Q: Do you require a deposit fee?
A: Yes. Because most weddings fall on Saturdays during the summer, our availability can be limited for couples that land on this trend. A $300 deposit fee ensures our services are reserved for your event. If you are serious about wanting TLC Photo to cover your wedding, it is recommended doing so earlier rather than later since these Saturdays do get booked quickly.
A standard contract is to be signed upon paying the deposit and agreeing on the terms of service.
Q: Do I have to pay tax on your products and services?
A: For the time being, no. TLC Photo is a small business and does not require that our prices include tax. Since our business is growing, that will likely have to change when necessary.
Q: What are your payment methods?
A: We currently accept cash, cheque, INTERAC ® Email Money Transfer and PayPal. Wedding packages can be broken up into installment payments. We also provide gift cards that can be purchased through PayPal.
Q: May I customize wedding packages?
A: Yes. We're flexible to your needs. If you need to add or subtract coverage, we will modify our packages to match your unique wedding photography needs.
Products included in each package can also be upgraded. EX. an included 8x10 print can be upgrade to a 11x14 print at the differential cost of both item's values. (8x10 cost is $13 and 11x14 cost is $27 making the upgrade cost $14). The sky (and your budget!) is the limit as to which enhancements you can add on to your existing product "kit" that is included in each package.
Q: What is the difference between "wedding portraits" and "wedding candids"?
A: Portraits are photos that are directed, or posed with a creative vision in mind. More specifically, they are traditionally done in a controlled setting either before or after the wedding ceremony. Apart from these, candids are taken throughout the rest of the day which help document the natural flow of the day. Key moments such as "the kiss", "exchange of the rings" and "1st dance" fall under the category of candid photographs.
Q: Which digital images come with my CD?
A: All wedding packages include a traditional portrait session for the couple, the wedding party, and the families. These formal portraits are not included on the CD. They are set aside in as a proof album or 4x6 watermarket proofs and they can be purchased as prints or specialty items via our online ordering system. Candid photos are often taken in between setting up the portraits pictures - the fun shots - which ARE included on the CD. Besides the portrait session, the rest of the day is comprised as mix between candid and documentary style photography - a visual story of your wedding day. All of these images are included on the CD as full sized JPGs.
Q: Exactly how much do you pose your subjects?
A: Not everybody likes being posed. I understand. Unfortunately, a certain degree of posing is required to achieve the desired outcome of the photographer's vision. The good news is that most of us already have practice in the area of wedding photography, whether it involves keeping good posture, tilting the head slightly and smiling for the highschool yearbook, or holding hands and embracing for romantic photos. When shooting engagement or wedding couple photos, I always tell my subjects to act as naturally as possible. It's really as easy as imaging a past moment of intimacy such as cuddling at a park bench or hugging to keep warm in the cold weather. In our relationships, we've all had these moments in our alone times. This is the opportunity to recreate them to be forever etched in time through the power of photography. If you stay natural, from this standpoint, the session can be enjoyable, relaxing and will yeild pictures that will be even more special.
Q: Can I purchase all of the digital files from my portrait session?
A: Yes. The reason that additional costs are associated with the portraits is due to the added post processing and labour that is above and beyond the costs for our wedding packages. Portraits are typically treated with greater attention, whether it be stylizing or retouching. The prices of our packages are extremely competitive. Having a system in place where portraits are purchased separately ensures that the extra time, diligence and "TLC" we put towards your portraits is compensated for. The price for these digitals do vary because quantities of portraits between each session we shoot varies also. If this is something that interests you you may request a quote.
Q: Can I purchase all of the digital negatives (.DNG or RAW files) from my wedding day?
A: No. All photos, from simple candids to conceptual portraits, stem from a creative vision and are fully realized after being edited/processed in post. Releasing our work at the half-way stage is a disruption of our process. We set a high standard for what we do and could not have our work released incompleted as it could potentially create a false perception of this standard.
Q: Who owns the copyrights of my pictures?
A: When the product is delivered, the copyrights to the photos contained on the CD are transferred to the client. If you do not want your photos used in any of our promotional tools, such as the blog, we will not post them. However, TLC Photo owns the rights to photos taken within the portrait session. The rights to these can be purchased as was outlined in one of the previous answers.
Q: Will my photos contain any watermarks?
A: The documentary and candid photos that tell the story of your day will not contain any watermarks of any kind. When you receive your portrait proof book, however, they will be printed with a faint watermark. A sideshow gallery of these portrait proofs will also be accessible through our online order form which will also be protected with a light watermark bearing the TLC logo. Lastly, engagement 4x6 proofs will contain the same noticeable watermark as well.
Q: Why do the wedding packages contain photos for facebook?
A: The main JPG files contained on the delivered CD have been taken with either an 18 or 21 megapixel camera. These files are extremely large for facebook's photo uploading utility. The facebook-sized photos on the CDs will have already been re-sized to facebook's maximum 720px size (longest side). The photos are also put through a sharpening process that gives them a more crisp, detailed appearance. A sharpened image is more indicative that it has been full processed to its maximum potential.
Q: How do I order my portraits?
A: Locate the "Proofs" link in the main navigation menu. After clicking it, you'll find various galleries from our most recent sessions. Make sure you have your username and password in hand, click the gallery photo that pertains to your session, and enter your credentials to proceed to the order form. The order form is not as intelligent as the kind found on the Costco or MPix website. (I hand-coded the form to the absolute limit of my coding knowledge). A price list is included as a separate pop-up. You will need to estimate your own totals if you're ordering on a budget.
Q: How long do prints take to arrive?
A: 5 to 7 business days depending on the product. Gallery Wraps typically take a day longer to print than standard photographic prints, which usually arrive within 5 days of ordering. They are internationally imported, hence the long shipping times.
Q: How long after my wedding day will I receive my photographs?
A: Our goal in mind is to have them done before one month. Our summer workload is greater during these months - thus, the wait can be greater than during other seasons. After having spent countless hours pouring over your photos to the fullest of care, our excitement to reveal them to you is probably just as great as yours will be to receive them. Rest assured, we're devoting all of our energy to have them completed as soon as we can. But again, our goal in mind is to have them done before one month.
Q: My parents are out of town and they'd like to order photos too. How can we do this?
A: You can share your access to our online order form where they can view individual portraits and their corresponding file-names. After taking note of the filenames of portraits that they would like to purchase, they are to fill out the form and leave their name and address in the message box located before the submit button. Some time after their order has been submitted, an invoice with their total cost will be emailed back to them. This will include shipping costs. Electronic payment methods should be transfered at this point. After payment has cleared, the order for their prints will be processed and eventually mailed to their address via Canada Post, standard priority mail.
Q: Do you have a studio?
A: We have a studio as well as an office. The studio is currently in a very infant stage and can accomodate modest shoots with a either a black or a white backdrop. It is large enough to fit a small group of people
Q: What measures do you take to secure our images?
A: Our site is secured with motion detecting security. Our computers run on sophisticated batteries with surge protection. All images are backed up on external hard drives and are locked in a fire proof vault. Equipment is also locked away overnight.
Q: Will a second photographer also be photographing my wedding?
A: As of now, no.
