faq
| Congratulations on your engagement! Thanks for taking a peek at my work! As you begin planning for your Big Day, hopefully these questions below, and their answers, will start you on the right path. Check out all the links to more of my images and products as well. If you like what you see and read, we can set up a time to chat further either at my York Village, Maine studio or by phone. q: what is your philosophy on wedding photography? My tagline could be summed up as: Why choose between reportage and fine art when you can get the best of both worlds? I offer quiet lifestyle/photojournalistic techniques to capture the details and mood of your day, combined with a studied, cinematic flair for truly unforgettable portraits. My work is natural, modern, elegant, spontaneous, and inventive. What you will see from your photos is the “real stuff” of weddings: joy, quiet, love, dreams, warmth, stillness, humor and beauty. q: what products/services/pricing do you offer? All my packages offer unlimited images, 6 hour or all day coverage, online hosting, online slideshow, and a DVD of all images (high resolution and ready to print). I also offer upgrades like second photographer coverage and an array of albums and presentation options. I love designing beautiful heirloom albums as the final step in the process, but do offer DVD only options for crafty couples. Check out this slideshow to see some album options. Pricing starts at $3500, most couples average investment for full day coverage + album is $4500-6500, but we let clients custom design packages based on budget, time of year, and desires, so e-mail us for a link to our complete online full color pricing brochure. Also, visit http://www.luminalife.com to see Marina DeMarco's associate photographer pricing and portfolio--all the boutique experience, with more pricing options. q: what is typical wedding day coverage? I work closely with couple and/or wedding planner to make a fun and realistic wedding day timeline that incorporates all the images that are important to you. Depending on the level of coverage you need, I usually start 2-3 hours before the ceremony and end as the guests start leaving (unless you are having a special send off). My job is to make sure that the day is captured without turning it into a media event or checking my watch too much because a wedding is a once in a lifetime chance to enjoy your friends and family while they gather to celebrate you! q: are you familiar with our ceremony & reception sites? Chances are we have shot at your wedding site if it’s in the York or Portsmouth area, but if we haven’t—that is actually part of the fun of my job! Brides always amaze me with their creative locations—I’ve shot in an old family barn in Union Maine, a gothic cathedral in downtown Denver, a private Oceanside estate in Ipswich MA, a mission church in California, a performing arts center in Frederick Maryland, a vineyard in Lee NH…just to name a few. I always show up early and scout out the location to make the most of it. q: do I need a second photographer? I can capture your wedding day beautifully from beginning to end by myself if you need 6 hours or less of coverage; however want all day coverage , have a particularly large wedding (175+) or have the bride and groom in different locations throughout the day, a second is a wonderful upgrade. I only hire seconds that are experienced, have an interesting point of view, and live up to my high standards so that your album has a definite cohesion and beauty. q: do you work with an assistant? I was an assistant for 6 years back when I started in the early 1990's and appreciate what they can do. I do normally work with an assistant, but some weddings that are all at one location may not require one. It’s never an extra charge if I do have one. q: how long do formals take, before/after, and will you work with a shot list? You can’t give me too little or too much input on how you want your wedding to be covered…in other words, if you give me a long shot list I will work with you on your timeline to see if it’s feasible; and if you give me absolutely no lists, with 300+ weddings under my belt I know which groupings you will want to have. The average wedding is somewhere in between: about 45 minutes for formals, usually after the ceremony. I also help the client fill out a detailed worksheet 30 days before the wedding where we can nail down all these important concerns/questions. I keep the formals very natural and a fun part of your day. q: how many images do you take at the wedding? Remember it’s quality not quantity, but having said that, I normally post 500-800 edited images online. The online slideshow has about 125 of the best images, and your final album has 65-125. q: how does online hosting of images work? 4-6 weeks after the wedding, I upload all the images into categories and give you and any family/friends who have signed up access (passworded or not) to it for 3 months. You can share, view, purchase any images or products from there. It’s a convenience and great way to share with guests who live all over the world. q: do you show a slideshow at the wedding? I offer a 5 minute edited slideshow of images taken from the wedding (yes, images that are only an hour old!) to show at your reception. There is an additional charge as it requires a dedicated member of my staff. I also show images from the rehearsal on the wedding day in a discrete location. q: should we do an engagement photo? I love doing them, and they make for great custom guest books. Check out this slideshow of my faves… It allows us to build rapport for the big day, you get some great professional images of you just as a couple without the white dress, you can use them for facebook or your own website, or as favors etc. But the best part is the interactive engagement guest book! q: pricing? I believe in offering custom tailored packages to meet our client needs, so please e-mail or call me to see the full pricing guidelines/offerings. If you are having a small, intimate weekday wedding or a winter wedding from November 1 through April 30 (no exceptions) please ask about special quiet season pricing. All inclusive destination packages are available too (Italy, anyone?!). q: we love your work, but you are out of our budget range…now what? It sounds like a cliché, but it is so true that after all the food is gone, the doors are shut, and the flowers wilt away…what you have left is this one amazing record of your day. In the hands a gifted and dedicated artist, the memories and images of your once in a lifetime day will not only live on, but they will tell the story beautifully to your children’s children. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Splurge on a great photographer. You won’t regret this investment. But of course, if you love my work THAT MUCH, let’s talk about Quiet Season options or limited weekday coverage! :) q: what is your background? why is this important? It's a daunting task for a couple to weed through all the wedding professionals choices out there, for that reason I think it's worth expressing how much I love wedding photography--it is how I have made a living for almost a decade and it is how I want to spend my career. Not many photographers can say all that! I have a degree in Cinema and photography from Ithaca College in Ithaca New York. I worked seasonally as an assistant for a very gifted photographer in Breckenridge Colorado from 1994-2000 where I learned to love weddings and formal fine art portraiture. Working strictly as an assistant I had no idea the level of commitment a wedding really required. A friend asked me to photograph his wedding and I was surprised how rewarding the experience was: not only was it enjoyable to present the unique “story” of their celebration, but it was fascinating from a photography point of view. It wasn’t until the Fall of 2000 when I started researching photography for my own wedding that I realized the potential for a different kind of wedding photographer: an approachable, artistic, and experienced one who considers the needs of each couple individually. Years later I am constantly amazed at the incredible images whirling around in each celebration q: will you travel for a wedding? Just about anywhere! There is no travel fee for most of Coastal & Southeastern New Hampshire, Southern Maine, and Boston/North metro/North Shore. Please inquire about my all inclusive New England, US, and worldwide destination packages. q: do you have a back up photographer in case of emergency? This is foreign territory, knock on wood, but I am a member of an amazing group of New England photographers. We are all friends and all have each other’s backs in case of emergencies. Having said that, if I can’t find an equally amazing photographer for your day, you will receive a 100% refund, including deposit. q: what is best way to discuss our wedding further with you? We can set up an in person meeting at my York Village, Maine studio and showroom, or set up a phone and/or SKYPE video conference meeting. Roughly half my clients now use the phone/SKYPE meeting because they are planning from afar, or because they simply have a busy modern life! I have lots of full wedding portfolios to to share online and in person, as well as the detailed album slideshow link. All phone and in studio meetings are by appointment only. Due to my shooting schedule, I am generally not available for meetings or non-wedding photo sessions on weekends. q: what do you require to hold the date & what is payment schedule? I require a 30% deposit of your chosen package, which is fully upgradeable (not down gradeable) at anytime before your wedding. The final balance is due no later than 14 days prior to the event. I accept credit cards or personal checks. q: personal info? I live in Kittery Point Maine with my husband Steven and the second love of my life, my daughter Sage—the most over photographed kid in all of Maine. Thanks again for taking a peek! Please don't hesitate to phone or e-mail with any further questions. |
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