FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Questions:

Why is photography so expensive?
Will you take the photos we want?
What if I don’t like the pictures?
What if it rains?
How many photographs will you take?
Who owns the copyright?
Which areas do you cover?
Archival quality?

Answers:

Why is photography so expensive?
We felt this way too, until we launched our photography business and discovered how expensive good photography is.  In addition to attending your photo shoot, we typically later spend several hours fine-tuning the images on computer. The adjustments are subtle but turn otherwise reasonable negatives into stunning album shots. We also have equipment costs, insurance, advertising, tax, and other overheads to cover. But because we are a home-based business, we have been fortunate to avoid costly studio overheads, which in turn saves our clients money.

Will you take the photographs we want?
If you have ideas or sample pictures on how you’d like to be photographed, don’t hesitate to share them with us. We’d be more than happy to set up a similar shot. Otherwise, we’re happy to use our expertise to lead the shoot.  We can also advise you on outfits and any makeup you wear for the photos.

What if I don't like the pictures?
You don’t have to buy them. No questions asked. For a wedding, we’ll give a full refund if you don’t like the website images (a selection will go online within two weeks of the wedding). But you’ll need to let us know before we send you any digital images on CD. For a portrait sitting, you have no obligation to buy any prints or negatives.

What if it rains?
We carry umbrellas. It’s a good idea to have a wet weather plan for your photo shoot. Daylight is the most flattering light for faces. Wedding venues often have sheltered balconies, rotundas and other structures we can take outdoor portraits under. Other times we can go indoors and use available light from windows. For a family portrait shoot, we are happy to either reschedule or work round the elements.

How many photographs will you take?
This depends on the nature of the shoot. A wedding with seven hours of coverage will typically finish with between 350 and 500 photographs. As we go along, we generally edit in-camera our test shots and any obvious duds. So you receive a far higher-quality set of proofs.  For portrait sessions, a one-hour family shoot will generate about 100 to 150 images.

Who owns the copyright?
If the photographs are commissioned for private and personal use, you own the copyright. This means you can make prints from the digital negatives, and display them on personal websites. However, the photographer is still the initial owner of the physical picture files and any prints, books and other products until you buy them from her. Under Australian copyright law, if the photographs are to be used for commercial use – such as advertisements, company websites and publications – copyright rests with the photographer.

Which areas do you cover?
Across Sydney. We are based in North Sydney, so most suburbs are within easy reach for us. We travel for free for up to half an hour’s drive away. For further afield we may request a travel allowance, depending on the assignment.

Archival quality?
We take care to make sure the photographs, wedding albums, CDs, DVDs and other products we sell you will last for generations to come. Unfortunately no photo or album will last forever. But we have sourced the best of today’s products, and are confident that – if looked after correctly – they should last for generations to come. More details about this can be seen on the archive info section of our website.