| Got a question you need answered?
Well here are the questions I get asked most often.
They are split into different categories to make it easier for you to find
the answer you are looking for.
Questions on - Quotes, prices,
budgets, fees, deposits
Questions on - Equipment
Questions on -
Photo's, re-print's, enlargements, negatives, photographic style, albums
Questions to - The
photographer
I can't find the answer to my
question!
1.
Do you charge for quotes ?
Not at all. Quotations are provided freely
without any charges or obligations. I can give you an estimate from a
simple e-mail or telephone enquiry, but for an accurate quote I would need
to discuss in more detail with you the details of the wedding, e.g.
location of the wedding, the numbers of guests invited, and whether or not
you are likely to want candid photographs from the wedding breakfast as
well. [SEE HERE ALSO]
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2.
Do you have fixed package options or do you tailor your
quotes?
I do not believe in the package options where you
have to choose something that may not meet your exact needs, because every
client is different, and so every quote should be unique to suit the
clients needs or budget.
Meeting prospective clients enables me to establish
their preferences and gain a better understanding of what they are looking
for from their photographer.
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3.
I am a student on a very tight wedding budget and wasn't
going to have a photographer as they are all too expensive. Can you help?
Of course!
You don't have to have an "all singing all
dancing package" that you cannot afford and don't actually need. That is
why every quote I give is tailored to you. So to keep the cost down, you
could for example -
These are just some of the simpler ways to
minimise on expenditure. Don't forget you will need all the wedding
information to hand! [SEE HERE]
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4.
Am I under any obligation to use your services having received
your quote ?
No. You are under no obligations whatsoever, and may use
anyone you like.
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5. Do
you need a deposit?
Yes. Once I have given you a quote and you have
decided to use my services, I will require a deposit equal to half the
total order to secure the booking.
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6.
Would I have to come to you, or would you come to me to discuss what I want ?
I am quite happy to come to you to
discuss your requirements if you live locally say within 30 miles of Ross.
If you live further away than that, then I would suggest we discuss the
bulk of what you need over the telephone, and then arrange to meet at a
later date.
You are welcome to come to me, though please bear
in mind that with my busy schedule it will more than likely have to be an
evening or a weekend.
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7. How
long will it take for me to get my photographs, after the pictures are taken ?
Typically four to five weeks. Again
I like to deliver the album personally whenever possible. If this is not
convenient, then I will make arrangements to have your album delivered by
Royal Mail Special Delivery.
Any enlargements and reprints you decide to order
after looking through your album, will take about the same length of time
to arrive.
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8. Do I
get the negatives too?
Sorry no. The negatives and the copyright to the
pictures will remain mine. Reproduction of any photographer's image in any
form without their consent is a breach of Copyright. If you want reprints,
please contact me directly
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9. Is
it easy to get re-prints or enlargements ?
Yes. Simply give the picture identity number from
the photograph in the album, and the quantity and size you require.
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10.
How many pictures are you likely to take ?
That will depend entirely on you and
the occasion!
What we discuss for the day will be a good guide
as to what you want from me. Weddings can run from just a handful to over
100 pictures, so if you decide to add more on the day, don't worry. The
list you give me is not a hard and fast rule, but a guide of your
preferences.
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11. Do you do candid rather
than posed shots ?
I prefer candid shots as they are
the most natural and give the best sense of atmosphere for the occasion,
but as their occurrence is not predictable, they are unlikely to be the
only type of shots in the album.
Posed shots do look stunning, so
most couples opt for their wedding album to have the traditional pictures
as the main core of their album, with any candid pictures from the shoot
and the party afterwards as well.
There do tend to be several funny moments
captured on the day in amongst the candids, and these add a lovely relaxed
atmosphere to the album, proving what a great day you had.
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12. Do you accept adverts
on your website ?
Under certain conditions, yes. The
web site links are listed as a convenience to our visitors.
There are no annoying pop-ups on the
site, rotating banners or irritating windows that won't close. All adverts
are confined to sections where you would expect to see them, i.e. link
pages.
To get onto those pages the
advertiser has agreed to meet certain conditions, and has either
reciprocated with a link on their web site for my site, or has paid a fee.
The adverts are exactly that,
adverts. They are by no means an endorsement of the company or their
products by Alex Tomlinson Photography. We take no responsibility and give
no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for
the content or accuracy of these third-party sites, though we do try not
to promote those which may cause offence.
If you use the services of one of the companies
from our link pages, please tell them you found their information on our
site, as we like to promote local businesses where possible.
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13.
I have family abroad that cannot get to the wedding. Can I have
an online album so they can see the pictures?
An online wedding album is not a
problem, as I would create a web site specifically for your wedding and
put the entire album online. This can be made easy to find by search
engines such as Google so anyone on the Internet could see them, or kept
totally private locked behind a password protected entrance. The choice is
up to you.
Why not take a look at the
sample online album and see if it's the sort of thing you're after? Designs
can be matched to your requirements, so don't think you're stuck with one
specific look.
The price would vary according to the number of pictures you would need uploaded
to the server, so this is something I would need to discuss with you in greater
detail.
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14. What’s your
primary style?
I prefer reportage [candid] wherever possible, as
the results look so much better, but posed or staged shots look absolutely
stunning too.
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15. Do you shoot
in colour or black and white? Or both?
That's up to you! We would discuss your
requirements for the day, and if you want both that's not a problem. Most
people naturally opt for colour, but black and white can be so much more
dramatic.
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16. What kind of
input can we have on the direction of the shots? Can we give you a shot list to
work from?
Your input is vital as it will guide
the way I take shots on the day. You are the customer, so what you want in
your album is more important that what I want to do.
Like most photographers I have a
list of the shots that most people go for plus a few more that I like to
take. If you decided to use my services I would discuss with you the type
of shots that you want, and send you a list of ideas for shots. You then
decide on what you want to add or remove from the idea's list, and give me
a list of what you want me to take on the day.
If you decide to add more shots on the day just
tell me what changes or additions you want to make. The list you give me
is not a hard and fast guide that cannot be altered, so it won't be a
problem if you add more later.
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17. Are you the
person who will actually take our pictures? If not, can we meet the person who
will be?
It is important that you meet the person who will
be taking your photographs, so you will meet the photographer not an
assistant or salesman. That way you can decide if you are happy with the
ideas being discussed, and don't get "the Earth" promised to you by a
salesman on commission when a photographer would be able to advise you
what is and isn't practical.
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18. Can we meet
any assistants who will also be taking pictures?
It's not a problem if you want to meet the
photographer and his assistant, but only the photographer actually takes
the photographs.
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19. How many other
weddings will you also photograph that day?
None.
I do not accept double bookings and insist
on only having one wedding per day so I can concentrate on what you want
from me, rather than worrying about getting to the next job on time.
Simple rule, one wedding - one day.
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20. What kind of
equipment will you bring with you? How intrusive will lighting, tripods, etc.
be?
A typical wedding will require a
medium sized camera and case with accessories and films, etc. a reflector
or two, and at least one tripod.
I try to avoid large lighting on a shoot as the
setting up and constant adjustments required would make the photographs
take up too much of your wedding day. You want to remember your wedding,
not your photographer being an absolute pain in the neck and dominating
your day.
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21. Do you
charge by the hour, by the picture or by the roll?
I charge by the roll, and can from experience
guide you on how many you are likely to need based on the style of
photography you prefer along with the number of guests attending. You may
prefer to limit the number of pictures in your album if you need to keep
your overheads down, and this can easily be accommodated to suit most
client's budgets.
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22. If I hire you, am I
guaranteed that you will be the one shooting my wedding?
In a word, yes.
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23. Are you
willing to come extra early to get shots of us before the ceremony if we choose
to do that, and would there be an additional fee for this?
Early shots are not a problem, and the fee would
be included in the price we discussed for the arrangements you made with
me. If you wanted to add this feature later, then yes there would be an
additional fee.
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24. Do you use film based or digital
cameras or a combination of both?
My preference is Canon 35mm professional film
camera equipment, specifically the Canon EOS 1V HS.
SEE
THE CAMERA HERE
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25. Do you
charge a fee if the wedding and reception are in more than one location?
Normally no.
I don’t charge for two different locations if they are
within 30 miles, providing there is sufficient time for me to get between
them and set-up. So taking pictures of the bride at home and at the
wedding venue is not normally a problem.
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26. How long do you expect to be with us
on the day of the wedding, and is there an extra charge if it runs a little
overtime?
I arrive at the wedding site well in advance of
the service. Most weddings last 30-45 minutes, and the average reception
lasts 2 ½ to 3 hours, but I don’t charge any extra unless the ceremony
and/or reception are unusually long.
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27. Is
there anything I can do to make my wedding photography easier for the
photographer?
-
Prepare in advance what you need from me on the day, as
this makes things run more smoothly.
-
Choose your wedding venue
with care. The gardens of the hotel may be stunning, but where can you
have your photographs taken if it rains?
And most importantly, if you have any
questions ..... ASK!
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28. Do you allow other people to take
photographs while you are working?
Generally, I don't mind friends and
relatives taking photographs whilst I am working.
I do however ask that your guests
respect the fact that I have been hired by you to do a job as quickly and
efficiently as possible, and it is especially important that I have
minimal interference whilst taking photographs.
It's fine if someone wants to take a
picture after I have photographed a given pose, but excessive numbers of
photographs will lead to delays in getting to the reception and this is
likely to ruin your caterer's schedule and amongst other things, make your
photographs take far longer than you had planned for.
I try to work in such a manner that the
photographs are not prolonged any more than necessary, and naturally too
many interruptions can lead to inappropriate delays. After all, you want
to remember your photographer being efficient and professional, not
dominating your day.
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29. At the reception, are we expected to
make arrangements to feed the photographer and assistant too?
As we are there to work, we do not
expect to invited to dine along with the guests. Occasionally we may
accept an invitation for a bite to eat especially if it's a particularly
long photographic shoot, but in no way do we expect food to be provided.
The budgets of most wedding couples
must take into account the "per head" rate's caterers charge, and in many
cases those expenses limit the number of guests that can be asked to join
in the wedding meal. I would hate to think that a wedding guest or two
might have been left off your guest list so that you could accommodate
feeding my assistant and me!
On the refreshment's side, it's nice if we can
join in for water, tea, or soft drinks since the work is a bit dehydrating
especially in the middle of summer, though we do not drink any alcohol
whilst on duty.
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30. How much time will the photography
take?
To be honest there is no simple
answer to this one. You need to plan into your day enough time for the
photographer to do the job properly, but you obviously don't want the
photography to dominate your day.
Do bear in mind that I have never
yet seen a wedding that has run to time, and even though I will try
wherever possible to speed the photography up a bit for you so you get in
for the reception meal on time, be aware that quality is not something you
can rush.
Some of the shots can be taken
candidly and so you won't need to have time set aside for them, but you
should discuss your requirements in detail with me to get a good idea on
how long you are going to need.
Examples for time scales are -
-
A simple ceremony at the registry
office with a few family and friends could have the photography taking
perhaps 30 minutes to an hour.
-
A civil ceremony at a hotel
typically has a few posed shots with the groom and best man before the
bride arrives, 15-20 minutes, the bride with the wedding car, another
10-20 minutes, and then the posed shots where you will need to allow for
60-90 minutes where all the pictures you have asked for are taken.
-
A full blown "no photograph limit
and photographer with you all day" job, where you will need to allow for
say 30-45 minutes in the morning whilst you are at home, another 10-20
minutes with the wedding transport, 60-90 minutes for all the posed
shots with your guests, signing the registry, etc. informal relaxed
shots away from the crowds another 30 minutes, then there's the
speeches, cutting the cake, the first dance, the evening disco...and
don't forget all those candid shots he'll be taking in between.
Whilst this last one sounds rather daunting
and is far from typical, I have had the odd occasion where I've been asked
to quote for this type of day. Personally, I think it detracts from the
wedding and tend to advise against it, but you can have it if you want it!
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31. What information do you need to
give me an estimate?
It would be helpful if you have thought about the following points before you
contact me for a quote -
- The date of wedding is -
- The time of the wedding service is -
- Our wedding ceremony will be at -
- Our reception will be at -
- The number of people expected to attend the ceremony is -
- The number of people expected to attend the reception is -
- Do you want the photographer to attend the evening disco?
- How many pictures are you looking to have in the finished
album?
- What size prints would you like in your album e.g 6"x4" /
6"x9" / 8"x12"?
- Would you like a parents album made?
- Colour, black and white or both required?
- Will you need to order a wedding album from the photographer
or would you like to provide your own?
- Will you want an enlargement picture for the home to display
on the wall?
- Will you want a picture CD with your photographs on?
- Is anyone who will be in your photographs affected by
stroboscopic light/flash photography, e.g. sufferers of epilepsy?
- Any other information you can think of that may be relevant.
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32. Can we choose who we want in the
pictures?
Naturally!
There are a number of the more traditional photo's that
get asked for regularly, but you are welcome to change the photo list to
suit your needs.
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33. Have you been to our wedding location
previously?
If it's local then normally yes, but if we
haven't been there recently then we will always do a site preliminary
inspection to check that nothing has changed and make sure with the owners
we can use the areas we want on the day.
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34. How long have you been photographing
weddings?
Since 1998.
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35. What happens if we need to change the
wedding date after we have booked you?
Providing the new date has not
already been booked by someone else, then all that happens is you will
need to sign a revised contract with the new details on.
If there is an outstanding enquiry
for that date that has not been confirmed by the customer, then you would
get first choice for that date, having already paid your deposit.
If the date you want has already been booked by
another client and you are set on wanting that new date for your wedding,
then I'm afraid I cannot be your photographer as I will have already
contractually agreed to take their photographs. So please bear in mind
that when you pay the deposit you also sign a legally binding contract to
use my services on a specific date, and by breaking that agreement
you would unfortunately forfeit your deposit.
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36. What is your
payment policy?
A simple one - half as deposit, half
on delivery of your album.
I believe it’s unfair when photographers and
large national wedding businesses insist on full payment prior to the
wedding, especially if you are looking at a total bill of £2,000.
Unfortunately, it seems to be common practice nowadays.
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37. How much should we spend on our wedding
photography?
It's difficult to pay too much for
something you really like. Yet, price is usually the one obstacle that
prevents many clients from selecting what they really want. Often the
difference between the price of what you really like and what you feel is
"within the budget" is miscalculated.
However, when it actually comes down
to pounds and pence, it's hard to keep spending "a little bit more
here...and a little bit more there" isn't it?
Do remember that your wedding
photographs are a quality reflection of the memories of your big day, so
some people still feel that they have to put the money "where it shows,"
but just because one photographer is more expensive than another, does not
necessarily make them better.
When considering the cost of a
photographer you may find that those with big expensive studios sometimes
need to charge extra make up for closing on a Saturday, and where you may
think you are paying for a better photographer, you are in actual fact
paying for them to close up the studio for the afternoon!
You may like to consider that at the same time
you're preparing your budget, you will probably end up spending more than
you had anticipated, so even after you have all your quotes in, it would
still be wise to have a contingency fund just in case.
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