FAQ
Common questions about my services and my responses to them.
01
"Are all these images yours?"
All images on my site and portfolio were shot and edited by me and me alone unless stated otherwise (e.g. collaborations)
02
"Don't you think you're charging a lot for a few pictures?"
On the contrary, the charges for each service are results from countless experiences among my time as a photographer. To have these photos that will be a reminder of your loved ones is nothing less than gratitude of this investment. With time comes age and these photographs are the only thing that will make your moment here and now memorable.
03
"Do you do on-call hiring?"
Yes I do. Need a photographer within the next hour on sudden call? I'll be there. However, due to the hastey gig out of nowhere with me rushing to get ready and jet off without proper preparation on my end, there is a $20 fee to compensate. So it's best to reserve your date at no extra cost! This is also added to the cost of the type of shoot I am being hired for (e.g. birthday party is $300 + $20 = $320).
04
"How can I make my payments? Do you accept down deposits?"
I understand that you may not be able to pay the whole amount on the spot. So to rectify this, a 25% down deposit is required AT LEAST A WEEK before the shoot/event. The rest can be negotiated to a date where the rest of the payment can be paid. If you wish to pay the full amount all at once, please do so at least ONE WEEK BEFORE the shoot. Provide your email to me and an invoice will be emailed to you within the following 2-3 business days.
Here's how you can calculate the deposit. For example, birthdays are charged $200 for a maximum of 3 hours. Take 200 and multiply that by 25% (or .25). The answer you get is how much the nonrefundable retainer (down deposit) costs in total for me to arrive and start shooting.
05
"What kind of content will I be getting?"
When you hire me, you get all the edited digital copies for FREE and unwatermarked. No cost! Simply provide an email, and once the editing is done, you will be notified when the folder is available for download or you could choose to meetup to exchange via flash drive. If you choose to purchase a package (all package rates are in the Investments page), you will get exactly what is shown in the package details.
06
"Why should I hire you?"
I strive to shoot for YOU, my dear client. As someone who cherishes those old photographs of the golden days from the 90s and of my childhood, I understand that photographs are to preserve moments to last for a lifetime and that is my specialty. Creating these eternal moments for you. I will always give my best no matter what the occasion is.
07
"What can I do with my digital copies?"
The moment you receive your photos and/or package(s), you are free to do with them however way you want. You may share them on Facebook, Instagram, etc. If you wish to print them, you are free to do so. You paid good money for these images so you deserve to have fun with them in any way you wish. The only thing I request of you is to not say that these images were shot by you or someone else. Meaning, the images are copyrighted to me as the one who shot and edited them. You do not have to say I shot them, but please do not say that Samuel Photography (example) are the ones who took these photos. It is a breach in copyright.
08
"Is my down deposit refundable?"
To keep things fair for me as the shooter who has expensive gear that I bring with me, the retainer fee is NONREFUNDABLE. You will find this procedure with almost any photographer out there who has services for hire. The retainer fee is for us to have a bit of compensation for using our time before the shoot in case anything goes beyond our control (e.g. cancelling the shoot a day before the date, not updating me in regards to a situation happening that I should have been informed that would inconvenience me when shooting for you).
So please keep in mind that once the retainer fee is paid and the agreement is signed and acknowledged by both parties, the down deposit is NONREFUNDABLE unless in the case where I am the responsible one for cancelling the shoot, then the down deposit you paid will be refunded properly.
09
"Can you please take down the photos you shot?"
If we are contracted under an agreement that you acknowledged and signed, the decision to post, share, and delete photos posted on my site or any of my other social media is entirely up to me as copyright to the images belong to me. Unless stated otherwise in a change to the agreement, any images uploaded to any of my social media is my right to be posted. (Make sure you fully read and acknowledge the agreement!)
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However, I am hardly by the book when it comes to this so I may be able to come to a compromise with you. Keep in mind it is a compromise meaning I will still have my say in the decision and hope we can come to a good understanding.