professional

"You can not depend on your eyes,
if your imagination is out of focus"


The difference between Professional and Professionalism?

September 2nd, 2008 | Posted in Our Blog | No Comments
Tags: Asian Wedding Photography, cheap photography, client, couple, craftmanship, demands, english wedding, jewish, low, photography industry, poor quality, price, professional, professionalism, wedding

This morning, I had an urge to write this blog article.

There are photographers who ‘turn out’ top notch work, and there are those, who simply ‘churn out’ absolutely appalling work. Some are handful of full time pros and a lot of occasional part-time ‘weekend warriors’. There are photographers who charge a lot for their impressive work and there are others, who charge ridiculously low figures.

Unfortunately, there is a market for all types of demand, so I don’t feel that I should be too critical of those who do ‘cheap and cheerful’ work. However, I do have concerns about ‘professionals’ who charge medium to high prices in return for poor craftsmanship. This low quality work has given bad reputation to the industry. Unfortunately, till the industry becomes regulated by a professional body, there’s nothing we can do abut it. At the end of the day, it’s up to the client to look at their website, blog and then look at their print portfolio of the same images! ;)

We discourage our clients to book us just because they like what they have seen on our website.  After the initial inquiry over the phone and rough price guideline, we request the couple to meet up for an initial consultation. During the one hour consultation, they have an opportunity to ask us as many questions as they like. We provide them with our recent references and then leave the decision up to them based on what they see and not what they hear.

After all, being good at something just needs more practice and a burning desire to be better. I don’t see that in a lot of recent photographers. They Point, Shoot and ‘Chimp’ (sorry replace ‘chimp’ with Hope).

N’uf said!! :)

img 0086 small copy 300x218 The difference between Professional and Professionalism?


FAQs

June 12th, 2007 | Posted in | Comments Off
Tags: asian, asian wedding, Asian Wedding Photography, best, Candid, candid photography, candid style, capture, couple, guide, hindu, hotel, Images, london, low, Our Blog, photography, price, professional, quality, shoot, Simran, storybook, uk, wedding

check-green Who will photograph our wedding?
Nehal, himself carries out all wedding photography. You will have his utmost attention on your wedding day as he only photographs one wedding per day. Nehal usually work with an assistant but sometimes have more than one to help me get through a long and busy wedding day. Additional professional photographer is available but at extra cost.

check-green Do you provide Videography services as well?
No, we do not provide videography services. We like to concentrate only on photography.

check-green What equipment do you use?
None other than professional Canon cameras and ‘L’ series lenses including all the backup equipments.

check-green Do you charge extra for travel and hotel accommodation?
Yes. If the event finishes at unsuitable hours and is away for more than 2 hours drive, then overnight hotel charge will be charged at cost. All packages include up to 50 miles round trip. Additional miles at additional cost.

check-green How do we secure your services for our wedding date?
On day of sign of contract, 20% deposit is required to secure the date for your wedding. All remaining balance must be paid at least 4 weeks prior to your first event coverage day.

check-green What happens if we want to cancel our booking due to any circumstances?
Once contract has been signed and 20% deposit has been paid, you have up to 7 days for you decide if you want to cancel the contract. And if you decide to cancel the contract after 7 days all deposit paid are non-refundable in any circumstances.

check-green Can we change the date of our booking?
Yes, but further date is subject to availability & at additional cost of £700 per date changed. All deposit paid are non refundable. A written confirmation is required for any change in the date.

check-green Do we have to sign any agreement?
Yes. To ensure highest quality and minimize legal proceedings, we both are required to sign a formal agreement.

check-green How many photographs will you take?
I don’t place any limits on the number of photographs I take, but as a rough guide, for a typical Hindu wedding where I am shooting for a whole day, I would normally take up to 400 shots. However, I truly believe that the quality of the shots is far more important then the quantity! ;)

check-green Do you take formal shots?
Certainly. I treat every wedding as a unique event and if formal (group, friends or family) shots are required, I am happy to fit these in along with the more informal, creative and candid style images. However, I would strongly recommend that formal shots are kept to a minimum so that there is enough time left for couple’s portraits. It would be even better if the best man or close friend can have the list ready beforehand to allow us to work through them quickly and efficiently.

check-green How much time should we allocate you for the reception portraits?
Unlike most of the Asian weddings, if you reception is on the same day, then it is extremely important to strike a balance on your wedding day. You should allow yourself enough time to relax, get the personal portraits done and yet not feel rushed. Surely, you don’t want to leave your guests waiting for too long as well!

You can spend as much or as little time as you like with me capturing stunning images of your day with your spouse! It’s your choice really!

check-green Do we receive all the pictures?
Yes, once I have edited out all the inappropriate images (blink, duplicates, missed expressions etc.) the remaining images will be presented to you in either a CD, proof book or the on-line proof slide-show, both of which are yours to keep (depends on the package you have chosen).

check-green When can we see our photographs?
We endeavor to update our blog within 2 working days. However, depending upon the wedding season, your on-line proof slide-show will be ready within 2 working days and you may be just lucky to see them while on your honeymoon. Once you have received the low resolution images, you can then select the best 115-120 images for your Storybook (depending on the package you have chosen).

check-green How many photographs will be included in our main album?
Depending upon the package you have selected, up to 120 images can be included in the hand crafted Italian make Storybook. However, in practice most couples end up with around 100 images in their Storybook to make it look more attractive and less cluttered. You can of course add more images but we do not recommend this as this will make your Storybook look very busy. However, we leave this decision entirely up to the couple! Please note that all additional images will be charged at extra cost of £10/ per image.

check-green After I have confirmed the artwork, how long will it take to get finished album?

After you have confirmed that you are happy with the artwork, it will take another 4-6 weeks for the album to be back with you. During peak wedding season, Christmas, New Year times vary.

check-green Do I get rest of unused images on the CD?
Maybe. It depends on the package you have gone for. Some packages includes no of low or high resolution images on the CD while other don’t. How ever if you are interested in having some or all of the images on CD, additional cost (£350) will apply.

check-green Can friends and family see the photographs?
Yes of course! Our all packages offer this facility where we upload selected photos on our blog. In addition, you can always email them your on-line proof slide-show link. All your guests can view them on-line and if they like any of the picture, they can always order it through Candid Photography.

check-green Will the photographs be digitally manipulated?
We prefer the word “finished”, but in short, the answer is yes! We are a firm believer that taking a good composed frame is just half the process of producing a great photograph. Whether it was in the old days of dark room technique or today’s sophisticated software like Photoshop CS5 , finishing has always been a very important part of presenting your final images.

check-green What happens if the weather is bad?
Living in the UK means you can never bank on having great *Australian* weather even if its the middle of the summer! Although, I prefer to work outdoor in natural light, I am quite happy to work indoors and make the most of your wedding venue. Therefore, I am always prepared with my mobile studio lighting equipment too in case the available lighting is insufficient. Having said that, even in the UK, it’s very unusual for the day to pass without a 15-20 minutes of clear day to capture some great outdoor shots in a natural light.

check-green Who owns the copyright to the photographs?
As with all professional photography, the copyright remains with the photographer unless mentioned exclusively on your wedding contract. If you would like to own the original image files, I do offer you the opportunity to buy these along with the full reproduction rights so you can make as many prints from them as you like.

check-green Can we just book you over the phone?
No. If you are happy with the prices, I would strongly advice you to come and have a look at my portfolio in print and also to see the final finished products. Once satisfied, we can sign the contract and pay the non refundable 20% deposit fee to secure your date and hours.

check-green How much would you charge to hire you just for capturing the photos on a DVD without the album or storybook?
It’s simple, just calculate number of hours you need me for and multiply them with £125.  Please remember, if you leave outside the Greater London area, there will be extra charges depending on the distance of the venue.

check-green Would you split the total number of hours (as listed in your packages) over two days?
May be. We may be able to come to an agreement if your wedding is outside the peak wedding season (May-September) or the coverage tends to be on a weekday.

check-green Are you insured?
Yes. I have full public liability and professional indemnity insurance up to 50K. I would also recommend that you take out our own insurance to cover all eventualities.

check-green Do you belong to any professional photographic bodies?
No. However, I have submitted my work to gain the membership of the British Institute of Professional Photography and WPJA.

If you still can’t find the answer to your question, then please feel free to get in touch using the form below.