Here are a few frequently asked questions (FAQ) that I often get during the initial meeting with clients. Should you have a more specific question that is not listed in this page, I’ll invite you to contact me in order to get more information.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. I remember carrying a heavy leather camera bag in the sixth grade every day to school in order to photograph a few events. At that time I was using a Minolta 35mm film camera that my dad gave me. However, I didn’t pursue photography during my teenage life because writing computer programs became a new passion of mine. After high school, I went to university and graduated with a bachelor degree in software engineering and have worked on in the field since 2002. In 2010, I purchased my first DSLR while working on my master’s degree. Long story short, I ditched the master’s degree to concentrate on photography because that’s the direction that my heart was taking me.
Photography has since become a way of life, a passion and now a business that allows me to interact and connect with people on a more personal level. In fact, I feel most at peace and happy every time I have the opportunity to photograph someone or cover an important event.
Where exactly are you on Earth?
I live in Montreal, Canada. I was also born here…and studied here…and currently work here. Though I had the chance to visit a few places coast from coast, to watch people fishing at the Kawloon Bay in Hong Kong, to eat the most delicious fries in Belgium, to stop by for a quick lunch in Germany, to try drinking Palinka for the first time in Hungary, to try the most delicious chocolate in Switzerland, to breath the cold dry air of Lithuania and to wave a hand to anyone watching in Buckingham Palace in England, there’s no other place I’d rather live than in Montreal.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHY
What kind of clients choose you to photograph their wedding?
Our clients are people that value photography in their lives. The have a taste and respect for the visual arts. They understand that as much as a photograph can put a stop to world wars, it can also amplify the connection between two people. A photograph serves them as a reminder of who they are and where they want to go in life. Our clients also know that to make a photograph, it’s not enough for just the photographer to push a button on the camera. On the contrary, wedding photography is a dance between the couple and the photographer. We meet each other in the middle of the road. That means that it involves a commitment of work from the part of the couple to create beautiful imagery. All the photos shown in our portfolio were made because the couple agreed to put their best effort on their special day.
Can you tell us about your style of photography?
I don’t have any particular style, though I am drawn to the photojournalistic approach of photography, but with a modern twist. That being said, I constantly look for the best light and surroundings to photograph a candid moment or a portrait just waiting to be captured. However, if I’m looking for something specific, I’ll work it out with you in order to make it happen. I can also tell you that I work very hard to not be in your face or in front of your guests all the time. On the contrary, I rather enjoy making myself small, unobtrusive, silent and quick in making a shot.
What do you love to photograph the most?
Weddings. It’s what I care the most because of its beauty and challenges. At weddings, we’re talking about photographing people, moments, emotions, things and landscapes in so many various conditions. For the photographer, it’s certainly hard work, but so much more rewarding on a personal level because we get the opportunity to share the day with a couple who trusts us. Though I also get great joy and pleasure in photographing portraits and other events (editorial, commercial), it all feeds to capturing the best moments wedding after wedding. To me, the passion of photographing a wedding is the same as Wild E. Coyote’s desire for the Roadrunner…minus the failures.
ABOUT THE COVERAGE
How many photographs should we expect to receive?
I typically deliver between 40-60 images per hour during a wedding and around 20-30 images for portrait/engagement sessions. This obviously depends on the time we’re allocated to photograph and the moments occurring throughout the day. The main point behind this is that I emphasize delivering quality over quantity as the value is greater in the former than the latter. In other words, you’ll receive enough images to remember your wedding over and over again. All images are fully and professionally corrected for color, contrast and tonality.
What does your coverage include?
The most important thing to know about my coverage is that I’m not restricting my work to a specific hour. As long as there are moments happening, I’ll capture them. The reason is because 10, 20 or 30 years from now, when you’re looking back at the pictures, I want you to remember those moments that were happening at the same time you were having your own moment.
Can we get our images in high resolution?
Absolutely. There are no strings attached here. These are your pictures and they’re made to be printed as large as possible to show them to your friends and families. You’ll also receive the same set of images in lower resolution which are perfect to immediately share on Facebook or by email.
How can we book you?
From the beginning, I made up my mind that my business would be one based on relationships with my clients. That being said, I’ll love to talk with you about your wedding over the phone or Skype, and if possible have you come over our home studio to chat in person. I invite you to get in touch with me whenever you can. As for the short answer to the question, all that I require to save your wedding day are three things: 1) a signed contract, 2) a 50% non-refundable deposit or retainer upon the signature of the contract, and 3) the remainder paid two weeks before the wedding day. Once we’ve received the signed contract, you’ll receive a questionnaire to cover more details about the wedding day which will then be used to prepare a draft schedule of the day. Basically, expect a sweet feedback cycle from the moment you hire us to photograph your wedding to the time you receive your wedding album.
Will you be the one photographing our wedding?
You bet.
Should I hire a second shooter?
I’ve photographed weddings that had no more than a dozen people to some larger ones with hundreds of guests. Where the suggestion of a second shooter might be be useful is when, for example, the bride and groom are getting ready at the same time but at different locations, where you’d want photographs of a majority of the guests throughout the reception, or when you feel the need to have various angles of the bride coming down the aisle with her dad. During our initial consultation meeting, those are variables that we would address together and come up with a solution that will best fit the situation.
Do you offer albums?
Absolutely! I strongly believe in the printed image. There’s a huge difference between seeing an image on a digital screen and having them in your own hands. I encourage my clients to have their memories printed so that they may always hold on to them and share them with friends and families. I design the album with the storytelling aspect of your wedding so that it becomes more of a book than just an album of images. You can see a sample of albums in the Album page.
ABOUT THE BUSINESS
Do you have insurance?
Absolutely! I wouldn’t be in serious business otherwise.
Is the retainer refundable?
The 50% deposit or retainer is not refundable because I’m refusing any other jobs for that day. In other words, that initial deposit is my guarantee for you that I will photograph your wedding and that’s even if someone else comes along to book a higher package. Like I said previously, my desire and focus of my business is to build lasting relationships with my clients because there are way more important things in life than money.
What kind of equipment do you shoot with?
Aside from my eyes and imagination, my gear mostly consists of professional Sony cameras (two Sony A7iii) and lenses. What this means to my wedding clients is that my equipment allows me to shoot in any kind of situation. In other words, it doesn’t matter whether it’s raining, snowing, or even if there’s a volcano eruption outside your reception, as long as you’re willing to work the image with us, you can rest assure that you’ll have something meaningful to hold for the rest of your lives. Furthermore, each of my cameras holds two Sandisk Extreme memory cards for on-the-fly backup of your images and, most importantly, to mitigate the risk of one of the cards being corrupted. Oh, and by the way, the cameras can shoot silently, which is perfect for those solemn ceremonies where hearing your future spouse’s heartbeat is really the only sound you’d like to hear.