Q: What kind of equipment do you use?
A: I use Nikon digital SLR cameras with multiple lenses, and have backup equipment if necessary.
Q: Do you have a studio with back drops and that sort of thing?
A: I don’t have a studio space, but I do have backdrops for corporate head shots and other portraits. I do most of my shooting on-location, whether it’s at a park, your favourite spot downtown, or your home.
Q: How long does a photo shoot take?
A: Usually between 1-2 hours, depending on where we go and what we do.
Q: What should we wear?
A: There are two schools of thought on this one. 1) Colour coordinate and have everyone wear something that matches. So everyone would wear white shirts and jeans, or funky Christmas sweaters, or something similar. 2) Wear something nice but something that’s uniquely you. That way, when people see the photos, they’ll go, “Oh, that’s totally you!” and you’ll be comfortable during the shoot as well. I don’t have a preference either way, really – I recommend that you choose the one that you think fits your style best. The other thing I recommend is to try and avoid clothing with large labels, text, or brands on them.
Q: Do I get a disc?
A: Yes! Every client gets a DVD with the collection of final, fully-edited JPGs. There are usually between 50-100 photos on the disc.
Q: Can I print my photos?
A: Yes you can! Each disc comes with full permission to print the images yourself or at any local printer. You can also burn copies of the DVD for friends and family if you’d like (and it’s encouraged that you make your backup copies of the DVD for storage).
Q: How long do you keep my images?
A: I keep them for two years and my closet is getting pretty full of DVD spindles and hard drives.
Q: How would you describe your shooting style?
A: Typically I’d say that I do a mix of candid photojournalism and stylish portraiture, but with family photo shoots and head shots and stuff like that it’s a bit more deliberate and less candid usually. Sometimes the moments themselves are candid (laughing at a joke or something) but I tend to put you where I want you and guide you the way I’d like you to stand or sit. I’m not really that bossy because everyone has their own specific way of getting comfortable with each other. So if I leave it open-ended and say, “Just get nice and cozy…” everyone kind of does it their own way, which is neat to see.
Q: I’m shy and don’t like having my photo taken!
A: Me neither. It’s always kind of awkward at first being in front of a camera (unless you’re already a model), but it’s not so bad. I try to be pretty laid back and I might crack a few lame jokes every now and then to try and lighten the mood. But after a few dozen shots people usually kind of get into it and before you know it the shoot is done!
Q: How can I pay you?
A: I accept cash, cheque, email money transfers, and I can swipe a debit card or credit card (if we meet in person) or take a credit card number over the phone (or through email if you’re comfortable doing that).