Frequently Asked Questions

Hope Haven Photography
800-801-8211
www.hope-haven.net
denise@hope-haven.net

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

"If we select your studio, will you be the photographer covering our wedding?"
Yes, Denise Lee is our primary photographer with Steven Lee, her husband, providing 2nd photographer and backup support.

“We're having a small wedding, with thirty people, and only wanted to spend $1,000 on pictures. What can we do?"
The first thing to do if you want a professional photographer under these circumstances is to be flexible. We have many budget friendly packages that can fit almost any budget. We also make payment arrangements. Most photographers ask for a 50% deposit to hold the date, we also offer monthly payments – even payments after the wedding.

How much time will the photographer spend at my wedding?
That is really up to you. You can us meet you where you are getting dressed, and keep taking pictures until you leave the reception. Or you may just want a few hours of photography, with a few formal photographs and some pictures of the ceremony. (If you choose a high quality professional, the price difference between short and full coverage will be small.) My typical coverage starts two or three hours before the ceremony and ends after the bouquet, garter and cake.

What are proofs?
Fifty years ago, photographers presented clients with proof pictures printed on special paper; images would last for a few weeks and then fade. We do online proofing to give you the opportunity to request any custom changes, such as black and white, sepia or directed cropping.

What about getting an album?
We offer "Packages," each package having a set number of hours, images, and certain number of final pictures in an album. It might be better to get a package that includes an album that the photographer will assemble completely, because most of us never get around to putting our pictures in albums if we have to do it ourselves. Consider ordering parents' albums too. If your parents vision is less than perfect, they would really appreciate getting an album with large photographs so that the faces are easy to see!

Who chooses the pictures that go in the album?
After looking at all the proofs, the bride and groom usually decide what goes in the album. The photographer may let you specify the sequence and size of the pictures, so that the album really shows the wedding the way you want to see it, with important images enlarged, and related candid’s grouped together. We will suggest a layout for your album or design the album with you, using proofs or computer images to show you what the final album will look like. You will benefit from the photographer's eye and feel for the wedding.

What about black and white photography?
We will fully customize any photograph to your specification. All images are shot in color; however using digital negatives allows us to change the image to any color tone desired.

Where can I have my photos printed?
You can print photos at any digital lab. While you can acquire low cost prints at many outlets such as Wal-Mart or Costco, the quality might not be as comparable as a high quality wedding print you would expect from a top quality printer. I recommend an online solution of www.mpix.com as a very cost effective and high quality print.

My mom likes soft focus pictures, but I want sharp photos?
Except for mood shots and some portraits, pictures should be sharp. You should be able to count the threads in the veil. But a soft filter can be flattering in a close-up photo. A soft filter can soften other unwanted details that are not important to the photo.

What's this "wedding photojournalism" that my friends are talking about?
There are many stories and vignettes at a wedding: Bride getting ready, ring bearer being coaxed to walk up the aisle, the bride's mother watching the father-daughter dance. Moments like these, when photographed without posing, are Wedding Photojournalism

But capturing moments does not tell the bigger stories: Relationships and Fantasy. A posed loving photograph of the bride and her grandmother captures the relationship, and this is a photo that will have meaning for generations. The bride and groom in an idyllic setting has that fantasy quality that some couples want as part of their wedding memories.
Anybody with a camera can take a formal photograph or a photojournalistic photograph. A good traditional photographer captures genuine expressions of relationships, and makes everyone look their best. A good pictorial photographer creates your fantasy images, believable fantasy images! A good photojournalist captures decisive moments to tell a story. We do all three!

I just hate posed pictures - I always look so stiff and unnatural in them.
I know what you mean. I had posed pictures of me taken for my high-school yearbook. I still cringe when I think about how awful they were. However, the person behind the camera was probably given minimal training and had no real interest in photography.

What sort of balance between posed shots and candids should I get?
This is also a matter of taste, combined with necessity. Great wedding photography can be done with no formal posed pictures at all (wedding photo journalism). But, there may be many people and combinations of guests that will never be captured unless the photographer deliberately gathers them in one spot for a picture. (Whether the picture looks posed or natural depends on the photographer.) When planning with your photographer, draw up a list of "must get" photos, such as college roommates, kids from your old neighborhood, a four generation picture, and so on. If you want a large catalog of specified pictures, then expect your photographer to spend more time doing those, and less time doing candids and wedding photojournalism.

Should we do the formals before or after the ceremony?
Some couples think it is bad luck to see each other before the ceremony. If following this tradition is important to you, all of the photos of the bride and groom together will be done afterwards, but solo shots can be done before. However, getting all the formals done at the beginning has several advantages: Flowers, clothing and make-up are fresh, and you can carefully budget time for formals. (And, if your ceremony ends after dark, the only time for natural light pictures of the two of you will be before the ceremony!) Couples who feel formal photos are important will set aside one, two, or even three hours for formals, which finish up about half an hour before the ceremony begins. If you do formals immediately after the ceremony, guests have to wait before they can greet you, and members of the bridal party will have pose for pictures rather than mingle. About half of the weddings I photograph have all the formals taken before the ceremony. Sometimes the bride and groom are not sure of what their preference is until just weeks before the wedding.

What can I do to keep the photographer from running my wedding day?
It is essential that you talk with your photographer in that last week before your wedding. Go over your time line for the day. Find out how long the photographs you have requested are going to take; If it is too long, cut out some of the posed pictures. If you have dozens of posed shots on your photo list, expect your photographer to be persistent in getting them. Or tell your photographer the way you have scheduled the day, and that he/she is to follow your schedule. A posed photo of cutting the cake takes ten seconds, and the rest of the cake shots should be candid.

What about having two photographers?
For select dates we offer two-photographer coverage - where both professionals are taking pictures. One concentrates on the formals, the other on wedding photo journalism.

Some photographers ask that no one else take pictures during the formal photography. Is that reasonable?
Yes. If the photographer is trying to work quickly through a series of formal pictures, a snap-shooter might slow the process. A problem arises when there are several cameras aimed at a formal group - the subjects will be looking at different lenses. The diverted attention will ruin the professional's picture. Or, if the professional is using a light-sensing trigger device ("slave") on a second flash, other flashes will trigger this flash, ruining the pictures [that you are paying for] and wasting battery power. There are many other reasons why a professional might ask others to refrain from picture taking during formals. On the other hand, many guests find snapping a few pictures a pleasant part of attending weddings, so it should not be a big deal for your professional to be relaxed and let people snap away when formals are over. Ideally, guests should show respect for the bridal party and photographer and put down their cameras during the formal photos.

What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, checks, Master Card, Visa and Paypal as payment for services.
100% paid in full at the time you place your order for prints and/or framing.
100% satisfaction is guaranteed or your money is refunded.

How do I know that you will actually arrive?
I am under contract to fulfill the requirements of the agreement. I also have a backup photographer that can perform my duties in the event of an emergency.

What if the event is cancelled?
All deposits are non-refundable. If you event is cancelled and you notified Hope Haven Photography within 30 days of the event, you will not be responsible for the entire amount.

Do you have a payment plan?
Yes, we can accept payments on the deposit and upon the payment of the remainder. However, in order for the event photography to take place, the entire deposit must be paid. And in order for you to receive, view or proof you photos, the remainder of the balance must be paid.