FAQ’s
You've got questions and guess what...we've got answers! We know planning a wedding can be overwhelming and with each vendor you choose comes a mountain of questions that need to be answered so we've done our best to compile a list of frequently asked questions for your convenience. If you have other questions, feel free to contact us at photoray@photorayexperience.com.
General Questions
Q: Have you shot at my venue before?
A: We have shot at several venues, so there is a good chance that we have. However, if we have not, we will get to the venue early on the day of and be sure to perform a thorough walk-through to scout out the best photography locations. And when that is not possible, we also do extensive online research prior to your big day!
Q: Do you provide partial day coverage?
A: We typically do not provide partial day coverage on weekends. On weekends, we only accept clients that require at least 8 hours of coverage. In some cases, it is necessary to offer a custom option to suit the needs of our clients so please feel free to let us know if you're planning a wedding day that doesn't require the standard amount of photographic coverage.
Style and Quality Questions
Q: What is your photography style?
A: The Photoray team is acclaimed for developing a unique style of wedding photography that is deeply rooted in wedding photojournalism while influenced by documentary style, fine-art and fashion photography. We love using creative lighting, unique perspectives, angles, compositions and artistic post-production refining to bring out our clients personalities and beauty while telling their wedding story. We don't just focus on being photographers, but also focusing on creating unique and expressive imagery similar to an artist.
Q: My venue is very dark. How does your team handle these situations?
A: We have shot in the darkest of dark chapels and reception halls so no need to worry! If the situation allows, we will set up additional lighting to ensure we get focused pictures. Some chapels do not allow for flash photography; and for that reason, we shoot on camera’s with superb low-light performance and lenses with low apertures.
Post Production Questions
Q: Do you edit all the images in our online proof gallery?
A: Yes, your photos will be professionally color corrected, sharpened, cropped, etc. We also offer skin retouching and creative edits for an additional fee.
Q: Why is skin retouching and creative edits offered for an additional fee?
A: Advanced post-production includes retouches such as removal of blemishes, removal of bags under eyes, removal of fly-away hairs, etc. On the other hand, custom post production is anything that requires extensive, custom work in Photoshop such as removing entire objects from the scene, changing the size and shape of body parts or other objects in the scene, and other custom work. We charge hourly for the custom post production as the time required ranges depending on the complexity of the project. Please contact us for a quote for custom post production.
Wedding Day Questions
Q: Do you work with an assistant?
A: Yes, indeed. I have an assistant with me at every wedding to help with lighting, arrange portrait setups, carry equipment, basically the assistant helps with any and everything I need to help ensure a smooth and calm experience on your wedding day. The assistant is not the same as the second shooter. Also, if you need a good laugh, some random singing to help hype you up, or dance moves that is sure to spark the inner dancer in you then you'll be happy that my assistant was there because the two of us together means good clean fun to be had by all.
Q: How many hours do you suggest we set aside for wedding day photos?
A: Take a look at our Ideal Wedding Photography Timeline post to see a detailed breakdown of how much time you would need to have set aside for your wedding photos.
Q: I have downtime between my ceremony and reception on my wedding day. Will I be charged for that downtime?
A: For a variety of reasons, we may have to charge for the time in between events. The fact is, we’re never truly resting during the day, whether we’re backing up images, setting up for the second venue, traveling to the second location, taking venue shots, or making up for lost photo time because of unforeseen wedding day delays. In many cases, we use that “downtime” to take you and your new spouse out for a photo session or more family portraits.
Q: What happens if we go over the contracted amount of time?
A: We understand that not everything goes as planned during a wedding. We never pack up before the contracted time, and moreover we’re not leaving on the dot when the contracted time is up. Instead, we will ask you at the end of your contracted time whether or not you would like to extend. If you would like us to stay, we will charge the rates specified in your contract rounded to the closest 30-minute increment.
Q: Why do we need to charge for additional coverage?
A: We’ve dedicated the entire day to your wedding, so we won’t be racing off to catch other plans that evening. However, we need to charge for additional coverage primarily because there are costs of having the team stay for additional hours. The shooters and lighting assistants all require additional compensation. Furthermore, the additional photos taken will need to be post produced which adds to our overall costs.
Engagement Session questions
Q: When can we expect to see our photos from our engagement session?
A: Post production for engagement sessions are completed 1 to 2 weeks after the date of the session. If you require the images to be completed prior to two weeks after the date of the session, a rush process fee may be charged.
Q: When should we do our engagement session?
A: We encourage you to do your engagement session as soon as possible. The latest we suggest is at least ten weeks prior to the wedding date due to the time necessary to post produce each image (1-2 weeks) and complete your product order(s) (4 weeks).
Q: Can we schedule our engagement session for the weekend?
Because most weddings occur on weekends, we typically do not shoot engagement sessions on weekends unless our schedule allows. If you can only do your engagement session on a weekend, we can tentatively schedule your engagement session on a weekend, however, if a wedding is scheduled for that weekend later on, we will have to reschedule your engagement session. We also like to shoot on weekdays because locations are typically less crowded.
Q: How many images do you typically deliver from and engagement session? From a wedding?
We typically deliver anywhere from 40-50 images per 60 minute engagement session and for a wedding, we typically deliver 400-800 images depending on the wedding. Keep in mind these numbers may increase or decrease depending on the flow of the day and the number of events/activities needing to be captured.
Q: What is included in our engagement session?
Your engagement session is included as a complimentary gift in your wedding collection to allow us more time to get to know each other and basically have a trial run before the wedding day. That means that your engagement session doesn't include any digital files, prints or products, however you will have the opportunity to purchase any prints, products, and/or digital files from your session.
Albums, Prints, Books questions
Q: How long does it take to get my prints and/or album?
Product creation times vary, however, print orders will generally be completed within 2 weeks or less after the product order is submitted and you can typically expect to receive your album 4-6 weeks after placing the order. The process prior to placing your album order varies in duration depending on how quickly you respond to the instructions for the album design as well as the amount of changes you request after the initial designs. Some brides complete this within a month or two; others take over a year.
Similar to the post-production process, if you require rush processing, a fee of $100.00 will be charged. Additional fees for rush shipping may also apply.
Q: How many pages and images do we get in our wedding day album?
A: Our standard album contains 20 pages and 80+/- images. If you’d like to add more pages and images, each additional page can be added at additional cost and includes the design time/revisions.
Q: Do you provide framing services as well?
A: We do not provide framing services, however, we can provide you with recommendations on where to purchase and frame your images.
Image Download Questions and Legal Questions
Q: What size can we print our photos up to with our full resolution image download?
A: In most cases, you can print your photos up to 20×30 without any quality loss. If you’d like to print larger than 20×30, additional post-production will be required. For pricing on these services, please contact us.
Q: What rights do I have to the digital prints?
A: You have the right to reprint images whenever you want. However, you may not sell your images for profit or publish your images without the written consent of Photoray.
Q: What if I lose my images?
A: There is a $50 replacement charge for additional downloads after the wedding images have been archived. We strongly suggest you make at least one copy of the download when you receive it from us.
Business Insurance and Image Backup Questions
Q: Do you back up our images? How can we ensure that our images won’t be lost?
A: Yes, but we do not permanently archive them. Once you have received your USB (if included in your package), we recommend that you make a backup copy for yourself to store in safekeeping.
Q: Do you have liability insurance?
A: Yes. Many venues require the photographer to have Liability Insurance and we can provide a certificate of insurance upon request. Please give us at least 30 days notice.
Payment Questions
Q: How do I reserve you for my date?
A: All dates are reserved once we receive your signed contract and deposit.
Q: What if we exceed our contracted time for our engagement session and/or wedding day coverage?
A: Standard rates apply for overtime. Overtime is billed at the rate of $350/hour per Master Photographer and $100/hour per Associate Photographer.
Q: Is there an additional fee if we pay via credit card?
A: Yes. The retail adjustment fee for all credit card transactions is 3% of the charged amount.
Q: If we cancel the wedding, will we receive our reservation deposit back?
A: Unfortunately no. Reservation deposits are used to reserve your date. Once we’ve reserved your date, we do not accept new clients for your date.
Q: If we change our wedding to a different date, will we be able to use our retainer fee towards a future date?
A: Generally no, but this is taken on a case by case basis. The reason for canceling and our availability is taken into account. Also, if rates change from your original date to your new date, the new rates will apply.
Q: Are there travel fees associated with the engagement session and/or wedding day shoot(s)?
A: All travel expenses are based on the distance between your event location(s). All destinations beyond 100 miles round-trip will be negotiated and handled on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Do you offer any discounts on weekday weddings, Sunday weddings, or weddings during the off-season?
A: We do not offer discounts on Sunday weddings and off-season weddings. As you may know, these days wedding season can be almost year round. Because of that, we are shooting throughout the year. We also cannot offer discounts on weekday weddings as all of the costs (second shooter rates, etc.) associated with the wedding remain the same.