What is the one piece of advice that you would like to give us?
Find a photographer that you enjoy – someone that you are comfortable with who suits your personalities. The photographer(s) will be with you the entire day and can definitely make or break your wedding day if you don’t get along. Whoever you hire will be with you the ENTIRE day, so make sure you choose wisely!!

What is the second piece of advice that you would like to give us?
The photographs from your wedding will be with you the rest of your life. Make sure that if you skimp on your photographer that you KNOW what you’re getting. We’ve had literally hundreds of people come to us with stories about how their friend or their sister or someone hired a cheap photographer and was really unhappy with the pictures. Many people pass the wedding album on to their kids from generation to generation…so again…KNOW what you’re getting and KNOW what to expect in terms of quality because more often than not, you get what you pay for. Make sure to look at entire image galleries and not just at the “best of” pictures because you want to make sure that the work is consistent. Consider your images a family heirloom because that is exactly what they will be to your children and your children’s children.

©ArisingImages.com – 586-944-7736 – info@arisingimages.com

Images

How long after the wedding until we can view our images?

You can expect to see your wedding pictures within one month from your wedding day. It’s often much quicker than that, but that depends on the season and our schedule.

About how many images can we expect to see from 8 hours of coverage?

We typically deliver approximately 400-500 images. This average is dependant on a number of factors and not a guarantee in any way.

Do you retouch the pictures?

Every image gets touched up for color and exposure before it gets posted online. Proofbooks will be of un-retouched images unless you purchased the high resolution EDITED digital files in which case, the edited images will also be shown in the proof book. Approximately 100 images will receive further Photoshop editing, touchups, special effects, etc. Any limited additional retouching can be done on request.

Do you shoot black and white photos and does that cost more?

We shoot images in both black & white and color and present them in the way that we feel looks the best.

How do we see our images?

That depends on what products you ordered. For couples that purchase a DVD highlight slideshow, the first time you get to see your images will be on your DVD viewed on our projection screen in-studio. Once you view your DVD, your website will be activated and you can view the rest of your images online. Couples that did not purchase a DVD will get to view the images on the projection screen in a slideshow format that they do not get to take with them. Proof books will be delivered as soon as they are completed.

Do you do spot coloring where the image is black and white with color in just certain areas?

When we go through the editing process, some pictures might get spot colored if we feel that they will be a more powerful image that way, however, for the most part, spot-coloring is an outdated fad and we only do it on images that we think will strongly benefit from it.

Will the proofs be marked?

The high resolution digital files will not be watermarked. Proof magazines will also not be marked in any way. Hard copy proofs WILL be watermarked and will also have the image name printed on the front of the image.

Engagement Shoot

What if we do not want an engagement shoot in our package?
A local engagement shoot is added into all of our packages at no additional cost. We chose to do this because the engagement shoot gives us a chance to get to know you and helps to get you more comfortable in front of the camera. It can also act like a practice round for photos on the wedding day and NOT doing an engagement shoot will actually make our job much more difficult. Therefore, if you decide to NOT do an engagement shoot, it will NOT save any money from the package since the engagement shoot was added into the package at no cost.

What do we get from the engagement shoot?
Although the engagement shoot is packaged in with your wedding package, the products that come from it are completely separate other than a sign-in book if you purchased one of those. In other words, if you have high-resolution files included in your package that will NOT include the images from the engagement shoot. The high-resolution files from the engagement shoot can be purchased for a separate fee.

When the shoot is done, we will show you your images and give you suggestions of ideas of what you can do with the images to either display them at your home or at your wedding in a creative way.
The engagement shoots are considered a portrait shoot which is a completely separate entity of Arising Images. Unless specified in your wedding contract, all prices and products sold from the engagement shoot are done using our Portrait pricing which we will be happy to provide for you on request.

What should we wear?

We suggest wearing clothes that you feel good in. For some people, that means jeans and a t-shirt and for others, it means dressing up. It is easier for us to shoot if you are wearing something that you don’t mind sitting on the ground in because who knows what we might have you doing!! We suggest solid colors and preferably nothing with really bright bold colors. We like to edit the photos to increase the intensity of the color/contrast and brightly colored clothing won’t look right. Also, preferably no stripes or obvious patterns.

Can we use our engagement photos for save the date cards or other uses?

We offer a number of products that you can use your engagement photos for including different types of save-the-date cards. If you decide not to use our services for that, you will have the option to purchase high-resolution files of the engagement images. The disk will be burned with a file, which contains the letter of release to reprint any images. This is for reprints only and not for publication in any way. If you want to submit the images to bridal magazines or newspapers, we will definitely help you facilitate that at no additional charge, however we require that photo credit be written on or under the image in the form of “Photography by: ArisingImages.com.” Any image published without photo credit will incur additional fees.

What if the weather is bad on the day of our shoot?

If we schedule a session and the weather is not what you had hoped for, we will NOT cancel the session if the weather is still accommodating for photographs. This means we will only cancel a photo shoot if WE determine the conditions to be unsuitable, and this typically is determined about two hours or so before the scheduled shoot time. This is due to the fact that in the morning it could be really rainy or bad but at any point of the day the weather could turn around and clear up. Typically the only weather that we cancel for is for really high winds or rain. We have shot some of our best work ever on days where it was cloudy, cold, snowing, etc. We can still shoot under those conditions and unless there are special circumstances, we do not cancel shoots. We like to shoot in certain hours of the day where the light is best and typically only have a few slots open every week which leads to a very limited number of available shooting times. Once we have your session booked on the calendar, we turn away other business for that day and therefore must charge a cancellation/change fee if you decide to cancel your shoot within two days of the scheduled time slot.

Do you do engagement shoots on weekends?

Scheduling on the weekends from May to October is VERY rare. This is typically our main wedding season where weekends are booked up already. If you want to have your engagement shoot from May-October, you will be expected to make arrangements to have your shoot on a weekday most likely in the late afternoon when the outdoor light is best. Alternatively, we can shoot your engagement session in the off-season in which case if you schedule early enough, a weekend date might be available. To see our office hours, please look at the link below:
http://www.arisingimages.com/information/contact_us/index.htm

Products

Can I get the high-resolution image files on CD for archiving and printing?

The edited image files are available for purchase and are included in some of the packages.

©ArisingImages.com – 586-944-7736 – info@arisingimages.com

How long after the wedding do we have to purchase an album or enlargements?
We guarantee that we will safely archive your images for up to one year. In actuality we will never intentionally dispose of your images, but we do not guarantee anything for more than one year. It is advised that you purchase an album or enlargements before then, but in most cases everything should be available after that.

VERY IMPORTANT: Your website will be available for the terms outlined in your contract – usually for 1 month after you first view your pictures. You can place orders and help select images for your album using the website during that time. Once your website is removed, you can have it reposted for $25 per month. If you order an album 8 months after your wedding and you want to look through the images online to pick some for the book, then you will have to have the gallery reposted. It is advisable to order your album before your website expires.

How long does it take to get our pictures, albums etc. ?

Prints: You should expect approximately three weeks.
Albums: Once we receive the design fee for the album we will begin the design process. If you paid for an album in your package, we will start the design immediately. The time it takes to receive the finished product will be approximately three months from when we receive your final album authorization form.

Proof books: You should expect them in approximately eight weeks.

What kind of albums do you offer?

We produce digital flush mount albums. We try to do things in a very non-traditional way and the flexibility and artistry that is available with the flush mount books far exceeds that of a traditional album. If you are specifically looking for a traditional book, then we are probably not the photographers for you.

Do we get to choose the pictures on the highlight DVD?

No, the highlight DVD will be produced before you even see your pictures and the first time you view your DVD will be the first time you will have seen your pictures.

Do we get to choose the pictures in the album?

The initial design is done completely by us without your input. Once the initial design is done, you will have the opportunity to make two rounds of changes where you can change any of the pictures in the design that way when it’s all finished, it will look exactly like what you want. Some photographers leave it up to the couples to pick all the pictures in the book up front. We personally believe that designing an album takes a lot of time, thought, and skill and do not want to put that kind of pressure on our couples. However, we want to make sure that the final product is what YOU want which is why we allow you to make whatever changes you want after seeing our initial design.

Booking/Fees

Do you travel?
We will travel anywhere in the world to shoot your wedding as long as travel expenses are taken care of – custom arrangements will be made for out of state/country weddings. The majority of the weddings we shoot are within southeastern Michigan. Our travel fees for in-state weddings are as follows:
Free under 70 miles one way - additional at $.75 per mile as calculated by Microsoft Streets and Trips. Anything over 200 miles will be billed differently on a case by case basis.

©ArisingImages.com – 586-944-7736 – info@arisingimages.com

How much do your packages cost and are they flexible?

Basic package information is available on our pricing page which you can view by clicking here. Additional information will be provided at the time of your consultation. Packages can be added to but not taken away from and certain items can be swapped out for other items to give you the flexibility to receive the coverage and products that you want.

When is the date locked in as ours / How do we book you?

The date is locked once we receive a signed contract with the retainer fee. Until then the date is considered open and we do not hold days for anybody. If you have a meeting with us and are interested in hiring us but either procrastinate or spend a few weeks shopping around other photographers, we will NOT hold the date for you. We strongly encourage that people look at different photographers but if you’ve met with us and are positive you like us and our work, then we strongly suggest that you book us as soon as possible because your date might no longer be available if you wait. We will NOT call you if other people are interested in the date.

When is the total package balance due?

The retainer is due upon booking and the full balance of your package is due one month before the wedding date and should be outlined in the contract. This can be paid in as many installments as you want as long as the full balance is paid one month prior to the date.

Do you discount for Friday or Sunday weddings?

Sometimes, it depends on the time of year and also on the specific weekend in question and what other jobs we have the day before/after.

How long are you with us on the wedding day?

For as long as you hire us to be there as outlined in Addendum A of your contract. If the wedding day goes longer than expected, you can keep us longer than you have us contracted for and we will invoice you for the balance after the wedding.

Who will be the photographer at my wedding?

My wife and I are the sole owners and photographers of Arising Images, Inc. We both show up to every wedding and both shoot to cover your wedding from two different angles. The only time we would have another photographer shoot your event is in extreme situations (injury, hospitalization, etc.) and we would notify you as soon as possible if that had to happen. In that event, we would find an equally skilled photographer to help out, but again, that would be a last resort.

Do you work with an assistant?

Since we have two photographers at every wedding, we do not require any additional assistants.

Will you stay if we decide we need you longer than the contracted time?
Yes, the hourly rate and terms will be outlined in your contract and we will invoice you after the wedding for any additional time.

Do we have to provide you with food?

Yes, we require a hot meal. We will be with you for the majority of the day and to keep energized and keep the creative juices flowing, we need to eat when everyone else is eating. Some couples prefer to sit us in the same room as all the guests that way we will be present and can take pictures in case anything happens. If we are sat in the room with all the guests, we just ask that we are sat against a wall or corner so our gear won’t trip anyone. Other people prefer to sit us at a table in a different room, which is fine as well. We eat very quickly so that we will not miss anything important.

Technique/Style/Business

Do you shoot film or digital?

Thankfully, we shoot everything digital. We used to shoot film and couldn’t be happier with the digital camera technology. Not only are we getting cleaner images with less grain, but we also have more flexibility when shooting on the wedding day to adjust settings on the camera that were not easy to do with film (ISO and white balance). The digital images also provide us with much more flexibility for processing and editing after the wedding along with a wider product range and more options of things to do with your pictures. I am very happy to never work in a dark room ever again!

How long have you been in business?

We started our wedding and portrait business early in 2003 but have been doing photography since 1998.

Do you shoot more candid (photojournalistic) or more posed shots?
We definitely shoot more candids and prefer a photojournalistic style of shooting. The only posed photographs will be the family group shots. When shooting the bridal party we prefer more relaxed groups as opposed to stiff poses. To shoot the bride and groom, we try to provide some direction of what to do without being too intrusive and then capture the images as they happen. Some couples feel very uncomfortable being in front of the camera and require even more direction which is perfectly fine too.

Can one photographer start with the bride and the other with the groom?

This is possible, but not preferred. One of the benefits of keeping us both together is that while one of us is taking a more posed type shot, the other can shoot candids from the side to get a more natural look. If we split up, it is more difficult to do that. We will split up if the timing of the day requires it, but it is not our preferred way of working and we know

What makes you stand out from other photographers?

We’re always looking for new techniques, new equipment, new methods of processing, and new products to keep things fresh and exciting. As husband and wife, we’ve been through what you’re going through and can relate with you. We also like to have fun and we do our best to keep you relaxed and enjoying yourself on your wedding day.

Can our friends and family take photos?
We prefer that during the group photos that nobody else takes photos. The reason for this is because multiple cameras distract the people in the picture and then the pictures that we take have eyes looking all over the place. The other problem is that various family or friends might try to take a shot and they don’t know how to use their camera or their flash didn’t go off and then they need everyone to wait while they fix that…etc. etc. and everything takes twice as long. We strongly suggest that nobody else take pictures during the group/posed session but if the bride/groom allow it, then they have to accept the consequences that will show in the resulting pictures.
The only time that we definitely do NOT allow anyone else to take pictures is during the time we take the bride and groom alone to get away from the chaos of the day and get some more personal pictures. This is the part of the day where we get the best photos because there are no other distractions.

It's a candlelit wedding. Will this be a problem?

Anything is possible. We do NOT shoot with a flash during the ceremony which means there will be limited light. We are still able to shoot, but we will definitely be more limited in the shots that we can get than if it was shot in a well lit situation. The number of pictures that we deliver would be less due to blurry or out of focus images being deleted and all the images would be more grainy due to the camera settings we would need to use to shoot in lower light. However, candle lit ceremonies can provide a mood AND images that are different from anything else and we definitely welcome that!

Do you take pics of all the guests?

No. We WILL take candid shots throughout the event of a lot of your guests. We try to capture smiles, laughter, and people enjoying themselves. During normal conversation, sometimes people look bored even though they are not, it can come off that way in a photograph. We do not deliver pictures like that. We also will not set up a photo booth where EVERY guest can get their photo taken because we are more concerned with capturing the real candid moments of the wedding day.

What rights do I have with my wedding images?

If you purchase the high-resolution digital files, you have the right to reprint those images for personal use.

The disk will be burned with a file, which contains a release letter allowing you to reprint any images. This is for reprints only and not for publication in any way. If you want to submit the images to bridal magazines or newspapers, we will definitely help you facilitate that at no additional charge, however we require that photo credit be written on or under the image in the form of “Photography by: ArisingImages.com.” Any image published without photo credit will incur additional fees.

Wedding Day Timing

Will we miss cocktail hour?

That depends on the photography schedule of your day. Some brides and grooms prefer to see each other before the wedding and by doing that, they can get their family photos and bridal party photos done before the wedding. After the wedding we can do a session with the bride and groom alone and then they can make it to the reception in time to enjoy a good part of the cocktail hour. For couples that plan their day to do all the pictures after the wedding, it makes it much more difficult to get everything done in time but that also depends on how much time there is between the ceremony and reception. We will help you plan your wedding day and give you ballpark estimates of how long everything will take.

How long should we leave for the photography on the day of the wedding?

That depends on what your needs are, how big your families are, how big your bridal parties are, etc. etc. This will be discussed more during your consultation.

We don't want to see each other before the wedding. Is this a problem?

We want your wedding day to be what you had always dreamed about. In most cases, your wedding day will flow easier and be less stressful if you see each other before the wedding and get a lot of the family photos and things done first. However, we will do things however you want, and if you don’t want to see each other then that’s fine, we will just help explain to you what that means in terms of timing. For more information, see the answer for “will we miss the cocktail hour” question above.

Miscellaneous

What are your business hours?

Our updated hours can be found here:

At the time of writing this book, our hours are as shown below, however, our updated hours can always be found at this link:

http://www.arisingimages.com/information/contact_us/index.htm

Arising Images Office Hours	(NEW as of 6/1/2007)
Sundays	2:00 pm - 7:00 pm (last appointment at 6:00)
Mondays	CLOSED (exceptions made for NEW wedding client appointments only)
Tuesday	11:00 am - 7:00 pm (last appointment starts at 6:00 pm)
Wednesday	9:00 am - 5:00 pm (last appointment starts at 4:00 pm)
Thursday	9:00 am - 5:00 pm (last appointment starts at 4:00 pm)
Friday	9:00 am - 5:00 pm (last appointment starts at 4:00 pm)
Saturday	Reserved For Weddings

Will you scout out our location before the event if you've never been there?

It depends on the venue. If we do not get a chance to go out before the wedding day, we will come early ON the wedding day to look at the grounds. Sometimes the conditions, decorations, lighting etc. are so different on the wedding day that it just works out much better to come the day of, rather than try to go early because it’s impossible to plan anything in advance without seeing the whole setup. For outdoor venues with larger grounds, it’s very helpful to scope it out early and we make every effort to do so.

Are you a member of any professional photographer organizations?

We are a member of the PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and the DWF (Digital Wedding Forum).

What kind of equipment do you use?

We primarily shoot with Canon equipment and use some of the best lenses that Canon offers. However, equipment and technology change all the time but you can be assured that we will always have the equipment necessary to do a professional job.

Do you bring back-up equipment?

Yes. In the event anything breaks we have an extra set of equipment from cameras to batteries to flash units, etc.

What do you wear on the day of the wedding?

We wear all black to most weddings and occasionally wear lighter colored business casual clothes for weddings on hot days where we will be spending a lot of time outdoors. We wear clothes that look professional while at the same time allow us the flexibility that we need to do our job. Because we wear hip belts to carry our gear with us at all times, we do not wear suits because the jackets would bunch up on the hip belts. Go to the link below to see an image of how we typically dress:

http://www.arisingimages.com/wedding/info_pages/Prem_and_Cheridy_web2.jpg

What if you are REALLY sick and can't shoot my wedding?

We have a few other local professional wedding photographers that we network with on a weekly basis. If anything happened to one of us, we would call them first. If they were already booked, then we would turn to the wedding photography community. There are about ten other people in the area that I would trust to do a great job. If ALL of them were booked then I would turn to a wider professional wedding photography community and post a “help needed” message on a national forum. I’ve seen times where people were in a bind and other photographers came in from out of state to help cover a job.

How obtrusive are you while shooting during the ceremony?

Our goal is to be as unobtrusive as possible. We try to shoot with long zoom lenses so we can stay off to the side and yet still get good close up shots. Some churches actually have rules which limit where the photographer is allowed to stand so make sure to check on that. Some churches are so strict that the photographer is not even allowed in the sanctuary and has to shoot through a doorway from out in the hall. Please make sure to check on this!