How We Work with Shy Couples

This is probably the most common question I get asked. As your photographer, my goal is to help you feel relaxed and capture genuine, authentic moments. Below you can find some tips to help you prepare for your photo shoot:

The intimacy between you two is something I can’t create - it’s something we will capture naturally and I want your photos to reflect the unique connection you share. I’ll observe how you interact with each other and encourage you to repeat those small, natural gestures that feel right for you both. I avoid stiff, posed shots and focus on creating a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Expect lots of movement, laughter, and a mix of posed and candid moments. If anything feels awkward, we'll laugh it off and keep going - no pressure! I’ll guide you through simple, natural poses, like holding hands or sharing a kiss, and adjust them as needed to keep things feeling fresh and real.

And here’s how you can help: ignore the camera and focus on each other—just enjoy the moment! Try placing your loose hand on your partner to create a more connected and intimate feel. Remember, the more natural you are, the better the photos will be. And if there’s anything you feel self-conscious about, let me know. I’ll make adjustments to help you feel more comfortable in front of the camera. Feel free to move around, interact and improvise if you feel like it; the more you’re in the moment, the more authentic your photos will look.

My goal is to help you look and feel like yourselves. There’s no need to worry about perfect poses! Relax, have fun, and trust me to guide you through the process to capture real, effortless engagement or wedding photos.

AV

Why Do Wedding Photographers Charge So Much?

Sure, we’re snapping pictures all day, but the magic happens when we start editing those photos to turn them into the beautiful images you see in your gallery. There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into it.

Unlike other services that might involve inventory or materials (like a caterer or florist), photographers don’t have to worry about “ingredients” on your wedding day. So how do we come up with pricing? It’s a bit more complex than you might think and it’s not just about the hours spent shooting - it’s everything that happens behind the scenes too.

For every hour you’re paying for photography, we’re likely working 8 hours that aren’t paid. In fact, only about 5-10% of a photographer’s time is spent actually shooting. The rest goes into editing, driving to weddings (sometimes hours away), emailing back and forth with clients and potential clients, marketing, and the business side of things like accounting and legal consulting.

We’re also constantly learning and investing in better equipment, software, and training to stay sharp. And let’s not forget the big costs of running a photography business, like advertisement (big part!), business insurance (expensive!), gear and software (very expensive!), and of course cloud based storages and backups for our digital product, online banking access fees, taxes, and health insurance. We also don’t get paid time off or sick days, and every year is a gamble with unpredictable income.

In short, photographers are doing a lot more than just taking photos on your wedding day. All the behind-the-scenes work, business expenses, and long hours add up to what you see in the final price. So, when you see the cost, it’s not just about snapping pictures – it's about all the time, effort, and expenses that go into making your wedding memories perfect.

AV

Can I Use a Copyrighted Song in My Wedding Video?

The short answer? Probably “no”. But let’s dive into an important question: what do you do if you want to include a copyrighted song in your wedding video?

Before we look into options, let’s quickly talk about copyright laws. In short, copyright protects original work like songs, which means that the songwriter, performer, or music publisher owns them. Using a copyrighted song without permission is illegal and can result in big fines that can vary between $40,000 and $150,000 per song. Even if you want to use a song for something personal, like your wedding video, the law doesn’t make a distinction between personal and commercial use. 

So, how do you legally use a copyrighted song? The answer is simple: you need a music license. For a wedding video, you’ll usually need a “sync” license, which allows you to pair the music with video. To get one, you’ll need to contact the copyright holder or their representative. For example, if you want a song by Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, you can expect to pay over $10,000 for the license per song.

Licensing can be a hassle and pretty expensive, especially for big-name songs. A great alternative is royalty-free music and there are tons of websites that offer high-quality tracks already licensed for projects like wedding videos. Just to clarify, we don’t have access to big-name artists, but we do use music platforms with copyright cleared music and we pay a yearly fee to access these libraries. It might not be your favorite hits, but the right track can still bring out the emotions and make your video feel amazing. 

AV