GENERAL Q's
I. When should we book you?
We recommend one year in advance. Certain months during the year are very popular and dates may fill up well in advance. We cannot accept any pencil-ins; a signed contract and a deposit reserve your date.
II. Where are you based?
New York and New England. We regularly travel and most frequently photograph weddings in the tri-state and New England area.
III. Do you deliver every image that you shoot?
We do not deliver every image that we shoot. During the selection process, we eliminate duplicates. Moments happen very quickly during the wedding day and we overshoot so that we capture the perfect expression. Sometimes laughter and emotion can create unwanted and unflattering expressions. We remove images that do not have the ideal expression and select the ones that does. We make a point to remove images from the wedding that guests would not like of themselves.
IV. Does your studio provide cinematography?
We do. To see more of our cinematography, please click here.
V. Do you photograph destination weddings?
Yes we do. We are based in New York City but we regularly photograph weddings in the Hamptons, Boston and New England. We also photograph weddings internationally and are pros at traveling. We have photographed weddings as far as Amman, Jordan and frequently in the Caribbean.
VI. Have you shot at my venue before?
It is very possible. We have shot at many venues around the world and are thrive in new venues. It works out very nicely when we haven’t shot at the wedding. We arrive early, research the venue prior and do a location scout for portraits and lighting.
VII. Do you provide partial day coverage?
We cannot provide partial coverage for weekends unfortunately. All of our packages start with 8 hours.
VIII. Do you photograph other events?
Of course! We personally style and shoot singular engagement and portrait sessions, combining your interests with natural elements. In addition to weddings and portraiture, we also specialize in life cycle events - B'nai mitzvahs, rehearsal dinners and private events.
IX. Does your studio do headshots and portraits?
Yes. We bring our unique style to various forms of portrait photography, and excel at this genre.
XI. Do you work with an assistant or second photographer?
We recommend a second or third photographer for large weddings (2 for events > 200 people and 3 for events >300 people). We bring an assistant to all weddings for lighting, arranging details, organizing family portraits and assistance throughout the day. The assistant is key in helping us capture the story!
XIV. Is there a quality difference among the studio’s master photographers?
There is no quality difference among our photographers. They do, however, have differences in their styles. Some use more shadow, some use more backlight. To see more of their work, please contact the studio today.
XIII. Will you submit my wedding for blog feature or publication?
We would love to! Our style is a great match for editorial and you'll find our work frequently published here.
XII. Which photographer will photograph my wedding?
The photographer that you meet with before the wedding will be the one shooting your wedding. We do not send someone that you have not met with.
X. How many hours of coverage do I need?
We recommend eight hours to capture the story of your day, but every wedding is different. Some weddings require six while others require more.
XVIII. I have downtime on my wedding day. Is that included in my hours?
We do charge for downtime during events. We are always working even if there is downtime. We have photographing details, invitations or other things that we may not have had time to photograph earlier.
XIX. What happens if we go over the contracted amount of time?
We always arrive early on the wedding day so you get extra time. We will check in with you at the end of the night and see if you would like us to stay longer. If you would like us to stay longer at the end of our contracted time, you will be billed at the hourly rate specified in the contract.
ENGAGEMENT SESSION
XX. When can we see our photos from our engagement session?
We complete our post-production process for your engagement session within four weeks. If clients need their photos sooner, we charge a rush delivery fee of $250.
XXI. When should we do our engagement session?
We recommend that you do your engagement photos as soon as possible. We complete your engagement photos four weeks after the engagement session. If you allocate an additional three to four weeks to order any prints and/or products that you may want, then you should schedule your session at least two months before the wedding.
XXII. Can we schedule our engagement session for the weekend?
Our weekends are very limited because of the many weddings that we photograph. Weekdays are typically less busy at the popular engagement session locations. Additionally, we highly recommend that our clients schedule their engagement sessions during sunday weather.
WEDDING DAY
XVII. How many hours do you suggest for wedding day photos?
We have several suggestions regarding your wedding day timeline. We recommend that you give us 30 minutes in the morning during getting ready to capture your details – your dress, rings, shoes, etc. We recommend one hour (minimum) to capture the hair and makeup preparation and interaction between you and your closest friends and family. We suggest 20 minutes after you get into your dress to create some beautiful, singular images of you in your dress for the first time. We recommend 30 minutes for the first look. For family portraits, we suggest that you leave three minutes for each grouping. So if you have ten photos, please leave 30 minutes. We strongly suggest one hour for you and your groom late in the day when the sun is low. The best time for portraits of our clients is right before sunset. We then recommend 30 minutes for us to capture the setup at your reception and the details there.
XVI. How do you handle dark and dimly lit venues? How does your studio handle these situations?
We only use the best cameras in the world that have incredible low-light capabilities. With our experience, it is easy for us to photograph these low-light situations such as temples, chapels and reception halls. We excel in dimly lit environments and are proficient at handling the lack of lighting.
XV. Can you please describe the studio’s photography style?
We believe in creating wedding images that are timeless. We avoid shooting at very low or very high angles, using very wide or fish-eye lenses. We believe in creating images that will still be in style decades from now. We shoot with a photojournalistic approach – watching and waiting for the right moments. We are also masters of portraiture. We make our clients interact, engage and we evoke emotion during the portraits. We shoot the laughter and we look for that perfect photo between the laughs that captures your connectivity and love.
XLV. How can I meet you in person and see some more of your work?
We love meeting our clients. Just email or call us and let’s setup a time to meet.
XXIII. How many images do you typically deliver from and engagement session or from a wedding?
We deliver approximately 50-80 images from an engagement session an approximately 700-800 for an 8 hour wedding.
XXIV. Can you Photoshop our name and date to create save-the-dates for us?
A custom save the date image is $250 and can be added into any package with the studio
IMAGE & BACKUP
XXX. Do you backup our images?
Yes. We backup your wedding images religiously. We photograph to two memory cards so that every image has a duplicate before the cards leave the camera. Once the cards leave the camera, we make an immediate backup to an external drive and a second drive. We then backup those images to an off-site server.
XXXI. Do you have insurance?
Yes. We have insurance that we can provide your venue with. We are also part of an indemnification trust that provides additional insurance if necessary.
XXXII. Do you provide the RAW files from my engagement session and wedding day?
RAW files are not processed and have no adjustments made to them. For that reason, we do not deliver RAW files to our clients. Our clients receive finished and processed JPEGs.
XXXIII. How many images do you deliver?
You can expect to receive 50-100 images from each engagement session and approximately 700 from an 8 hours of wedding day photography coverage.
XXXV. What size can we print our photos at full resolution images?
We use the Canon 5D Mark III and Jacob occasionally uses the medium format Leica S2. We routinely make large prints from the Canon 5D Mark III at 24x36 and sizes even larger. For prints larger then 24x36 we recommend that you contact the studio to help enlarge the image for you in Photoshop.
XXXIV. Do the studio give digital negatives?
Yes we do. We send you a beautiful, hand-crafted artisan drive with your images.
XXXVII. What if I lose my images?
We backup images on two drives in two locations. We highly recommend that you backup the images that we give you in multiple places. If you lose your images, we can provide a new set of digital negatives for you for a fee of $250.
XXXIX. How long does it take to receive prints?
Once you place an order from prints, it takes approximately 3-4 days.
XL. How long does it take to receive my finished album?
Once we order the album, it takes approximately 4 weeks.
XLI. How long does it take to receive our engagement album?
Once we order the album, it takes approximately 4 weeks.
XLII. Can I add more pages and images to my album?
Of course! Your album comes with 20 pages, and additional pages are $20/pp or $40/spread.
XLIII. What type of camera/equipment do you use?
To see more about the camera equipment that we use, please click here.
MEETING POLICIES
XLIV. Will we meet you before the wedding?
We love meeting our clients and encourage you to setup a time to meet before hand! Meeting before allows us to better understand you as a couple, gain comfort and makes the experience seamless and fun!
XLVI. We live out-of-town. Is it possible for our family/friends to meet with you instead?
We are happy to meet with your family however we would like you to be included in the process.
XLVII. We’re very busy and won’t be able to meet. What are our other options?
We are happy to show you our full weddings and galleries online and share our work over email. We would love to meet you however we understand that this is not always possible. We can do all of the work remotely.
XLVIII. Do you travel to meet clients?
We cannot travel to meet clients. We ask our clients to meet in New York City and are flexible with the location.
PAYMENT & TAXES
XLIX. How do I reserve you for my date?
We ask for a signed contract and a 50% deposit to seal and secure your date.
L. What if we exceed our contracted time for our engagement shoot and/or wedding day coverage?
We are happy to provide you with additional hours of coverage for your engagement or wedding. We will check with you before we bill for any additional hours. Additional hours are billed at the contracted hourly rate.
LI. Is there an additional fee if we pay via credit card?
Yes. The fee is 3.4% of the transaction.
LII. Do you offer any discounts on weekday weddings, Sunday weddings, or weddings during the offseason?
Unfortunately we do not. We routinely receive request for Sunday and weekday weddings so we cannot provide at a discount at this time.
LIV. If we change our wedding to a different date will we be able to use our deposit towards a future date?
Unfortunately no. There are times when you switch your date and we have it open, we cannot guarantee this.
POST PRODUCTION & DELIVERY
ALBUMS & PRINTS
XXXVIII. How long until we receive our products and photographs?
In 6 weeks the gallery will be ready. Albums are ready to order 4 weeks later.
XXIX. How do you deliver the photographs?
You will receive an artisan crafted USB drive with high-resolution, watermarked files for your archives. We create a private viewing gallery for print ordering and viewing for your family and friends. Fine art books are created by Whyman Studios and are recommended works of art!
XXVIII. How many photographs do you deliver?
You can expect a 700-800 hand-selected images for an 8 hour event. A confluence of factors will affect the final image count.
XXVII. Will you ‘Photoshop’ the images?
Yes. Photoshop work includes blemish removal, skin cleanup, line and wrinkle softening and removal. We also can make adjustments to body parts. To get a quote for additional Photoshop work, please contact the studio.
XXVI. Do you edit our photos?
We edit every photo one by one. Your photographs go through an extensive selection and editing process, which is why the delivery takes six weeks. These edits and enhancements include color and exposure corrections, black and white conversions, clarity and sharpening. Additional retouching is a la carte and invoiced separately.
XXV. When and where can we view our engagement pictures?
You can view your engagement photos in an online, password-protected gallery once the photos are completed.
XXXVI. What rights do I have in regard to the digital prints?
You have rights to print your images whenever and wherever you chose. You do not, however, have rights to reproduce, sell or publish the images without the written consent of the studio.
LIII. If we cancel the wedding will we receive our deposit back?
Unfortunately we cannot refund wedding deposits. We use deposits to reserve your wedding date and because of this, other potential clients cannot book that date.
LV. Are there travel fees associated with the Engagement Session and/or our Wedding?
We do charge travel fees. Our clients are billed after the event for any travel fees that we incur.
LVI. Why do you charge travel fees?
We charge travel fees because our photographers are paid to photograph and we reimburse them for any fees that that incur when traveling to your wedding.