Frequently Asked Questions
We want to book you for our wedding, what are the next steps?
First of all, I'm so excited! Weddings are so much fun and are what I love to do. After you contact me we will set up a zoom meeting to explore my wedding collections and find the perfect coverage for you. Once you decide on what fits your wedding best, I will prepare an agreement for electronic signature as well as a 20% retainer to secure your date. I unfortunately cannot hold a wedding date for more than 48 hours without a signed agreement and retainer.
How long is a typical engagement session?
I allot up to 2 hours for my engagement sessions but rarely use the entire time unless you are planning to visit multiple locations and/or have an outfit change. Typically if you just want to spend time at one location without an outfit change your session will last between 45 minutes to an hour.
What is your turnaround time for photos?
I don't copy and paste purchased filters on your photos and will take time to select and edit each image in your gallery. Even though I take the time to do this, I stay within industry standards when delivering your photos. My portrait session photos are delivered within 5 business days of your photo selection. Typically, the turnaround time is about 3 weeks for my one to two-hour session (engagement, couples, formals). For my wedding collections, the typical turnaround time is approximately 6-8 weeks. I know the 6-8 week timeline can feel long to see your wedding photos, so I always edit a few sneak peeks 48 hours after your wedding day that you can enjoy right away! I have ALWAYS delivered my weddings within this time frame. Trust me, I want you to have your photos as much as you do. I've kept a perfect wedding gallery delivery record so far and I plan on keeping it this way.
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How soon should I book?
As soon as possible. Most couples book their photographer right after securing their venue. Typically I start booking weddings nine months to a year in advance. If you are looking for a photographer last minute, don't hesitate to reach out. I may have an opening; if not, I am happy to refer you to other great wedding photographers in El Paso.
Do you do other editing styles?
There are SO many editing styles when it comes to photography. You have light and airy, pastels, browns, dark and moody….I like to think of my editing style as vibrant yet preserving natural skin tones. Personally, I believe it's timeless and won't age in a generation. As an established photographer, I've developed a consistent editing style that I stick to. I encourage clients to choose a photographer they not only vibe with but who will edit their photos in a way they want to see their memories preserved.
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What is your approach to wedding day coverage?
I lean more toward a documentary-style approach when it comes to wedding photography. Rather than directing every shot (like in an engagement session), I take a wallflower approach for much of the wedding day so that the emotion and moments I capture are real. Depending on the location, I'll provide gentle direction to capture a more interesting photo, such as where to stand for best lighting during your getting ready shots or inviting a family member to join you for a specific photo. However, outside of specific events in the day (such as some of the getting ready portion of the day, family photos, bridal party photos, and your formals), direction is limited so that I can focus on you and your guests. Of course, there may be moments of inspiration later, and I may pull you aside for a shot or two during the reception. Still, my style and approach on the wedding day are for couples who value real candid moments and soft direction over extremely posed shots. As with any photographer, we choose and post the best on social media out of hundreds of photos. I strive to capture photos you'll love including those candid moments, but am very much aware that it is impossible to see the full picture based on what is online. During our initial consultation I am more than happy to show you a full gallery of a recent wedding so you can see my approach and style more clearly and see if it is the right fit for you.
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Do you retouch photos?
I am going to talk about wedding photos specifically here. Most people don't realize that retouching and editing are different things, and not all photographers are retouchers. Retouching refers to photo manipulation, where objects are altered or removed from a photo. These are local and very specific adjustments. For example, eliminating acne, adding buttons on a shirt, slimming someone down, head swapping, or removing the glare on glasses. On the other hand, editing refers to global adjustments such as color correction, adjusting the tone curve, adding grain, vignetting, etc. I, along with most wedding photographers, refer to this definition of editing when asked if we edit our photos.
With storytelling, you sometimes get photos of imperfect people that tell a story perfectly, which is my goal with photography. Capturing your story! Of course, I want your photos to look amazing so I still do minor retouching behind the scenes. My retouching has included removing garbage cans in the background, obvious blemishes, or bird droppings on the cement. However, it is important to note that my skillset is specifically with skin, and this is done at my discretion. Additional requests are beyond the scope of what is already included in my services.
Considering that weddings contain hundreds of photos, it is simply unrealistic to apply retouching to every photo in a wedding gallery (like removing lens glare, a tattoo, makeup smear, or a belly button dent in every photo). Anything you consider a distraction within your power to change should be attended to before we start shooting. Of course, we are human, and as much as we try to notice imperfections they can get past us; especially if you consider how many hours are in a wedding day and all the moments captured in quick succession. If it is within my skillset, I will retouch up to 10 additional photos in your final gallery. Complicated retouching or additional requests beyond the first 10 will be outsourced to my retouching team for a small fee (rates can range anywhere from $12-$45 a photo depending on the complexity).
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Do you charge sales tax?
“In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” -Benjamin Franklin.
In Texas, wedding photographers are required to charge sales tax for their services, not just tangible prints and albums. The combined state and local sales tax is 8.25%, which is automatically calculated as an addition to the listed price. As an established business within the state, you can trust that I am more than just a hobbyist and professionally run my business in all aspects including taxes.
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Do you do Pro Bono work?
A couple of times a year, I make an effort to use my talents to support a local charity or organization pro bono. I feel it is important to give back to my community, and photography is a great way to do that. Don't hesitate to contact me if you think my services will help your fundraising event. Due to the nature of my work, I am usually limited to weekdays but will consider weekends based on availability. As much as I would like to help in every event possible, I cannot do more than a couple a year.
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2023: Rogelio Sanchez State Jail. Captured the Day with Dad event were children are allowed to spend the day with their father's. The event was held in one of the classrooms and involved capturing father's embracing their children, lunch, games, family photos, and entertainment.
2022: Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center. Auctioned a session where the proceeds would go to providing free and low-cost legal services to immigrants.
2022: One of the official photographers for The League of Business Role Models event. This event was held to fundraise La Posada Home, a shelter for women who are victims of abuse. Work consisted of capturing models on the runway and the event in general.
2021: Highlight film for Keystone Heritage Park, a local botanical garden and archeological site that depends 100% on local donations. The goal was to create a short film for the garden to generate more interest for the public to visit, donate, and hold their events there.
