Monkey Tree Photography

Frequently Asked Questions

Wedding Questions

Do you shoot film or digital?

For wedding shoots, I shoot only in digital format.

Are you more traditional or more photojournalistic?

My goal is to shoot unobtrusively throughout the day, and to capture what is happening (lots of candid shots). I use natural/available light whenever possible - even in places where one might think there isn't enough light to get a good picture. I don't walk around posing people or asking them to "say cheese". While I am not a "strict photojournalist" (zero interaction, strictly a fly on the wall), I am heavily influenced by this type of work. If I am approached throughout the day and asked to take "posed" portraits, I'll be happy to oblige.

The best way to get a feel for my work is to schedule a time when we can meet. You can review some of my recent work and portfolio, ask questions, and see if our personalities mesh well together. The website galleries are wonderful, but there's nothing like the real thing.

Do you shoot in black & white, color, or both?

I shoot in color, and during the editing process some images (according to your preference) are made into black & white images.

Do you do formal portraits?

I will happily accommodate your posed group portrait requests! We'll discuss beforehand whether or not you'd like formal group portraits of the family, wedding party, etc. and when you'd like to allow for those in your wedding day schedule. If you wish to skip the formals, that's fine as well.

What's a pre-wedding consultation?

This is a meeting sometime before your wedding (probably during the month of your wedding) to discuss the overall itinerary for the wedding day. We'll go over venue locations and restrictions, the timeline of your ceremony and reception, formal portrait listings, and any other little logistical details we need to clear up. It's a great chance for me to verify that I am going to be providing exactly the services you need! If you'd prefer, we can handle this interaction via e-mail or phone.

Can you hold our date for a couple of weeks while we decide on a photographer?

Your date is secured on my calendar once your retainer fee has been paid. It is my policy not to hold a date without payment of the retainer fee.

Is the retainer refundable?

The retainer fee is 100% non-refundable.

Can you customize a Collection to meet my needs?

Of course! The items in the Collections are discounted from the "a la carte" pricing, but if my Collections don't meet your needs, I am always willing to create a special collection just for you. It's difficult to know exactly what every bride and groom will want-but if you tell me, I'll do my best to accommodate!

Can we switch to a different Collection once we've signed a contract with you?

Absolutely!

We don't need the complimentary engagement/bridal portrait session. Can we swap it out for something else?

The complimentary portrait session is just that-my gift to you, a way of saying "thanks" and building a better business relationship. It cannot be swapped for other items, given to other people, "cashed in" for a credit toward your balance, or used after the wedding.

Why not? This session is a wonderful way for us to get to know one another, to build rapport so that we'll all be more comfortable on the wedding day (and of course, to give you some beautiful photographs at this special time in your life). It's worth my time to give this to you!

Do you travel? Is there a charge?

There is no charge for travel throughout the Greater Houston/Galveston area. For the Hill Country, College Station, Austin, Dallas/Ft. Worth and other Texas locations there is a small fee (generally to cover mileage and one night's hotel accommodations). For travel outside of Texas, I ask that flight costs and accommodations be covered for the nights before and after the wedding. Please contact me for more details regarding travel charges if you're interested in retaining services for a destination wedding.

Do you come to the rehearsal?

If the venue is new to me, I may choose (at your discretion) to attend so that I can get a feel for the space. Most of the time I'm very comfortable arriving a little early on the day of the wedding to explore the venue. Should you desire photography coverage at the rehearsal or the dinner, there is an additional charge.

Our ceremony is in the morning, but then the reception is later in the evening. Can we split up our 8 hours of coverage?

Collections are priced for continuous hours of photography coverage. If there is a large break in your day where you don't need coverage, we can accommodate but there is generally an additional charge. The amount depends on the location(s) and timeline. Just ask!

Will you be in charge on the wedding day, and let us know when everything is supposed to happen?

My mode of operation is to blend into the background. If you need someone to assist with setting up the venue(s), assuring that items and/or people are in their proper location, "running the show", keeping you on schedule, etc. then I strongly suggest that you invest in a wedding coordinator (feel free to contact me for a referral).

Our church doesn't allow flash photography. What will you do?

Most churches don't allow flash photography during the religious portion of your wedding ceremony. It's distracting and often viewed as disrespectful to the solemnity and holiness of the rite of marriage. I'm prepared for this and have invested in equipment that allows me to capture beautiful images even in low light. Generally, I am allowed to use flash when you and your wedding party are entering the church, and when you are leaving. If there is enough light for your guests to be able to see what's going on, I should be able to take non-flash pictures with great results.

I am also familiar with churches who:

only allow me to shoot from the choir loft
only allow me to shoot through the glass at the back of the church
ask me to position myself behind the last guest at the back of the pews
limit me to shooting only 3 or 4 frames during the entire ceremony.

I'm very respectful of these guidelines, and only ask that you let me know what your officiant and church are comfortable with.

I will not disrespect the guidelines of any religious institution, regardless of my clients' requests to "ignore" them and "get the shot".

Our church only allows 20 minutes for formal portraits after the ceremony. Is this enough time?

This should be plenty of time. I suggest that you appoint your coordinator or a take-charge type family member to help corral all of your relatives for formal portraits. With good planning beforehand (we'll cover this at the pre-wedding consultation), twenty minutes should be more than enough time.

It's a good idea to let your guests know in advance (for instance, at the rehearsal dinner) if they need to stay after the ceremony for pictures. I'll do formal portraits in an order such that we are through with extended family first, then immediate family, then the wedding party, so that each group is free to go on to the reception once their pictures have been taken. At the end, I'm left with just the newlyweds for a few very sweet, candid "alone time" pictures.

How many pictures will you take at my wedding?

The honest answer is... I don't know! There is no limit to the number of frames I shoot at a wedding. Your final number will vary depending on the number of guests, length of the wedding, timeline, etc. I shoot to tell the story of your day. You will probably have between 300-700 images. It's a wide range, but what can I say? It varies.

We have a "must-take" photo list. Can you work from that on our wedding day?

There are certain things that I will absolutely get shots of-- the guestbook, the cake, the place-cards, your rings, your bouquet, your dress, your shoes, the kiss, the cakes, the warm embraces on the dance floor, your wedding favors, the rose petals or sparklers or bubbles... and more. There is no need for you to provide me with a list of these things, because it's my goal to look out for them and capture them. I don't work from a "shot list" on the wedding day (except during formal portraits) because if I did... I'd be staring at a piece of paper all day and missing out on all the great little candid moments happening right in front of me.

If there are some truly specific pictures you're requesting (for instance, "bride riding piggy back on groom"), then the pre-wedding consultation is the best time to discuss them, so that I can work the shots into our timeline.

Can you make a slideshow of the ceremony pictures and show it at the reception?

This is not a service I provide at this time.

Will you take a picture of the guests at each table during our reception?

I do not encourage "table shots" because at most weddings, guests are only seated at their tables all together when they are eating-and as a matter of common courtesy, I do not interrupt your guests' meals or photograph them while they are eating. If the bride and groom desire table shots, I will accommodate only if the couple accompanies me to each table to have their photo taken with the groups. Again, I prefer to be unobtrusive and let your guests enjoy themselves-and capture them in photographs while they are having fun.

How does it work when we have a videographer and a photographer?

We work together in a professional manner. Your videographer is absolutely NOT allowed to film while I am taking formal portraits; this can confuse the portrait subjects and make for complicated lighting issues.

What happens if we run over the time we've scheduled and we want you to stay longer?

I'll consult with you or your designated representative (mom, dad, your coordinator, etc.) when you are running low on time. Additional time on the day of the wedding can be purchased at $200 per half hour, and I can't guarantee that I'll be able to stay indefinitely... though most of the time I'll stay as long as you'd like, or as long as my batteries and memory cards will allow! Payment for overtime is due before I leave the wedding, and is payable only by check or cash.

How long will it be before we can see our pictures?

For most weddings, processing time is about 4-8 weeks. I will notify you ASAP once the images are posted online! I know how anxious you and your loved ones are to see them, and I want to get them posted for you in a timely manner... but I also want to give them the time and effort they deserve in the editing process. With certain Collections, you will get a "Sneak Peek" where I'll post 20-40 selected (unedited) images for you within 24 hours of the wedding. A rush-processing upgrade (guaranteed edited images within 7 days) can be purchased for a fee of $500.

Can you photoshop my tan lines? Can you fix _____ in the pictures?

In the editing process, I repair small imperfections in the images. For example, in close-up pictures of a bride with a blemish or a groom with razor nicks, I'll do some minor touch-up to make it less obvious. Tan lines (especially on the chest and shoulders) and closed eyes are much more complicated, and will result in additional editing charges. I do not remove people from images, or place extra people in images.

How long will it take to get our album?

The album process consists of several steps, including image choice and proofing. It can take as little as two months or can go on indefinitely, depending on your response time.

Do you pick the pictures for our album or can we?

I ask you to provide a list of "must haves" (a maximum of 45), and allow our designers to choose the rest of the images. If you would prefer not to pick out images, we can leave it all to the designers. I'll also need to know if there are specific images you wish NOT to have included. You will have a chance to review the album design before it goes to print, and make specific requests for changes.

What are proofs?

Proofs are one set of 4"x6" prints of your images

Do you give us the copyrights to our images?

I retain professional copyright to all of my images. With Collections that include high-resolution files, you are given permission to make prints for personal use.

have prints made for your own use or as gifts
make photobooks for your own use or as gifts to others
post images on personal websites
provide newspapers with images to accompany your wedding or engagement announcements

You may not:

sell prints/images or make them available for purchase (via photo hosting websites like Shutterfly, Snapfish, Ofoto, etc.)
digitally manipulate the images in Photoshop or other photo editing programs
make the image files available to other professionals (vendors who may want to use the images on their website, etc.)
make files available for use by magazines, newspapers, or commercial websites

What happens if you get sick?

I'll still be there bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to shoot your wedding, even if I'm feeling under the weather. If I start feeling ill in the few days prior to your wedding, all meetings/shoots will be cancelled so that I can get to the doctor and rest/medicate/recuperate. I don't "call in sick". It's simply not an option. In the event of a true emergency, I'll do my best to find someone in my local network of professional wedding photographers who can provide similar coverage.

Do you have backup equipment?

Yes! I carry several camera bodies and several lenses that can be interchanged easily if there is mechanical failure or breakage in a piece of equipment.

Can you password-protect our online gallery?

Yes we can! By default, we leave galleries password-free for easier viewing and less confusion on the part of friends and family members. If you need yours password-protected, just ask and ye shall receive.

Do we have to provide a meal for you?

We appreciate a meal if we are working a full day for you, as there is rarely an opportunity for us to stop for lunch or dinner. If we are served at the same time as the bride and groom, we can be sure not to miss any important moments that take place just afterward, like toasts, dances, and cake cutting. Most venues will make allowances for "vendor meals" without charging you the full per-head cost for your guest's meals.

What do you wear to the wedding?

We dress professionally, in slacks or skirts/dresses and clothing that will allow us to perform well.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

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