The Importance of Photography ~ "Peter's Pride"

January 5 , 2012

I honestly believe that this 'event' was one of the major influences for me becoming a professional photographer.

January 3 , 2012

What this means is that when you order a print that is not of the images 'native' aspect ratio some cropping may occur to make it fit the size of print ordered.

Limited Edition "November Approaches"

December 6 , 2011

This 1 of 1 print was auctioned off at the recent "Magic of the Season" Gala Event held each year to raise money for the CAF, held at the Southshore Centre in Barrie, Ontario.

Wedding FAQ

When you're looking for a photographer to document your wedding, you may not know what to ask for. Here are some typical questions we get asked, and some that you should be asking.

How long have you been shooting weddings?

Although the length of time a photographer has been shooting weddings may not reflect on their abilities, it is usually a fairly good indication of their qualification. Let's face it, if they've been photographing weddings for 20+ years, then they must be doing something right! And yes, we've been shooting weddings for over two decades.

How many pictures do we get?

It's funny how many people seem to relate quantity to quality. I usually ask back, how many do you need? Most often, they don't know. We live in a society where more is often considered better. However, as with most things of value, it's not always the quantity that counts. To put it simply, would you rather have 10 lousy photographs or 2 or 3 great ones?

We really don't know how many photographs you'll end up with. Much of it will depend on you, your family and friends. If everyone is having fun, if we have sufficient time and everything runs on schedule, then you'll have plenty to choose from. If you or anyone having photos done is in a bad mood (it takes time to cheer up!), if there are delays, if someone is missing, the weather changes drastically and many other factors can take time away from creating good images. That's why it's so important to plan ahead and make sure there is enough time to get all the photographs you need.

Do you use an assistant or a second photographer?

The simple answer is 'it depends'. As mentioned above, I've been photographing weddings for over 20 years. There's not many situations that I haven't handled or can't anticipate. I will determine, based on our consultations, if I will need an assistant or second photographer.

To be honest, it's been difficult to find an assistant that can keep up with me, or a second photographer that can capture the images I need, when I need them and at the level of quality I demand. Let's face it, if the second photographer is good enough, then they probably should be shooting their own wedding! I've never had a complaint of not capturing enough images. Usually the reaction is more like "how do we narrow down what we want from all these!".

What style of photography do you do?

Today there are many styles to choose from; traditional or classic, contemporary, photo-journalistic, documentary, casual and candid. These are not so much styles of wedding photography, but more like what every wedding should include.

A wedding is a series of events; the 'getting ready' at home, the ceremony, groups in the park and your reception. Each one of these events needs to be photographed differently. For example, at the home, you want to have fun getting ready. Your photographs should reflect this. However, you've spent a lot of money on your wedding dress and it would be a shame not capture some of the detail of the dress, or a beautifully lit and elegantly styled portrait of you in it. You don't want your portrait to make you look like a line-backer on a football team. Therefore, classic styled portraiture is required as well.

Your photographer should be proficient with many styles of photography. If their claim to fame is strictly casual and candid 'photo-journalistic' style of photography, you may be disappointed with the family groups or more formal styled portraits.

This is where experience shines through. We've photographed weddings from very elegant and formal to on the beach - and even in the middle of the forest with ATV's as our only form of transportation! We're trained in formal, classic portraiture and equally at home with documentary and photo-journalistic styles. So no matter what your day presents, we're ready for it.

Do you require a retainer or deposit?

To book us for your wedding photography we require a retainer fee of $500 (+HST). This comes off the total of your package. It is paid at the time of booking and reserves the time for you. Once the retainer is paid, we turn down all other requests for that weekend. Because it is a retainer, it is not refundable in the event of a cancellation or change of date. If the date changes and we are still available, it may be applied to the new date.

The balance of your package is due 30 days before the wedding. We can arrange a payment plan for you (with no interest) or you can pay in one lump sum any time before the 30 day deadline.

How much time do you need?

This is another tough question to answer. As mentioned earlier, it will depend on a lot of factors. First of all, we determine the time required not including travel time. For example, we typically need an hour to an hour and a half at the Bride's home to capture photographs and portraits of the Bride, the Bride with her immediate family and the Bride with her bridesmaids. However, this does not mean to schedule your photography starting one hour before your ceremony. Allow enough time to gather up your things after the photos are done, make your way to ceremony location with enough time to spare for last-minute touch-ups and adjustments.

Rule of thumb is 1.5 hours of shooting time a the home, 1 hour for the ceremony and 2 hours for groups and families before the reception. Our Essentials package includes 3 hours of coverage and we suggest this as the starting point. Typically this covers the ceremony and group portraits afterwards.

Of course, we'll sit down before your wedding to establish a schedule and make sure there is enough time to get everything you need. For more details, visit the Planning Your Wedding Schedule article.