alone.

What style do you associate with?

Wedding~
My style changes as your day progresses. For full coverage, I will photograph the whole day. As you prepare, I shoot photojournalistically, interfering very little, and photographing moments and details as they occur. Photojournalistic moments are usually printed in black and white, and you have the option to do so. When everyone is dressed, I shoot traditionally setting up posed shots of the bride alone, and with her ladies, and the groom alone and with his men. I shoot the ceremony photojournalistically. I shoot the family and group shots traditionally. Finally, I shoot the bride and groom alone romantically meaning that I will set up these shots, but they will appear as if you have been caught in a moment, rather then posed. I shoot the reception photojournalistically.

Engagement/Family/Maternity/Senior Portraits~
My style lends itself towards fashion with a vintage edge.

Do you offer any post processing styles?

Wedding and all other portraits~
Yes! Many traditional film and developing styles are beautifully emulated using Photoshop. Some popular post processing styles are as follows:
Traditional Black and White or Sepia (brown tint)
Specifially Toned: Toning one part of an image in color while leaving the rest in black and white.
Inifrared Film: Creates an etheral, glowing effect. Works best for outdoor images where there is a lot of foliage.
Watercolor or Oil Painted images: (looks best on gallery wrap canvas-like a real painting!)

What to Wear and Bring~

Engagement:
This may be your first chance to portray who you are as a couple, so let's brainstorm together on how to make your shoot uniquely you. Think about the things you like to do together, how you met, how he proposed and ask yourselves if you would like those things portrayed in your pictures. Feel free to bring along anything to help tell the story! Here are a few things to remember when picking out clothing: bring AT LEAST two outfits (if not more, so I can help you choose on location if we need to), one casual and one a little more formal. Ladies, it's usually best to have some pictures of you in a dress ( I love summery sun dresses for these!) and also a jeans outfit. You may also want to consider having your hair down for some and up for some. Make sure both of you have something on your lips, even if it's just chapstick, it makes all the difference. Try to avoid clothing that doesn't match in shade (ie, one person in white and the other in black), try to match color tones. Avoid clothing with large prints. Ladies, applying make-up slightly darker then usual photographs nicely and is recommended. If you would like to use these images for invitations, lets talk about it so we can get images that work within your color scheme and style!

Senior Portraits:
This shoot is about who you are. Think about how you want to be remembered by your graduating class. Feel free to bring things that resemble what you like to do (ie sports equipment, instruments). Bring your favorite pair of jeans. Ladies, I love the way accessories add interest to a photo, so feel free to bring what you love. Also ladies, applying make-up slightly darker then usual photographs nicely and is recommended. Both guys and gals, try to avoid large prints and wear something on your lips, even if it's just chapstick. If you have an idea, write it down so you don't forget, or tear pictures from catalogues or magazines so we can recreate the feel.

Families & Groups:
Try to match clothing by shade. Your clothing doesn't necessarily have to be the same color, but you shouldn't mix clothing of extreme light and dark (i.e. don't have some people in white and some people in black). Try to avoid large prints on clothing and sleeveless tops. Also, make sure everyone has something on their lips, even if it's just chapstick, it makes all the difference! Ladies, applying make-up a slightly darker then usual photographs nicely and is recommended. Feel free to bring along the family pet, or anything you that your family likes to do together (ie fishing poles, books, etc...).

Maternity:
Think ahead about how much you want to reveal. Do you want to do belly shots? Bring your favorite maternity outfit. Other ideas are a solid color men's button down shirt with jeans, and also a tube top (for belly shots). You may also want to bring some of the things you've received in preparation for the baby, such as stuffed animals, or baby shoes. Try to avoid large prints, always have something on your lips even if it's just chapstick, and apply make-up slightly darker then usual.