your

QUESTIONS

 

 

The Biggest Question:  “Why should WE hire YOU for our wedding or engagement shoot?”

Because I will take care of you as if you were my own family. I will help you craft a timeline that allows your day to be your day just how you want it. Because I will be there for you, as a resource with almost a lifetime of organizational experience and going to and being in lots weddings, taking pictures at weddings, and wishing I was married, (that finally happened on 5-10-15!) and because weddings can be stressful and overwhelming. I will be right with you the entire time. I promise.

I’ll be your problem solver, I’ll be your family wrangler. I will be your advocate. I will help ensure that your day is exactly what you want, captured as beautifully as you deserve. I will be your eyes on your day so that you can focus on the amazing gathering of everyone that you love best in the world and trust that your photography and your photographer is an extremely skilled hands.

if it rains, if it snows if it gets dark early, if your venue is unexpectedly covered in scaffolding, if hair and makeup run late, if we get stuck in traffic – I’ve got you, and your images will still be amazing. My job is to take great pictures for you, yes, I am your personal paparazzi,  but also to help remove all the pressures from your wedding day so that you can enjoy it absolutely and completely stress free.

 

The Second Biggest Question I Get Asked Is About Pricing:  I get asked this often and I get asked why it is not on this website? I can actually understand wanting to find pricing information without having to ask. Truly I can. But my rates and collections aren’t listed to public or for public viewing on my site for a variety of reasons first, rates and collections vary by location. Some weddings outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth area require travel which should not be included in a local wedding rate. Not to mention that destination weddings are different as well. I also create custom collections for many clients, which is something that I can absolutely do for you!

if you’d like to obtain collection details for your wedding simply drop me an email and I will send you all the information that you need I promise to respond ASAP unless I’m shooting and of course I will get back to you in 24 hours or less and I look forward to chatting further.

General Questions

Q: Do you deliver every image you shoot?

A: No, we do not. We eliminate duplicate images, test shots, missed focused shots, shots with bad expressions and other images that may dilute the overall product delivery. For example, because we shoot with low apertures, sometimes we take a few extra shots to make sure we have the perfect focus.

We don’t expect you to have the expertise or the time to zoom into each image to select the one with the sharpest focus, so we spend hours doing that on our end. In another example, candid laughs and emotional tears are some of the best images from the day. Unfortunately, they can also yield some unflattering facial expressions.

We might snap a few extras of any of these moments to make sure we have a great shot with the ideal expression for the moment. With our expertise of processing millions of images each year, we may eliminate ones that we feel are duplicates and only deliver the best one.

Q: Does your studio provide videography services?

A: Yes. To see examples of our videography services, click here

Q: Have you shot at my venue before?

A: There is a good chance that we have. However, if we have not, we will get to the venue early on the day of and be sure to perform a thorough walk-through to scout out the best photography locations. We also do extensive online research prior to your big day!

Q: Do you do destination weddings? What additional fees are associated with destination weddings?

A: While Photography by Ingo is based currently out of Dallas, Texas we serve clients all around the world. Our destination wedding photography packages include the cost of travel and reasonable accommodations (check out our destination wedding FAQs here). Because of our frequent trips to the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles , Lake Tahoe, and Tampa special, rates may apply depending on the specific circumstances. Contact us by clicking here.

Q: Which photographer will be shooting my wedding?

A: Typically, Ingo will be the photographer you’ll meet with and will be the photographer for your engagement session and wedding. You may request to meet with a specific photographer; otherwise, we’ll make the decision based on personality, availability, language abilities, and your referral. For example, if Ingo shot the wedding of your friend who referred you to us, he would likely be the one meeting with you;  

Q: Do you provide partial day coverage?

A: We typically do not provide partial day coverage on weekends. On weekends, we only accept clients that require at least 4 hours of coverage or have a budget of ____________? Again there are factors here so lets talk a bit first. Remember “I got your back” even with your budget in mind.  Dallas Courthouse or other Elopements are the exception. 

Q: Does your studio do headshots, individual portraits, family portraits, newborn shoots, Sports/Action Photography, commercial photography, Real Estate and Product Photography or other types of photography?

A: Yes, we have experience in many fields of photography. Feel free to contact us.

Q: Do you shoot Quinceaneras, Debutants, Bah Mitzvahs, or Corporate Events?
A: Yes. These are all considered ‘event photography.’ We have chosen to focus and excel at wedding and event photography, and we would love to cover your celebration.
Q: What if our ceremony is in a different language?

A: Our photographers and cinematographers speak many different languages. However, we have also covered many weddings in which we do not speak the primary language of the ceremony. We approach these weddings with research, understanding the traditions and culture of the wedding. We’ll make sure that there are plans in place to have excellent communication for you, your family and your guests.

We also have talk-through meetings with our couples before the wedding to ensure we are aware of the major moments. You can start by filling out this ONLINE FORM HERE. Lastly, we always ensure that we stay alert, leaning on the instincts that we have developed for capturing the emotion and the stories at any given moment.

In our cinematography, if our editors do not understand the language spoken, we take a similar approach. First, we ensure that we have strong communication with you to understand the important moments from the day.

We also find aspects in English to drive the story. This might be a heartfelt toast at the reception or personal messages that you give to each other, recorded during your wedding preparation.

So while different languages can present challenges, in the end, artistry, creativity, and storytelling are all universal concepts that our team will portray in your photography and cinematography.

Style And Quality Questions:

Q: What is your philosophy regarding photography?
A: Please click here for details on our wedding photography philosophy.
Q: What is your photography style?

A: The  Photography by Ingo team is acclaimed for developing a unique style of wedding photography that is deeply rooted in wedding photojournalism while influenced by fine-art and fashion photography.

We love using creative lighting, unique perspectives, angles, compositions and artistic post-production refining to bring out our clients personalities and beauty while telling their wedding story. We pride ourselves on not just being photographers, but rather artists creating unique and expressive imagery.

To see examples of our quality and style, please visit our Portfolio as well as our Blog.

Q: Can I see a full event from start to finish?

A: Of course you may! We pride ourselves on the consistency of our work. We understand all photographers post their best shots from each wedding on their websites so it’s hard to determine how well he or she will perform on the wedding day.

That is why we encourage all of our potential clients to view full events from all photographers they meet with to see how well the photographer performs throughout the day.

Q: My venue is very dark. How does your studio handle these situations and can I see samples?
A: We have shot in the darkest of dark chapels and reception halls so no need to worry! If the situation allows, we will set up additional lighting to ensure we get focused pictures. Some chapels do not allow for flash photography; and for that reason, we shoot on camera’s with superb low-light performance and lenses with low apertures (check out our Toolkit here).
Q: Is there a style or quality difference among the photographers?
A: No. We take every measure to ensure consistent style and quality among our photographers. We have developed the unique style you see in our work over the years. Each shoot is reviewed to ensure our quality and style are consistent. All mistakes, no matter how minor, are scrutinized by the team. We trust that the quality and style of photography you receive will be consistent. However, we do tailor our shooting style and techniques to our client requests. For example, some clients may prefer a light and airy look while others may prefer dramatic lighting and shadows.

Blog Entry Questions

Q: How do I get my wedding published on other wedding blogs or magazines?
A: Click Here for a list of our favorite wedding blogs and their instructions for submission.

Post Production Questions

Q: Do you touch up all the images in our image download?

A: Yes we do. Every image we deliver is post produced with our unique signature style of post-production. This involves color correction, exposure adjustment, selective black and white processing, clarity adjustments, tone-mapping, and other corrections.

Many photographers will not post produce any images, or will only post produce “select” images from your wedding. This means that you may have pictures that are too dark, have strange skin tones or other common photography flaws.

Q: What do you mean by “touching up” the photos?
A: “Touching up” in our studio is the same as our signature (standard) post-production. See the question below for clarification.
Q: What is the difference between advanced and custom; and why are there additional costs for a custom retouch?
A: Advanced post-production includes touch-ups such as removal of blemishes, removal of bags under eyes, removal of fly-away hairs, etc. On the other hand, custom post production is anything that requires extensive, custom work in Photoshop such as removing entire objects from the scene, changing the size and shape of body parts or other objects in the scene, adding objects to a scene and other custom work. We charge hourly for the custom post-production as the time required ranges depending on the complexity of the project. Please contact our studio manager for a quote for custom post-production.
Q: Do you shoot in JPEG, Small Raw, or Large Raw?
A: We shoot most of our images in Small Raw with certain situations where we move to Large Raw. For our reasoning, please see this section on the Photography Misconceptions page of our website: Small Raw Vs. Large Raw

Wedding Day Questions

Q: How many hours do you suggest we set aside for wedding day photos?
A: Take a look at our Ideal Wedding Photography Timeline to see a detailed breakdown of how much time you would need to have set aside for your wedding photos.
Q: I have downtime between events on my wedding day. Will I be charged for that downtime?
A: For a variety of reasons, we have to charge for the time in between events. The fact is, we’re never truly resting during the day, whether we’re backing up images, setting up for the second venue, traveling to the second location, taking venue shots, or making up for lost photo time because of unforeseen wedding day delays. In many cases, we use that “downtime” to take you and your significant other out for a photo session or more family portraits.
Q: What happens if we go over the contracted amount of time?
A: We understand that not everything goes as planned during a wedding. We never pack up before the contracted time, and moreover, we’re not leaving on the dot when the contracted time is up. Instead, we will ask you at the end of your contracted time whether or not you would like to extend. If you would like us to stay, we will charge the rates specified in your contract rounded to the closest 30-minute increment.
Q: Why do we need to charge for additional coverage?
A: We’ve dedicated the entire day to your wedding, so we won’t be racing off to catch other plans that evening. However, we need to charge for additional coverage primarily because there are costs of having the team stay for additional hours. The shooters and lighting assistants all require additional compensation. Furthermore, the additional photos taken will need to be post-produced which adds to our overall costs.

Engagement Session Questions

Q: When can we expect to see our photos from our engagement session?
A: Post-production for engagement sessions are completed 6-8 weeks after the date of the shoot. If you require the images to be completed prior to 6-8 weeks after the date of the shoot, a rush process fee will be charged.
Q: When should we do our engagement session?
A: We encourage you to do your engagement session as soon as possible. The latest we suggest is at least 10-12 weeks prior to the wedding date due to the time necessary to post produce each image and complete your product order(s). See the engagement session post-production delivery time and engagement session product delivery time FAQ’s for more details.
Q: Can we schedule our engagement session for the weekend?
Because most weddings occur on weekends, we typically do not shoot engagement sessions on weekends. If you can only do your engagement session on a weekend, we can tentatively schedule your engagement session on a weekend, however, if a wedding is scheduled for that weekend, later on, we will have to reschedule your engagement session. There will also be an additional charge for weekend engagement sessions because the few weekends we have free, we spend with our families. We also like to shoot on weekdays because locations are typically less crowded.
Q: How many images do you typically deliver from an engagement session? From a wedding?
We typically deliver anywhere from 50-70 images per 3-hour engagement shoot and for a wedding, we typically deliver 60-80 images per hour. Keep in mind these numbers may increase or decrease depending on the flow of the day and the number of events/activities needing to be captured.
Q: I’d like you to Photoshop our name and date into the save-the-dates, is that included in the package pricing?
Custom save-the-date images are priced at $250 per image and can be added on to any package through our website.
Q: When and where can we view our engagement pictures?
Your engagement session images will be completed no more than 6 weeks after the date of the shoot. If you require the images to be completed prior to 6 weeks after the date of your shoot, a rush edit fee of $250.00 will be charged.

Albums, Prints, Books Questions

Q: How long does it take to get my prints?
Product creation times vary, however, print orders will generally be completed within 6 weeks after the product order is submitted.

Similar to the post-production process, if you require rush processing, a fee of $250.00 will be charged. Additional fees for rush shipping may also apply.

Q: How long does it take to get my album?
As with our other products, production times vary. However, you can typically expect to receive your album 6 weeks after placing the order. The process prior to placing the order varies in duration depending on how quickly you respond to the instructions for the album design as well as the number of changes you request after the initial designs. Some brides complete this within a month or two; others take over a year.

Similar to the post-production process, if you require rush processing, a fee of $250.00 will be charged. Additional fees for rush shipping may also apply.

Q: How long does it take to get my sign-in book?
The sign-in book takes around 6 weeks to print after the order is submitted. As with the album, the time it takes to get the order ready for print depends on how quickly you respond to our instructions and how many changes you request.

Similar to the post-production process, if you require rush processing, a fee of $250.00 will be charged. Additional fees for rush shipping may also apply.

Q: What album companies do you offer?
We have accounts with most of the major printers, including Graphi Studio, Queensberry, Leather Craftsmen, Willowbook Sequoia, and Finao. After testing the durability, print quality/consistency, and cover style options, we have narrowed our printing partners to Blacksmith, Finao, and Queensberry. If you prefer the styles of any other album makers, we would be glad to accommodate your request, if possible. Additional fees may apply depending on the printer you choose.
Q: How many pages and images do we get in our wedding day album?
A: Our signature Lin and Jirsa album contain 30 pages and 80+/- images. If you’d like to add more pages and images, each additional page can be added at additional cost and includes the design time/revisions.
Q: Can I add more pages and images to my album?
A: Each additional page can be added for additional cost and includes the design time/revisions.
Q: Do you guys provide framing services as well?
A: We do not provide framing services, however, we can provide you with recommendations on where to purchase and frame your images.
Q: How do I get started on my wedding album?
The Wedding Album Design Process is outlined here: https://www.linandjirsa.com/album-design-instructions
Q: How do I get started on my engagement album?
The Engagement Album Design Process is outlined here: https://www.linandjirsa.com/engagement-book-options/

Image Download Questions And Legal Questions

Q: What size can we print our photos up to with our full resolution image download?
A: In most cases, you can print your photos up to 20×30 without any quality loss. If you’d like to print larger than 20×30, additional post-production will be required. For pricing on these services, please contact our studio manager by clicking here
Q: What rights do I have to the digital prints?
A: You have the right to reprint images whenever you want. However, you may not sell your images for profit or publish your images without the written consent of Lin and Jirsa Photography.
Q: Do you provide the RAW files from my engagement session and/or wedding day?
A: Each of our packages comes with a full resolution image download. However, we typically do not provide RAW (unprocessed) files from our shoots because we believe in delivering a finished product. In fact, we’re often shooting with the end (post-produced) product in mind. However, on occasion, we may provide RAW images along with our post-produced JPG’s for an additional fee and restrictions.
Q: How many images do you deliver on the image download?
A: For a 3-hour engagement session we typically deliver 50-70 images and for a wedding, we typically deliver 60-80 images per hour of coverage. Keep in mind these numbers may increase or decrease depending on the flow of the day and the number of events/activities needing to be captured.
Q: Do you provide the digital negatives after the shoot?
A: Yes we do. All of our packages come with Full Resolution image download.
Q: What if I lose my images?
A: There is a $100 replacement charge for additional downloads after the event has been archived. We strongly suggest you make at least one copy of the download when you receive it from us.

Equipment Questions

Q: What type of camera/equipment do you use?
A: Click here to view our Photography Equipment

Business Insurance And Image Backup Questions

Q: Do you back up our images? How can we ensure that our images won’t be lost?

A: We have never lost an image from a wedding due to the following backup workflow for each our events:

During the event, we shoot on two cards at the same time. This instantly creates a backup of every image in the camera. Afterward, we separate the primary cards from the backup cards, should anything happen to one set.

We then back up the images to a local server set up in a RAID 1 configuration, as well as copy them to an offsite hard drive. At any given point before delivery of the images, there are two copies of the files in separate locations.

Q: Do you have liability insurance?
A: Yes. Many venues require the photographer to have Liability Insurance. So before hiring Uncle Joe, make sure he’s covered.

Meeting Policy Questions

Q: We live out-of-town. Is it possible for our family/friends to meet with you instead?
We’d love to meet your relatives, answer their questions and review our work with them. If possible, we’d like to at least webcam with you to get to know you better.
Q: We’re very busy and won’t be able to meet. Are there any other options?
A: We would love to meet with you prior to our engagement shoot or wedding; however, if you’re too busy or too far away, we can handle everything remotely. Just let us know what information you need and we will do our best to accommodate your request. For example, if you would like to see more of our work, we can gladly show you complete events online. If you would like to talk about packages and get a sense of the photographer’s personality, telephone calls, and webcam appointments can be arranged.
Q: Do you travel to meet clients?
A: Due to the limitations of our schedule, we currently do not travel to meet clients. If you would like to schedule a meeting, please contact our studio manager at 949.287.2153 or email clicking here
Q: How do I set up an appointment to meet you in person and see some of your work?
A: Contact our studio manager at 949.287.2153 or email her by clicking here

Payment And Tax Questions

Q: How do I reserve you for my date?
A: All dates are reserved once we receive your signed contract and deposit.
Q: What if we exceed our contracted time for our engagement shoot and/or wedding day coverage?

A: Standard rates apply for overtime. Overtime is billed at the rate of $450/hour per Master Photographer and $250/hour per Associate Photographer.

Q: Is there an additional fee if we pay via credit card?
A: Yes. The retail adjustment fee for all credit card transactions is 3% of the charged amount.
Q: If we cancel the wedding, will we receive our retainer fee back?

A: Unfortunately no. Retainer fees are used to reserve your date. Once we’ve reserved your date, we do not accept new clients for your date.

Q: If we change our wedding to a different date, will we be able to use our retainer fee towards a future date?
A: Generally no, but this is taken on a case by case basis. The reason for canceling and our availability is taken into account. Also, if rates change from your original date to your new date, the new rates will apply.
Q: Are there travel fees associated with the engagement session and/or wedding day shoot(s)?

A: All travel expenses are based on the distance between your event location(s). The following destinations are subject to the following travel fees:
– Huston, Texas – $500.00 flat fee
– Austin Texas – $350.00 flat fee
– Waco, Texas – $250.00 flat fee
– Fort Worth  Area – $100.00 flat fee for shoots under 6 hours

– All other destinations beyond 100 miles round-trip will be negotiated and handled on a case-by-case basis

Why do you charge travel fees?

The primary purpose is to provide adequate compensation for our photographers and our lighting assistants for the additional time spent in travel. Trips to Fort Worth or Waxahatchie, for example, can take over an hour each way. This is time for which we have to compensate my self or if needed our team. For this reason, coupled with the costs of reimbursing the team for the actual costs of travel, these fees are unfortunately necessary.

Q: Do you offer any discounts on weekday weddings, Sunday weddings, or weddings during the off-season?

A: We do not offer discounts on Sunday weddings and off-season weddings. As you may know, wedding season is almost year round here in sunny sometimes hot Texas and the same in California. Because of that, we are shooting throughout the year. We also cannot offer discounts on weekday weddings as all of the costs (second shooter rates, etc.) associated with the wedding remain the same. Weekday Elopements are the exception depending on location and guests attending. 

Q: If I pay for my package in cash will we be able to avoid paying sales tax or receive a discount?

A: Unfortunately, collecting in cash does not exempt a photography studio from paying Texasm Florida or California sales tax on the amount of the package price when a physical product is delivered, whether that product be an album or any other physical product. However, we do offer tax-free services and packages that fall within All State Laws if you would like a service only packages.