Wedding photographer | Engagement & Family Photographer

	Please See the question & answer
1.	How to choose a wedding photographer? Choosing a photographer isn‘t easy. You want someone who understands your style, is easy to work with and most of all, someone you can trust. Check references and ask for a website to see proofs of the photographer‘s work. Some hotels offer wedding packages including photography but be aware that most of the time they careless about photography service. You should be able to choose your own wedding photographer. BUT be EXTREMELLY careful; you might see a great photographer portfolio that is 20-50 best images he/she has ever taken. Choose just ONE image you like most and ask him/her to see ENTIRE wedding from where this picture was taken. Because many so called “s/pro wedding studios” shoot over 1000 weddings a year and off course you can find “some” great images selected out of millions of images taken. But are those 20 -50 good images come from one wedding or few weddings combined. That‘s why it is important to pay attention to that and request the whole wedding portfolio from the images you liked the best. You could be up for a surprise! Make sure you meet, and see the work of the photographer who will be shooting your wedding and don‘t forget that large studios usually have a pool of weekend shooters who are generally inexperienced. You may get lucky and be assigned a good one, but chances are 50/50 that you‘ll be assigned an inexperience person trying to make a little extra cash.
2.	How long have you been in business? How many weddings have you done? I have been photographing professional since 1995 and I am a full-time photographer since then. Also my father is a pro photographer-so I actually GREW UP with photography. I began photographing weddings in 1995. On average (past 3 years) I shoot about 50 weddings per year. Can I speak to former clients? Yes, I will be happy to provide a list of clients that you may contact AS LONG as they agree to that.
3.	Do you shoot digital or film? What kind of Equipment do you use? High-resolution digital imaging is considerably more flexible than traditional film-of course ONLY in case photographer shoots in RAW format. With digital RAW images I can easily correct for exposure fluctuations, image imperfections and add a variety of special effects that allows me to make each individual image a work of art. Additionally, I can keep your investment low because there are no costs associated with traditional film and processing. I use only Professional Canon digital cameras. Cameras I use combine the best of both worlds of medium and 35mm film formats. They have the resolution of medium format and the speed and responsiveness of 35mm. I also use ONLY top of the line Canon lenses (1 cheap lens 80-200mm cost for example $400 but the one I use is over $1500! - and this is ONLY one lens example - I have/use many more lenses) In addition to the cameras, I use a multiple flash (strobe) system. One flash is mounted on the camera, and additional flashes on light stands are triggered via remote control to illuminate the background, provide 'studio' quality lighting, and/or provide artistic or dramatic lighting - INDOOR or OUTDOOR - I am using specially created battery packs to power studio lighting outdoor!
4.	How many pictures do you take? This depends on the size of the wedding. On average, I shoot 1000 - 1700 exposures. As each wedding is uniquely different from the next, I will photograph as much as I feel necessary to capture the great moments of your day-I NEVER limit quantity of images taken.
5.	Do you offer Black and White or Sepia Photography? Yes. B&W is simply the absence of color (hue). I therefore shoot everything in color, and later you can have anything printed in B&W or Sepia (either by me or by a photo lab). In other words any image that is in color can be made into a stunning B&W (especially if we do it for you), but no B&W image can regain full color. Hence, I shoot color and B&W or Sepia is a later option.
6.	What are proofs and do I get to keep them? Back in the film days, 'proofs' were a 5x5 or 4x6 print of every photograph. The digital age has changed things. First all of your photographs are viewable online for three months. (Orders can also be placed online.) Then, depending on the collection, you either receive an image index disc, which contains a small copy of each image that you can flip through quickly. Or, an image index proof book, which contains a wallet sized print of every image. Finally, in addition to those, depend on chosen package of course - you will receive a disc containing all of your digital originals ('negatives') edited, color corrected in full resolution that you are free to print or do whatever you'd like with. People usually ask why they receive an image index disc in addition to the digital originals disc. The reason is that the full resolution originals disc contains a lot of huge image files. Unless you have an awesome computer, it will take forever to browse the images. So, with the index disc you can flip through them quickly to see them.
7.	Will you have backup equipment? I bring a back-up of every piece of equipment.
8.	Group Shots / Formal Shots? The amount of time and schedule of these shots will be discussed with you prior to the wedding. I suggest allocating at least 1 hour for these photos. It is advisable to allocate a special time and location for these pictures to minimize interruptions to your wedding. It is important to coordinate this beforehand to ensure that your preferred guests and family members will be present during the photographing of the Group Pictures.
9.	What formal photo do you take? Are you open to a list of photographs I want to be taken? I work with basic outline for photo coverage of your wedding, introducing formal portraits and images of the day's activities and encourage you to help create or add to this outline, perhaps you want a portrait of cherished older relative, or a special dance or a guest who has traveled a long distance to attend your wedding... My goal is to provide you with all the images you hope to have recorded and more on this special day, and I welcome your guidance. Your information will help me to plan for your event.
10.	What style do you shoot? I shoot using a variety of photographic styles. 90% of the day will be approached in a documentary/photojournalist style. Traditional photos for family portraits are more posed and formal whereas photojournalistic photos are more candid. I also enjoy creating editorial style portraits which are very informal but elegant looking. I find that a combination of each style is best to truly capture the story of your special day.
11.	Are you willing to travel? Sure, I love to travel. I generally charge for travel expenses, but NOT for travel time within 50 miles of Chicago. Any further travel requirements I will quote individually.
12.	Will you pressure us to see each other before the wedding? Only a little, but I promise it will be worth your while. I will tell you the benefit of photographing yourselves together before the wedding. But, I won't pressure you. Once you give me your answer, that's it. I understand that your wedding day is not about photography, and that you've been envisioning it for a long time. I recommend photographing the bride and groom together before the wedding if... - you want photographs taken at a location other than the church or reception site, like a park. - you want photographs taken outdoors, but it gets dark early (Spring and Fall). - you want to get to the reception quickly. - you want more photographs of you two than the basics. Let me create a visual for you. Imagine your wedding day, specifically your ceremony. Imagine that you two have just been pronounced husband and wife, kissed each other, and sped down the aisle, giddy with excitement. It's the pinnacle of your relationship up to this point. You want to kiss each other, hug everyone, rejoice, cry, and celebrate. I suggest you do that. It's a shame to deny yourself of that moment. Standing on the altar for the next 60 minutes while we hunt for people, ask Jimmy to shift to the left six inches, and try to get the flower girl to smile is a buzz killer. When we are finished, you will be in a vastly different frame of mind. Rejoice in that blissful moment instead. It's the only time you will get to experience it in your lives
13.	When will my pictures be ready? Please allow up to maximum two weeks from your wedding date for the online slideshow and image gallery. Allow maximum three months for albums. Allow 2 weeks for ordered prints.
14.	Who chooses the pictures that go in the album? After looking at all the proof images, YOU decide which images go into the album. Once your selections have been made, we will begin the album design. As we proceed, we may add additional photos to compliment your selections or enhance the flow of the album. All images and layouts are revisable, and final approval is YOURS before the album goes to press.
15.	Will you tell us what to do on our wedding day? The photographer should not be confused with the coordinator or planner. I want to do my job in creating memorable photos of the action taking place. I typically don't want to create the action. It is essential that we meet prior to the wedding to go over your time line for the day. We will discuss how long the photographs you have requested are going to take; If it is too long, cut out some of your requested pictures or add additional time to your package. I will make recommendations based on our extensive experience, but ultimately, it is up to you
16.	Will Mark Fillies personally photograph the wedding? Yes, I will photograph your wedding myself. I will not surprise you with a different photographer on your wedding day.
17.	Do you use an assistant? Depend what package you choose-BUT generally-Yes. My assistant helps me work quickly and get awesome lighting effects.
18.	What about having two photographers? I also offer two-photographer coverage - where both professionals are taking pictures. Unless otherwise specified in your contract, you will have two shooters during the majority of your wedding and reception. The only time there is only one camera going is during the formals. During this time, the second shooter acts as an assistant in helping to expedite the process.
19.	Will you book more than one wedding on the same day? No. Neither of us needs that kind of stress.
20.	Will you ask that no one else take pictures during the formal photography? Is that reasonable? It is a possibility. If I am trying to work quickly through a series of formal pictures, a snap-shooter might SLOW the process. A problem arises when there are several cameras aimed at a formal group - the subjects will be looking at different lenses. The diverted attention will ruin picture I am taking. Or, if I am using a light-sensing trigger device ("slave") on a second flash, other flashes will trigger this flash, ruining the pictures [that you are paying for] and wasting battery power. On the other hand, many guests find snapping a few pictures a pleasant part of attending weddings and it really isn't a big deal to let people snap away when formals are over. I try really hard to accommodate guests who want to snap a few when I am finished. Ideally, guests should show respect for the bridal party and photographer and put down their cameras during the formal photos.
21.	Shouldn't I be asking "What do I get and how much does it cost?" Even shopping for shoes or furniture you wouldn't ask that question until you find the style and quality you like. After you have looked through my portfolio - seeing candid's, formals and illustrative pictures, you will know if I have the technique, style and spirit to be the eyes through which you and your children will see your wedding day. Of course, you should determine if I am within your budget, but what you really want from photography is memories and feeling. No matter who you hire to shoot your wedding, if you find a photographer who makes you happy, you never will regret your investment, whatever the dollar cost. When we have invested in items that will be with us for the rest of our lives, our satisfaction has been highest when we have paid that extra bit for the best quality.
22.	So, how much does wedding photography with Mark Fillies cost? Price SHOULDN'T be the MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA in selecting the photographer to shoot your wedding. A low price is not a bargain if you do not like the personality and style of your photographer. Photographs (and maybe video) will be your only permanent record of the day. You want good photographs (or you would not have read so far), so be prepared to spend a considerable amount to get the photographer you want. Also, reprints will be more costly than your local 1 hour photo. That is because you are getting better service and a better product from the experienced professional. If you are looking for a bargain and shop via phone for pricing, you are following a recipe for poor to mediocre photography. Your photography budget should run between ten and twenty percent of the total wedding budget. This may include purchasing additional albums. When couples value photography highly and are on a limited budget, they will spend up to 30% of their wedding budget on photography.
23.	We're having a small wedding, with thirty people, and only wanted to spend $1,000 on pictures. What can we do? The first thing to do if you want a professional photographer under these circumstances is to be flexible. I can only work so many weekends a year, and I reasonably expect on average one or two large weddings per weekend from May through October. If I reserve a prime Saturday or Sunday in October for your smaller budgeted wedding, then larger weddings will have to be turned away. Unfortunately, when you are limiting yourself to a smaller photo budget you may be left with lower quality photos from a lower quality photographer.
24.	What if you're sick and can't make it on my wedding day? Unfortunately, I have heard many stories about photographers canceling right before the wedding. In nearly all of these cases the photographer canceled for a non-health or non-emergency reason. Usually, it's because a better deal came along on their date - a gorgeous couple, willing to pay for their most expensive package. Or, they just don�t take their business seriously. There is no way I would do something so unscrupulous to anyone! Once you have me booked, I'm there. Period. I know how important your wedding photographs are to you. And, I wouldn't do anything to tarnish my reputation, which is extremely important to me. My reputation and referrals are my main source of clients. This is my business and I would never jeopardize my livelihood by doing something so unethical. However, there are no absolute guarantees in life. Anything can happen to me or any of your vendors. But, you should know that since I started photography in 1995, I have had the good fortune of good health and have never missed an event - I've never even been late. It would take a catastrophic event or serious hospitalization to cause me to miss a wedding. No matter what my circumstances are, I would make every attempt to photograph the wedding. Now, to answer the actual question; In the unlikely event that something absolutely beyond my control prevents me from attending your wedding, I would do everything possible to find the very best substitute available. I would make every attempt to exceed your expectations given that unlikely scenario. I am connected with many competent area photographers that I could call upon. If I could not find a replacement for you, you would receive a full refund.
25.	Do you also provide videographer services? Yes I have videographer on staff

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