FAQ

Film is my favorite medium to shoot with. Hands down. There are 2 main reasons for that, the first being methodology. With film I really have to slow down when taking the photos, I only get either 36,16, or 10 shots per roll depending on which camera I’m working with, so intentionality is key. You also can’t really photoshop film in the way you can with digital images. So you have to nail it on the first try. It also forces me to consider color temperature, lighting, shadows, and composition in a way that is made easier by digital cameras- thus resulting in more creative and deliberate photographs.

The 2nd reason I love to shoot with film is the image quality. Often people will see a photo and know it’s film, but not fully understand how they know that. It’s a “vibe” thing. That “vibe” is a combination of the film grain, size, and stock resulting in images that have beautiful, soft, textured looks.

Film captures feelings. It’s a difficult medium to work with. It has taken me a lot of trial and error to get to the point where I feel comfortable photographing people’s weddings with them. But the finicky nature of film is so worth the final, timeless results.

For a more visual explanation, I have a highlight on my instagram called “film v digital” where you can see visually, the differences.

Maybe yes, maybe no.

My focus for the wedding day is on capturing authentic, raw, honest moments. It is less about the production of the day for me, and more about the emotion. The only times I really do staged portraits are family, wedding party, and couples portraits. And even then, I like to keep those a bit more relaxed.

I love the details. Not just of the aesthetics- but of all the little in-between moments…the deep breaths, the hand squeezes under the table, the glances of proud parents, the tears shed by your close friends, the new friends from work who end up talking to your great uncle, the clinking of champagne glasses- all of it. It’s all those little moments that excite me about capturing weddings. I get to put on my photojournalist hat on top of my editorial photographer hat and really observe the happenings around me.

But truly, my style may not be the right fit for you, and that’s ok! There are so many talented photographers with various styles that will be the right fit. This one just happens to be mine, and if it resonates, let’s chat :)

Yes, quite a bit:

1. Consider the lighting. If you are getting married in December, the sun will set far earlier than a July wedding. Film works best in natural light, so I strongly encourage the timeline of the day to be around the sunrise/set times. It is probably the most important thing to set us up for great photos. This idea of considering the lighting extends to your venue- does it only provide artificial light? Are there big windows? Again, film works best in natural light. Think too about your getting ready space, consider the light. Is it a dark cramped hotel room? Perhaps then it would be better to get ready at your apartment that has big windows. Lighting is key.
2. Fill out the questionnaire in detail. I send a questionnaire along with the contract that helps me set the timeline/shotlist. The more info I have about you + your partner, the better I will be able to understand YOU and how best to photograph you!
3. Understand that my approach isn’t the same as a traditional wedding photographer your family might be used to. Assure them we will have portraits done, it may look different from weddings they have been in before (mostly in that it will be a bit shorter rather than the traditional 2+ hours of family portraits)

My wedding packages start at $7000, and portraits start at $900. However, I often work within budgets for the right fit. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. For more details, you can fill out a form on the Inquire page.

I travel anywhere. Some recent favorites: Brazil, Iceland, Washington, Canada, Mexico, California, Vermont.  I try to keep the fees as minimal as possible, so that will include airfare and accommodations. If it’s a location I haven’t been to, but really want to shoot in, I will occasionally offer to cover the travel, or keep it to a much lower fee. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.

Yes! I love family portraits.

My approach is a bit different than more traditional family portraits, so read on if you are interested!

For family photos, I have folks pick a time and then come capture the normal goings-on of the day. So maybe it’s baking cookies with your kids, or going to the park, or walking the dog and then playing with toys. I like to keep it very relaxed and let kids be kids. And then sneak some portraits of everyone together smiling. I also do a mix of film/digital for family portraits.

I do not retouch physical appearances in photos. I do not airbrush photos or change bodies. My editing process is mainly color correction + lighting correction.

Depends! Generally, if you are having a wedding of over 100 people, I highly recommend adding on a 2nd photographer. However, I have done plenty of large weddings solo. When it’s just me at a big wedding, I may miss a few moments (because there’s only one of me)! But, I extensively go over the itinerary/general shot list with you in advance, so I have a very good idea of where I need to be and when to get the best shots.

2 photographers comes with a few benefits. First, I am able to focus a bit more on film photography, when I have a 2nd photographer. Film does take a bit more time to load/unload/set up shots/etc, so having an extra photographer helps give me time to do all that stuff while they are shooting. Also, you will receive more photos overall when adding a 2nd photographer. Typically I estimate about 60 edited photos per hour of coverage, but when I have my 2nd, that number is more like 75/80 photos per hour of coverage in your final gallery.

Who do you use as your 2nd shooter you may ask? 75% of the time, it’s my best friend + partner, Holden. Holden also does my Super 8 work! He’s awesome. He is a classically trained photographer, and also shoots on film when I need him to. If he is unavailable, I have a network of folks I use that are all wedding photographers themselves, and are spectacular.

My approach to editing digital photos starts with skin tone. I photograph people of all different skin tones and to me, nailing the skin tone is the most fundamental part of my editing process. So regardless of any stylistic edits I make, the skin tone has to be correct. From there I make global edits on contrast, highlights, shadows, color, clarity, etc. I like to keep the photos feeling “true-to-life” but enhanced with some stylistic edits, or maybe putting the photo in black & white if it seems like that would enhance the emotion of the image.