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We photograph with top-of-the-line Canon and Nikon Cameras and lenses. This means that the images are of the highest quality and resolution. For the techinical answer, the files when saved are 4500-5500 pixels for the largest edge. We save everything full-res jpeg at 300 dpi. The cameras range from 16-28 megapixels as of this writing. The end result is that you are able to enlarge the images as large as you want, and the quality will be top notch.

Much like a brain, a larger amount of megapixels doesn't always mean a smarter system ;) For example, there are 40 megapixel phones out now, but the resulting images would not print nearly as well as an image from a 16 megapixel professional camera. We always evolve to take advantage of the latest technology, but megapixels are only one factor in a much larger process.

Editing

Over the course of an event, we photograph a lot of images! For example, a wedding may have 3,000 images, including many amazing photos. There will also be different exposures, angles, lighting, etc. This is because we are being creative, and making adjustments while thinking on our feet. We are also working to provide lots of coverage.

Although there will be definite standouts, we do very little removal of photos (editing), as we feel you should have everything. This is because there may be images that resonate with you for any number of reasons. For example, there may be a friend or relative included in a specific photo that is especially meaningful to you. Even if there are other images in the series with better composition or smiles, we will still include that photo in our deliverables. That way, you have the photo for life. You can always select out your favorites, and return to those most often, but we believe you should at least have all the moments captured. You never know which image will have impact years down the road.

Enhancement

Enhancement of a picture is basically the stylizing of the image. Our package include basic enhancement to all images, which involves adjustments to color and contrast. We also hand-select our most favorite images to undergo premium enhancement. This involves meticulous fine-tuning, such as boosting the colors of the image, to create the mood and feel of the photo. This premium enhancement to our favorites is included as part of our process and included in the packages. You will also have the opportunity to select your own favorites for premium enhancement. That way, we are able to devote extra effort and attention to the images you will enjoy most!

Retouching

Retouching is adding or taking away something from the image that didn't exist. It is included in many cases, such as in our Photographers Favorites, premium digital files, fine art prints, and wedding albums. All retouching is done at the discretion our studio. When retouching is included, we focus on a few small improvements that will benefit the image, while preserving the original composition. For example, taking a blemish away, cleaning up flyaway hairs, eliminating distractions, or slightly thinning out arms or legs. These are the types of retouching that may be done as part of our normal retouch process.

Custom Retouching

When the work involves creating a composition that didn't exist in real life, it becomes much more labor intensive. So for specific post-production requests, or retouching beyond our normal process, there is an extra fee. For example, removing people, adding a smile from one photo to another, or taking away large objects. These kinds of requests involve rebuilding or drawing in parts of the image by the digital artist. It is a very meticulous process.

The approach taken with the retouch completely depends on the complexity of the image. Most clients typically ask for very little retouching because so much of the feel gets accomplished within the included enhancement. When there is a custom request, our studio is very efficient, and can typically get a lot of retouching done to images within a smaller amount of time.

Premium Post-Production involves adjusting each individual image to bring out the best contrast and style. This process starts with a nice, well-composed image. We then take that nice image and give it a little oomph, which creates the finished look. We work with each image by hand to bring out the brightest whites, the darkest blacks, and a full spectrum of color. We use our process to bring out the best potential and visual direction for each image. We also retouch the image as needed, for example removing a blemish, or slightly thinning out arms or legs. All retouching is done at the discretion of our studio.

Because of the sheer volume of images you receive, and the time intensity, we reserve Premium Post-Production for the absolute favorite images, such as our Photographers Favorites, and pictures selected for albums or fine art prints. Should you request additional retouching, or have specific requests above and beyond our normal process, we are happy to perform this service at a reasonable per-image or hourly rate.

If you want to make sure that your images will always be safe and never lost, whether there is a fire, your computer breaks down, a hard drive fails, etc., it is vital that your images are properly backed up. That is why Annual Archiving is so important. We back up your images on two industrial-grade servers, in two different cities, and keep your shopping cart online for as long as you would like to access it.

We charge a nominal annual fee for Annual Archiving, similar to other online storage programs. This helps us to offset the expense of redundant storage.

Before your gallery expires, you will have the option to add Annual Archiving, which includes:

• An extra 12 months of access to your online shopping cart
• An additional 12-month backup of your event photography on our image archiving system

Without Annual Archiving in place, your files will be permanently removed from the shopping cart and storage upon gallery expiration, and it will be your sole responsibility to preserve your images. So If you choose not to add Annual Archiving, please ensure you have completed all shopping cart orders, and have made multiple backups of your full event photography.

To add Annual Archiving, and extend your shopping cart and backups, please click here.

A mini engagement shoot is a nice way to get a taste of our process, and for the two of you to relax and feel comfortable in front of the camera. It is a good warm-up before scheduling a full engagement session, or for those looking for just a few pictures for their save the dates or wedding website. By being paired with one of our talented photographers, you will have an opportunity to be captured together as a couple, and be directed in fun and creative ways.

If you are considering a mini shoot, a full engagement session is also encouraged, so you can experience our full process, and establish that personal connection with the shooter who will be photographing your wedding. Mini shoots are optional, and are offered as our schedule permits. Even though a mini shoot is much shorter (limited to 30 minutes) than a full engagement session (typically 1-2 hours), we make sure to work efficiently within the time available.

The ultimate goal is to capture five standout photos that are unique from each other, with a few backgrounds and poses. We call these our highlights, and we give these photos an extensive post-production (enhancement / retouch) treatment to ensure a nice finished product. Within 14 business days after the shoot, you will receive a download containing these highlights, provided in printable JPG format.

In addition, we will put all of the images on a shopping cart link, where you will see on average 50 photos taken. You will receive a courtesy credit to cover post-production of five of your own favorite photos, so they can receive the same treatment as the highlights. You will also find a variety of print options, downloads, and keepsake books, which can be purchased if desired.

We offer four size categories (Small, Classic, Large, and Supersize), with your choice between either a Square or Horizontal orientation. The "Small" formats make perfect parent albums, and the standard-sized "Classic" books are ideal for a couple's wedding album. For those who go big, there are also breathtaking oversized options!

10x10 (Small Square)

"Popular parent books!"
Up to 65 images

14x10 (Classic Horizontal)

Our most popular choice
Up to 85 images

12x12 (Classic Square)

Modern square orientation
Up to 85 images

15x12 (Large Horizontal)

A step up - show off the love
Up to 105 images

18x12 (Yowza!)

It's big, it's bold, and it's fun
Up to 120 images

Our Micro Leathers are known for their beauty, touch and durability. Micro leather covers are soft to the touch and are made to last for generations. Vegan and environmentally responsible, they have all the benefits of fine grade leather.

Eggshell

Ink

Onyx

Powder Blue

Shadow

Vanilla Bean

Here are a few recommendations from our studio:

1. How experienced is the photographer?
“You don’t know the power of experience until you have experience”

A seasoned photographer:

• Knows all the key moments in a wedding is vital, to ensure no shots are missed
• Makes sure everything happens on time and there are no surprises
• Is able to help with the timeline to make sure the wedding day is fun and all shots are made
• Understands how to get amazing photos under any lighting condition
• Can provide a variety of albums, enlargements, parent books, etc… But it really doesn’t matter what you get if the images aren’t amazing. The most important factor when hiring a photographer is the skill of that photographer

You can have two very similar portfolios between photographers. The difference between a really solid pro versus an amateur is that the pro can get amazing images every single time. Not one great shot every few weddings. Education and experience are key components.

2. How experienced is the company?
“The longer a successful company has been in business, the more insurance you have “

• Even if you get amazing pictures, promises need to be met to ensure a great experience. For example. all images delivered on time. Albums delivered on time
• There needs to be a good backup system to ensure no images are ever lost
• There needs to be a backup photographer ready to go in case of an emergency
• Ability to help with your timeline, to make sure your photography wants are met
• There are no money surprises

3. Is there a solid second photographer?
“To be creative you need an equally qualified second photographer”

• Speaking as a photographer, the slower that you can shoot, the better the results. You can take time to frame your photograph to add interest, use the proper lens, have a good exposure and light. Of course, a wedding is very fast paced. So having a second photographer to cover the must-have pictures means that the first shooter can take a little more time. The end result is that the better the second shooter, the more creative the images will be
• A qualified second shooter creates less distraction, because you don’t have one photographer running around to get all of the needed shots

4. Do I get to keep my images?
“If you have your full resolution finished image files you can do anything”

• When you have your files, you can print images whenever you please
• You can email, Facebook, make slide shows, etc without continuing to pay every time you want to do something
• If the company were to ever go out of business, you would have your images
• It saves you a lot of money being able to print images yourself, or at least to have that option

5. How established is the photographer within the industry?
“If other vendors love the photography company, across the board, you know you are in good hands”

• The personal approach that the photographer takes with other professionals is a good indication of how they will treat you
• An established photographer will have comfort in almost any setting, and know how to photograph your venue from experience
• The better connected the photographer, the better their recommendations will be in your search for vendors

Although your finished photos are separated into categories, including our Photographer's Favorites, a six hour event typically results in 3,000 or more images :) That is a lot of photos! Because of this, some clients prefer us to go through and create an expanded selection of highlights from the day.

With our Special Selections service, which is an optional add-on, we professionally condense your entire event photography down to a hand-picked selection of standout images. Typically around 125 images are selected per photographed hour, so a 6 hour event would have 750 or so images included in the Special Selections. You will still receive all photos from your event; the Special Selections are just another way of browsing and enjoying your images :)

Our Special Selections service can be ordered either with a Flash Drive or on its own. Once ordered, the selection is typically completed within two weeks, and can be placed on a separate online gallery to be shared with friends and family, if desired.

It’s a tough one to answer, because there are so many amazing venues around town, and it depends on the style you're going for. To see a few of our favorite venues, I suggest clicking on the "links" section of our website. As well, if you have a particular venue you want to check out, please take a look at our smart search at truephotography.com. When you type in the name of a venue in the smart search section of our website,  you'll be able to see all of the recent weddings we have photographed at that location. If you have questions about photography for a particular venue, please feel free to contact us.

We offer the following solutions for wedding album duplicates and mini / parent books:

If you would like to order one or more additional books that are exactly the same as your main album
When ordering your main album, you have the option to change the quantity in the cart before you check out.

If you would like to order one or more additional books that are mini versions of your main album
When ordering your main album, you will see the option to add one or more minis / parent books. If your main book is square, all minis will be 10x10 Square. If your main book is horizontal, all minis will be 10x7 Horizontal.

If you would like to order another totally separate book
(ex: a parent book with a different size and images):

• After checking out and ordering your initial album, you can start again by adding a new album to your cart.
• You can share your event code with others so they can order their own custom albums with your images.

We understand that photography and video often get paired together, as they are both visual mediums. We have always had the philosophy that it is best to specialize and master one specific craft. By focusing our energy on photography, we have been able to produce top level images to our clients. Having said that, we also understand the convenience of booking both photography and video at the same time. So, our studio has found the perfect solution, and now offer video in a unique fashion. 

In order to better serve our clients, we have collaborated with Tidal Wedding Films who like our studio as few hand-picked video teams that have always done an amazing job. They know how we work and we know how they work, ensuring everything is streamlined and smooth. You are now able to contract the videography straight through our studio, and all under one contract and bill. As a result you get the benefits of two vendors who specialize in their craft,  while having the convenience and savings of booking them together. 

What's Included?

Included in the video packages are two high-definition cameras (same hours as photography), a 3-6 minute Produced Highlights Video, and all un-produced coverage from throughout the wedding day. That way if you are wanting to watch your entire ceremony uncut or speech, you can. The Highlights Video is the perfect length for frequent rewatching and social sharing, and the additional coverage gives you all of the footage from throughout the day for your archives.

Typically the videographers will stay for the same amount of time as the photographers at the event. The video is ready within 30 business days to share with family and friends :)

CLICK BELOW TO SEE VIDEO SAMPLES

We think vintage is a super cool style choice, if done the right way. A lot of people request to have pictures done with a vintage treatment, but there's a real fine line between stylized artistic and gimmicky. When you involve a vintage outfit or vintage props, then it makes sense to give the image a faded, desaturated look. That's stylized artistic. Where it becomes gimmicky is when you have a normal scenario and you change the colors to give it a vintage look. There's going to be a clash there.

If going vintage, we prefer doing the vintage treatment for the engagement shoot instead of the wedding. A vintage engagement shoot can be a fun and unique way to bring out your personality as a couple. Then, we can keep your wedding images current, and your children will be able to see what you actually looked like in the year you got married.

Also, keep in mind that trends naturally change over time. Think of wedding images you may have seen from the '60's or '70's, and the fashions of the time.  Whatever you're doing now, it's going to look vintage to your children, even if you don't consciously go for a vintage look.

Aaron Feldman says, "I feel the same way about any effect. If it makes sense, and complements the image, it can look great. If you're doing it just to do it, it can look gimmicky.

Texturizing everything on an image can be confusing. It will help to justify the effect if you choose specific areas of the picture to texture, and work with the visibility of those textures. I would definitely not suggest getting effect-y with too many images."

Tipping is never required. It is certainly appreciated if you choose to leave your photographer a tip for their efforts, but is not expected. If you choose to leave a tip, any amount is great. If you have to make a choice between tipping us or using it towards your photography needs, we would rather have you save it for your wedding day.  The power of a thank you goes a long way with us in showing your appreciation.

We of course want to know what is most important to you, to help ensure we are successful for the wedding day. Pinterest is one way to get and share inspiration, and can be a useful resource. Here is what we suggest. This is the hard part ;) We suggest sharing with us if there are select and specific pictures that really inspire you. Please feel free to send them our way. But send a few purely for inspiration, not replication.

As creative photographers, we are always looking to bring out your unique personalities. If there is a large list of images that are to be replicated from Pinterest, then we are no longer creating. Rather, we are spending energy trying to copy images that already exist. The tricky part is that those images often can't meet expectations, because they represent another couple, or many other couples. Instead, we are looking to capture images that show the two of you, specifically, in the best light and angles.

To recap, you are welcome to provide Pinterest examples to help share the overall style and mood that inspires you. Then, put that trust in your photographer to create and customize the images that will ultimately look best for you. By embracing your photographers’ direction, and committing to their vision, you will ultimately get images representative of our portfolio, with a lot of variety, expressions, poses and backgrounds. Before long, you will be adding your own amazing photos to Pinterest, to inspire others :)

Yes! Your digital download (or Flash drive, if ordered) contains all image files in high resolution, without any watermark, which enables you to print images wherever and whenever you please. If needed, we will also provide a signed letter stating that you have full rights to print any of the photos, which should reassure any photo lab.

In addition, we post all of your images online, in a password-protected area. Instead of passing a Flash drive around, and keeping track of it, you can share the login details with friends and family. Any image file can also be purchased online, and delivered digitally in high resolution.

If you would like to share your images with friends and family, that is fine as well. We feel that your photos should be yours to enjoy for life, with no restrictions.

Aaron Feldman says, "Not a fan. The reason being is that I did that 15 years ago. The truth is, in my opinion, it's played out. Been there, done that, experienced it. I understand why people like it but it becomes over-saturated. When things are too widely used, especially digital tricks, they become gimmicky. It's much more powerful to be creative with ideas and concepts within the photography, versus just doing effects to do them."

Before your album is created, you will be able to make all image selections online, and choose your very favorite images. Once the album images are decided, and your album is ordered online, your chosen photos will undergo another round of retouching at our studio, so that they are perfect for the album. After you approve the final layout, it takes approximately 6-8 weeks for the album to be sent out.

For more information on our wedding albums, please visit our helpful walkthrough guide.