If you have any questions that aren't addressed here please feel free to contact me at
I really love your work, could you please hold our
date?
A wedding date is only "confirmed" once the deposit is made and the contract is signed.
When I get an enquiry that date is "flagged". All other couples who request the same date are
then informed that another couple has enquired about their date. The date is only booked once a deposit has been
received and a contract signed.
Our wedding has been cancelled can we get our deposit back?
If for whatever reason
the date is cancelled and rescheduled I will do my best to accommodate the new date as long
as the new date is within a one year period of the original date booked. Weddings that have
been cancelled indefinitely will only be refunded if we are able to secure another wedding on
that same day.
I am really camera shy and it is always visible in photographs. How do you get your couples to
look so relaxed?
I do not work according to a set formula, where I pose and style
a couple and then on the count of three ....say cheese. This is where people tend to look terrible
in photographs as they look uncomfortable and the smile is always a forced one. The "rabbit in
the headlights" syndrome! What I do is scout the wedding venue beforehand and take the
couple to the selected locations. We then have the perfect location and I will direct the couple in
such a natural way, resulting in photographs that show you relaxed and natural.
I usually ask bridal couples to allocate 45 minutes to an hour for the photographs. For the rest of the day
i.e. the ceremony, preparation and reception I take a "photojournalistic" approach where I record
the day in an unobtrusive manner.
In the past some couples have insisted on a purely "photojornalistic" approach and have been disappointed
with the photographs of themselves as either the background is not pleasant or the interaction
between the couple does not provide an aesthetic and natural looking image. Not all people photograph well
naturally and sometimes you need that perfect light to turn a normal looking venue into a glamourous background.
For this reason, a couple of minutes of your time away from your guests will ensure that you get the quality images that
you see in these portfolios.
You mention that as part of the package we get a CD with the High
Resolution edited images, why is this so important?
Many photographers do not release the high resolution images, which act as your digital negatives. This means that in addition to the
package that you have purchased you will need to go back to the same photographer for any reprints that you
wish to make and you will be obliged to pay the prices set by the photographer. For this reason
many photographers will give you a disc where pictures have been watermarked (sometimes called proofs) or that
the images are saved as low resolution. Should you try and print the images they will either have
the embedded watermark or be of a terrible quality.
My philosophy is that at the end of the day it is your wedding and your memories! All my
packages include the CD with the high resolution images. This means that
you will be able to view ALL of your "memories", not just the printed
and paid for ones. If a year later you decide that you would like to
print other images you are free to do so as and when you want. You can
also duplicate the CD as many times as you like and send it to friends
and family that may have missed the wedding.
You mention that all images will be edited, to what extent will they
be edited as I am not a fan of overly edited photographs.
All photographs featured on your CD will go through an editing process. Editing which may not
be visible to the "amateur" eye but which will enhance your features and will enhance the
overall mood of the photograph. I'm not talking airbrushed to plastic perfection, but just a tweak that
ensures that on your wedding day you look perfect, glamourous and blemish-free.
It is for this reason that I ask for 4-6 weeks time before I hand over
the discs with the edited pictures. All images are available in B&W and Sepia.
I see that you offer an "Engagement Shoot" as part of your packages
what is it and why do I need it?
For me the most important thing to getting a great
image is that the couple feel comfortable in having me there on their big day. Lets face
it your wedding day is the biggest, most planned for and probably one of
the more stressful days of your life, the last thing you need is for
someone dictate and direct you about.
I offer the engagement shoot as a "trial run" session. You select
a venue, somewhere that is special to the both of you...the street where
you danced in the rain or the Deli where he proposed to you, we then
take pictures of the two of you at that venue.
This allows you to get comfortable with me and having a camera pointed at you before your
big day. I always advise couples that if for whatever reason they feel uncomfortable with me
at the engagement shoot that it is in their best interest to find another photographer ... no hard
feelings and no obligations! As a sidenote, if your wedding photographer doesn't offer an engagement shoot,
think hard about whether you'll be comfortable with them for an entire day.
I am not a fan of the formal shots and would prefer to leave them out
but my mother insists on them, what should I do?
Formal shots are never important when you are younger, and the younger couples always seem to want to skip them. My advice is
that although it is your wedding day, it is also the coming together of two families, take a couple of minutes to document this.
It costs the same and it will make your mother/mother-in-law happy.
How do we book you?
My favourite question. First confirm my availability either by phone
or via email, once I have your deposit and the contract is signed you have yourself a photographer.
Why should we book you?
Another favourite question. My approach to photographing each wedding is fresh & unique to each
individual couple. Documenting your unique celebration of love, with a
creative eye for detail. I like to ensure that every moment is captured
in a fun, natural and elegant way. I want to provide you with quality
images that will last you a lifetime. In 60 years time when you look at
your wedding photographs I want you too feel like you are young
again ... zimmer frames and all!
Uniquely Upfront Photography
It is very important to ask questions, and I know there are loads of those 10 things you should ask your wedding photographer lists that circulate online, but what I mean is more along the lines of finding out whether you want to spend your big day with this person. Can you get along with this person? Photography is pretty much mostly about feeling comfortable with someone and having a connection. If you don't have a connection it could end up being a fairly aweful day as you realise you made a grave mistake in hiring someone who insists on making you do the same thing ten times while he or she gets the exposure right.
Some very happy couples
We can not find words to express our gratitude for all you have done.
Thank you for capturing our day in such a beautiful way.Thank you a
thousand times!
Gill & Mark
Our photographer was absolutely awesome! You need someone to catch every
moment so that each picture you have feels like you are reliving the day!
Gen & Greg
The teasers we received today are absolutely amazing!! We emailed it out
to all our guests who attended the wedding (and those from far away
places that were not able to make it) and have received such wonderful
comments on how we both look like we thoroughly enjoyed the day. Thank
you for capturing our day in such a natural and unobtrusive way!
Melissa & Edward
You are masters in the art of photography. We are ecstatic with our
pictures! Thank you!!
Michelle & David
Questions?
If you have any questions feel free to contact me at andrea@andreacarlylephotography.co.za