Q. I read that you’re a sports photographer? Why should I hire a sports photographer to shoot my wedding?
A. Sports photography is tough! You have fast paced action combined with moments that may only come once in a game, race or match that you simply cannot miss. On top of that, many sports are played in arenas with poor lighting that requires intimate knowledge of your camera gear to maximize the quality of photos you produce. These are all things that sports photographers deal with on a daily basis and these are also things that some wedding photographers are not prepared to deal with. The pressure to capture the ‘shot’ is nothing new in my career as a sports photojournalist and it is something that has prepared me well for covering weddings. If you want to see some of my sports work, check out www.jameypricephoto.com
Q. Why are wedding photographer’s so expensive?
A. A colleague once told me something that makes a lot of sense. Top athletes like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant get paid what they do because when it comes down to that game decisive moment, you want someone who will put the ball in the basket every. single. time. When you pay money for something, you want to pay for consistency. The worst thing in the world is to pay and not know what you’re going to get. Quality wedding photographers produce amazing images day in and day out. You are paying for that consistency. You know the quality of their images because you looked at their work and you know that is what you will get from them. In addition, the equipment professional photographers use is very expensive. It is important to ask what kind of equipment a photographer uses when shopping around. Less then professional grade cameras and lenses will produce low quality images ESPECIALLY when shooting in poorly lit conditions (such as inside a church). A good rule of thumb is that the lower the photographer’s base package price is, the lesser their equipment is.
Q. But my cousin has a really nice new digital camera with 16 megapixels. I was going to have him take our photos!
A. Lets put it this way. Would you want your cousin doing open heart surgery on you even if he has the best equipment in the world? A wedding is a once in a lifetime event. You do not get second chances at capturing those crucial moments. If you are serious about having nice photos from your wedding then it is advisable to hire someone who not only has experience as a wedding photographer but someone who has a great deal of experience as a professional photographer.
Q. What technical details in photographs should I look for to find a good photographer?
A. People can tell the difference between images that a photographer who charges $700 makes and the images a $5,000 photographer makes. Your photographer should match your style. You want to hire me, because the images that I produce make you smile, say “WOW!” Good photographers are able to see those details that everyone else missed, capture those moments that no one else saw and used the light like no one else can.
Q. Do you travel for weddings?
A. YES! I have been fortunate enough to travel to some amazing places on this Earth and I would love to travel for your wedding. However, it is obviously more expensive for me to shoot a destination wedding so this will be reflected in your fees.
Q. Your wedding package includes a complimentary engagement session. Why?
A. As with anything in life, the better you know your subject, the better the images will be. If I am going to cover your wedding day, I want to get to know you! A pre-wedding engagement session is the perfect way to do that in a low key setting where I can get to know you as individuals and as a couple. All wedding packages come with an engagement shoot, but it is your choice whether or not you take it.
Q. I keep hearing about “photojournalistic” coverage. What does that mean?
A. People throw the phrase of “photojournalism” around without knowing what it really means. Photojournalism is capturing an event on camera without manipulating, posing, or altering the situation or image in any way. Photojournalists are held to a strict code of ethics not to intervene, pose, or create situations and then photograph them. Not every photographer has the ability to see these key moments and then capture them. Some photographers are very good at posing subjects and creating a situation; But photojournalism is not about posing subjects. It is about capturing the moments as they happen.
I am fortunate enough to have trained under some of the very best photographers in the business at the Charlotte Observer and Danville Advocate Messenger as well as working with professional wedding photographers to learn from their experiences. Taking the best ideas and practices from the professionals I have worked with, I have learned how best to capture people, anticipate moments and make the most of what my camera and lenses have to offer.
Q. Great. I definitely want photojournalistic wedding coverage. But can I also have some formal portraits done the day of?
A. OF COURSE! These make great gifts for parents, friends, bridesmaids, groomsmen and anyone who maybe couldn’t make it to the event.
Q. Can I have the high resolution digital files?
A. Yes you can….but for a fee. Though digital photographs are saved on a memory card and are perceived as free and limitless in their quantity, the equipment that made these stunning photos is not inexpensive to buy or maintain. Most photographers will not give away high resolution images but many will be willing to sell you a disc for a fee.
Q. Can I take the images you send me and make copies, even if they are just for my own use?
A. The answer is no, you may not. In almost all cases the photographer retains all the copyrights to the images. Photographer’s are protected under international copyright laws that prevent anyone from using the photo without prior written approval, which includes copying the photos even for personal use. Please see http://www.copyright.gov/ for more information.
Q. Do you do anything other than weddings?
A. You bet! Send me an email with what you need and I would be more than happy to work with you!