Hawaii Photographers Q & A
Q. How does your Hawaii Photography work?
A. Simple. Just give us a call and ensure we are available. When possible, we like to schedule a face to face meeting to discuss your session or wedding. However, we have many destination clienteles so face to face meetings aren't always possible. If we can't meet face to face, we'll do a phone consultation to discuss your session. We will also ask you to send us a photo of yourselves and for weddings, a photo of the dress and any details we need to be aware of. Based upon your needs we'll recommend a particular package or service. Once agreed upon, we'll send you an agreement to your email. When we receive it back with your retainer payment, your date, time and services will be reserved. It's pretty simple and we will walk you through entire process to ensure a positive experience from start to finish.
Q. Do you offer Hawaii wedding photographers payment plan options?
A. Yes! Only 25% is due at the time of booking for weddings. Clients can make payments along the way at their own convenience. Final payment is due in full on or before the session day before the first photo is taken. In some cases where advance notice is given, we will do the session with only 50% paid, with the understanding that no editing, processing, viewing or release of the images will be done until the remaining balance is paid in full. This means you can make payments after your wedding but nothing will be edited or released until your account is up to date. Please let us know if you would like to make payments after your session in advance.
Q. Do you offer Hawaii portrait photographer’s payment plan options?
A. Yes! At the time of booking, 100% of your session fee is due. However, upon request with advance notice, clients may pay 50% of the session fee to reserve their session and the remaining balance on the session day before the first photo is taken. Sessions will not begin until your payment is made in full.
Q. Is my payment refundable?
A. All payments are non-refundable but do apply towards your total amount due.
Q. Can I just purchase a CD?
A. After a session clients can purchase a collection CD. Collection CD rates vary depending upon the number of images, session type and editing.
Q. How can you help me decorate my home?
A. For local clients we will visit your house and explore some different photographic options such as large canvas prints, photographic metal pieces, framing options and more. For destination clients we have them email us a few photos of a wall in their home they would like to place some images on. Using interior design software, we will create a virtual photographic design of their own home with their own images. This way clients can customize the print size, color, frame, etc...and see it hanging on their own virtual wall before it ever goes to print. Best of all is we walk you through the entire process so it's easy! We're like your own personal photographic home designers!
Q. What is the difference between basic editing and advanced editing?
A. Great question! Basic editing is what the vast majority of the photographers provide to clients as their final finished product. It includes taking the images from the camera and correcting the white balance, contrast, color and converting some to black and white. It's improving the images from what occurred in camera and making them ready to print. It does not include skin retouching, hair retouching or detailed enhancements.
Advanced editing is where the photographer may take one or more images on the session day with the pre-thought of editing. After the session they will make all the mild/proof adjustments like they do to all the images. Then they will take it a step further and ad in special affects, textures, overlays, and change or enhance backgrounds, retouch skin, eyes, hair and more. This is the process of taking an image and turning it into a work of art. Due to the immense time involved in advanced editing we can't do this to every image. Weddings include a select number of images with advanced editing. Other sessions include advanced editing on any album or 16x20 or larger print purchased.
Q. Will I be happy with basic edited images?
A. Yes. This is what the vast majority of images you have seen on our and other websites include and is what most people are expecting. They are pictures and portraits but should not be compared to the final works of art the advanced edited images provide.
Q. Do I get to select the images that get advanced editing or does the photographer?
A. The photographer is often capturing images with pre-thought of advanced editing. In many cases, they will purposely take multiple frames or exposures of the same images to be used in overlays to create an effect. This is something that only the photographer would be aware of so only the photographer selects the images for advanced editing. However, if a client wishes to add on more advanced editing to other images they can after viewing the final images.
Q. Do you have any restrictions?
A. We always like to accommodate any request a client has and work with them to ensure they are well taken care. To ensure we are taking the best photographic care of our clients we do have the following requests: 1. Our staff are to be the only professional photographers at any session or event we capture unless otherwise stated in advance in writing. 2. During wedding ceremonies, guests are welcome to take as many photos as they want from the comfort of their own chairs or stationary standing position but all guests are asked to not move around during the ceremony. This is to prevent guests from unintentionally blocking key shots during the ceremony as well as preventing visual clutter in your wedding images. 3. During wedding formals or any portrait sessions, to ensure we have everyone's undivided attention, cooperation and maintain timeliness, guests are asked to refrain from taking any photos until we are done. Guests are welcome to take as many photos as they want before our session starts and once we are completed with our session. Naturally, guests are more than welcome to take as many photos at they want at any time during the reception. Beyond these very basic requests, we are always happy and willing to work with our clients on anything they may need.
Q. Who will be my photographer?
A. Unless otherwise notified in writing, Dawn Nash will be your primary photographer. All images on this website were taken by Dawn.
Q. How quickly after my session can I expect my images?
A. In about a week, we will post 1-3 sneak peak images on our blog or FB page. After about 2-3 weeks, clients will receive an online view of their proof images. Clients will have a day or two to view the images online. If you have a CD only and not prints, we will mail out your CD at this time and should arrive shortly in the mail via regular USPS. If you have prints, we will then schedule a phone appointment to go over the images together and select your images for print. During week’s 3-4 post session, clients will receive an online view of their advanced edited images as well as album preview. Provided no alterations need to be made, clients should receive their prints and/or CD in the mail 3-6 weeks after the session. Albums are custom made and may require alterations. Therefore, albums will arrive anywhere from 6 weeks to 4 months depending upon how quickly things transpire.
Q. Is a rush service available to get my images sooner?
A. Yes. For an additional fee clients may add on rush service where your images will be done within a week. Prints & albums will still take time.
Q. How many images will be included in my session?
A. We believe in focusing on quality instead of quantity. Therefore, we do not have a maximum or minimum amount of images for weddings or sessions. The more there is to capture, the more images we take. We always take an unlimited amount of images during all sessions and weddings. We then go through the images and focus on the best images from your session. For weddings, clients can expect anywhere from 30 - 60 images per hour which in about an image every sixty seconds or more. For all other sessions, clients can expect 20-40 images per session.
Q. Other photographer's are offering 100 images an hour. Why do you only estimate at 30 - 60 images per hour?
A. At 100 images per hour, that's an average of one picture every 10 - 15 seconds. It's the photographic equivalent to throwing a bunch of junk on the wall and hoping some of it sticks. The truth is, there simply is not that much action or diversity to have quality images at a rate of 100 per hour. While on the event day we take an unlimited number of images, we estimate 30-60 final images in your collection per hour, which is about 1 image every 60 seconds. That's A LOT of coverage! But more importantly, it's quality coverage. We aren't rapid-shooting a bunch of junk to meet a quota. We are capturing quality images in the moment. The more there is to capture, the more images you'll have.
Q. You seem to do things differently than other photographers. Why?
A. Because we are different! We start with you! We start with talking to you, getting to know you and learning about what you want out of your images. We develop a plan before the session to fit your unique look and style. On the session day, we capture the moment candidly as well as posed images. Post session we process them to ensure you have photos as well additional works of fine art. Lastly, we help you utilize those images in your home decor and create family heirlooms.
