Photographic style - I use a mixture of traditional/timeless poses as well as posed candids and fully candid. Posed candids are those images that I guide you both in along the way. I do this while bringing out your natural and fun personalities while knowing what to do and what not to do in portraits. Candids are just that - watching you and your guests enjoy and live in the moment. You won't even know I'm shooting your portraits!
Shooting Style/Lighting Style - I use both flash and available light photography. Thankfully we are blessed with many days of sun on the Monterey Peninsula. In order to ensure that you are not covered in dark shadows from the sun, I counteract this by using strobes/lights with umbrella's and/or softboxes. My goal is to produce images that are seen very similar to the naked eye.
Please do. I use them as guide as to what poses you would like and the feel of your wedding day that you'd like me to capture. Please don't send more than 5 images. I'll just use them as a guide for our time together.
No. I will provide you with the highest resolution images in a JPEG format ready for print with photo release.
No. You will receive a photo release that will allow you to print your images as you wish. I do though however have access to what I consider the best professional photographer's lab in the country and would be happy to get you prints/canvas and photo albums. Discounts available to you and your friends/family for the first month after your gallery has been delivered. Easy to order online via your gallery.
Yes! If I feel that an image would look fabulous in black/white - I will edit that for you in that style. I may also use some filters, but very very sparingly.
A first look is when a couple see's each other before the wedding ceremony. I do not require this, it's really up to the two of you. The reasons that couple's do first looks is that it enables them to have their own 'private' viewing of each other without others present and it also saves on the amount of time on the back end of couple portraits after the ceremony. In addition to you seeing each other, we'll also take about 15 minutes taking pictures of the two of you. This way, you may be able to spend a little time at the cocktail reception with your guests if you choose to.
In my galleries, you'll find a whole section on first looks. Super sweet when the father's have a first look with their daughter's too!
Weddings - as far out as two years. To confirm on my calendar I require a 50% retainer at time of booking.
Family Portraits, Senior Portraits, Corporate Portraits - could be just a few days! I shoot 7 days a week, so please connect with me to see my current availability.
Your wedding is such an important time in your lives. It marks the beginning of your new lives together. The two of you have spent countless hours making sure that everything is how you wished it would be. Photography captures all of this. All of the important details. At the end of the day, you will have everything you have worked for in pictures for a lifetime of memories. Investing in these memories is priceless. For that reason, I highly suggest that you meet/sit/talk with your photographer about these very same things. Ask them what their style is and look at their photo galleries. Ask to look at full photo galleries and not just the one's in the portfolio (ask me too!). Once you know what they technically can do, you also want to make sure that you "connect" with your photographer. That means that they will be able to connect with you both and work easily with your guest/family members. Only through this real connection will you be able to get lovely moments back through the lens - authentic and real images. I don't do my job because I have to, I do it because I love it.
Any additional questions? Just ask!
Side note - I'm also locally based here on the Monterey Peninsula since 1994, so I know all of the side streets, "ins and outs", hotels, locations..... even if you don't hire me, please please consider hiring a local photographer.
I'm embarrassed by even putting this in my FAQ's but I have been told that I have to put in this section so you get to know me a little bit.
I've been a full time photographer since 2005. Started with portraits in 2005 and then shot my first wedding in 2007. I got hooked - line and sinker. Since then, I've guesstimated that I've shot hundreds of weddings. In addition to being a photographer, I'm also a wedding planner. My husband Brian and I own a business on the Monterey Peninsula called Weddings in Monterey. We've had this business since 2007. We assist with almost all aspects of wedding planning and also provide tables/chairs/arches if requested. We do the wedding set up amongst help from other great local vendors. Why is this important? I've been in quite a few situations where something let's just say does not go "as planned" and someone needs to step in and help out the situation. Sometimes the wedding planner is not with us each moment of the day - and I can help out by professionally knowing what to do and how to handle the situations that may arise.
I've been in the hospitality industry locally since 1994 which is also super helpful as I personally know quite a few in our local industry here on the Monterey Peninsula.
I don't have a fear of speaking to large groups of people. If I have to get everyone's attention for a shot - not a problem. I do it in a kind/gentle way. Your time is valuable and we'll do our best to keep to the schedule we've laid out together. With that said, I'm super flexible. Your timeline is really a 'guide' for us - if we are able to stick to it - great... if not, we'll roll with it and be flexible.
My husband told me to mention that I'm one of those people that is super friendly and gets along with everyone. He also said that I "keep things moving" during a wedding, which is super important. He said you "don't want a photographer that fiddles with their equipment or is slow in the photo process of shooting". There is honestly no lag time when I'm working. I'm always shooting something during our time together.
I also respond in a timely/quickly manner to emails and texts. Although, if I am on a shoot - I will email you back and let you know that I'll get back to you later that night or the next day. I have two 16 year old girls that are the light of my life.
In my down time, I like to listen to Spotify (my kids hooked me on that), walk our "foster turned third child" german shepherd Max, read novels from World War II and watch Netflix. I'm a huge fan of thrillers and who done its.
I love to do volunteer photography work for women's and children's issues for our local community. I'm a proud supporter of CASA of Monterey County and the National Charity League and of course my two girl's high schools.
Yes. I always bring at a minimum one assistant with me. They help with my gear and assisting in getting us the best light possible. I look at my assistant as being my third/fourth arm. They allow me to work efficiently and set up my gear for me while I'm spending time with you and your guests getting you ready for shots. Makes it super efficient. My assistant is not a second shooter - if you are interested in that just let me know as I have some fabulous associates that I will recommend. Rate for second shooter is $100 an hour (minimum one hour).
What is an unplugged wedding? It simply means that we encourage your guests to 'see' the wedding through their eye's and not their screens/devices. In addition to them being occupied with their devices, the images that I take of them watching you may not be pleasing to you in the end - pictures of phones in front of their faces. Sadly, I have also had people stand in the aisle in front of me - whereby forcing me to miss the "first kiss". I did get that "first kiss".. just not as great of a shot as I would have liked. I also love getting pictures of the groom seeing the bride for the first time and oftentimes, someone accidentally stands in front of the groom with their camera aimed right at the bride - another missed opportunity. We don't require this, but highly recommend it for the ceremony portion of your day.
It's really up to you. If there are only two of you (no guests) and hour may be just perfect. I do require over a certain amount of guests that you hire me for additional time. More guests, more shots that need to be taken.
I've assisted hundreds of couples with setting up their full day wedding timelines and would be happy to do the same for you. The average wedding is about 4-7 hours. Maybe you'd prefer a first look and not getting ready photos? Maybe the bride would like to do a first look with her father? More bride/groom time in two different locations? Maybe your wedding party has two people versus 20? Let's talk about your needs.
Things just happen - I totally understand this. For this reason, I'm usually ok with staying an extra hour if needed. We can decide at the end of our time together if you'd like to hire me for an additional hour.