Jenkins Photography – FAQ’s
Table of Contents1) How much do weddings cost?
2) Do you have small wedding plans under $1,000?
3) Do you use digital or film cameras?
4) How does the quality of digital compare to film?
5) How do you describe your style of photography?
6) How do you handle B&W?
7) Do you shoot an unlimited number of digital images?
8) Why are digital plans as expensive and film plans?
9) How long after the wedding can we view our images?
10) Are full resolution digital “negatives” available?
11) How long before the album is completed?
12) Do you have a contract and photograph planner?
13) If the wedding is cancelled, what happens to our payments?
14) Do you work by yourself or with an assistant?
15) Who will photograph my wedding if something happens to you?
16) How do I find the “right” photographer for my wedding?
Questions and Answers
Dear Bride and Groom:
At no time in history have photographers been able to offer you more wonderful options for the events surrounding your wedding, whether it be for the engagement and bridal or the wedding day ceremony and celebration. Because there are so many options, it may be confusing at first. Having been in the business of photographing weddings for over 20 years, I would like to simplify your search for a photographer and share with you some of the most frequently asked questions and concerns from the couples who interview me as well as other information that you need to know.
1) How much do your weddings cost?
It varies depending on the following:
* How many hours do you need your photographer on your wedding day?
Ideally, you should include 1-1/2 hours before the ceremony.
* How many photographic services do you want included in your wedding
plan (engagement, bridal, album(s), etc.)?
* What is your budget for wedding related photography?
My first contact with my clients should be by telephone. This gives me the opportunity to learn more about you and your special day so that I can make appropriate suggestions.
2) Do you have plans under $1,000 for small weddings?
Yes. My Ala Carte Weddings give you the flexibility to custom design within a limited budget for up to three hours of coverage at one location.
3) Do you use digital or film cameras?
Most of my work is by digital capture now because I can give you an “unlimited” number of images from which to choose, easily convert them to B&W, add designer borders, and fix imperfections such as skin blemishes in your selections. Most labs are scanning negatives now and printing them digitally so you are actually receiving digital images even though the image was originally film generated. Film coverage is by request.
4) How does the quality of digital compare to film?
It compares very well. The quality of a great film generated photograph depends on the same principles as a great photograph generated by digital capture. The skill of the photographer in artistry, the mastery of lighting and equipment, and a reliable lab are all paramount issues regardless of the source of image capture. In the case of digital, the photographer needs a high degree of computer mastery and considerable skill in the photo software industry standard, Adobe Photoshop. When you can see beautiful photographs from film and digital sitting side by side in the same size and not be able to tell which camera system produced them, then your choice is based on preference and the skill of the photographer, not because one camera system is better than the other.
5) How do you describe your style of photography?
I do a mixture of traditional and photojournalistic (candid) images. These are the two main current styles and a number of variations exist on these. The traditional shots are more formal and are usually posed images in color of the wedding couple with family members. Photojournalism is the new term for capturing spontaneious images. These are the fun, unposed shots of you and your family and friends having fun helping you celebrate your special day. Photojournalistic images can be made in both color and B&W, although B&W is very popular now. The percentage of traditional to photojournalistic images or the combination of color and B&W can be adjusted to your artistic preference.
6) How do you handle B&W?
Images by digital capture make wonderful B&W’s as well as brown tone prints.
A good mixture of color traditionals and photojournalistic B&W’s can be done very successfully. Digital images are recorded in the camera in color and are converted later to B&W. Let me know before the wedding day how much and at what part of the event that you want B&W. I can convert some or all images to B&W before giving you the CD or DVD from which you will make your image selections.
7) Do you shoot an unlimited number of digital images?
Yes. The use of digital camera equipment makes it easy to offer unlimited images because there is no film cost involved. Digital capture permits the freedom to photograph “almost everything” of interest within the confines of your contracted hours of coverage. It is easy for one photographer to shoot 750 or more digital images in the course of a large wedding without having to make photographs from each. If two photographers are involved, the number of images can go to 1,000 to 1,500. On the other hand, 750 photographs from medium format Hasselblads would cost me close to $1,250 for film, film processing, and prints, which affects the cost of a wedding plan.
8) Why are digital plans as expensive as film plans?
The cost to acquire, repair, and replace digital equipment - including cameras, compact flashes, computers, scanners, printers, external hard drives, hardware, and software, etc., adds significantly to the production and post production cost of wedding photography. With film, one needs a good photographer, film cameras, film, a good lab, and a single place to store film after all prints have been made. On the other hand, the digital photographer needs to have computer skills equal to his/her photographic skills, or work with someone who does. Post production work on digital files adds many hours to the work flow cycle and in effect, the photographer is now responsible for skills formerly performed by the lab. Rather than just filing a single set of negatives, digital images are stored on two or three hard drives and a couple of CD’s and DVD’s, whose projected life expectancy exceeds the number of years the medium has been around. Unlike film based technology, where the equipment performs beautifully for decades, digital cameras and computer based technology have a built in obsolescence factor that requires their replacement every couple of years.
9) How long after the wedding can we view our images?
It takes about a week for you to get your Proof or Full Resolution CD or DVD from digital capture.
10) Are full resolution digital “negatives” available?
Yes. You may purchase a wedding plan that includes the photographer’s time and full resolution digital “negatives” only (no prints or album included) or you may choose an hourly plan that requires a minimum purchase or credit. The latter includes the option to purchase full resolution digital “negatives.” Ownership of your digital images on full resolution CD’s or DVD’s gives you the opportunity to print from them, make your own slide shows and screen savers, and send images by e-mail to family and friends. You may use them in any manner that you wish.
11) How long before the album is completed?
Ready made albums can be completed in about 2 weeks. Custom albums take 2 to 3 months to get all components ordered, assembled, and delivered. Less time may be involved, depending on the time of the year and the work load of the lab and album manufacturer. A lot depends on how fast you select the images that you want in your album and place your order. Single images take less time to prepare for the lab than graphically designed photographs with multiple images or single images with designer borders.
12) Do you have a Contract and a Photograph Planne?
Yes, I have both. The contract is a reminder to both of us of what is included in the wedding plan of your choice. Also, my clients fill out my photograph planner, which gives me the names of all family members and friends that you want photographed and any other information that will help me fulfill your expectations.
13) If the wedding is cancelled, what happens to our payments?
A 275.00 reservation fee is required to reserve your wedding date. This fee is applied to the wedding plan of your choice. It is TRANSFERABLE if your date changes but it is NOT REFUNDABLE because you reserved a date which resulted in others being turned down. The reservation fee may be applied to business portraits or another photographic service. Anything OVER the 275.00 reservation fee, which was paid toward the wedding plan of your choice, will be refunded.
14) Do you work by yourself or with an assistant?
Both. My associate photographer accompanies me on all weddings of
4 hours or more.
15) Who will photograph my wedding if something happens to you?
My wedding plans with four hours or more include the services of my fine associate photographer, who would take over “something happened.” If both of us were involved in an emergency situtation, my other associtate who is a degreed master photographer, would be called. One of the advantages of all three of us belonging to the local chapter of the Profesional Photographers of America, is that we assist each other in times of an emergency. Although it is comforting to have more than one “photographer” at your wedding, I have never missed a wedding as the sole photographer. The couples who go on weddings together as a team, may not both be photographers so you would still have a problem if “something happened.” It is a good question but one which causes more concern and confusion than necessary because you are dealing with an experienced professional, who is committed to you and the art of photography.
16) How do I find the “right” photographer for my wedding?
There are important considerations when choosing your photographer:
· Is the quality and style of the work in keeping with my taste?
· How artistically and technically consistent is the work?
· How well are the images printed at the lab (is the color “true,” are the
exposures correct, is the entire presentation pleasing)?
· Have I seen enough work to feel comfortable with his/her ability to photograph beautifully in the same or similar environment to my event?
· Have I seen complete sets of prints and albums from SINGLE weddings? Any photographer can pull together a number of his or her BEST photographs from various weddings into a single presentation. Complete sets of prints and albums from SINGLE weddings show you what you can realistically expect.
· Is he/she a member of national, state, and local professional organizations for photographers? Professional photographers belong
to a number of professional organizations and continually attend seminars and workshops to keep up to speed in a rapidly changing
industry.
· Is the chemistry between you and the prospective photographer excellent?
· Is my budget for the wedding photography that I want realistic?
I have been photographing weddings for over 20 years. Each one is very special. For me, it is a privilege to be a part of “new beginnings” by photographing one of the most important days in your new life as you become man and wife. Call for an appointment and become part of my “wedding family.”
Suzanne Jenkins
Jenkins Photography
Ph: 459-8400
Website: www.suzannejenkins.com
P.S. A word about disposable cameras.
Disposable cameras are fun for your guests but should NEVER be considered a replacement for your professional photographer. If you want to use them, I recommend buying one brand and testing it before investing in many from the same manufacturer.