We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions for your convenience. If you have other questions, feel free to email our studio manager at info@originphotos.com You may click on any one of the questions in the “Index of Questions” for a shortcut to the answer; or you may browse all of the questions and answers in the “Full Q&A.”
Index of Questions
General Questions
- Do you deliver every image you shoot?
- Does your studio provide videography services?
- Do you do destination weddings?
- Have you shot at my venue before?
- Which Master Photographer will be shooting my wedding?
- Do you provide partial day coverage?
- Do you shoot in JPEG, Small Raw, or Large Raw?
- Do you shoot Quinceaneras, Debutants, Bah Mitzvahs, or Corporate Events?
- Does your studio do Headshots, Individual Portraits, Family Portraits, or Product Photography?
Style and Quality Questions
- What is your philosophy regarding photography?
- What is your photography style?
- My venue is really dark. How does your studio handle these situations and can I see samples?
- Are there style or quality differences among the master photographers?
Post Production Questions
- Do you touch up all the images on our image DVD?
- What do you mean by “touching up” the photos?
- What is the difference between signature (basic) and advanced?
- What is the difference between advanced post production and custom post production; and why are there additional costs for custom post production?
Wedding Day Questions
- How many hours do you suggest we set aside for wedding day photos?
- I have a lot of downtime in between events on my wedding day. Will I be charged for that downtime?
- What happens if we go over the contracted amount of time?
- Why do we need to charge for additional coverage?
Engagement Session Questions
- When can we expect to see our photo’s from our engagement session?
- When should we do our engagement session?
- How many images do you typically deliver from and engagement session? From a wedding?
- I really like it when you Photoshop our name and date into the save-the-dates, is that included in the package pricing?
- When and where can we view our engagement pictures?
Image DVDs Questions and Legal Questions
- What size can we print our photos up to with our full resolution image DVD?
- What rights do I have to the digital prints?
- Do you provide the RAW files from my engagement session and wedding day?
- How many images do you deliver on the image DVD?
- When I received my image DVD in the mail it was damaged, how do I get it replaced?
- What if I lose my image DVD?
Albums, Prints, Framing, Sign-In Books, and Slideshow Questions
- How long does it take to get my prints?
- How long does it take to get my album?
- Can I add more pages and images to my album?
- Do you guys provide framing services as well?
- What is the difference between an ‘online slideshow’ and a ‘dvd slideshow?’
Business Insurance and Image Backup Questions
- Do you backup our images? How can we ensure that our images won’t be lost?
- Do you have Liability Insurance?
Meeting Policies
- We live out-of-town. Is it possible for our family/friends to meet with you instead?
- Do you travel to meet clients?
- How do I set up an appointment to meet you in person and see some of your work?
Payment and Tax Questions
- How do I reserve you for my date?
- What if we exceed our contracted time for our engagement shoot and/or wedding day coverage?
- Is there an additional fee if we pay via credit card?
- If we cancel the wedding will we receive our deposit back?
- If we change our wedding to a different date will we be able to use our deposit towards a future date?
- Are there travel fees associated with the Engagement Session and/or Wedding Day shoot(s)?
- If I pay for my package in cash will we be able to avoid paying sales tax or receive a discounts?
Full Q&A
You may choose to navigate the list of questions using the index above or you may read the full Q&A below. The Q&A is divided into sections based on the topic. If you have further questions, email our studio manager at info@originphotos.com
General Questions
Q: “Do you deliver every image you shoot?”
A: No we do not. The shots we do not deliver are typically shots where you or your guests are making expressions that are unflattering. For example, when a person laughs, we have to shoot several images consecutively for us to capture his/her expression. Unfortunately, when we laugh we usually make several unflattering images before and after. So what we do is select the images with the best expression from the series and archive the rest.
Q: “Does your studio provide videography services?”
A: Yes. Contact us here for more info Contact
Q: “Have you shot at my venue before?”
A: We have shot at hundreds of venues so there is a good chance that we have. If we have not however we will be sure to perform a thorough walkthrough with you prior to your wedding day.
Q: “Do you guys do destination weddings? What additional fees are associated with destination weddings?”
A: While Origin Photos Wedding Photography is based out of Los Angeles and Orange County, we serve clients all around the world. Our destination wedding photography packages are simply our standard packages plus the cost of travel and reasonable accommodations if necessary.
Q: “Which Photographer will be shooting my wedding?”
A: The master photographer you meet with will be the master photographer for your engagement session and wedding. Don’t worry, we’re not going to have some random person show up on your big day! You may request to meet with a specific photographer, otherwise we’ll make the decision based on availability, language abilities, and your referral.
Q: “Do you provide partial day coverage?”
A: We do not provide partial day coverage on weekends. On weekends we only accept clients that require at least 8 hours of coverage.
Q: “Does your studio do headshots, individual portraits, family portraits, commercial photography, or other types of photography?”
A: Although we do have experience in most other fields of photography, we prefer to excel and focus on wedding and event photography. If you need a good referral, feel free to contact us.
Q: “Do you shoot Quinceaneras, Debutants, Bah Mitzvahs, or Corporate Events?”
A: Yes. These are all considered ‘event photography.’ We have chosen to focus and excel at wedding and event photography; and we would love to cover your celebration.
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Style and Quality Questions
Q: “What is your philosophy regarding photography?”
A: Please click here for details on our wedding photography philosophy.
Q: “What is your photography style?”
A: The Origin Photos style is deeply rooted in wedding photojournalism while influenced by fine-art and fashion photography. We love using creative lighting, unique perspectives, angles, compositions and artistic post production refining to bring out our clients personalities and beauty while telling their wedding story.
Q: “Can I see a full event from start to finish?”
A: Of course you may! We understand all photographers put up their best shots from each wedding on their websites so it’s hard to determine how well he or she will perform on the wedding day. That is why we encourage all of our potential clients to view full events. Just give us a call to schedule an appointment.
Q: “My venue is really dark. How does your studio handle these situations and can I see samples?”
A: We have shot in the darkest of dark chapels and reception halls so no need to worry! If the situation allows, we will set up additional lighting to ensure we get bright crisp pictures. Some chapels do not allow for flash photography; and for that reason, we shoot on camera’s with superb low-light performance and lenses with low apertures.
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Post Production Questions
Q: “Do you touch up all the images on our image DVD?”
A: Yes we do. Every image we deliver is post produced with our unique style of basic post production. This involves color correction, exposure adjustment, selective black and white processing, clarity adjustments, tone-mapping, and other corrections. Many photographers will not post produce any, 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: “What do you mean by “touching up” the photo’s?”
A: “Touching up” in our studio is the same as signature (basic) post production. See the question below for clarification.
Q: “Do you shoot in JPEG, Small Raw, or Large Raw?”
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Wedding day questions
Q: “How many hours do you suggest we set aside for wedding day photo’s?”
A: The amount of time we suggest you set aside for photos depends on the time of day.
Preparation Shots – Duration: 1.5 hours
Ideally we would have 45 minutes for the girls and 45 minutes with the guys.
Couples session – Duration: 1 hour to 1.5 hours
We highly suggest doing this before the ceremony in conjunction with a “first look.” That way you can enjoy the rest of your day without having to worry about taking too much time out for photo’s. Also this is when the makeup and hair are fresh. We’ll set up a first look moment so it’ll still be a surprise when you see each other. Be sure to give us at least a full hour so we can capture the amazing shots you see in our portfolio.
Family Formals – Duration: 1 hour
Have a list of pictures that you want with your family/friends right after the ceremony. Typically this is done at the altar but we can do it any location you’d like. Also, have one person from each side of the family that is really organized (and loud) to move people in and out of photo’s.
Bridal Party (Optional) – Duration: 0.5 hour to 1 hour
This is where we take the bridal party out for some fun shots. This is also nice to handle before the ceremony so that you can rest and enjoy your day afterwards.
Q: “What happens if we go over the contracted amount of time?”
A: We understand that not everything goes as planned during a wedding. We never pack up before the contracted time; and moreover we’re not leaving on the dot when the contracted time is up. Instead, we will ask you at the end of your contracted time whether or not you would like to extend. If you would like us to stay, we will charge the rates specified in your contract.
Q: “Why do we need to charge for additional coverage?”
A: We’ve dedicated the entire day to your wedding, so we won’t be racing off to catch other plans that evening. However, we need to charge for additional coverage primarily because there are additional costs of having the team stay for additional hours. The lighting assistants and second shooters all require additional compensation. Furthermore, the additional photos taken all need to be post produced, adding to our overall costs.
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Engagement Session questions
Q: “When can we expect to see our photo’s from our engagement session?”
A: Post production for engagement sessions are completed within four weeks after the date of the shoot. If you require the images to be completed prior to four weeks after the date of the shoot, a rush-process fee of $100.00 will be charged.
Q: “When should we do our engagement session?”
A: We encourage you to do your engagement session as soon as possible. The latest we suggest is at least eight weeks prior to the wedding date due to the time necessary to post produce each image (4 weeks) and complete your product order(s) (4 weeks). See the engagement session post production delivery time and engagement session product delivery time FAQ’s for more details.
Q: “How many images do you typically deliver from and engagement session? From a wedding?”
We typically deliver anywhere from 50-100 images per 3 hour engagement shoot and for weddings we typically deliver 100 images per hour.
Q: “I really like it when you Photoshop our name and date into the save-the-dates, is that included in the package pricing?”
Custom save-the-date images are priced at $100 per image and can be added on to any package through our website
Q: “When and where can we view our engagement pictures?”
Your engagement session images will be completed within four weeks after the date of the shoot. If you require the images to be completed prior to four weeks after the date of your shoot, a rush-process fee of $100.00 will be charged, unless other terms were discussed. The image DVD will be sent out prior to the first day of the fifth week.
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Albums,Prints,Books questions
Q: “How long does it take to get my prints?”
Product creation times vary, however in general, print orders will be completed within four weeks after the product order is submitted.
Similar to the post production process, if you require rush-processing, a fee of $100.00 will be charged. Additional fees for rush shipping may also apply.
Q: “How long does it take to get my album?”
As with our other products, production times vary. However you can expect to receive your album 4-6 weeks after placing the order. The process before placing the order varies in duration depending on how quickly you respond to the instructions for the album design as well as the amount of changes you request after the initial designs. Some brides complete this within a month or two, others take over a year.
Similar to the post production process, if you require rush-processing, a fee of $100.00 will be charged. Additional fees for rush shipping may also apply.
Q: “How many pages and images do we get in our wedding day album?”
A: Our signature Origin Photos album contains 20 pages and 60 images. If you’d like to add more pages and images, each additional page can be added at additional cost and includes the design time/revisions and three retouched images.
Q: “Can I add more pages and images to my album?”
A: Each additional page can be added for additional cost and includes the design time/revisions and three retouched images.
Q: “Do you guys provide framing services as well?”
A: We do not provide framing services, however we can provide you with recommendations on where to purchase and frame your images.
Q: “What is the difference between an ‘online slideshow’ and a ‘dvd slideshow?”
A: Online slideshows are the slideshows you see on our blog. These typically include one song and around 60 images depending on the length of the song. We choose the images and the song to fit your wedding day. These are hosted online (on our blog) indefinitely.
DVD slideshows, on the other hand, are DVDs that we create using two songs of your choice and the images of your choice. We still recommend that you leave the song selection and image selection to us, as this is part of our expertise, but if you do want more control, you can have it with this product.
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Image DVD Questions and Legal Questions
Q: “What size can we print our photo’s up to with our full resolution image DVD?”
A: In most cases, you can print your photo’s up to 20×30 without any quality loss. If you’d like to print larger than 20×30, additional post-production will be required. For pricing on these services, please contact our studio manager at infoo@originphotos.com
Q: “What rights do I have to the digital prints?”
A: You have the right to reprint images whenever you want, wherever you want. However you may not sell your images for a profit or publish your images without the written consent of Origin Photos Photography.
Q: “Do you provide the RAW files from my engagement session and/or wedding day?”
A: Each of our packages comes with a full resolution image DVD. However, we typically do not provide RAW (unprocessed) files from our shoots because we believe in delivering a finished product. In fact, we’re often shooting with the end (post-produced) product in mind. However if you absolutely want your RAW images, we will provided them to you along with our post-produced JPG’s for an additional fee of $1,000.
Q: “How many images do you deliver on the image DVD?”
A: For a 3 hour engagement session we typically deliver 50-100 images and for a wedding we deliver 100 images per hour of coverage.”
Q: “What happens if my image dvd arrives damaged?”
A: If your image DVD arrives in the mail damaged, please contact our studio manager, Daniel Romero, at at info@originphotos.com and we will immediately send out another copy.
Q: “What if I lose my image DVD?”
A: There is a $50 replacement charge for image DVDs. We strongly suggest you make at least one copy of the DVD when you receive it from us.
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Business Insurance and Image Backup Questions
Q: “Do you backup our images? How can we ensure that our images won’t be lost?”
A: We have never lost an image from a wedding due to the following backup workflow for each our events:
During the shoot, we back up on a Epson External Hard Drive after each major event throughout the day. This leaves one copy on the CF cards and creates one copy on the Epson External Hard Drive. After the shoot, we back up the CF card to a local server set up in a RAID 1 configuration. Once the images are completed we upload the images to a offsite location and burn another copy for our archives. At any given point, there are two copies of the files.
Q: “Do you have liability insurance?”
A:Yes. Many venues require the photographer to have Liability Insurance.
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Meeting Policy questions
Q: “We live out-of-town. Is it possible for our family/friends to meet with you instead?”
We’d love to meet your relatives, answer all their question and review our work with them. If possible, we’d like to at least webcam with you to get to know you better.
Q: “We’re really busy and won’t be able to meet. Are there any other options?”
A: We would love to meet with you prior to our engagement shoot or wedding; however if you’re somehow too busy or too far away, we can handle everything remotely. Just think about what you hope to achieve from that meeting and we can think of ways of achieving them. For example, if one of your goals is to see more work, we can gladly show you complete events online. If your goal is to talk about packages and get a sense of the photographer’s personality, telephone calls and webcam appointments can be arranged.
Q: “How do I set up an appointment to meet you in person and see some of your work?
A: Contact our studio manager at 516-500-1104 or email him at info@originphotos.com
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Payment and tax questions
Q: “How do I reserve you for my date?”
A: All dates are reserved once we receive your signed contract and deposit
Q: “What if we exceed our contracted time for our engagement shoot and/or wedding day coverage?”
A: Standard rates apply for overtime. Overtime is billed at the rate of $200/hour per Main Photographer and $100/hour per Second Photographer
Q: “Is there an additional fee if we pay via credit card?”
A: Yes. Our credit card processing fee is 1.5% of the total package price
Q: “If we cancel the wedding, will we receive our deposit back?”
A: Unfortunately no. Deposits are use to reserve your date. Once we’ve reserved your date we do not accept new clients for your date.
Q: “If we change our wedding to a different date, will we be able to use our deposit towards a future date?”
A: Yes. However, if rates change from the your original date to your new date, the new rates will apply
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