Your Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS BEHIND MY PRICES?

Many clients can be surprised at professional photography prices. When a photographer charges 350€ for a one-hour session, that is not an actual hourly rate. Every hour of shooting requires many more hours of preparation and work that a client does not see. Here are some of the things I spend time on in order to give you the best images and experience possible :

  • 1 hour of planning for the session based on information you gave me about your personalities or family dynamics
  • Travel time to and from the shoot location (depending on the shoot can be between 1 and 3 hours total)
  • 1 hour of shooting time with you
  • 4 hours for selection, photo editing, slideshow and gallery preparation

For weddings, I actually spend 70 hours of work for each wedding day I shoot. In addition to that, of course comes into play the time and money spent on additional training and workshops I do in order to always keep learning, on photo gear, on dealing with administrative issues and business fees and the list goes on.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and choose to do it every single day, so I am definitely not complaining, but you asked, ha!


CAN WE SEE AN ENTIRE WEDDING GALLERY BEFORE BOOKING?

Yes! I actually strongly encourage my clients to view a few of my full client galleries before booking. This will give you complete view of my work and thus what to expect. I always provide links to my galleries to potential clients to ensure that we are on the same page and that you will not be disappointed once you receive your wedding photos.


WHAT ARE YOU LIKE WHEN YOU’RE WORKING?

Even though I like being organized and I can seem serious when I am very focused, my squirel-face-smile is never very far away! I believe that interaction puts people at ease, so I do talk with my clients and their guests, being silly and reassuring. Being a pretty energetic person, you can expect me to move around a lot to get the best shots, though all the while, ensuring that I stay out of your way as much as possible! Take a look at my process page for more details.

SHOULD WE BOOK AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION?

I personally love engagement sessions. Trust is very important to me and engagement shoots help build that between my clients and I. They a great way to get to know one another before your wedding and for you to be comfortable with having your picture taken during the wedding. Keep in mind that I will be following you around most of the day during pretty intimate and family moments. The more you know about how I work, and about the final results, the more relaxed you will feel during your wedding. Beyond that, an engagement shoots allows you to take a moment for yourselves, enjoy each other’s company, and have beautiful photos for your wedding invitations!


HOW CAN WE PREPARE FOR A FAMILY OR COUPLE SESSION WITH YOU?

When you get in touch with me to book a session, be it for an hour or a whole day with your family, we will discuss together how the session will go. In reality, the best way to prepare for any session is to ask me all your questions as they come and not worry that they may be silly. No question is silly except the one we did not dare ask!

Although I mainly work in a documentary style, I also incorporate fun activities and suggestions to my session to ensure that you feel comfortable and that you are having fun! A photo session is as much about the photos as it is about the experience and memories you will have.

Every session is different and we will decide together on which location(s) are best suited depending on your personality, desires, family situation. In terms of clothing, I just ask to limit the amount of different colors and patterns worn by everyone, but not to worry, we will go over that as well.


WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS BAD WEATHER?

If this concerns your wedding, well…there isn’t much we can do except do the best we can and as the saying goes, make lemonade with the lemons we’ve got! I am always adapting to changing conditions on a wedding day, be it due to timing changes or weather. Honestly bad weather can also be a fun thing, photographing people running in the rain, jumping in puddles, I’m up for it if you are!

For family or couple shoots, I am also very open to making do with the weather we get, but the most important thing is for you to feel great during your shoot, so we can definitely reschedule if you prefer!

HOW MANY WEDDINGS DO YOU SHOOT?

10-12 weddings per year. I used to do more, but I felt that I could not be as involved and mentally available for my clients when I had weddings every weekend from May to October. I prefer to have less clients, but have a stronger bond with them, to remember every detail they shared with me about themselves, their families, and their wedding day.


HOW LONG WILL YOU BE AT OUR WEDDING?

All day and well into the night! Years ago, I used to offer half day packages, but I always felt frustrated to leave just when the party was starting or to arrive after the bride and groom got ready. I also felt that the photographic story could not be complete if I did not stay for the entire day. So I will arrive before you get ready and stay until I feel that I have enough images of the party moments. Depending on the energy and craziness of your wedding, that can range from 1 am to past 4 am! I do warn you that I will be dancing with you as I take photos, this definitely helps put your guests at ease!

For specific situations, exceptions can be made, especially during the pandemic when many weddings are being shortened or split into several events.


DO YOU HELP WITH THE PLANNING PROCESS?

Yes and no! I am not a wedding planner, so I cannot plan your wedding or be in charge of any details beyond the photography service I will provide. That being said, I have been photographing weddings since 2015, so I do have some experience and can give you some advice if you need it, or if I feel that it would benefit the photographic moments, for example the timing of couple or group photos, preparation locations. Many details can be adapted to be more photogenic, so I can definitely help guide you if you have questions.

I can also put you in touch with many excellent vendors, like wedding planners, florists, videographers, dress and shoe vendors, or hair and jewellery accessories. Don’t hesitate to ask for their contact information!

CAN WE SEE THE UNEDITED IMAGES?

I don’t show my unedited images to anyone, these are works in progress, like a sketch of a drawing, like a base coat of a room being painted. One part of my work is to photograph your event, but the other part is to create a cohesive and visually harmonious story of it. This happens in editing, from selecting the best images, reframing, adjusting light, contrast and colors, and giving them a final look that represents my vision, my style.


CAN YOU PHOTOSHOP US?

I could, but I won’t! I believe in natural beauty, in accepting how we look and even liking it. We all have our insecurities of course, but I truly believe that the way you look is just perfect! Also, it really would be unmanageable to retouch someone’s nose or arm in 500 wedding photos!

Now…that being said, if you get an awful pimple just before our photo session or your wedding, I will remove it in post-production, because otherwise it will affect the memory you have of those moments and will forever be annoyed by that pimple on your photos! Beyond that, I won’t do beauty retouching.


WHO OWNS THE IMAGES?

As any artist creating original images, I am the copyright holder of the images and no one can either modify nor sell my work. However, you do have the right to print and share the images I provide, as long as it is not for profit (sales). On social media, I simply ask that you tag my professional pages, like Facebook or Instagram! Of course, I always ask for permission to showcase images of you as you do own the rights to the diffusion of your image.

DO YOU CHARGE TRAVEL EXPENSES?

Yes. Transportation expenses are included in all shoots up to 80km round trip from my location (Romainville 93230). Beyond that, a fee of 0,50€/km will be billed.

For weddings specifically, a lodging fee will be billed, in reflection with the actual price of my lodging. I do my best to limit lodging expenses and will never charge above what I actually paid. If lodging can be provided by the client (at the wedding venue for example), there will obviously be no extra charge!


DO YOU OFFER PRINTED ALBUMS?

Yes, and I highly recommend that you choose to get one, be it of your family shoot or wedding, nothing compares to looking at a printed image! How many of you regularly look at the digital images of your family holidays or travels? I definitely don’t, unless I print them out in an album. With changing technology, digital files are not as safe as we may think, USB keys break, DVDS become obsolete, hard drives fail…but a printed album lasts forever and tell the story of the moments you lived differently than a digital gallery ever could.


Weddings

Couples

Families

Births

INTERVIEW

MY VISION

I had the opportunity to have a chat with Ollia, amazing fellow expatriate and journalist at RFI radio. We spent a few minutes discussing what inspires me in photography and in weddings! Hopefully, this video will give you a better idea of working with me.

MORE ABOUT MY PROCESS

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