FAQ
1. When will we have our engagement session?
Since my calendar does fill up far in advance, I suggest setting your date on my calendar right after you book. We can complete the session right away or we can wait until the season of your choice, but please keep in mind that fall sessions fill up around one year in advance.
2. Do we need to know how to pose ourselves or will you help us there?
I don’t expect you to show up knowing how to pose -- don’t worry about that at all! Just show up ready to laugh and have fun and I’ll take it from there.
I use a combo of posing and candid captures on wedding days. You will find that, there are moments where you'll want posing direction, but there are also times where I capture completely candid and raw moments. I live for those little moments.
3. How long will it take for me to receive my photos?
After a portrait session, you’ll receive your gallery within 2 weeks.
After a wedding session, you will have a selection of photos within a week of your wedding date and the full online gallery within 2 months.
All photos in your online gallery have unlimited downloads and you’ll be able to choose from web size (for social media) or high resolution (for printing).
4. How many weddings do you shoot a year?
15-20 weddings/year is my sweet spot. I pride myself on the personalized attention I give to my clients and I enjoy having the space in my calendar to teach other photographers so I limit the number of weddings I book per year.
5. What’s the average investment for weddings?
The average is right around $9,000. Please keep in mind that every wedding and couple is different.
Before coming to a decision, we discuss your vision, venue, and guest list. We also chat through a rough timeline and what type of albums you think you want. You can add on anything at any time so there is zero pressure to decide right away.
6. Do you only photograph weddings?
No, I also photograph bridal showers, baby showers, graduations, conferences and other events of all types and sizes all over the country along with portrait sessions of almost any type.
7. What happens if you are too sick or injured to shoot our wedding or event?
If this is ever the unfortunate case, I have incredibly talented and trustworthy second photographers who will gladly jump in as the lead if something were to happen.
Plus, I have an incredible network of talented local photographers I could call on to step in at a moment’s notice.
I will retrieve the photo files from them and edit them in my signature style for you just like I do with my second photographer’s photos after every wedding.
8. What if you haven’t shot at our venue before?
That’s no problem at all -- I shoot at new venues all the time and it’s never proven to be an issue. I’m always able to find good light in any situation (and at any venue!).
Venue lighting looks different depending on the time of day and the time of year. Because of this, I always arrive early to walk the property of every venue, no matter whether I’ve shot there before or not.
9. Will you edit my pimple?
I am here to document, not to change the way you look, but if there is something that comes up for your shoot or wedding that is not part of who you are on a normal day like a random pimple or black-and-blue mark, of course I will take care of that for you in your portraits and any other candid photos from your wedding day that it is obvious.
Chronic acne that covers most of the face will be difficult for me to remove but I will do my best to reduce the severity as much as I can within the limits of Lightroom, my editing software.
10. How many photos will I receive?
On average, I deliver 100 photos/hour of shooting time for both weddings, events, and portrait sessions. I deliver the majority of photos in color but will also select a few classic shots to convert to black and white for you.
11. Will I be able to print the photos on my own?
Of course! You have full printing rights to all the photos in your gallery.
12. Do you have insurance?
Absolutely! My team can send proof of insurance to your venue at any time.
13. What types of precautions do you take with your gear and photos?
I understand how important the images are, which is why I take every precaution imaginable. I use top quality Nikon cameras that shoot with dual memory card slots, which means I always have 2 copies of every photo I take.
I always carry top of the line memory cards and have backups for my backups.
After a wedding, I save your photos to cloud storage and another external hard drive. I edit and develop the photos off the cloud stored files and put the hard drive in my fireproof safe along with the memory cards.
These items stay in the safe until I’ve sent you your gallery and you’ve given me your feedback.
14. Do you shoot digital or film?
I am a digital photographer with the mentality of a film photographer. I think about processing your digital photo files like developing film. I process your photo files to enhance the beauty that is already there. I will never slap a filter or preset on your photos to make them look unnatural or edited to change the way you look (see #10).
This goes for all of my sessions, not just weddings. I want your photos to truly look like you and be a visual representation of that specific moment in time.
15. What if it rains for our portrait/engagement session?
I know rain can be a downer, but don’t worry! I am capable (and very willing) to shoot magical photos in any weather conditions.
If there is rain in the forecast on the day of your shoot, I ask that you watch the weather develop over the days leading up to your session. Together, we’ll make a call the night before or the morning of your shoot.
If it’s looking like an overcast day, we’ll still have your session. I just might ask you to move your session up an hour or two to make sure we don’t lose the light too early.
If there’s going to be steady rain for the entire session, it will be up to you to decide if you would like to reschedule entirely. Keep in mind that dates do book up fast so it may be tough to reschedule.
16. What payment options do you accept?
You can pay online with a credit card, PayPal, or with a check. All payments can be easily completed online through a client portal where you will find your invoice, contract and other documents.
If someone is gifting the session, you can forward the invoice to them to pay online or they can mail a check. Please make checks payable to Megan Hoffer Photography and contact your client services coordinator for the address to mail the check to.
17. Do you photograph newborns?
You are welcome to bring your newborn as part of a family session…she’s part of the family! And, what a sweeter story for me to capture then the connection between you and your precious little newborn baby.
These family sessions are typically completed in your home as a lifestyle shoot or outdoors like a typical portrait session where mom and dad will hold and snuggle her for the majority of the shoot. We can also lay her safely down in her crib by herself for a set along with macro closeups of those tiny little lips, lashes and toes, of course!
I don’t photograph studio “sleeping, wrapped up in a blanket, nestled in a bucket, photoshopped-type” newborn shoots.
I do know some amazing newborn photographers who are well-equipped and safety trained for studio newborn sessions and I’m happy to give a referral! Email us at hello@meganhofferphotography.com and we’ll be happy to share their contact information with you.