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Here is a list of the most common questions we get.
However if you have any questions not answered in the FAQ please email us.
Experience Questions
Are you full-time photographers? When did you start shooting full-time?
Do shoot digitally or with film?
Will you have backup equipment available?
What's your style? Posed and formal, relaxed, photojournalistic, creative, artistic, candid, traditional?
Package Questions
What do we get?
How long will it take before we can see our photos?
How many photographers will my package include?
Is my wedding the only one he or she will be shooting that day?
Who owns the rights to the photos you take?
Am I limited to a set amount of photographs you will take?
Will you take table photos during the reception?
Consultation Questions
Can I look at a complete wedding album the photographer has shot?
How do we go about meeting you?
Do you offer a pre-wedding consultation?
Booking Questions
How far in advance do you typically book weddings?
I want to book, will you hold my date without a retainer?
I definitely want to book. What happens now?
Payment Questions
How much is the retainer required to book our date?
Do you charge a fee if the wedding and reception are at more than one location?
What if my wedding is really far? Are there extra costs?
What is your cancellation policy?
Miscellaneous Questions
What does Open Image expect from their couples?
When is the best time to take our photos?
My friend/uncle/brother also has a digital camera and likes taking photos. Can he/she take photos with you?
Can you make me 40years younger or 40pounds thinner, add curls to my hair, and replace the background in all our photos?
My friends got married and I want some of their photos - can I send you a list of all the photos I want taken?
I want photos with suitcases and other props. Do you have that?
Do we have to provide you with a meal?
Lingo -
Terminology
Are you full-time photographers? When did you start shooting full-time?
Yes we are full-time, we have been doing weddings professionally since 2001.
Do shoot digitally or with film?
We shoot digitally. With the great technology we find in digital cameras these day, its much better to shoot a wedding with a professional digital camera. Digital images also gives us more freedom during the editing process.
Will you have backup equipment available?
Yes - we always take backup equipment!
What's your style? Posed and formal, relaxed, photojournalistic, creative, artistic, candid, traditional?
We like to have a blend of informal, relaxed, creative and artistic photos. We also try to capture those candid moments, as they are always priceless. We also do take a few formal photos as these are important to the parents and we find that the formal photos usually end up in a frame somewhere. So we prefer to offer our couples a combination of photos. However, after the wedding you choose the photos for your album - we don't choose them for you. So if you don't like the formal or the journalistic photos, you don't select them for your album!
What do we get?
ALL PHOTO PACKAGES INCLUDE COVERAGE OF THE FOLLOWING:
(photographer, time, light & venue permissible)
· Detail photos of your venue / reception area (flowers, tables, cake etc.)
· Bridal preparation (as per allocated time)
· Groom preparation (provided that groom is preparing at the same venue or within a 10km range of the venue and as per allocated time)
· Wedding ceremony
· Photo session with bride, groom and retinue (groomsmen & bridesmaids)
· Group photos with family and friends (as per supplied list)
· Reception events (as per package time limit)
How long will it take before we can see our photos?
Provided that all outstanding monies have been paid, the photos take between 2-4 weeks before they are available. Once the couple returns from honeymoon, they need to contact the photographer to arrange for collection of their proof disk. From here the couple needs to choose the photos they would like us to use in their album / storybook. After we have received this info from the couple it will take approximately 4-6 weeks (depending on the package chosen) for their album / storybook and all the extras to be completed.
How many photographers will my package include?
All our packages include 1 professional photographer with 1 assistant. (T&C apply)
A second photographer can be requested at an additional cost (price on request). The second photographer offer is subject to availability.
Please note that the assistant is not equivalent to a second photographer. The assistant is there to assist the photographer.
Is my wedding the only one he or she will be shooting that day?
Yes.
Who owns the rights to the photos you take?
Open Image Photography is the owner of the original RAW files and gives you permission to:
Post them on social media networking websites.
Use them for thank-you cards, mugs, competitions etc.
You may reprint your photos and duplicate your disks for family and friends.
The only thing you cannot do, is pass them off as your own or use them for commercial purposes (such as advertisement for your own business, allowing a venue to use them for advertising the venue, etc.)
Open Image Photography retains the copyright of the photographs and reserves the right to all photos taken by them. As such photos may be used by Open Image Photography for marketing purposes, advertising campaigns, display on the Open Image Photography website & blog, and/or entered into photo competitions.
Am I limited to a set amount of photographs you will take?
No, but the amount of photos depends from wedding to wedding. Your photographer will take as many photos as the day allows. Our packages
include 450-500 unique images, which will go through a Basic Edited Process. And when we say unique images we don't mean the same photo replicated 4 times. We know that everyone wants to get a 1000 or more photos, but the truth is that not all that 1000 photos are different photos. We would rather end up with 450 good photos than a 1000 bad-duplicated photos! Also the amount of photos depends on your type of wedding. If you have a small wedding or limited time to take photos you might end up with less photos.
Will you take table photos during the reception?
We tend to take more social photos of your guests as they mingle with one another, we find this more natural and informal.
Formal table photos will only be taken on request - so kindly advise us of this before the wedding. Should this not be done, we will assume that table photos are not required. The couple needs to allocate a specific time during the reception to have these photos taken and arrange for someone that can organize this event i.e. make sure that all the guests are present for their photo. The photographer will not be responsible, should your guests choose not to participate in these photos.
Can I look at a complete wedding album the photographer has shot?
Absolutely. This will give you a better idea of a complete wedding and the type of photos being shot at a wedding. But please remember that each couple selects their favorite photos for their album. So each album is unique!
How do we go about meeting you?
We usually meet our couples at coffee shops on Tuesday or Thursday evenings for an informal chat to get to know each other and answer any questions that you may have. That also gives us a chance to show you some samples and portfolios. Please contact us via e-mail to arrange a meeting.
Do you offer a pre-wedding consultation?
Yes, we do. About 2 weeks before your wedding, your photographer would like to meet with you again. Just to discuss the process and time-line of your wedding.
How far in advance do you typically book weddings?
Most of our couples book 3-12 months in advance.
I want to book, will you hold my date without a retainer?
Bookings are only confirmed when we get a completed Booking Form, signed copy of our Terms & Conditions and paid retainer.
We see more than one couple for a specific date. No date will be provisionally held. Bookings are only confirmed on receipt of a signed contract, booking sheet and proof of payment of the retainer - and provided that Open Image Photography is still available for that date.
I definitely want to book. What happens now?
Firstly, make sure that the photographer is still available for your date. Then choose the package that you want and complete the Open Image
Booking Forms. Read through the Open Image Terms & Conditions and make sure to sign & initialize where needed. Send all the relevant forms and proof of payment back to Open Image. Once we receive all the documents and paid retainer, then the date is yours.
How much is the retainer required to book our date?
A 50% retainer is required to book the date.
The outstanding balance is due 2 weeks prior to the wedding date unless other arrangements have been made and noted in the contract.
Do you charge a fee if the wedding and reception are at more than one location?
All packages cover 100km travel fee from Johannesburg. Traveling outside of this 100km radius will be charged at R4 per additional kilometer. The cost of tollgates will be added to the final bill.
What if my wedding is really far? Are there extra costs?
Yes, sleeping arrangements are required for traveling further than 120km from our studio. The couple is responsible for these arrangements and costs. Any sleeping arrangements must be confirmed (60 days prior to the wedding date) with Open Image Photography before booking. Any costs arising from the accommodation will be added to the final bill. If we need to fly then all traveling cost will be added to the final bill. For more info on destination weddings, please email us.
What is your cancellation policy?
If the couple request a change in date, the retainer is transferable and prices are still guaranteed, depending on Open Image Photography's availability for the new date and as long as the new date is within 1 year from the original booking and the request is received within 30 days from the original booking date. If the new date is more than one year from the original booking, then any new pricing in effect will apply. If the wedding is cancelled the retainer will be forfeited.
What does Open Image expect from their couples?
We need your help with the family photos:
The couple is to prepare a list of the Family Photos that they would like to have taken. Kindly arrange for someone (MC, Bridesmaid or Bestman) to organize the groups during the Family Photo Session. It is not the responsibility of the photographer to organize this. It is the couple's responsibility to notify all participating parties involved in the family photos to be present for this event.
Allocate a minimum of 30 minutes for the Family Photo Session. Try to limit the family photos to 10-15 groups due to the time factor. Should you like more group photos, remember to factor in more time - please allow 3 minutes per group photo when planning your day. Also remember that very large group photos take longer to co-ordinate (in some cases it has taken 15 minutes to get everyone together!).
Allocate an hour for the Couple's Photo Session. If an hour isn't provided we cannot guarantee that you will get the same quality of photos as those that you see in our portfolios.
The couple should attempt to provide Open Image Photography with adequate time to perform the photo shoot portion of the timeline to accommodate the family photos list and the wedding party, bride & groom shots. We recommend a timeline of minimum 90 minutes to complete these photos.
Open Image Photography cannot be held responsible for timelines that do not run on schedule and subsequently cut down the time allocated for photos, thereby not providing the couple with all of the photos expected. Open Image Photography will also not be responsible for photos that are not completed due to the possibly uncooperative nature of the individuals to be included in any photographs.
Organize with your bridesmaids to be of help during the photo session i.e. to re-apply the bride's lipstick, check that the groom stays neat etc.
Ask your MC to keep the guests informed as to how long the photos will take. This will make you feel more relaxed as you don't have to rush back to your guests. Likewise your guests won't feel agitated because they know what's happening.
When is the best time to take our photos?
Lighting plays a huge part in taking good quality photos. Make sure to plan your wedding so there's enough time & light for the photo session. Keep in mind that the sun sets earlier in the winter than the summer. Here's a basic guideline for best photo times:
January - April between 16h00-18h00
May - October between 15h00-17h00
November - December between 16h00-18h30
My friend/uncle/brother also has a digital camera and likes taking photos. Can he/she take photos with you?
They are welcome to take loads of photos during the church service, reception, of the guest and so on. But during the allocated photo session we
don't allow any other photographers. This is a big no. And under no circumstances is any person with a camera to come in the way of the photographer and the couple.
For us, the most important part of the day is the photo session with the bride, groom and retinue. That's when the creative juices start flowing! To ensure that we can make the most of that time, we do not allow any other photographers (amateur or professional) to join us.
Can you make me 40years younger or 40 kilos thinner, add curls to my hair, and replace the background in all our photos?
Next question :-)
My friends got married and I want some of their photos - can I send you a list of all the photos I want taken?
Open Image Photography is a "non-traditional" studio and we DO NOT work from detailed "shot lists" except in relation to the family photos ONLY (as specified in the above). Open Image Photography's approach to your day is contemporary and creative. As such, we work in a free flowing manner to best provide you with photos that represent our style. You are more than welcome to tell us what is important to you and some ideas you have, but if its not our style as you have seen in the portfolio or wedding albums we are not the right photographers for you.
I want photos with suitcases and other props. Do you have that?
Again not our style. We do not believe in using props such as suitcases, frames, fishing rods, shotguns (maybe shotguns) etc. during our photo sessions.
However, we strongly encourage any little extras that will make your wedding stylish - and add that little something extra to the photos. Bold colored shoes, fans or parasols are great for photos and help to get the creative juices flowing! Keep it natural.
Do we have to provide you with a meal?
Yes, please arrange a meal & dedicated seating space in the reception area for the photographer and/or photographer's assistant and/ or second shooter and or videographer. Kindly confirm quantity of seats required. Seating must be arrange in the main hall where the wedding reception is taking place. If we are seated in another room or hall not part of the main hall we take no responsibilities for any events not photographed during this time. Should no seating space be provided during the reception, we will accept that our services are no longer required.
Lingo
(Terminology)
Basic Edit -
photos
straight from camera. Only colour correction & brightness control will be done.
Professional Edit - editing includes: colour correction, brightness control,
rotation, cropping, red-eye removal, skin corrections, sepia, B&W and SFX
photos.
Artistica d’creativia Images - creatively edited photos as chosen by
photographer a.k.a. “Creative Edit”. These photos are included as a BONUS in our
packages and may be displayed on our website & blog. These photos go through
extensive photoshop editing and are done at the photographer’s discretion
Photographer’s
assistant – person there to assist the photographer with his/her equipment.
Second shooter – is an ADDITIONAL professional photographer, not the MAIN
(primary) photographer. You cannot request a specific person as your second
shooter. Open Image Photography reserves the creative right to edit and release
only those images, produced by the second shooter, deemed to meet their artistic
and quality standards.
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