wedding party aix-en-provence
I have put together a bit of a FAQ of answers to some of the most popular questions I am asked.
What equipment do you use:
All of my gear is professional grade equipment. I also have full back up which is also professional grade! Be careful not all photographers have back up gear! The secret behind good photography isn’t just the equipment but it sure does help. I only use high end portrait lenses to ensure you look as amazing as possible. I do use a mix of high quality digital and film cameras.
I also have full liability insurance.
Do you photograph engagements/pre-weddings?
I do! And love them both.
I really enjoy pre wedding photography in France. ( Pre-wedding photography in Monaco is getting very popular, and Honeymoon Photography in France and Monaco is gaining more ground for bookings ) It is it’s totally own little genre and I adore it. I also travel for these sessions, like weddings. Some couples are choosing this option for their photography and then a small civil wedding
For all my wedding couples I would prefer to have an Engagement session, but it isn’t always possible as most couples are traveling from abroad.
It’s great chance to be able to meet and get to know each other. It’s a good time to go through details of the day and see how comfortable you are in front of the camera. Whenever I can I teach little tricks to get the best out of your wedding day portraits.
How many images do we get:
This number varies on many aspects of your day. I am someone who has trained with film therefore every time I press the shutter button it is to capture a unique moment. Your photographs will tell the story of your day and will include a selection of fine art processed photographs. I am a professional retoucher and I hand edit every photograph with a style unique to myself. You can read more about my retouching here and image numbers here
Final numbers depend on the duration of your wedding, details, wedding size. A small intimate wedding may result in 100 images; a large luxury wedding may be more around the 500+ mark. I go for quality vs quantity and everything is hand re-touched and edited with love. The end result is a collection of images that tell the story of your day.
Do you offer albums:
I do!
I always tell couples not to worry about the album until AFTER the event. The options are endless and it’s hard to know how many pages etc you would like until after the event. Your wedding album will have a complete set of photographs to tell the story of your day, which can be done with 20 pages to 40 pages all depending on your day and your needs. Lots of options! Many couples find it useful to spread the cost over the first year and have their album in time for their first wedding anniversary.
lavender at a provence wedding
Do you work alone?
Usually I do, I will sometimes have an assistant to help me during the day. I prefer to be the sole photographer as I do spend a lot of time to get to know you, this connection you can see in my work. I know about your day, what you love, what you don’t. It is impossible to have someone else come in and know all of this. I do find an assistant a valuable asset so I have help with equipment and such. If the wedding will be large or locations that are far apart I may bring in another professional photographer to help.
Can you help with planning?
Yes I can! And I often do in one way shape or form. Many of my couples have decided to not hire an independent wedding planner for various reasons. I can help source suppliers, advise on travel info to get your guests to France, book that last minute rehearsal dinner. You name it and I have likely done it the last years as a destination wedding photographer in France.
Do we get our photographs in colour or B&W or both?
I always talk to my couples to know what their preferences are. Sometimes there is a choice and if I know a couple loves black and white photographs I will be swayed to covert more images to black and white. There are occasions where there is little choice and an image just works better in black and white. (Example is dark churches or churches with funky lighting)
I have had clients tell me of photographers who offer all their images in both. Well I know how much time it takes to properly process an image in black and white and colour. If a photographer offers both for all images they are likely just running an program on the images and you will not have a proper black and white image. To learn more about my retouching check out this post
As a Fine Art Photographer and Professional Retoucher I spend the time to process each image by hand. My couples tell me they see the time and love reflected in my images so although it takes more time, I believe it is worth the effort.
Do we have to have our photos on the web?
I am asked this question often as I have couples who are in influential positions for their work or are celebrities. The reply is complicated; no you do not have to have your images displayed for the public. BUT there are many options. I don’t often use couples names, so this means no one would find them unless they happen to come across my site. Sometimes couples prefer images that do not show their faces well, or mostly detail images. Some couples choose to have nothing displayed. I do charge an additional fee in most cases, this is just because as you can imagine, photography is very visual! My portfolio of work is very important to me personally, but also is the way my future couples find me. It is hard to have an amazing photograph you can not share with the world. Just being totally honest! I am proud of my work and the gorgeous couples I work with, so when possible I try to come to an agreement my couples are happy with, and sometimes I just have to keep the photographs to myself, as hard as it is.
I also do not gossip or share details on couples I have worked with, no matter their level or status. Your information is safe with me.
olive groves provence
What are your prices?
I am writing a dedicated page to answer this very question soon! In the meantime the answer is really vague, and I apologize in advance. I have such varied events from 2 hour sessions in Paris or Provence to 3 day weddings on the French Riviera.
It is hard to give a price for an event without information! Location, time of year, and duration of coverage all come into play.
Some venues are further out and require more travel time. Peak summer months can mean increased cost for hotel and travel. Sometimes I can offer a lower price because I am already in the area ( Hence why I offer mini sessions when I am already in a location! )
See how it gets complicated to give a 1 size fits all price? Remember though a price is just that, numbers. This is why I offer a telephone or skype call for us to get to know each other. I get to know your event details and more important for you, you get to know me and how I work. Do you want me to photograph your wedding?
Luxury photography is an investment, it’s not something everyone can afford, but when having a destination wedding in France I feel it is even more important!
Remember your wedding photography is an investment. After the wedding I promise you wont use your dress again, maybe your shoes if you are lucky, the venue you can’t keep, the food isn’t a keepsake either! You can’t go back and hire a professional photographer afterwards, hindsight is amazing stuff, but regret is also a hard thing to live with.
Our family will not be around forever, our beloved friends, well you know, life can be cruel. One day we are only surrounded with our memories, and these are best preserved through photography. I write more about the subject here
I do offer payment plans and work with brides who really are in love with my work and want me to be the special person to capture their day. It is important for me as well as you for us to be a good fit for each other. The best couples aren’t the ones who have spent the most money but the ones I am still in touch with and call friends.
I love your frequently asked questions and answers. You have helped me in deciding my wedding photographer! You do such beautiful work!
Thanks Amy!
Love this Q&A! What a great way for engaged couples to learn more about you as a Provence wedding photographer!
Thanks Corey
I LOVE this article and think everyone should read this! Being a wedding photographer we get asked so many questions, especially the same ones and it is necessary to educate our couples! Always shocks me when people do not have back up or insurance as those are huge when shooting weddings or events!
Thanks Maria!!
What a great way to help answer questions and ease stress for your potential wedding clients. Provence looks like such a beautiful place to photograph a wedding, I love the olive grove.
It is truly gorgeous Melanie! I love the chateaus and olive groves
I love that you do honeymoon photography too. I think that is such a great idea to get professional photos done on your honeymoon. Usually its the first big vacation you take together as a couple and I think it a really special memory that deserve professional photos 🙂
It’s becoming so popular for couples who elope now. I love being part of their honeymoon and special memories! Thanks Brenden
What an informative post! These are all important questions to ask your potential wedding photographer, and it’s nice that your future clients have all the preliminary answers in one place. Now you have me dreaming of getting married in France!!
Thanks Beth! It’s never too late for a trip to France!
This is a great informative post! I’m sure your clients will find this extremely helpful when they’re trying to make the decision. I look forward to seeing more of your wedding photography this year!
thanks Esther! I am updating the site with more from 2015 but using the blog more to educate than just show my work
What a great guide for your upcoming clients! I know that this would totally convince me to book if I were a prospective bride. Also, these wedding photographs from france are just stunning as usual!
thanks Megan
This is such great information, and it gives prospective brides and grooms great insight into who you are. It can be difficult to really know who you are getting as a photographer when you book a destination wedding in Europe from a country far away, but this blog post really helps to explain Love as Art in a nut shell! And again, I am so envious of your amazing European locations!
thanks so much Christine! I love being a photographer in France!
What a great resources for your clients to read about so they know the ins and outs of your business and get those popular questions answered.
Merci Jenny!
you are so right. these other things fade away, but our memories last forever, especially in photographs. i love this post because it is an investment, but totally worth it. every year on our anniversary, we talk about the wedding and our guests and also the engagement. it’s worth it to document with beautiful photos.
Thanks so much Laura! you are so right!
[…] I have explained more about use and such in this post HERE. […]
Fantastic post! This definitely answers some basic and common questions that a potential client might have. This is something that I would love to see if I were on the hunt for a wedding photographer in France or Switzerland!
Thanks Kathy! I photograph couples just because too remember, you dont need a reason for a photography session!
Great post! I love that you make it a priority to get to know your couples personally. Every couple feels special when the photographer gets to know them on a personal level. You’re doing great things Love as Art I can’t wait to see more of your beautiful work!
thank you so much Samantha! I really do love my couples