The purpose of this FAQ page is to get your wedding photography questions answered. If by any chance it doesn’t, then please don’t hesitate to contact me! I will be only too pleased to help.
Q: How long have you been a photographer?
A: I started taking photographs on a SLR camera before I was a teenager but became a professional photographer in 2006 after studying photography at university. The first wedding I covered was for a friend. Shortly after, I decided wedding photography was what I wanted as a career. Later, I went on to study, both in the UK and abroad, under some of the world’s leading photographers, to perfect my skills. Now I find it hard to describe how much I love my work.
Q: Have you shot at my venue before?
A: Having shot at numerous venues around the country, there is a good chance I have. If not, I always find time to check out the best photography locations. Usually this is early in the day, or frequently, I will travel to the location the day before the wedding. I will have also done online research prior to your special day!
Q: Can I see a wedding from start to finish?
A: Of course! I pride myself on consistency and understand wedding photographers are selective when it comes to choosing images for their websites. That is why, when I meet potential clients, I encourage them to view full weddings I have shot. You will also see how beautiful your wedding images will look when displayed in a luxury hand-made Queensberry Album.
Q: Do you deliver every image you shoot?
A: I eliminate duplicate images, test shots, missed focused shots, images I consider are unflattering and other images that may dilute the overall quality you would expect. As I shoot with low apertures, sometimes I take a few extra shots to make sure I have the perfect focus. I don’t expect you to have the expertise, or the time, to zoom into each image to select the one with the sharpest focus, so I spend hours doing that for you.
Q: Do you edit all images before we see them?
A: Yes. Every image delivered is post-produced. This involves colour correction, exposure adjustment, selective black and white processing, clarity adjustments, tone-mapping and other corrections. Some wedding photographers do not edit any images, or will only post-produce “select” images from your wedding. This means that you may have pictures that are too dark, have strange skin tones or other common photography flaws.
Q: My venue is dark. Can you handle this?
A: We shoot in gloomy churches and on very dark dance floors all the time! If the situation allows, we will set up professional lighting to ensure we get sharp pictures. Churches, in general and rightly so, do not allow flash photography and so we will shoot on cameras with superb low-light performance and lenses with low apertures.
Q: What is your wedding photography style?
A; Whether it is preparing at home for your wedding, the wedding ceremony or reception, my style of wedding photography is best described as authentic and honest. I focus on candid and natural expressions with a hint of direction from me! Please visit My Wedding Photography Style page for more information.
Q: Do you take “traditional” wedding images?
A: I do take traditional family pictures in addition to my more natural and candid style. While they may not be as exciting as some of my informal images, I do appreciate the value, and the history, behind traditional family wedding portraits. As each wedding is unique, we will decide between us how much time is spent on traditional group photographs. Please do ask to see our family group images as they demonstrate how we get everyone to relax in front of the camera!
Q: Do you do destination weddings and what additional fees do you charge for these?
A: Whilst S.R.Urwin Wedding Photography is based in Oxford, Oxfordshire, I serve clients who wish to hold their wedding ceremony overseas. For more information go to Destination Wedding Photography
Q: Are we able to have the RAW files?
A: Each of our Wedding Photography Collections comes with a full resolution image download. We do not provide RAW (unprocessed) files from our shoots because we believe in delivering a finished product. In fact, we are often shooting with the end (post-produced) product in mind.
Q: How many photographs will I receive?
A: Typically, at a wedding I will shoot over 2000 photographs. I then spend time selecting and editing the best images. There is no limit to the number of photos I deliver to you but you can expect at least 500. Generally it’s more. The number increases depending on the flow of the day and how many events and activities need to be captured.
Q: How can I use the hi-res photographs?
A: The high-resolution images are delivered on a beautifully presented and password protected online gallery and you will also receive them on a USB presented in an attractive wooden box. From the gallery you can download hi-res files, print high quality prints and canvasses, send photos to family and friends, share them on Facebook or use them in any other way you can think of!
Q: Do you have Liability Insurance?
A: As a professional wedding photographer the answer is yes, both Public and Private Liability Insurance. Many venues require the photographer to have liability insurance. So if you are thinking of hiring Uncle Fred, make sure he’s covered!
Q: How do I set up an appointment to meet you in person and see some of your work?
A: Call me, send me an email or complete the Contact Form and I will be more than happy to travel to you.
Q: Due to distance, meetings will be difficult. Are there any other options?
A: I would love to meet with you before your wedding day but we can handle everything remotely if you prefer. Just let me know what information you need and I should be able to accommodate any request. For example, if you would like to see more of my work, I can gladly show you complete events online. We will need to discuss timelines for the wedding day, as well as getting to know each other better, so telephone calls and webcam appointments can be arranged.
Q: How do I reserve you for my date?
A: All dates are reserved once we receive your signed contract and deposit.
Q: Is there extra cost if we pay by credit card?
A: No
Q: If we cancel the wedding, will we receive our deposit fee back?
A: Unfortunately not. The deposit reserves your date. Once reserved we do not accept new clients for your date.
Q: If we change our wedding, will we be able to use our deposit fee towards the new date?
A: Of course, providing I am available. Should a date change happen for reasons beyond your control, and I am not available for the new date, then we review this on a case-by-case basis.
Q: Are there travel and accommodation fees associated with your wedding photography?
A: No. Whichever Wedding Photography Collection you have chosen, there will not be any additional costs unless we have explicitly agreed these beforehand. If I choose to travel to your wedding day location the day before, or stay close to the location when you celebrations have finished, any accommodation or meals will be at my cost.
Q: How does the album design process work?
A: After you have viewed and selected your images, we will design the album layout for you so it accurately reflects the events of your wedding day. This can then be proofed through your password protected online gallery. Once you are happy with the design you can expect to receive your Queensberry album in around four to five weeks. For more information visit our Queensbury Album page.