Question 1

Are you an insured business and do you guarantee your work?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I am insured with liability cover.  One can only guarantee work with expectations limited by travel, weather wise, and having the time to capture the shots.  Having back-ups of everything I am confident of capturing the images within the time constraints.

Question 2

How did you decide to get into your line of work?

Accepted Answer

Having an interest in photography from around the age of 17 and taking the time in later years to really delve into the making of a good image.  I was first asked by friends to take their wedding photos, and it just grew from there.

Question 3

Do you have a favourite customer story you would like to share?

Accepted Answer

One of the ones in my memory is a young couple come along with a limited budget, but they liked my work and could not afford to pay straight up.  I really liked them, we clicked from the moment of meeting, and I agreed to let them pay it off for 3 months after the wedding. They jumped at the chance and that act alone generated 4 future bookings from their friends, not to pay off after, but because:  a) they liked my work obviously b) I had helped their friends to get their photographic treasures of a lifetime.  That's what made me realise important to clients to be happy and comfortable with you.

Question 4

What do you like most about your job?

Accepted Answer

Satisfaction of seeing faces of the couples I shoot when they pick up their images/discs.  Having just that 1 *WOW* shot of the day and you see the sparkle in their eyes and hear the excitement in their voices, that's my reward.  Finally having them say as they leave, "I absolutely love the photos, I shall recommend you to my friends."

Question 5

What questions should a customer ask to hire the right service professional?

Accepted Answer

Do you have any references? Do you listen to my needs? Do you have back-up equipment? Do you have experience and expertise to deliver? Do you have any ideas on the day [photography orientated of course]

Question 6

What questions do customers commonly ask and how would you answer them?

Accepted Answer

Commonly asked of course is the pricing.  I answer with a Collection Package which can suit most budget requirements and can tailor something if not listed.  Another question asked is 'what happens if it rains?'  That's a question that can only be answered if they have main contingencies in place in case of inclement weather regarding the ceremony location, which I have no control over.  I do have some suggestions and ideas I give for location shots if raining.

Question 7

What makes you the most reliable and trustworthy person for the job?

Accepted Answer

Honesty, integrity is paramount.  Building a rapport with clients is key to getting successful images they want, after all, it's their most important start to life together.

Question 8

Why should a customer hire you over another service provider?

Accepted Answer

1) Having the experience with capturing the moment  2) Being an expert in lighting techniques, I just don't rock up with camera and flash on it all set in 'auto dummy' mode. I shoot manual and get great results  3) It's not only now being able to do the above, it's now all in how that image is edited. I am not talking about it being 'photoshopped' I am talking about getting the ingredients right, Colour Balance, Density (light or dark) composition, etc.  4) Having a rapport above all else with clients, they and you need to be comfortable with each other.  5) Delivering what you state.

Question 9

What are the typical things that you need to know before you can provide a quote to a customer?

Accepted Answer

1] Wedding date/year 2] Wedding location of ceremony as this can reflect you choice of locations later down the track 3] Style/theme, let the photographer know what you expect, don't just rely on them as 'professionals should know' we are not mind readers after all. 4] Be realistic on what's achievable on the day location wise, for every 5 minute drive to a new location, that will be 15 minutes allowing time for getting into cars, driving, arriving, getting out of cars, etc.

Question 10

How can a customer save money before you start the work? Please give 3 tips

Accepted Answer

Tip 1: Always ask to view a photographer's work in print form. A bad photographer can make images look good on a website, but print bad; and a good photographer may not upload 'web sizes' images correctly and they look not so good, so taking the time to view this, could save you money poorly spent.  Tip 2: Check the sunset times, if you want time for creative imagery of your wedding, you need to allow sufficient time for the photographer to capture those compelling images you are after. Less time, less images; more time, well, more great shots achievable.

Question 11

Are there any special offers you would like to offer to Oneflare customers?

Accepted Answer

Any clients booked by me from OneFlare site will receive an extra 30 page 8x6 photobooklet which I already provide in my Collection Packages regardless of the price.

Question 12

What makes your pricing competitive?

Accepted Answer

Value for money is in the eye of the beholder.  Does the work reflect the quality and the asking price.  You cannot charge less then what you value your work at, it's an insult not only to you, but to prospective clients.  But you must also work within budget constraints of your client, and I always try to give something that the client will be happy with.

Question 13

How do you normally charge for your service?

Accepted Answer

Rates vary, from $1900 to $6595 with certain types of packages I provide.  I *always* provide fully edited images on disc, ALL are done to highest standard attainable, and they are ready to print 'as is'. No watermarks, no proof sizes, no image is left 'as shot'.

Question 14

Is there a particular aspect of your trade or industry that you specialise in?

Accepted Answer

I have a very experienced background with image editing, having used Photoshop in a way to get the most out of the image taken.  There are many ways to do this, but once I learnt the basics, that was only the very first step of a long journey in getting your editing up to a high degree of a skill set.

Question 15

What experience, skills, qualifications or training do you have to make you the right person for the job?

Accepted Answer

Having been in the business for a long time and having been to seminars earlier on to learn more techniques.  Being reliable and trustworthy is of major importance.  Never stop learning. No matter how experienced I am an avid reader of blogs, forums, etc. and skills are always being honed.

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