Frequently Asked Questions
What do you charge?
Basic price information can be
found by following this link.
Digital vs. Film
It's rare to print a wedding
photograph larger than 16x20 and the quality of digital imaging these days can
easily handle that when the original is properly exposed and in focus.
I prefer shooting digitally. The cameras and lenses I
use are extraordinary tools and the quality is superb.
Shooting digitally is so much fun. I think it sees more
the way my eye sees. Prints from negatives are a step away from the
original. Not so with digital. The original is not a negative but a
positive so there is no intermediate step in printing from the original image
that is captured in camera.
On a technical note, I don't shoot jpeg format files.
They are camera raw files. This allows me to tweak and enhance images to a
greater degree in Photoshop after the fact. The files are larger and allow
greater control over the look of the final image.
Black & White vs. Color
I get many requests for black &
white photography and I have photographed exclusively in
black & white when requested.
Black & white is great for day weddings
outdoors but keep this in mind. An important part of the magic and beauty of
black & white comes from the interplay of light and shadow. For
weddings indoors at night, the flash on the camera is usually the main source of
light. Because that light is directly above the camera lens, shadows are
effectively eliminated. Under these circumstances, the resulting black
& white images
are, in my opinion, less visually appealing.
If the majority of your wedding takes place
after dark and what you're really looking for is one or two photographs in black
& white to be framed, it might be better to shoot in color.
Sepia toned prints or hand-tinting can also
enhance the beauty of black & white images.
Most often I shoot digitally, and when I do, I shoot exclusively in color
even though I will often present certain images in black & white when they are presented online
at the Pictage.com website. I would be
happy to explain this in greater detail so just ask.
When should we do the formal group photos?
Most of the time, I photograph the bride &
groom formally after the wedding ceremony, usually taking only 15-20 minutes to do
so. But more and more they are choosing to do them before the ceremony. In
many cases I think it's a good idea and here is why.
It has been my experience that some brides who
wait until the ceremony to see the groom for the first time are on sensory
overload. Emotions, and sometimes stress, are at their peak, making it
difficult to appreciate the full depth and significance of
the experience. The most common wedding traditions in our culture do not
allow for an open expression of feelings at that time.
Instead, what you could do is create some time,
about an hour before the ceremony, to have a special moment together in whatever
location you prefer. I could be there, in the background, capturing the
moment, but otherwise, you would be alone together for awhile. This can
be a great tension reliever, making it easier to be more present during the rest
of the event.
Then we would do formal photographs of the two
of you, before the ceremony, while you're looking your best. The rest of
the family and wedding party could join in the moment and get those photos made early, allowing everything to flow
from the ceremony to the reception without
delay. Your guests will be grateful.
For others, this arrangement is of little or no concern at
all and arranging formal photography after the ceremony is the easiest
way to go. You'll get a sense of what's right for you.
Also keep in mind that, whenever possible,
it's great to use natural light. If you're wedding is at 7pm during
daylight savings time, formal photos should probably be done at 5:30 or 6pm in
order to make optimal use of available light. Calculate the sunrise and sunset for your wedding day.
"Will you, yourself, be the
photographer at the wedding?"
I do not sub-contract other
photographers. All communication would be with me personally. That way, we are always
clear on your specific needs and how to best respond to them. It is
possible that some large events may require additional photographers for complete
coverage.
During church weddings where flash is allowed,
I'm usually up near the altar while my assistant photographs wider views from
the back balcony whenever that's possible.
"What if you get sick or have an
emergency to respond to?"
The way that I see it, a portion of the fee you pay
me goes toward keeping myself in good working order. I live a very healthy
lifestyle and focus a part of my attention toward being there
for you when the time comes. I meditate regularly and always devote some
of that time and energy toward creating a successful event with good weather.
When all else fails, this is when membership
in professional associations becomes important. Members can cover for each
other. Every reasonable effort will be made to find a suitable replacement
but, since I began in 1985, I've not had to do this.
"Why do you need an assistant?"
Two of the biggest advantages of having an
assistant are that I never have to focus all of my attention on technical
matters and, if formals are done
immediately after the ceremony, I can continue to focus on the spontaneity of
the celebration while the assistant sets up the lighting equipment when you've
chosen the Level A coverage. The
reactions of wedding participants right after the ceremony are a very important
part of the event. I wouldn't want to miss those moments while dealing
with technical matters.
When flash photography is allowed during a
church ceremony, my assistant will usually photograph the bride from the balcony or back of the
church or synagogue
while she's walking down the
aisle. And, at the same time, I'm up front capturing the
moment when she meets the groom, whenever that is allowed by the officiant.
An assistant can focus on these aspects of the event making it much easier
for me to focus on you. Also, working with an assistant makes the entire event more
enjoyable for me.
"How soon after the wedding can I
expect to get my photographs?"
If you order a proof album, in most cases the photographs are ready within
ten weeks, often sooner, but occasionally it will take a few more weeks if I'm
particularly busy or traveling. Using the Internet, photographs
are usually available for viewing on the Pictage.com website in less than four weeks.
"Do you ever sell digital image files to
clients?"
It is rare. Unless you happen
to be a professional photographer yourself, one big advantage of hiring a
professional is their ability to follow through to completion the quality creation of
finished prints, or albums that tell the whole story. Also, keep in mind that every image I make is
registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, which makes it less likely that
anyone would misuse an image from your event once you become rich and famous.
"How long do you keep the
photographs in
your files?"
Part of the fee that you pay goes toward the
safe keeping of all images. But there is no way I can reasonably
guarantee that a tragedy won't occur. All digital images are saved on a
hard drive in my office, as well as another hard drive at a separate location,
and are backed up on a server at Pictage.com.
The Internet will make it easy for you
to contact me no matter where in the world you or I may go should you need additional
prints later on. I expect GeorgeLong.com to be around for a very long
time. I always seem to keep up with the latest technology.
"Can I get my deposit back if the
wedding is canceled?"
In most cases, a deposit will be returned if
the wedding is canceled six months or more before the wedding date.
Otherwise, the deposit will not be returned unless another wedding of equal or
greater size and value is later
booked for that day and time.
What about working with the videographer?
Only once in all my years have I ever had a
conflict with a videographer. He was angry and hurt when I told the bride
she didn't have to fake throwing the bouquet again when he missed getting the
shot the first time.
I'd be happy to refer you to videographers who
will act with dignity, whose style is complimentary to mine, and who almost never
use a light.
Also, I can't recall ever having problems with
relatives or friends who wanted to take photos alongside me. The only
thing to consider is that if there are several people standing near me during
the formals, on occasion they can make that process take longer.
What about those disposable cameras at the
reception?
I certainly have no problem with this.
Keep in mind though that it means you will be posing for pictures a lot more
during the event. So you might ask yourself if you really want to be
doing that during your reception.
From feedback I've received, other
considerations are that children of all ages can waste a tremendous amount of film or, if
the cameras get lost or taken from the wedding, you may be upset or
disappointed. I've seen this happen more than once.
Feel free to call anytime if you have other
questions.
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