FAQ
Your Photos
How much is this going to cost?
Head on over to my pricing page under the Connect menu to find out.
How will we get our photos?
For anything other than a wedding, you'll be sent a gallery download link to retrieve your files. This link will only remain active for a couple about a month for most shoots, and one year for weddings. Additionally, for weddings you'll have the option of also getting your photos on a USB stick, although I’ve stopped including this automatically, as many clients have told me they just don’t have any need for it anymore.
When will we get our photos?
Soon. You should get your photos, including weddings, in less than 31 days (not counting any necessary shipping/meet-up arrangement times or disasters), but it's entirely likely that you'll have them sooner than that..
How many photos will we get?
All the good ones. Any photo that I find to be sufficiently awesome and/or not mostly identical to another photo will be edited and given to you. This often results in a decent number of photos: approximately 50 per hour of shooting.
Can I print my photos?
Absolutely! You will have full print quality digital files, and full printing rights. The only things you can't do is significantly alter them, take credit for them, or sell them - unless we have made specific commercial photography arrangements.
Will all my photos be in colour/in black & white?
No? Okay, I guess that's not a yes or no question. Nearly all photos will be delivered in colour, except for maybe a couple where colour just totally didn't work out for whatever reason. Then there will be duplicates of approximately 1/6 of the photos in black & white, but only those photos that work out well in that format. Many photos just don't have the right composition/contrast/feel to look good in black & white.
Do I have to pay extra for more photos/Do I have to pay you for prints?
Nope. All the photos are included and you can print to your heart's content. You can order photos directly through your download gallery, or use your digital copies to make prints on your own terms.
I lost my photos! What do I do?!
Although I can’t guarantee this in perpetuity, I will do my best to hold on to all your photos for as long as possible. If you lost them, there's a pretty good chance that I still have them. I can dig them up and provide them to you again at a cost of $30, plus the cost of any hardware required (like if you need them on a New USB stick). For my advice on keeping your photos, click here.
Do you shoot film?
If you want, I sure will! I have a variety of film cameras and lenses, depending on the occasion and desired vibe of the shoot. That often costs extra, though, as shooting film sure isn’t cheap these days.
The Photoshoot
What should we wear to our (insert event name) photoshoot?
I'm not super picky, and would prefer that you look comfortable in your own skin. That being said, avoid wearing clothes with words or large, visible logos (unless you're Super into the brand!), bright and busy patterns, and avoid wearing a lot of black, as we don’t want it to be be hard to find you in the photo.
If you're going to be in a green forest, don't wear green, or in a blue ocean, don't wear blue, basically I just want to make sure you can be seen ;) Also, make sure you think you match whoever else is going to be in your photos. This is a subjective assessment, and it's your opinion on the matter that’s most important. As long as you're happy with the way you look, I'll be happy as well!
Do you do destination weddings/events?
Absolutely! If you want your wedding day in an unfamiliar location to have one known variable - the photographer - I'd be more than happy to join you for your weekend in Mexico/Banff/Europe/Antarctica. Since destination weddings are all rather different, just send me an email and we can come up with pricing when we hash out the details.
Will you tell me how to pose and what to do with my hands?
As much or as little as is necessary. I try to be as organic as possible with my shoots, giving basic instructions and letting you do your own thing until I need to add further instructions. I don’t want to bog you down with a lot of Highly specific and uncomfortable movements if I don’t need to. I want you to be comfortable both during the photoshoot, and with the resulting photos!
Do you do same-sex/LGBTQ weddings/unions/partnerships?
For sure! If you want me to take pictures of your celebration of love and commitment, I'll be there.
Technical
What format will my photos be in?
Photos will be delivered in full resolution .jpg (up to 24 Mpx) with no watermarks.
Can I have the RAW files and/or ALL the photos you took?
I'm afraid not. The RAW files in no way represent my finished work, as post processing is a big part of what we do as photographers. And you really don't need all the out of focus shots/pictures of the floor/pictures where you look like you have 5 chins. You just don't.
Do you bring a backup camera?
I will likely have 2-3 cameras with me for your photoshoot, and typically carry two cameras at once for most of the day, to always have two focal lengths readily available, and in case of equipment failure. I’ve only had a camera die on me in the middle of a shoot once, but one can never be too sure! I also shoot ‘redundantly’ to two memory cards at once to reduce any chances of data loss.
Do you back up our photos to keep them safe?
Oh big time. I am super paranoid about data security, and especially so when it comes to weddings - this is one of the reasons weddings are more work and cost than a typical photoshoot. Even if I get home from your wedding at 1am, I’m not going to bed until I’m satisfied that your photos are safe. To be more specific that means importing the photos to my computer’s internal SSD, which is constantly backed up to a secure cloud service (we’re not talking Google Photos here). And then I also back up that catalog to a NAS (a little server) which is locked in my basement. Then half of the memory cards, because there are two redundant cards per camera, go into a waterproof card case and into a fire safe. And then I can go to bed knowing I’m in the clear.
Freak accidents certainly can happen: one night while backing up a wedding my house was suddenly struck by lightning, erasing my computer, my backup hard drive, and the SD card connected to the computer. I didn’t lose anything that night, and I’m not going to be taking any chances in the future either!
What camera(s) do you use?
Although the camera certainly doesn't make the photographer, it is their most important, and even defining tool. My main digital camera bodies are Sony a9 (sorry to the Canon and Nikon fans out there), and a couple of Sony a7iv’s.
On the other side of things, when I’m shooting film I use a Minolta a9 for more exacting work, and a couple of Minolta x570 for a more vintage look.
So yes, if you’re counting, that’s six cameras… at least that I have mentioned 🤣
What lenses do you usually use?
Getting a bit personal here, but alright 😏 I shoot most of the wedding day with three prime lenses: 16mm, 35mm, and 85mm. For other parts and purposes, I'll also pull out a macro lens and a longer telephoto lens to get just the right shot, or to stay out of the way. And if I’m feeling like trying something different, I have a variety of vintage and manual focus lenses that I’ll often play around with. And much like with data and camera bodies, for something like a wedding I always have more lenses on hand than I really need, in case something goes wrong, or something breaks.
Do you know how to use flash or artificial lighting?
Oh boy do I ever haha. I’m a photographer that other photographers come to to learn more about flash, off camera flash, and other more technical aspects of photography. I even have a YouTube channel that’s mostly about that sort of thing!
Lens, video light, and especially flash manufacturers send me early samples of their new products to test and send professional feedback, and to make in depth reviews for.
But enough tooting my own horn. I have heaps and piles of flash and lighting equipment that I will bring to bear depending on the situation. BUT even though I have all this at my disposal, I will still do my best to keep things looking natural, and most of my photos will still be taken with natural light when possible. When things won’t look good without a little assistance, though, I’m always ready to break out ‘the big guns’ and take control of the lighting situation.
What editing software do you use?
Capture One Pro for most work. I’ve never been terribly fond of Adobe.
Mac or PC?
Mac... but let's not fight about this, okay?
Payment
What payment types do you accept?
I can accept cash, eTransfer (probably the most common thing now), Visa/Mastercard/Amex online, and Debit in person. I regret that I can't currently accept cheques, no matter how fancy they are.
Can I get my deposit back if my wedding is cancelled or rescheduled?
I'm afraid not. That money books the date and prevents me from booking other customers. If you're moving it to another date, as long as you and I are both available on that date, we'll just transfer the deposit to the new event. After booking you, it’s almost guaranteed that I will then have to turn down other requests for that day.
Can I get a discount if I pay in cash?
As a registered business, I have to pay 15% HST on all my client transactions, so I’m afraid that this just isn’t an option. I do occasionally offer late season discounts for last minute bookings, though.
Creative
Who decides what sort of pictures we take?
We all do! I think that it should be a collaborative experience, so that the end product represents something unique and personal.
The environment we’re shooting in plays a huge role, though. Whether it’s sunny, or overcast, or raining, the time of day, whether it’s urban or forest, indoor or outdoor - these things will all have a huge impact on what sorts of photos will work best for us. As such, we have to keep an open mind and always be on the lookout for what will make magic ;)
Can I send you a Pinterest board / detailed list of the photos we want?
Yes and no. A little bit of inspiration can go a long way - but a Lot of inspiration can be more of a hinderance than a help.
Let me explain (deep breath): many times in the past I’ve received a rather lengthy vision board or Pinterest gallery, and upon reviewing it I’ve discovered that we had a big mismatch between expectations and possibilities. Dozens of sunset photos when the photo are scheduled for lunch time, frolicking on a beach when the photos will be taking place indoors, long flowing dress and then everyone’s wearing jeans. Please try to make sure your vision is realistic!
Another common issue is having a big list of very specific shots and poses and angles. Every day is new and different, and sometimes the light, the weather, the venue or environment just won’t lend itself to some of the photos you have in mind. One of my most important skills as a photographer is to quickly assess a situation that we’re in and decide what will and won’t work. What will quickly create some magic, and what will waste a lot of everyone’s time to get one single shot.
All that being said, it is still important to know what you want, and to share that with me, but it’s equally important to have the photos work with the cards that we’re dealt. We’ll end up with more and better photos, and have an easier time while capturing them!
Can you shoot in the style of ‘this other photographer’?
I mean… probably? But also why? I have a lot of portfolio on my website, so you should have a pretty good idea of what my photos will look like, and if you’re booking me, I would hope and assume you already like that vibe!
That being said, I can certainly lean in one direction or another. I can go brighter or darker, cheerier or gloomier, more or less structured, etc. These are all things that can be found in my portfolio and existing work, and it’s totally viable to say “Hey, that sorta thing you do, can we have more of that?"
We have this crazy idea and we're not sure if you...
Please tell me all about it, and we'll make it work (unless it will get us arrested). If you have a great and unique idea, I'm all ears!
Logistics & Travel
My wedding / photoshoot is almost an hour from the greater Moncton area. Does that cost extra?
Nope. I consider anything less than a one hour drive from my place near the Gunningsville Bridge in Riverview to be fair game. Not everything happens downtown! Although I do love a good urban shoot, but I digress…
My wedding is in a city other than Moncton/Riverview/Dieppe. Does that cost extra?
Since I don't want to risk falling asleep at the wheel on my way home with your photos (shooting a full wedding is exhausting!), any drive time in excess of an hour and a half (such as in another city, Fredericton, Halifax, Saint John, Charlottetown, etc), I’ll have to either bill for a hotel room, or be provided with a room from a booked wedding block - sharing a futon with uncle Marty and the dog doesn't count, sorry!
Do you need a ride at the wedding? Will you travel in the limo?
I’ll have my own vehicle with me, and I’ll follow you around wherever you go. I can’t really ride in the limo because I bring a fair amount of equipment with me (as previously mentioned in this FAQ) and it wouldn’t really be feasible or kind of me to jam it all in with the wedding party. I will of course have to hop into the limo at some point to get a few fun photos regardless.
The bride/groom isn’t getting ready at the same location as me, can you go to take photos with them as well?
For sure. At most wedding days I'll bounce back and forth a bit during the prep time. And if everyone is pretty far away from each other I’ll either just hang out with one group, or swing by the second group on the way to the venue. There’s also the option of me bringing in a second shooter, but that’s not usually necessary.
We want to take photos really far out of the way. Like, Really far.
That’s not usually a problem. Your time on your wedding day is to be used how you want. I’m totally fine with driving around a bit, and you won’t be charged for extra driving, since it’s time that I’m working but not taking photos that I’ll have to edit later - it’s just a tradeoff.
I’ve had weddings where we drove around for 3 hours to a variety of epic photo spots. I also had an engagement shoot where I had to run 3km’s with the couple to get to their spot on foot. Whether it’s a drive, a hike, or a ski lift, I’m good to go.
Legal
Is your business insured?
Yes, for both my own equipment/data, and for $1,000,000 of liability.
Are you a legally registered company, or working under the table?
It's all above board! I have to charge 15% HST on all my sales (even cash sales), and then of course they get the rest of my money at income tax season ;)
Will there be a legal contract between us?
Absolutely. Send me an email and I’ll be happy to share a copy of the contract with you.
Contact
Can I just send you a quick text?
You sure can! My 506-870-0786 works for SMS and iMessage… and phone calls, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Can I contact you on...
...facebook, wedding wire, instagram, twitter, etc... I am in all those places, and would love for you to follow me and my work, but if we're getting down to business and making formal arrangements, I prefer that any important written communications be through email, info@wesperryphotography.com, or text message, for the sake of staying organized, and being able to search the content. I get a Lot of messages, and have a lot of clients, so it can be incredibly difficult to keep track of otherwise!
Can we schedule a meeting?
For sure. I’m always up for an in person or virtual meeting if you want to have a chat.
Do you actually wear a vest to every wedding?
You’d better believe it.
I have only been asked this once, but that doesn’t make it any less important 😏