Please click on a question to view the answer:
•
What is your style?
I call it "Jerryism" - fashionable artistic candids. I am not a photojournalist or a fine art photographer like everyone else claims to be. I personally feel you have to be a photographer experienced in a variety of styles to photograph a complete wedding. This way everyone is getting exactly what they expect and what they want. We realize we are photographing a wedding not just for the bride and groom, but their families too! I am not going to lie, we will pose you. However we will pose you in such a way that it looks like I caught you doing something. "I have yet to meet a bride who walks through a park and stops and twirls on her own, someone has to tell her what to do!"
•
What is your policy for inclement weather?
I have photographed in all kinds of weather – the Blizzard of 2009, a Hurricane, Night Shots, REALLY Hot weather…etc. Nothing stands in the way of getting awesome images for you. However, I cannot do it without you and your fiancé, so I will make other arrangements with no sacrifice in quality. With all my experience, I am very confident I will be fast, precise, FUN, and efficient no matter what the circumstances.
•
Who will photograph my wedding?
I will be the photographer, along with an assistant photographer for up to 12 hours. I personally have been photographing weddings for almost 28 years so the “Day of Wedding experience is unsurpassed. Once the date is booked, the date is closed, we only focus on one wedding in a day so you have our undivided attention.
•
Do you subscribe to services like Pictage or other services that photographers use?
No. If I am photographing your wedding, who better to have work on your images, design your album, and help you with your wedding album design then your photographer himself not some "outsourced" company with a staff of people sitting at Computers. I do not feel that a total stranger should play an integral part of how your wedding pictures. No one can or will care more about your images more than I do!
•
My fiancé does not care about wedding photography, he thinks it is not that important or too expensive!
I can understand that. Let’s face it – photography is a girl thing! Sometimes a groom and his groomsmen, think it is a joke, and it is not important. If you go to the process page here on my website, and look at some of the testimonials, they are ALL from Grooms. The way we are on your wedding day, we almost have as many groom’s AND groomsmen either recommending us or talking about the images we produce. When we photograph a wedding, we make it FUN for everyone. It should be fun, not a job for you and your bridal party! Some fiancé’s do not care until after they see their images, however by then it may be too late! Tell your fiancé that I guarantee he will make the whole cocktail hour without interruption and YOU will be happy!
•
OK sounds good, but how do you get my fiancé to “buy into this?”
We offer a “getting to know you session” in our coverage’s, this gives all of us a chance to get to know each other. These sessions are usually primarily held in either Center City Philadelphia, or during sunset at the Jersey Shore. Special sessions are also held in New York for our NYC and Long Island clients. After we are done, eats and drinks complete this session.
•
I really love your work, however my parents do not realize that wedding photography is different than the way it used to be! They think it is outrageous!
This is a very touchy subject. It is very imperative that your parents HAVE TO be educated and, if possible, visit photographers to see the difference. Since they are already married, many go by what their friends spent for their children’s’ wedding photographer. They are definitely comparing apples and oranges. To some parents, it is not a priority, as the band and the party is for them and their friends. Let’s face it, to some, it is not important to them – “it’s just pictures” ! Again, the famous saying, “The pain of poor quality is remembered long after the pleasure of low price."
•
But with everything we have to do for the wedding, we have to cut back somewhere!
Many, many couples and their families do not realize this, so I say it this way – after the wedding, Our job is just starting! All your other vendors that you have hired – they are literally, packed up and gone; on to the next wedding. Ever stay at a wedding until the end – they are clearing tables, tossing things away – from YOUR wedding, and getting ready for the next affair. We are just beginning - We have to prepare, color correct, edit, proof, design an album, perform finishing touches on your images, order your final product, keep tabs on the order with our suppliers, the list goes on and on. Absolutely NO WEDDING PROFESSIONAL puts in as much time with a Bride and Groom than we do (except your chef!) – approximately 60 to 80 hours worth of actual work per wedding!
•
How long are you at our wedding?
I promise you, I will photograph your ENTIRE wedding, not just 8 hours of it. I will NEVER charge (or even talk about) you (or even talk about) overtime, rush your cake cutting and parent dances because I have to leave. Your day is my day.
•
How many pictures are included with our album?
We do not sell "by the number of pictures" in an album, or a more (or less) expensive package. Your album includes 24 pages, completely custom designed by myself, based on our (yours and my) vision of how your day goes. Let’s do the math – you get 60 or 90 images in your package, your photographer delivers close to 1000 images, and tells you to pick. How do you eliminate over 900 images?
•
So how do you do your album designs?
Every couple receives a wedding album pre-design , and see their album on our 50 “ plasma screen that is connected to my MAC computer system – no outside service is used for this! We will then spend how long it takes with both of you to completely custom design your album - we are willing to spend the time with you, instead of the easy way out of just telling you to “pick pictures”. This service is what you are paying us for.
•
Ok I am shopping around, why am I finding a vast range of pricing?
Many factors determine pricing. Experience, quality of album products, time of postproduction, many of these determine pricing. Oh did I say ALBUMS? I use Queensberry Albums from New Zealand; www.queensberry.com. These albums are what I feel the finest album I can supply my clients with. You have to come in to appreciate the quality and the workmanship in these albums. My goal is your wedding is not like everyone else – then why should your album look like theirs!
•
Why do you refrain from sending out pricelists via email?
With the way the economy is today – everyone is looking to cut back. So now when you get pricelists via email, everything is based on price! So you make your decision based on what the price is, and what is included in the package. My collections are based on every couple’s wants and desires. But more importantly, we have to “click” (excuse the pun), we have to get along. How can anyone know the personality of your photographer by a pricelist thru an email? You are going to spend ALL DAY with this person! How do you know what the album products are like? Anymore, it is not about good images, it is about the “total wedding day experience”. Come in, let’s get to know each other – no pressure- no obligation. Take an hour to two hours of your time and get to see what we are all about! See the products that you “actually” will get ( not if you “upgrade”). We do not offer “ good, better and best packages and coverage’s! We do it one-way; we feel it is the correct way – all-inclusive in time, albums, and images. After your appointment, if you find GTP is not for you, for whatever reason, then at least you can make an educated decision on selecting your photographer. Couples who select me to be their wedding photographer come in and meet with me, or just book us over the phone, based on the strong referrals they receive. No matter whom you select, please, if at all possible, do not make your selection based on price. Too many couples, years after their wedding, still complain how they hate their wedding pictures – this is the one thing they regret! Your wedding pictures, is the ONLY asset you have that will never go down in value, if you are happy with the final product of course.
•
Have you ever photographed at my church or reception venue?
After photographing over 1000 weddings in 28 years, chances are the answer is YES! However one thing you would like to look for is consistency! No matter if we have been at a venue once or 100 times, you will never have to worry about photography if you select us – that is what experience is all about. Just let us handle everything. Browse my website, go to our blog, take a look at some of the slideshows, and look at what every couple gets - great, consistent, WOW images, parent pleasers, great candids, a great total experience.
•
Do you offer video also?
I specialize in still photography. I have a few professional videographers that I prefer to work with on a regular basis that I recommend to my contracted clients. My personal opinion is if someone is offering both, they do not specialize in either photography or video. You may never get to meet the actual people who will be behind the camera.
•
Do you do any “retouching” on our finished images?
Our method of photographing is one way and one way only – getting it right the first time – at image capture – not just taking pictures and letting some “graphic artist” make it correct! Our production method is simple we enhance, NOT correct! With the advent of Digital Photography and Photoshop, some have the notion to “over enhance” or “over Photoshop” the images – make the subjects look orange, yellow or green! Our style is more classic, timeless, and very realistic in presentation. FINISHING is what makes us more professional from the “shoot and burn” photographers; for us, it is to add the VALUE and IMPACT on your images. However, if you have shine on the day of your wedding, we will make you look real good – all included.
•
Do you offer Engagement Session?
Yes, but ours is different. You see “others” offer “Engagement Sessions” but that is all it is, a “session” with no images, you purchase everything separate. Our GTKY sessions are very popular ( beach or city) and include an album as your Guest Book. You would have to contact the studio by phone for more details.
•
Why do I need a profeesional Photographer?
test test test
