FAQ
How do i pronounce your last name?
Haha...yes, i know...its pronounced "seed" ...like planting a seed!
What is your packages/pricing?
Please see our pricing page here.
We want you as our photographer, what next?
First things first, drop me a line and see if I am available! Many brides plan a year in advance. After the wedding venue, the photographer is usually the 2nd item on the to-do list! So drop me a line and lets meet to see if our chemistry match! I usually like to meet over coffee or tea at a Cafe. There is no sales pitch or pressure to sign. Our meeting is just for us to see if we are a good fit for each other! If we are a good fit and you want to hire us, I will prepare an agreement for you to look over. If everything looks, I will need 2 things to reserve a date. 1) A non-refundable 35% deposit, and 2) a signed agreement. Once we receive these 2 items, your date is reserved.
How far in advance should I book you?
The answer is definitely the earlier the better! Although I would love to have a twin brother, I don't and can't cover 2 weddings in one day! Most clients book us about 9-15 months in advance. A few have booked us 18 months in advance! (Yes, these are very organized brides! ) To avoid disappointment, I highly recommend that you plan ahead. Unfortunately, I have had numerous times where the bride has been disappointed because someone else has booked their date already.
Can you hold a date for me?
Unfortunately, I get inquires everyday and am unable to hold a date without a deposit and signed contract. If you like a vendor, my advice is to book them early!
What is your style?
Short Answer: My style is a mixture of traditional, photojournalistic and creative wedding photography. Clean and modern is what I am aiming for.
Long Answer:
I started my wedding photographing education under a traditional wedding photographer, who taught me the basics and foundations, a vital and necessary step for formal portraits and group photos; My 2nd mentor was a Photojournlasitic photographer, where I learned my skills for anticipating moments and capturing candids without interfering (like a ninja!). Knowing where to stand and how to be proactive 'before the moment' is critical for capturing those unstaged candid moments. My 3rd mentor was a master editorial photographer, I learned to direct scenes and poses. Also an important part for romantic portraits and when the bride and groom need direction and guidance.
Are there watermarks on your photos?
No, the high-resolutions jpegs that i give to you do not have watermarks. You can bring them to your favorite printer to print. Or we can bring them to our professional printers.
Do you take credit cards?
I prefer digital payments via Venmo, PayPal, Zelle or good old fashion checks! We do take credit cards but need to add a 3.5% fee to cover our credit card fees.
What equipment do you use?
We use Professional Nikon DSLR (Digital Single-Lens-Reflex cameras). These include the Nikon D850 and D750 and an array of lens. If you would like to talk more about cameras, lets chat over coffee... we are passionate about photography and cameras!
How many hours do you typically shoot?
Most weddings last from 8-12 hours, depending on size and your desired amount of coverage.
Do you recommend a 2nd photographer?
Yes, unless your wedding is very small (less than 50 persons). I can only be at one spot at a time. (I haven't mastered teleporting yet!) A second photographer gives you a different perspective and allows us to cover much more ground. It is a small price to pay for virtually doubling your coverage (and photos.)
How much photography time should we allocate for "_____"?
We have been to hundreds of weddings and so we know a thing or two about scheduling the timeline for photography! Allocating 30 minutes for getting ready and hoping to get all the wedding details, bride and groom photos, wedding party photos, first look and bride and groom portraits is very unrealistic!
Here is what we need time-wise, to help you great photos.
60 minutes bride/groom prep time
30 minutes bridal party photos
30 minutes bride & groom alone photos (Romantics)
15 minutes ceremony details
30 minutes family photos (after ceremony)
15 minutes reception details
15 minutes Bride and Groom sunset or night photos (optional)
We can help you on your time, and we generally do draft timeline during our first meeting to estimate the number of coverage you need.
What is your policy regarding flash photography?
We use flash sparingly. That said, some situations/locations call for flash photography (i.e. indoor events). We always try to minimize the effect of flash photography and if needed, we try to make it look as natural as possible.
Do you do destination weddings?
Yes, in fact, we love destination weddings! Even though our base is Southern California, we have covered many weddings in different parts of California, the US and the world including Los Cabos, Cancun, Taipei, Taichung, Bangkok, Nice and Bali (quite a few times!). We asked that our travel expenses, accommodations and visas be covered in such cases.
Have you covered ethnic weddings?
Yes, we have covered many different weddings, including Jewish, Armenian, Kabbalah, Persian, Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Mexican, Chinese, Taiwanese, Western, Thai, Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Russian, Japanese and African American weddings. We have also covered weddings where the bride and groom come from different cultural backgrounds.
My aunt/uncle/cousin is an aspiring photographer, can they also cover the wedding?
Yes, but we will ask him/her to refrain from taking photographs if it interferes with our work. We want to create the best photos for you and if they get it our way or hinder us from doing our job, we will need to ask them to stop.
Do you edit every photo?
Yes, we edit each photo, adjusting its white-balance, contrast and cropping if necessary. Removing your sixth finger or your uncle bob from the photo will cost extra though!
My church doesn't allow flash photography, what will you do?
Our professional cameras and lens allow us to shoot in low light situations.
What happens if you become sick on our wedding day?
Touch wood! This has never happened to us so far! Having been in the industry for sometime, we have many professional contacts. We will find you a suitable replacement if this would ever happen.
What will you wear on our wedding day?
We wear red tuxedos with rainbow suspenders. Just kidding! We generally wear dress shirts and pants to blend into the background. We don't wear suits as it hinders us our ability to be flexible in our camera angles.
Should we do an engagement session?
The engagement session allows us to capture you in a more natural environment than your wedding day. It will also let you get comfortable in front of the camera. The session is also more than just a photoshoot. It is my time to get to know you better! When your big day comes, you will feel that a friend is covering your wedding rather than a complete stranger! You will also get to ask questions and learn which is your better angle!
How much time should we allocate for Bridal party, Bride & Groom, Family photos on the day?
I recommend giving us at leutesst 30 mins each for bridal party and Bride & Groom photos on the day. This doesn't include formal or group photos with the family and guests. We cannot stress this enough, the more time given to us, the more creative we can get! Therefore, before you plan your timeline, talk to us...we can help you 1) maximizes time and efficiencies for photos, 2) help choose the best time for lighting and 3) help you determine which are the best spots for photos.
Can you give me a discount?
We believe that you will find our rate to be fair for the service and work that we do. We, too, would like to make a living doing what we love to do! :-) However, if you have a budget in mind, please let us know. We always try to customize a package that will fit your budget. We also have a host of associate photographers that are available for your wedding.
How long will it take to see my wedding photos?
Your wedding photos will generally be ready 6-8 weeks after your wedding day. In peak wedding seasons, your photos will be ready in about 8-10 weeks. Why does it take this long? Well, the honest answer is because it takes a lot of time to sort and edit photos. Each wedding, we take a few thousand photos with multiple cameras. After the wedding we need to pick, sort, re-order and edit all these photos. We also don't batch process which is faster, but in fact adjust each photo individually. We also don't outsource our backend work like some firms. We believe that you hired us because of our eye and style and outsourcing that would mean someone else will make those decisions! That's why we pick and edit all our own photos. And that's why it takes a while! Your photos are worked on based on the date is was photographed. During peak seasons, there may be a few weddings before yours. Thank you for your patience!
Do I own the rights to the photos? You will have reproduction rights to the photos. Copyright of the photos remain with the photographer. If you do post the photos, please kindly credit your photographer!
Are you insured? Yes. This question is frequently asked for by hotels and restaurant venues. Do not work with wedding vendors (or photographers!) that don't carry this!!
Do you accept gratuities?
Gratuities are not expected, but we do appreciate it if you think we performed well for you and your guests! We are after all, in the service industry!! Gratuities are shared with all team members.
You did such a great job, what can I do for your business?
Thank you! The greatest compliment we can receive is the referral of our service! We also deeply appreciate clients that take the time and effort to write reviews for us! Thank you very much!! Check out our reviews on Yelp, The Knot and Wedding Wire!
Do you have any photos of yourself? Haha...sure, just to make sure i don't have horns growing out of my head, huh? Here's a few photos that were taken of me by my partners at weddings...probably because we were testing lighting...you have been warned!