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Can we have our portrait taken outside?
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How long does a portrait session last?
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How many poses do I get?
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How many clothing changes do I get?
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When will I get my proofs?
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Do you do senior portraits?
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What should we wear?
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
Are you available on my date?
You can check availability HERE but, it's
not kept up to the minute so the safest thing to do is call me
at 513-702-0911.
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Will you hold my date?
Dates are held with a retainer payment.
I do not offer first refusals, so once you book, your date can not be taken from you.
Your retainer is refundable up to 4 months before your wedding date.
If circumstances come up and you need to cancel, no problem... you can have your retainer back with
no hassle. If it's within 4 months of your wedding, your retainer may be applied to another date,
service, or product such as family portraits. I take the risk so you don't have to.
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Will you let me know if another bride contacts you about my date?
I'm afraid that I can't.
Many clients retain me over the phone with no advance notification.
Many are former bridesmaids, family, or guests that know they want me, and don't
want to miss out. They call, and they book, with no time for me to
contact you.
Plus, there is a limit to the number of weddings I'll do in a given period.
So, your date can become unavailable even if I don't book a wedding that day.
I can't keep track of every possible combination to let you know that if X and Y retain me, then I'll need your day off.
I always reach my quota during the wedding season, so dates become
blocked out for 'time off'.
My advice is to retain me quickly; preferably while we meet.
It breaks my heart when I have to tell a bride that waited too long to make a
decision that her date has already been taken.
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Will Jeff Schaefer photograph the wedding himself?
Yes, I will photograph your wedding myself with an optional 2nd
photographer.
I won't send a substitute, less capable photographer to your wedding
after showing you photographs taken by myself when we met. (A common
complaint about larger studios.)
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Will there be 2 photographers?
Yes. The second photographer provides more photojournalistic coverage and is
able to capture moments at a different angle than myself, the primary
photographer. It is especially nice during those moments that happen only
once.
The second photographer also assists me with portraits and lighting,
and enables me to work quickly and get awesome lighting effects.
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How many photographs will you take?
There is no limit to the number of photographs I'll take. After I edit the
selections down, you'll receive on average 100 photographs per hour.
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How much time will we need to spend taking photographs?
Typically, we spend 30 minutes with bride, her family, and bridesmaids;
30 minutes with the groom, his family, and groomsmen;
20 minutes with the wedding party; 15 minutes with the families;
then anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes with the bride and groom.
If the B&G are not seeing each other before the ceremony,
we usually photograph the bride, her family, bridesmaids,
then the groom, his family, and guys, 90 minutes before the ceremony.
After the ceremony, the rest of the formals last around 60 minutes.
If the B&G are seeing each other before the ceremony for photographs,
we usually start 3 hours prior, and are finished before guests arrive.
Of course, we can go straight to the reception after the ceremony.
However, every wedding is different, and the formals duration really
depends on how many photographs you want, the wedding party size, number of
small children, your family sizes, locations, and travel times. So, the
amount of time we spend doing photography 'sessions' is ultimately up to you.
I will work with you before your wedding to construct a schedule for the day
so that we get all the photographs you want without being rushed, and so
everyone has a great time.
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When will you start, and how long will you stay?
This varies with the package, but
I try to arrive 1/2 hour before the arranged 'start' time,
to scope things out and set up. I assure you that I will stay for
the entire agreed upon length. I won't cut out early once you've cut the cake.
Driving to and fro does not count towards the time.
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Will you pressure us to see each other before the wedding?
It depends on your circumstances.
If I think it's in your best interest I will tell you the benefit
of photographing yourselves together before the ceremony.
But, I won’t pressure you and I'll happily go with whatever you decide.
I understand that it's your wedding day, not mine,
and you've been envisioning it for a long time.
I do recommend photographing the bride and groom together before the wedding if...
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you want photographs taken at a location other than the church or reception site, like a park.
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you want photographs taken outdoors, but it gets dark early (Spring and Fall).
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you want to get to your reception quickly.
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you want a wide variety of natural and candid feeling photographs.
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your ceremony will be from 6:30 to 7:30, and you want your dinner before 9:30pm.
There is one OVERWHELMING REASON to get
your photographs finished before the ceremony...
Imagine your wedding day. Imagine the excitement you feel
as you are pronounced husband and wife, you kiss each other,
and you speed down the aisle. You're bursting with joy. You want to hug
everyone, rejoice, celebrate, and let go.
It’s the biggest moment of your lives.
Why deny yourself that experience by standing on the altar for the
next hour while you miss YOUR OWN PARTY?
You go from 'super excited', to hungry, your feet hurt, you have
to wait for everyone, the groomsmen won’t cooperate, we have to hunt
for your brother-in-law, and beg to get the flower girl to look this
way. It's a mood killer. And worst of all, it's killing you because you
know you are missing YOUR party. An hour later, you will enter the
reception in a vastly different frame of mind than you would have right
after your ceremony. It's a true shame, and it denies yourself
and your entire wedding party the perfect experience.
Rejoice in that blissful moment instead. Do your formal photographs
before the ceremony, so that afterwards you can celebrate with
your family and friends. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
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What is your style or philosophy for weddings?
I strive to make the portraits appear comfortable and natural.
We'll do a few traditional photographs, then move on to more romantic
and sentimental moments where you focus on each other, not the camera. These
photographs are very candid and natural feeling...
and MUCH more romantic and fun.
I also use strong compositions and dramatic angles,
that stand out from other photographers stiff, boring, 'hands-folded'
images.
When we're not doing group photographs, I remain inconspicuous and capture candid moments as they happen.
I don't stop your formal dances for a photograph, nor do I need to re-create moments
because I capture everything as it happens.
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Do we get a disc and can we make our own prints?
Yes and yes.
The Originals Wedding Image Disc contains JPG images of all of your
photographs that will print sharply up to 8x10.
The photographs are not stamped or watermarked in any way.
You'll receive a signed copyright print release, so you are free to make
your own prints, share them with family and friends, print out your own
photo thank you cards, make your own wedding scrap book, add wedding images
to your blog or facebook, and make a back-up copies of your disc for safe
keeping.
There is also an 'Enhanced' Wedding Image Disc available with full-resolution,
enhanced, retouched
images, plus a full resolution backup copy of your wedding album.
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Is an engagement or bridal portrait session included in the wedding package?
An engagement or bridal portrait session is optional, but included with
most packages.
Benefits of the engagement portrait session:
1. The session is a great opportunity for us to get comfortable with each
other. After spending an evening with you, we will feel more like I'm a
friend instead of stranger on your wedding day.
2. Couples are more relaxed about being in front of the camera on their wedding day
once they've done the engagement session. That results in better wedding photographs!
3. You'll LOVE your photographs.
4. Create save the date cards and Christmas cards.
5. The photographs make a nice addition to the album.
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What wedding albums can I get?
I provide several types of albums for both the couple and families.
See the albums page.
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What equipment do you use?
I photography with Canon professional cameras and lenses.
In addition to the cameras, I use a multiple flash (strobe) system.
One flash is mounted on the camera, and additional flashes held by my assistant,
or on light stands are triggered via remote control to provide 'studio' quality lighting,
illuminate backgrounds, and/or provide artistic or dramatic lighting.
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Will you have backup equipment?
I will have a back-up of every piece of equipment.
Not counting the second photographer's equipment,
I bring 3 camera bodies, 8 lenses, 7 flashes, many batteries, back-up cards, etc...
basically several complete outfits. You don't have to worry about equipment failure.
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How many weddings have you done?
I began photographing weddings in June of 2001. I have photographed 20
to 30 weddings a year since.
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Do we provide a meal for you and your assistant?
No. We bring light snacks so we can keep moving quickly. A big meal just
slows us down and makes it hard to get moving again. Plus, the dinner hour
is a good time to photograph decorations, flowers, rings, cake, etc.
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Will having a videographer affect my pictures?
Most videographers are professional and unobtrusive.
Some like to stand very close to the couple throughout the ceremony and the
first dance which ultimately results in images with the videographer in them.
A word with them beforehand will usually suffice.
I have some videographers that I have worked with and recommend on my
Recommended Vendors page.
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Will you book more than one wedding on the same day?
No. Neither of us need that kind of stress.
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What if you’re sick and can’t make it on my wedding day?
Unfortunately, I've heard many stories about photographers canceling right before the wedding.
In nearly all of these cases the photographer canceled for a non-health or
non-emergency reason. Usually, it’s because a better deal came along on their
date… a gorgeous couple, willing to pay for their most expensive package. Or, a
larger studio had a few photographers quit. It happens all the time.
There is no way I would do something so unscrupulous to anyone!
Once you have me booked, I’m there and I won’t double book... Period.
I know how important your wedding photographs are to you. And, I
wouldn’t do anything to tarnish my reputation, which I stake my livelihood on.
However, there are no absolute guarantees in life. Anything can happen to me or
any of your vendors. But, you should know that since I started photographing
weddings in 2001, I have had the good fortune of good health and have never
missed an event. It would take a catastrophic event
or serious hospitalization to cause me to miss a wedding. No matter what my
circumstances are, I would make every attempt to photograph the wedding.
Now, to answer the actual question. In the unlikely event that something
absolutely beyond my control prevents me from attending your wedding, I would do
everything possible to find the very best substitute available. I would make
every attempt to exceed your expectations given that unlikely scenario. I am
connected with many competent area photographers that I can call upon. If I
could not find a replacement for you, you would receive a full refund.
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Where are you located?
Jeff Schaefer Photography studio is located in Fairfield Ohio,
very close to I-275.
6361 Kings Arms Way Fairfield, OH 45014
Click here for directions.
30 minutes from downtown Cincinnati.
40 minutes from Florence.
50 minutes from Dayton.
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How far will you travel?
Cincinnati, Dayton, and Northern Kentucky weddings
- There is no travel charge and no minimum package requirement for travel
within a one hour drive of Cincinnati. That includes all of Dayton,
and Northern Kentucky.
Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Lexington weddings
- Areas that are a 2 hour drive from Cincinnati
require a minimum booking, but no travel charge.
Destinations
- Areas greater than a 3 hour drive require a minimum booking,
and a reasonable travel charge to cover expenses.
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PORTRAIT QUESTIONS
Can we have our portrait taken outside?
Absolutely! It's my specialty.
By doing the portraits at your home or your favorite park, the settings are casual,
not intimidating, and fun for the kids and adults.
We can spend hours with you to create a masterpiece, instead of rushing you through
like the strip-mall studios.
We create both traditional portraits along with candid, natural and interactive
photographs that are fun and show everyone’s personality.
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How long does a portrait session last?
I can spend as much time as we need to get some great photographs.
The actual duration really depends on the group size and how much variety you'd like.
