I am a photographer for everyone who wants their unique story captured and remembered, and would rather have shots of the two of you sharing a moment you can never get back, then a 73rd shot of the candles.
I focus on people, on moments, on your story.
When you get your photos back from your wedding day, I want you to feel the love that existed, that will only ever exist between the two of you. I want you to see the look on your parent's face; the tears your sister tried to hide; your little nephews playing with the rings in the grass before they walked down the aisle. (Okay, maybe I don't want you to see that one...we'll try to keep those rings safe!)
That's why for every gorgeous bouquet photo, there should be a shot of laughter. For every ring and centerpiece picture, there needs to be a shot of grandma dancing with the bride. And for every catalog-Best-of-The-Knot-cover photo, there has to be the beautifully imperfect shot of the two of you laughing over the steak that was supposed to be fish, because anything that goes wrong on your wedding day won't in a million years change the fact that you've found your person.
Your wedding is not our photoshoot. We're here to tell your story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since I'm a little (or a lot!) different than most wedding photographers, I figured this section might be super helpful when choosing a photographer for your wedding.
1. How many weddings have you shot?
I've honestly lost count, but I'm somewhere over 700 now and still loving every moment of it!
2. Do I keep the copyrights to my own wedding photos?
Yep! When I first got into this business, I was floored to learn that most wedding photographers do not allow the bride and groom to print or distribute their own wedding photos. And while I understand the reasoning behind that, I believe that your wedding photos are your wedding photos, and I can't imagine you not being able to do what you like with them. We maintain a joint copyright, allowing you to own your own wedding photos, and print and distribute to your heart's desire. It really is your wedding, and it should be about you.
3. Aren't you worried that someone will print a photo of yours on their home printer, and then tell people that the photos were from 'Karl Verkade Photography'?
Sort of. But it would worry me more that you as the bride or groom wouldn't be able to do as you like with your own wedding photos. Plus, although my photos are of the highest quality, I pride myself on capturing moments in my photos, and I believe those moments shine through even when printed from home printers or uploaded to Facebook. The essence of photography is in the memory each photo is able or not able to represent, not in the amount of gloss on the print.
4. Can I edit my photos?
You have the copyright, so sure! But usually if you find a few that you would like switched to black and white, or something like that, just let me know and I'll fix them up for you at no charge.
5. Do you charge tax?
Nope! I am a registered and licensed business and do pay my taxes, but they are already included in the package price. This way the price you see is the price you get.
6. Are there any hidden fees (travel surcharge, meals, gratuity, etc.)?
Nope, no hidden fees. I try to be very upfront on my pricing page. What I don't want is after $300 worth of gratuity, $200 in travel surcharges, $600 for travel hours (seriously) and then paying to actually see the photos, you end up paying more than double what you were quoted. I absolutely do not do that. There are no travel surcharges within the Southern California area (Newport Beach to San Diego to Santa Barbara to Palm Springs), no extra photo charges, and all of your friends' and family's downloads from my site are included in your price. Completely free for them. Some couples offer meals, and that's always appreciated, but not contracted. Some couples also offer tips at the end of the night. Again, I'm super appreciative of those. But they are not "a bill", so that you won't be hit later with an 18% gratuity.
7. Are photos included in your price?
Yep! Some photographers price their packages for sessions only, and then it's extra if you would like the photos. While I appreciate that business model, I do not practice it. You get the photos specified in my advertised packaging and pricing.
8. Do I get all the raw photos (negatives)?
Throughout a wedding, between myself and my second shooter, we end up with thousands of photos. Not all of them are great, and some are just lighting tests, etc. Some couples who are Photoshop savvy like to have all of these. And for those that do, I have no problem offering them if we schedule a time to meet and download them directly to your laptop or external hard drive (it's a huge amount of files!). I figure...it's your wedding. That being said, the majority of couples with whom I work are so happy with the edited and enhanced photos they receive that they never feel the need to have all the raw unedited ones.
9. How long do you keep the raw photos?
They take up a lot of space, but I do hang on to them for three months, just in case you decide you want them later.
10. Do you have a clause in your contract preventing guests from bringing cameras to the wedding?
Absolutely not. The more the better! In this day and age of digital cameras and iPhone's, that's part of how people enjoy themselves. And the happier your guests are on your wedding day, the better my photos of them are! I do, however, encourage couples to ask their officiant to make an announcement during the ceremony only to keep phones to a minimum, just so it doesn't distract from your guys' moment.
11. Do you start your 'On the Clock' hours for your packages when you start to travel to the wedding?
I 100% do not do this unless it's a destination wedding. If I fly to Hawaii, then yes, there's a surcharge for the day I had to travel instead of shoot another wedding. But if your wedding is in LA, I don't show up and say, 'Oh by the way, your six hour package is now down to four hours...there was a bit of traffic.' Nope, the hours start when I arrive at your location.
12. Do you offer references?
Yes. I offer references upon request, as I try to respect the privacy of my wonderful past clients. I also have reviews on a couple of my external booking sites:
13. How long does it take to get my photos?
Currently, it is 10-12 weeks to receive edited wedding photos, and 2-3 weeks to receive edited engagement photos. I know that may seem like a long time, but I do retouching, and I do it all by hand and not with an automated program. This means much better photos, and there is no "quick edit" for retouching. Quality takes time.
14. Can I see a whole wedding that you've shot?
Absolutely. Of course I'm going to advertise my best work online, but as a couple getting married, you want to know if your photographer can not only capture the posed shots in a controlled and lighted environment, but can also capture the first dance photos outside, at night, with no external lighting, and the DJ in the way. ;) When we meet for your free consultation, I bring an album of an entire wedding that I actually handed to a client. I can also offer to send you an online gallery of all photos of a recent wedding. I take pride in my work and my ability to capture all moments no matter what the situation.
15. Do you do touch-up work when you edit?
Yes. Within my price for editing is included basic touch-up...removing of background objects, smoothing of facial features that our high definition cameras bring out, etc. I do everything by hand, and I strive to edit and retouch in a very natural way. After 700 weddings, I've found that real people are much more beautiful than plastic models.
16. Are you insured?
Yes I am. I carry a $1,000,000 liability insurance policy that almost every venue these days requires.
17. What methods of payment do you accept?
Check and card through online Square or PayPal invoice is welcomely accepted. Cash is accepted as a third option.
18. Where and how do we meet for the free consultation?
I work out of a home studio in order to keep my prices as low as possible, and I travel all throughout the Orange, LA, San Diego, and Riverside counties for consultations. I'm based in the Newport area of Orange County, so within Orange County and Long Beach, I come to you and we meet at your favorite coffee shop or meeting place. For LA and San Diego, we either choose a time when I'm already there for a shoot or we meet somewhere halfway. And no, the consultation doesn't show up later on your invoice for a fee. ;)
19. Any Catches?
Nope...just great wedding photography with some niceness. If you're going to be in front of my camera, with me for hours and hours, we get way better results with a little honesty, upfrontness, integrity. Plus, if there's one thing I've learned in this life, it's that niceness is just plain better.
All the best,
Karl
