Are we talking to Zak or Sam right now?

Hi, it’s Zak! You can expect me to be your main contact for everything, and Sam will be there to chat it up with you on your wedding day. This is my full-time job, and Sam doubles as a Registered Nurse, so I handle all communication, engagement sessions, and then we all are lucky enough to have Sam around on wedding days.

Do you help plan? 

For sure! I can help plan your timeline as much or as little as you’d like. The main thing that I like to emphasize & encourage is that you have the day how you’d want it; whether that means having 3 hours for photos or just 1 is totally up to you! I will happily share ideas & suggestions as needed, but certainly never force anything. It’s your wedding, and it should be the way you want it!

Do you travel for photography?

1000% yes, we love traveling for photos, whether it be just an engagement session or wedding! Additional travel fees only come into play when the travel required exceeds 3 hours from Buffalo, and even then, we’re not trying to nickel and dime! It’s exciting to shoot in new places, and any additional travel charges will just cover basic expenses like overnight accommodations.

How would you describe your style/approach?

This is a tough one because there’s so much I could say, but I’m highly doubtful you want to read pages of me talking about our work! My wedding photography captures a blend of timeless, artistic photography of candid moments, with just a touch of editorial flair. However, creating moving photos at your wedding requires me to be excellent at several other styles of photography.

I started out as a photographer when I was 13 or 14, and obviously didn’t have much of a clue that wedding photography was a thing. I was deeply intrigued by landscapes and portrait work, so my foundation is based from the fine art side of things; it was only when I was 16 and started second shooting for local photographers that I fell in love with wedding photography. It’s almost a rush to know you’re capturing moments that only exist for seconds, and I LOVE the challenge of having foresight as to what might happen, and positioning myself to capture a fleeting moment in a captivating way. It really doesn’t get old and each year brings fresh perspectives and ideas. 

In terms of editing, I edit true-to-life but utilize shadows, highlights, and color adjustments to make the images stronger visually & emotionally. I’ve done this long enough that I’ve seen trends come and go, and although there are certainly ones I love, I hesitate to pivot away from the editing that feels right to me in search of the latest trend. I don’t want you to look back at your photos in 20 years and tell your family “can you believe photos looking like this was popular at the time?!”, I want you to look back and see the day for what it was, with all it’s color and mood that YOU chose. I edit based on what the photo calls for, not a preconceived idea of how I think it should look. That being said, in a light & airy vs. moody conversation, I would say I have a tendency to lean towards moody more than light & airy, as I like creating deep & rich colors/vibes, but as I mentioned before, I don’t force my “style” when the photos/imagery don’t call for it - I let the photo tell me how it should look and work from there.

How long are our galleries available for? 

I promise & guarantee your online gallery will be available for you to download, share, and print your photos from for a minimum of 10 years, but the real answer is much higher than that. I don’t ever delete galleries once they’re up for any reason, and will keep your galleries live & online for as long as I’m still taking photos, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon!

In the event that I change gallery hosts, or in 20 years I decide it’s time to call it quits, I will make every effort I can to reach out and give you a heads up that they won’t be located in the same location they currently are. I do also keep all final galleries on a separate hard drive, and will always have that as well. Basically what I’m trying to say is, your photos will always be available from me, but it’s definitely a good idea to download them all and keep them somewhere safe for yourself too!

Do we get a sneak peek?

Sure do! For both engagement sessions & weddings I send a preview within 24 hours from the end of the session/wedding. It’s one of my favorite things to do, the excitement is always still so high and I love the thought of couples waking up after their wedding day to a bunch of sneak peek photos.

Do we get to choose our engagement session location(s)?

Picking locations for your engagement session is totally your decision, but I do also have lists of locations that always provide great photo opportunities for both Buffalo & Rochester! With that said, I always love exploring new locations and photographing couples in places that are important to them, so there’s no need at all to pick from our list if you have locations in mind, but it’s here to help if you need it!

Will you share our photos on your Instagram & website? 

If it’s cool with you, I will definitely share some of your photos from time to time! That being said, I’m not a jerk, so if you’re not comfortable with that please just let me know and I’m happy to keep your session/wedding private!

Do you have insurance?

Yep! If your venue is requesting insurance from your vendors, just let me know and it’ll be taken care of.

Are you comfortable in any lighting situation?

Absolutely, though obviously some situations are better than others! That being said, over the years I think I can comfortably say we’ve experienced every possible lighting scenario, from direct sun the whole ceremony, to near darkness on the dance floor, and everything else in-between. There’s always a way to still make it look good, and as mentioned earlier in this FAQ, challenges like those are what make me love wedding photography so very much.

Do you require a deposit?

I do! A deposit of 1/3 the total package price (any major credit/debit cards are accepted payment methods) and an e-signed contract lock in your wedding date, and then I have a few different options for payment plans to cover the remaining balance. For booking just an engagement session, half of the price is due at booking, and the other half is due on the day of the shoot!