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- How did you become qualified to take professional wedding pictures?
- I majored in Photojournalism at Columbia College Chicago and received a Bachelor of Arts with the intent to make newspaper photography my career. Rigorous courses taught by the best in the industry lend a lot to my style and competence. Three internships later, I realized I did not want to leave the Chicagoland area. Over the past 10 years I have photographed weddings, portraits, and commercial work.
- How do you feel about posed and unposed pictures?
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The photojournalistic style of wedding photography has made a tremendous impact in the past decade. Photographers are hired to photograph more candid “moments” and show more black and white images. While I believe the goal of the photographer is to capture the story of your wedding day through unique, unstaged moments, the traditional posed group and family shots remain an important part of wedding photography. I supply the Bride and Groom with a sample “must-have” picture list with about 15 specific groupings to help them create one of their own. This will be a very small part of your day.
- Do you provide table shots or backdrop setup at the reception for traditional posed photographs?
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When we capture your day, our emphasis is on the photojournalistic viewpoint. We strive to capture action, emotion and details. Our goal is to record the day as it unfolds while being as unobtrusive as possible.
- While we work with you on a short picture list for after the ceremony, that is the extent of our posed pictures. We find that backdrop and table shots fall under a more traditional style that takes away from capturing unscripted moments as they occur. We would be more than happy to take casual candids as requested during the reception. However, we do not bring a formal backdrop and light setup with us.
- How do you handle the bride and groom not seeing each other before the ceremony?
It's your wedding day and I will photograph accordingly. If you do not want to see each other before the wedding, that's fine. I can concentrate on pictures of the Bride and her attendants getting ready and we can take the formal portraits between the ceremony and reception. The formal group shots typically take 20 minutes with a list such as mine or one similar in length. If you do prefer to see each other beforehand, please let us capture that first glance you share.
- Do you have any goals for approaching each wedding?
The most important goal is to make sure both the photographer and the wedding couple are on the same page in terms of how the wedding should be photographed. I prefer to handle this by scheduling a final meeting about one month prior to the wedding. We can review the “must have” picture list, firm up times, and discuss specific ideas for the day.
- How long do you expect to be with us on the day of the wedding? Start, end and overtime?
My philosophy is to allow the Bride and Groom to decide how much of their wedding day they want captured. I start at the time you wish and I end at an agreed upon time. This is all spelled out in my wedding estimate.
- How will you be showing me the pictures?
Part of my services include 4x6 finished prints in a set of albums. I call these proof prints since it represents the complete compilation of images from your wedding day. You retain ownership of the proof prints. You will also receive two discs, one with high-resolution images for personal use and another with low resolution, watermarked images for public use, i.e. posting on your website, Myspace, Facebook et al. There are no minimum reorders to get to this point. I also proof your wedding online for 3 months so you can share with your friends and family and they can order through me if they so choose.
- How do we get our proofs?
If you are in the Chicagoland area, we typically set up a meeting with you and your photographer for you to receive and review your proofs. We love seeing your reaction as you look through your wedding images!- If you live out of state or are unable to set up a meeting with us, we are more than happy to ship your proofs to you via FedEx Ground for a small fee.
- With whom will I be dealing after the wedding?
If you select Metropolitan Imageworks to photograph your wedding you will deal with your photographer after the wedding for proof delivery. If you also decide to use Metropolitan Imageworks as a consultant when putting together your final album, you will deal with both Rachael Michael and Caryn Bierbauer, MetImages' production manager.
- What type of equipment is used?
I shoot with multiple Canon DSLRs and a variety of lenses. You can view samples of the quality by visiting the online galleries or making an appointment to meet with me in person. I also have 11x14 and 16x20 size reprints to show you the picture quality in large photographs. We do not bring in artificial lights or a backdrop, as its our belief this takes away from time spent capturing candids and details.
- How many weddings are done that day by the studio?
I only book one event per day for myself or a MetImages associate photographer. This allows for better concentration and alleviates concern about being on time or behind schedule. Your wedding is the photographer’s primary focus for the entire day.
- Am I talking to my photographer?
Some studios employ a number of photographers to cover more weddings. They focus on quantity. It is sometimes a surprise to the Bride and Groom when their photographer is not the person whom they requested! At Metropolitan Imageworks we put an emphasis on personality and make sure you connect with your photographer. You always meet with your wedding photographer before you book, unless geographical restrictions apply and in those cases we encourage conference calls between you and the photographer.
- Do you require a meal during our wedding?
We understand you have many expenses associated with your wedding. We also appreciate if you do consider us during the mealtime. While we don’t demand to sit at a guest table, being in the same room will make sure we do not miss any special moments. If you are unable to accommodate us during the mealtime, please let us know during our final meeting and we can make other arrangements to bring food or leave during a slow time for a short break.
- What happens if the photographer gets sick or has an emergency?
I have a back-up system in place just in case of the unexpected. It helps to be prepared and leaves one less issue for the Bride and Groom to stress over.
- What is your payment schedule?
I require a 50% non-refundable booking fee to reserve the date. The remainder of the balance is due one week AFTER the wedding. Images will not be available (online or in proof format) until the balance is paid in full.
- What form of payment do you accept?
Metropolitan Imageworks accepts cash and personal or cashiers checks. We also accept Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover via our Paypal Merchant Account. There will be a $50.00 discount applied to all payments in the form of cash or check.
- Will the online gallery match the proof volumes?
Yes, the same images printed for the proof volumes will be displayed in the online gallery in the same order. Due to time and resources Metropolitan Imageworks is unable to customize web galleries. We use the utmost care and caution when selecting final images from your wedding day. We understand special circumstances apply and a $75.00 fee will be assessed for each requested customization.
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