Can we print our own photos?
Do you offer albums and other printed material?
Yes, I offer custom, handcrafted keepsake albums along with a selection of other à-la-carte products, including prints, gift boxes, reclaimed wood frames, and canvases.
Please inquire if you are looking for anything in particular, I can most likely help you out!
Do we get to choose the photos for the album?
Yes you do! I may offer some suggestions, but in the end, this album will be sitting on your coffee table not mine!
Do you deliver every image you shoot?
No, I do not. I start by eliminating test shots, duplicate shots, out of focus shots, shots with bad expressions and other images that are simply not perfect. You will however receive your promised amount of photos – and the ones you do receive will absolutely be the best of the best!
Do you touch up all the images that are delivered to us and is there an extra charge for this service?
Yes I do touch up all the images that are delivered to you and no, there is no extra charge for this service as this is routine work for every session that I shoot. All your images are individually assessed for colour and tone, and edited appropriately with my unique signature style of post production. Small blemishes and distractions are also then taken care of before the photos are sent off to you. If enlargement prints or albums are ordered, I will put in a little extra more time editing those select images.
Please note however, that digital manipulation – which is very different from editing and touching up – will come at an additional charge (please see question below for clarification).
What is the difference between digital manipulation and touching up?
Touching up includes limited post-production such as removal of blemishes, removal of bags under eyes, removal of fly-away hairs, etc. On the other hand, digital manipulation is anything that requires extensive, custom work in an advanced photo processing software such as removing entire objects from the scene, changing the size and shape of body parts (although you don’t need it!) adding objects to a scene and other custom work. This kind of work will require an additional charge. When the time comes, we can discuss the costs of doing so, as every situation will need to assessed individually.
How many photos will we receive from our wedding day?
The exact number of photos you will receive varies from one wedding to another. The total depends on several factors such as number of guests, wedding party size, amount of details, how long I was contracted to be there with you and if a second shooter was present. I will typically deliver no less than 50 photographs per hour of coverage.
When will we get our wedding day images and how are they delivered?
This time frame varies from wedding to wedding. Factors such as the season you are married in and the number of hours I was contracted for will have a play on this time frame, but I will typically deliver your images within 5-6 weeks of your wedding day. However, throughout the editing process, I will post a few sneaks peeks to keep you both happy and on your toes while you’re waiting! During this time I go through the careful process of choosing the best images from the day and processing each of them with individual attention.
Once complete, I will upload your photos to a protected online gallery for you to view them, download them, purchase prints and share them with all your friends and family. Your friends and family will also be able to order prints and download the digital files, so you don’t have to worry about a thing but enjoy the beautiful memories!
You talk about an online gallery. Please tell me more.
With every photography package I offer, you will have access to your very own protected gallery.
This gallery is a private page that I host on my website, where I will upload your entire wedding/engagement gallery. When I am ready to deliver your photos, you will receive an email by yours truly with a link to your gallery and a unique password. All you have to do is log in with your email and ta-da! All your photos are available to you at your fingertips to download, view, order prints and share to various social media channels! This gallery is also mobile friendly. So no matter where you are when I send you your gallery, there’s nothing stopping you from viewing your photos right away (because I am sure you’re probably dying in anticipation!).
You can then share this same gallery link with friends and family so they can then share and download the photos too! Easy peasy! No more trying to send large files by email or bouncing around a USB key from one house to another.
Side note: For those living in rural areas where internet is not readily available, or for those that would simply prefer a USB key, I can accommodate this by mailing you your photos on a USB key for a small fee. Please inquire for more details.
What happens if you’re sick?
Honestly, I will be there rain or shine. However, should the unthinkable happen and I am hospitalized or very *very* ill I will find a replacement photographer for you. This will incur no extra fees on your part and you can be assured that the replacement photographer will have the same professionalism and experience as I have.
You would also be presented with the option of receiving a refund for your wedding day.
Do you have an appearance policy?
Absolutely, your wedding deserves my respect. My attire on your wedding will be a delicate balance of function (to work with my many camera stars and gear) and professionalism all while staying wedding worthy! If you’re having a themed wedding please let me know, I will do my best to blend in with your theme – should be fun!
What happens if we go over the contracted amount of time?
I understand that not everything goes as planned during a wedding. I will never pack up before the contracted time and I will not leave on the dot when the contracted time is up. Instead, I will ask you at the end whether or not you would like to extend. If you would like me to stay, I will charge the rates specified in your contract rounded to the closest 30-minute increment.
How much time should we schedule for photography throughout our wedding day?
How many hours you will need depends on your wedding day’s itinerary – at what time you’re having your reception, and how much of the getting ready/reception you’d like me to capture. I specialize and believe in telling the whole story of your special day – beginning to end – as I believe every moment of your wedding day are memories to be cherished and remembered. However, if you don’t require full day coverage, I would be thrilled to build a custom collection for you based on your needs.
Each wedding will be unique and we will build your wedding day timeline together, but to help you out, I’ve also written a blog post that goes over what a “typical” wedding day timeline might look like!
What equipment do you use?
I use a top of the line Canon DSLR camera, coupled with several top of the line professional Canon lenses and a myriad of lighting gear.
How long do you keep our photos on file?
I will keep your digital files for quite a few years after your wedding day, but what is important for you to keep in mind is that the images uploaded to your online gallery are available for 6 months after I have released it. I highly recommend that you back up your files to a safe place (or several safe places) once you receive your gallery – my motto, you can never have too many backups!
What rights do we have to the digital images?
You have the right to reprint your images whenever and wherever you want. However, you may not sell your images for profit, edit or publish your images without the written consent of Émilie Smith Photography.
To help keep your images watermark-free, please kindly tag and credit your lovely photographer when posting on social media! ;)
Instagram: @heyemiliesmith
Facebook: @EmilieSmithPhotography
How many photos will we receive from our session?
I will typically deliver between 40-60 photographs for each engagement or adventure session.
When will we get our session images and how are they delivered?
I will typically deliver your images within 3 weeks of your photo shoot. However, throughout the editing process, I will post a few sneaks peeks to keep you both happy and on your toes while you’re waiting! During this time I go through the careful process of choosing the best images from the day and processing each of them with individual attention.
I will upload your photos to a protected online gallery for you to view them, download them, purchase prints and share them with all your friends and family. Your friends and family will also be able to order prints and download the digitals, so you don’t have to worry about a thing but enjoy the beautiful memories!
When and where will the sessions take place?
A session could take place anywhere! Preferably at a location that holds a special meaning to you and your partner, a place that is close to your heart and/or a place where the two of you can feel comfortable to openly express your affection for each other. I also have a blog post to help you plan your engagement session! View it here.
As I am a natural light photographer the session will always take place about 2-hours after sunrise or 2-hours before sunset for optimal lighting conditions – what us photographers call the Golden Hour. ;)
Lastly, I also have a document with hundreds of photo locations that I will share with you once we are all booked and ready to go!
Can we schedule our session for the weekend?
Because most weddings are booked on weekends, I will typically not book an engagement or adventure session for Saturdays and Sundays. If you are only available on weekends or if it’s the off-season, we can tentatively schedule your session, however, if a wedding is later-on booked for that weekend, we will have to reschedule.
Do you provide the RAW files from our engagement session and/or wedding day?
No, I do not. Each one of my packages and sessions come with high resolution JPEG images for you to download. I do not provide RAW (unprocessed) files from my shoots because I believe in delivering a finished product that represents my unique style and brand.
How much do we need to deposit and when is the full amount due?
I require a 50% retainer upon booking and the rest of the fee is to be paid 4 weeks (1 month) before your wedding day.
If we cancel the wedding, will we receive our retainer back?
Technically no. Retainers are used to reserve your date and once I’ve reserved your date, I do not accept new clients for that date. Although, if I do achieve to re-book your date, I will refund half of your retainer.
Can we pay for your services in part before and in part after the wedding?
No, unfortunately not. All payment must be received in full 4 weeks (1 month) before your wedding day.
Do you do travel and do you charge extra for travel and hotel accommodation?
Please see the services page for all the details.
For destination weddings that require me to fly there, the cost of the plane ticket is also up to you to cover. I will generally arrive at least the day before the wedding to help ensure that unexpected travel delays do not make me late or miss your big day.