Wedding Photography
Frequently Asked Questions
Please see the wedding photography page for an overview of our wedding and civil partnership photography services. The FAQs below aim to answer your more detailed questions. Please contact me if you have any other queries.
Wedding photography - general questions
Q1. What areas do you cover for wedding photography?
Q2. Do you photograph civil partnerships?
Q3. Do you use a digital camera?
Q4. What is your style of wedding photography?
Q5. Do you produce colour or black and white photographs?
Q6. Do you photograph the bride and groom getting ready?
Q7. Do you take any ‘formal’ wedding photos?
Q8. Do you take wedding ‘detail’ photos?
Q9. What if it rains on my wedding day?
Q10. How can you help me to feel comfortable in front of the camera?
Q11. Do you dress smartly for weddings?
Q12. Do you offer any other types of photography?
Wedding photography - packages and products questions
Q13. How many hours do you spend photographing the wedding?
Q14. Do you work alone or with a second photographer?
Q15. Do you offer mid-week or winter wedding photography discounts?
Q16. Do we get to meet up before the wedding?
Q17. What is the pre-wedding photoshoot?
Q18. How long do I have to wait for my wedding photos and album?
Q19. What wedding photography albums do you offer?
Q20. Can I get a DVD of my photos?
Q21. Can I have an online wedding photography gallery?
Q22. Do you offer wedding invitations or thank you cards?
Q23. Who owns the copyright to the wedding photographs?
Q24. Do we need to sign a contract or pay a deposit?
Q25. Are you fully insured?
Q1. What areas do you cover for wedding photography?
I photograph weddings throughout the south-east UK, though I mainly focus on Sussex (East Sussex and West Sussex), Surrey, Hampshire, Kent and London. I’m based in Brighton, East Sussex and do not charge to travel to weddings within 100 miles of Brighton. For weddings beyond 100 miles then a small charge will be incurred.
Back to FAQs
Q2. Do you photograph civil partnerships or renewing of vows?
Of course! I use the term ‘wedding’ to mean any ceremony where people are making a commitment to each other. This could be a civil partnership, a commitment ceremony, renewing of vows etc. Please contact me to discuss your photography requirements.
Back to FAQs
Q3. Do you use a digital camera?
Yes, I use professional Nikon Digital SLR cameras and lenses. Such is the quality of the camera and lenses that I rarely need to use flash these days, meaning that you get natural-looking wedding photographs. Using digital photography also means that I can provide your online digital wedding photography album within just two weeks of your wedding!
Back to FAQs
Q4. What is your style of wedding photography?
My wedding photography style is natural, relaxed and stylish with a little bit of fun! I specialise in reportage-style wedding photography, which means I’m constantly observing the action and capturing the special moments that tell the unique story of your day. I’ll always be on the look-out for a funny moment, a quirky angle or a thoughtful detail. Please take a look at our wedding photography galleries to see examples of our style from recent weddings.
Back to FAQs
Q5. Do you produce colour or black and white photographs?
As you will see from my wedding photography gallery, I find that a mixture of colour and black and white photographs best tell the story of a wedding day. Some pictures just work better in black and white, while others look great in colour!
Back to FAQs
Q6. Do you photograph the bride and groom getting ready?
Yes, as long as you want me to. I think that the ‘getting ready’ photos are a really special part of your wedding day as they capture all the nerves and excitement (and sometimes panic!) prior to the ceremony. Take a look at my wedding photography gallery for some examples of couples preparing for their weddings.
Back to FAQs
Q7. Do you take any ‘formal’ wedding photos?
Yes, if you would like some formal wedding photos (e.g. of family groups) then we can do those – it’s your day! However I aim to take these photos quickly so that guests can concentrating on having a good time rather than spending their time lining up for photos. We will discuss formal wedding photos at our pre-wedding meeting to ensure this all runs smoothly on the day.
If you take a look at our wedding photography galleries you will see examples of ‘formal’ photographs and see they can actually be really good fun!
Back to FAQs
Q8. Do you take ‘detail’ photos of my wedding day?
Of course! Recently married myself, I know just how much thought and effort goes into all those wedding details, be it the wedding rings, wedding flowers, confetti on your dress, table decorations...Throughout the day I will be looking for those special details (and admiring them!) to include in your wedding story. Take a look at our wedding photography galleries for some examples of ‘detail’ photos.
Back to FAQs
Q9. What if it rains on my wedding day?
Rarely does it rain all day, which means we can usually pop outside when it stops to get some great shots. However if it does rain all day and you don’t want to go outside then we can take some nice wedding photographs in your wedding or reception venue. Like you, I will be checking the weather forecast regularly so that we can plan ahead!
And if it does rain all day but you really want sunny weather photos, why not get dressed up in your wedding outfits again and we’ll do a post-wedding photoshoot? It’s a good excuse to wear that wedding dress again!
Back to FAQs
Q10. How can you help me to feel comfortable in front of the camera?
Although some people look forward to being photographed on their wedding day, I understand that some people do not feel comfortable about being the centre of attention. I think it’s really important to help you feel as relaxed and confident as possible. That’s why I offer the complementary pre-wedding photoshoot – by taking photos of you in a relaxed environment, we can work out what photography style works best for you and I can provide tips to ensure that you look your best on the big day. But also remember that on your wedding day, you’ll be so focussed on enjoying yourself that I'll be taking lots of natural photos of you without you even realising!
Back to FAQs
Q11. Do you dress smartly for weddings?
I enjoy getting dressed up for weddings so I always dress very smartly.
Back to FAQs
Q12. Do you offer any other types of photography?
Yes, we also offer boudoir photographyand ‘trash the dress’ photography (also known as ‘shoot the dress’ photography), as well as portrait photography. If you are interested in arranging a boudoir or trash the dress photoshoot, please contact me for more information.
Back to FAQs
Q13. How many hours do you spend photographing the wedding?
We offer three different photography packages based on the number of hours photography that you require (4, 6, 9 hours). You also have the option to add extra hours to those packages.
Back to FAQs
Q14. Do you photograph weddings alone or with a second photographer?
I usually photograph weddings with a second wedding photographer. This ensures that we capture all those special details on your wedding day. If you are having 'getting ready' photographs, it also means that I can photograph the bride while my colleague photographs the groom's preparations. However, for small weddings, sometimes it is better to have only one photographer so as not to crowd your wedding guests. This is something that we can discuss at your wedding photography consultation.
Back to FAQs
Q15. Do you offer mid-week or winter wedding photography discounts?
Sorry, but we do not offer discounts on the packages stated on the website.
Back to FAQs
Q16. Do we get to meet before the wedding?
I think it’s really important for you to choose a wedding photographer that you feel comfortable with, after all they will be there for most of your wedding day! That’s why I offer an initial wedding photography consultation to couples who are interested in booking me. This is a nice chance for us to talk about your wedding photography requirements and to look through my wedding photography portfolio and wedding albums. This consultation is a friendly chat with absolutely no obligation for you to book me (I’m not one of these pushy photographers that you hear about!).
If you invite me to photograph your wedding then we’ll have another pre-wedding meeting a few weeks before the big day to finalise details e.g. timings, locations, album type, formal photograph requirements. Of course, you can contact me any time if you have any questions or queries about your wedding photography in the meantime.
For the 6 and 9 hour photography packages, we are delighted to also offer couples a complimentary ‘pre-wedding photo shoot' to ensure that you feel comfortable in front of the camera. If you like, you can also use a photo from this for your wedding invitations.
Back to FAQs
Q17. What is the pre-wedding photoshoot?
Our 6 and 9 hour photography packages include a complementary pre-wedding photoshoot a few weeks or months before your wedding day. This is a nice relaxed way for us to get to know each other better and to ensure that you feel comfortable in front of the camera. The photoshoot will usually take place outdoors where we can make the best use of natural light. We can have a chat about your preferred location, for example it could be at your wedding venue, the place where you proposed, the beach etc. This is also a good opportunity for us to talk through some tips to ensure you look your best on the day. The photos from your pre-wedding photo shoot will be uploaded into an online photo gallery that you can view and share with family and friends. If you like, you could even also use a photo from the pre-weddding shoot for your wedding invitations.
Back to FAQs
Q18. How long do I have to wait for my wedding photos and album?
I limit the number of weddings I photograph each year so that I can dedicate lots of time to preparing your wedding photographs and album.
I always aim to have your photographs ready within a fortnight of your wedding. If you are going on honeymoon, this means your online wedding photography gallery should be ready for you to share with friends and family on your return.
Your wedding photography album will be ready between 4-12 weeks after you have approved your final album design (this variation reflects the different types of albums we offer and how long they take to be made).
Back to FAQs
Q19. What wedding photography albums do you offer?
The wedding albums that we provide as part of our wedding packages are of the highest quality around. Once you have selected you favourite wedding photographs from your online gallery, I will personally design your storybook or more traditional style wedding album. You will have the choice of a range of styles and album covers. We also offer a range of stunning parent and bridesmaid albums. If you would like to look through the wedding album options available, please contact me to arrange a meeting.
Back to FAQs
Q20. Can I get a DVD of my photos?
Yes, you can choose to add the DVD f images to any of the packages for £300.
Back to FAQs
Q21. Can I have an online wedding photography gallery?
The internet has revolutionised how we view and share our wedding photographs today. That’s why I will develop an online wedding photography gallery for you to share your wedding photos with family and friends. Your online wedding photography gallery will be password protected so that only people you want to see your photos can view them. Many of the couples we photograph simply include the online gallery address and password in their thank-you cards so that guests can view the wedding photos in their own time.
The online wedding photography gallery is also a stress-free way for your family or friends to order photographs from the wedding.
The online gallery is accessed through the ‘Client Area’ of this website.
Back to FAQs
Q22. Do you offer wedding invitations or thank you cards?
Many couples are interested in sending personalised wedding invitations and thank-you cards to guests. I can personally design your wedding invitations and thank you cards containing a photograph of you from either your pre-wedding photoshoot (for invitations) or your wedding day (for thank you cards).
The great thing about personalised thank-you cards is that they can include your online wedding photography gallery details, to save you having to write this in each card. I work closely with a great local printing company to ensure that your cards are printed and delivered promptly.
Back to FAQs
Q23. Who owns the copyright to the photographs?
Kirsty Johnston Photography owns the copyright of the photographs. However, if you select a DVD wedding photography package then I’m happy for you to print as many of the images as you would like.
Back to FAQs
Q24. Do we need to sign a contract or pay a deposit?
If you would like to book me I will provide you with a simple, standard contract that we all need to sign. I would also ask you to provide a non-refundable ‘holding fee’ of £400 to secure the booking.
Back to FAQs
Q25. Are you fully insured?
Yes, I’m fully insured for public liability and professional indemnity.
Back to FAQs
