Choosing Me
Q: Who are you?
A: Hi, I'm Jason Denson! And I hope to soon be your wedding photographers.
Q: What sets you apart from other photographers?
A: Wow, there are so many things it's hard to come up with just a few... I think the greatest difference between myself and other wedding photographers is my desire not only to give you fantastic pictures but also to make your wedding day as enjoyable as possible. I hear over and over how people have been to “so many weddings” where the photographer gave them great pictures in the end, but all he/she did the entire time was just stand there like a stick in the mud. My clients and their guests can’t believe that I would actually dance and laugh and have as much fun as everyone else and still produce all these great shots. In actuality, I get those great shots specifically because Iam having so much fun and are in the middle of things with everyone else. Please don’t misunderstand though; I'm in no way a loud, obnoxious, in your face photographer. For example, I pride myself on being able to catch every shot during the ceremony without anyone ever knowing I was there. I think it has been summed up the best by one of our recent clients when she said: “You all are all class.” Truth be told, if I won the lottery tomorrow I’d just buy better equipment and keep on shooting (and maybe do more pro-bono weddings) =-]
Q: If we choose you what happens next?
A: It's as easy as one, two, three: 1) Head over to the contact page, and either call me or email me to start the conversation. 2) I'll send you a contract via email and probably ask if you want to find some time to come down and have coffee. and 3) Send the filled out contract back with a check included. As soon as I've received them I'll put you down in the calendar and save your date. I'f you want it done a little more quickly, you can always scan the filled out contract and email it to me. At that point the retainer is as easy as giving me a credit card over the phone!
Q: How much is the retainer?
A: Simply put, it's 50% of the total OR $500 which ever is cheaper. I have never liked the idea of breaking anyone's bank just to book a photographer.
The Wedding Day
Q: Do I need 2 photographers? Why?
A: Depends. There are some instances where you do need two photographers, and then there are some instances where you definitely do not need two photographers. It usually depends on the size of the guest list and the location of the wedding. Simple rules of thumb would say that you need a second photographer if you have over 50 people at any given NON-BEACH location. If you are having the ceremony on the beach, you'd need a 2nd photographer with 25 guests. Why? The beach is a very tricky area to get around in. Sand is not very conducive to walking, so it will take a person roughly twice as long to get from point "A" to point "B". If the crowd is larger than 25, it is best to have that second photographer there to catch the other angles and sides.
Q: How long does it take to shoot formals?
A: Depends on the size of the family. My normal agreement is that I'll photograph every family group you put in front of my camera. Once that's done, I'll work on the bridal party. If there are two of us, we can also save time by one taking the groom and all the guys and photographing them while the other takes the bride and all the girls. We then put the bride with the guys and the groom with the girls. Lastly, we dismiss everyone else and have some one-on-one time with just our couple. This part of the formals can take as long or as short as you like. In the end, formals usually average around 30 minutes.
Q: Do you care if my family takes pictures too?
A: The simplest way to answer this question is with a question of our own: "Do YOU care if your family takes pictures?" The only time I really is 1) if you care and 2) If they are in the middle of a shot at just the wrong/right time. As long as I don't have anyone standing up in the middle of the isle just as you kiss, then I don't care in the least. Just remember, my brides and grooms get all the photos I take in the end.
Q: Will you travel, and does it cost?
A: I don't fly anymore, but other than that, I'll travel wherever! On the Outer Banks, if you're getting married north of Corolla (in the 4x4 area) or south of Oregon Inlet, the travel charge is $100. If it's a lot further than that, I might ask that you pay for gas and possibly a room at the local inn.
Q: Can you walk us through a normal wedding day?
A: Sure can! No matter which package you have decided upon, I'll usually call or email you a week in advance to find out if anything has changed and make sure I have all the questions answered. As soon as I've arrived, I'm a constant documenter of your wedding day until the time is up or you have jumped in the limo and rode off into the sunset/sunrise. With that being said...
Q: What's the worst thing you've ever seen happen at a wedding?
A: I will never tell... and you can be rest assured that when your day comes, I'll never tell anyone else what happened at your wedding either. *Wink, Wink* =-]
Processing and Receiving
Q: What happens to our photographs after the wedding?
A: I'll normally shoot around 500 photos per hour. After the wedding, I will examine every one of them to pick out the best of the best. Then hand-adjust the color, exposure, lighting effects, composition, and clarity of every single picture I give you. Once that's all done, I'll put up an online gallery and email you the instructions. From there, it's a simple matter of downloading them to your computer.
Q: How long will it take to get my pictures back?
A: It normally averages less than 4 weeks to get up the online gallery. If you order a DVD, it will be ready and mailed about a week after that. Also, if you have added an album to your package, I will work on that as well and email you a PDF of the album for you to approve. As soon as you give me the go ahead on the album, it should take only a couple of day for it to get to you. The whole thing will usually take about 6 weeks from start to finish.
Q: Why does it take so long?
A: Good question. For most every other vendor you hire, your wedding day is the end of their job and preparation. Not so for photographers. Your wedding is just the beginning of our jobs. Let me explain.
Q: Can I make copies of my photos?
A: Absolutely! There is a right to print letter in the legal portion of every contract we sign.
Q: Can my family make copies too?
A: Sure thing! Feel free to email out the URL to your friends and family to download your pictures. If you order DVD's, you can also make them copies so they have their own set.
Products and Packages-
Q: Are there any hidden fees?
A: Not a one. What you see is what you get. Heck, even tax is included in the price.
Q: How do you create the album layout?
A: Every album is unique. I sit for hours looking over your wedding photos picking the very best in order to tell the greatest story of your day. Every layout is created specifically for the photos I have available and is done in such a way as to highlight them as much as possible.
Q: Can I change the layout of the album?
A: You sure can. I send you a PDF copy of your book as soon as I'm finished with the layout. I then wait for your approval or your request for changes. I make any changes as you wish (within reason) and then send it back to you for your approval. Only when everyone is happy do we finally send it to our printer.