Frequently Asked Questions
What is your style?
The best answer is to look through my
portfolio. All of these images have been taken by me and represent my style.
Will you be photographing my wedding?
Barring illness or injury I will personally be photographing your wedding. I am not a large company that uses a booking agent, and then sends out a random photographer. I am a one person business (with significant help from my amazing wife of 18 years!)
What happens if you are sick or injured?
This has never happened, knock on wood. But if it were to happen, I have an extensive list of wedding photography colleagues in the Wilmington/Myrtle Beach area I can draw from. I am also a member of the Wedding Photographic Society which is a network of wedding photography professionals.
How much time will you spend at my wedding?
I don't put time limits on my packages, as I don't want to limit my ability to tell your story. I will be there when the story starts and I stay until it has been told. It depends on what you want, but often times I am there when a bride starts with hair/makeup, and don't leave until after the sparkler exit. We will work together to determine your coverage needs.
Why is wedding photography so expensive?
Wedding photography is a specialized field. The equipment needed to handle the ever changing situations of a wedding, often in poor lighting and unpredictable weather, is much more expensive than what your standard portrait photographer needs. And since we simply can't reschedule your wedding if something goes wrong with a critical piece of equipment, we have to have backups for everything. Also, most weddings are on a Saturday, and there are a limited number of Saturdays to book weddings. This dictates price, unfortunately. Hiring the wrong wedding photographer is putting your memories at risk. They might not have proper equipment, backups, or business practices to ensure your day is captured and your images are safe.
I only need you for 4 hours, why should I pay for all day coverage?
I only shoot one wedding a day, and generally only one wedding a weekend. I have to be sure I can guarantee a specific amount of income to stay in business. That being said I can be flexible if you only need a few hours of coverage, especially on weddings that are not on a Saturday.
Why do you only list a couple of packages?
I understand that as you search for the right wedding photographer you are going to be overwhelmed with options. I try to keep it simple with that in mind. The packages listed in my pricing section are what I offer. I don't have confusing packages filled with 'fluff' to make them look more appealing, or try to upsell you on additional coverage when it comes time to book. I can also create a custom package to fit your needs.
Should I get an album?
Yes! When my wife and I were married, we did not have an album made. We always thought we would 'get to it later'. Well 18 years later and the negatives are lost, and we don't have enough prints to make an album. Technology changes; in 10 years computers likely won't even have DVD players in them, so getting your images off of the DVD may be impossible. The only time tested way to be sure you can see your wedding photos in 10 or 20 years is to have quality prints made in some form. Can you imagine trying to get your parents' wedding images off of an old 5 ¼ floppy disk today?
I don't see prints in any of your packages, do you offer prints?
Absolutely! I offer a full range of photographic prints, as well as products like gallery wraps. I don't have these in my packages to keep things simple. Your images will be in an online gallery for you to order prints and products from after your wedding should you desire.
Do I get a DVD high resolution images?
Yes. All of my wedding packages include a DVD with the images cropped and color corrected, in high resolution, without watermarks, and ready for print. You can get these images printed anywhere and you are not required to go through me.
If I can get images printed anywhere, why should I order through you? Your print prices are much higher than the local discount store.
My prints come from professional labs that are only available to professional photographers. These labs use photographic paper that is exposed to light and developed using a chemical development process. Though constantly being improved for color and contrast, this is the same basic process that has been around for over a hundred years. Discount printers use an inexpensive inkjet type system that sprays ink on paper. These inexpensive systems often use thin cheap paper to save money, and don't hold color and contrast as well as a developed print from a professional lab.
How soon will I get my photos?
I will have a blog post up within usually within a week showcasing some of my favorite images of the day. We will schedule an appointment for you to review the final images about a month after your wedding. You will receive the DVD with all of your images at that time. If you are a destination client, the DVD will be mailed out within 30 days of your wedding.
How many images do I get?
That depends on the wedding. An intimate beach wedding with 40 guests that only lasts a few hours might produce 300 images, while a large full day wedding with 300 guests might produce 1000 images. I will take as many images as I need to tell the story.
Do you do any special processing on my images?
Every image is manually color corrected and cropped. I believe in providing a clean crisp beautiful image. I try to avoid any editing fads that will make your images feel dated in 10 or 20 years. For any images that are ordered as prints, and especially products like gallery wraps, I will do additional editing on them to prepare them for large printing including blemish cleanup and background cleanup.
I am from out of town, but having my wedding in the Wilmington/Myrtle Beach area. Can you accommodate me?
Absolutely! With the amazing weather, beautiful scenery, and spectacular beaches, we have many "destination" weddings where this IS the destination. I even have a special wedding package to cater to your needs. Most destination weddings are smaller and don't need engagement sessions, so I am able to offer a package that is priced accordingly. We can handle pre-wedding consultations over the phone or via Skype/Facetime.
What is your coverage area?
I am located in Southport, NC; along the Carolina Coast between Wilmington, NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. My local coverage areas include Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, and beaches/area in between!
Why is so much of your past work from Kansas/Missouri?
I am originally from Kansas City, and for years photographed weddings in that area. My family and I moved to the Coastal Carolina region in 2011. The Dogwood is the state tree of Missouri, and the name of the company pays homage to that.
Do you book destination weddings?
Have passport, will travel.
Do you do portraits, or just weddings?
I specialize in weddings and engagements. This lets me put all of my focus on being the best at what I do. I will take portraits and other types of photography on request, but I do not put any emphasis on that in my business.
How big is your company?
I am a sole proprietor. That being said, my wife is a huge part of my business, and could not function without her. She is my primary 2nd shooter, lighting assistant and office manager.
Do you have a studio?
Yes! The studio is located at 305 N. Howe Street in the heart of downtown Southport, NC. Our hours are by appointment only, so
contact us to set one up.
I think you are awesome and want to hire you, what's next?
Now you
contact Us! We will set up a consultation to see if I am the right wedding photographer to tell the story of your day. We can meet in the studio; or go for coffee, a beer, or even ice cream! If you are not local we will handle the consultation over the phone or via Skype/Facetime.
