Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you deliver every image you shoot?

A: No, we do not. Between the two of us photographers, we are clicking away throughout the day with four cameras. We do our best to capture fleeting moments with a razor-thin focus to get that buttery background and that sometimes means out of focus and blurry photos. Part of the service we provide is curated content. We narrow down to the best images that tell a complex and rich story as a whole. To use an analogy, it is similar to ordering the chef's set menu and trusting to be thrilled and satisfied with the selection of tastes.

Q: Do you do videography as well?

A: No, filming a wedding deserves another team's attention. If you are in the market for a video team, we suggest going for a professional team. If you would like some referrals don't hesitate to ask.

Q: Who will photograph our wedding?

A: You will be working with Jim and Nikki. We take care of our location scouting, scheduling, editing, and packaging to deliver the best service possible. On your engagements and wedding day, you can expect the both of us to be there behind the lens. It’s us getting our hands dirty and working our craft.

Q: Can we meet for an interview?

A: We love meeting clients over a cup of coffee. Meeting in person is a two-way filter. It lets us know whether a client is serious and likes our work, or they are just price shopping and do not have a particular preference for a photographer's work. It gives you the opportunity to see our work in printed format for you to hold and review, you can ask all the questions that are on your mind, and we can consult about your wedding planning before you get into the deep end of the pool. Contact us for a cup of coffee on us!

Q: What is your approach to photography?

A: Our approach to photography at weddings mirrors our approach to life. We work with clients who are like-minded, adventurous, and willing to place their trust in others. When we have all of these in place; spontaneous, authentic, and heartfelt moments happen before our eyes.

Q: How would you describe your photo style?

A: We love film photography for the tones, colours, and grain. When we are photographing our daily lives, we choose film. With our digital wedding images, we do our best to match the look and feel of 35mm film. We look for authenticity and are careful not to follow trends; we believe wedding photos should be tim

Q: How large can we expect to be able to print our wedding photos?

A: Most of your wedding photos you will be able to print up to 30 x 37.5 for close up viewing purposes. If the photo is printed and hung far from reach, it can be printed even larger because the viewing distance is further. Canvases also can be printed larger because the medium is more forgiving when it comes to details.

Q: Is it recommended to print our photos even though we have backups and cloud storage?

A: When it comes to digital or printed, it is a matter of preference. Our two cents is; seeing a wedding album on a bookshelf makes you want to open it and share it. It has repeat value and is a good conversation piece.

Q: Will you change your editing style to look like another photographer?

A: We are easy going when it comes to working with the client's tastes and dislikes; however, we work hard to build a portfolio that reflects our personal taste, theme, mood, and colours. In turn, we hope to attract clients with the same likes and dislikes. If a customer is looking for a bright and airy, blown out highlights, and pastel colours, then Jim and Nikki probably is not for them.

Q: Will you photoshop us to look like models?

A: We always ask engaged couples why they are getting married? If the answer is to please others, for vanity reasons, or for other reasons aside from love, then perhaps we are not the right photographers for them. We can do amazing photos in far-off landscapes in the best light, but we cannot fake intimacy, love, and a deep connection between a couple. Connections draw people into a photo more than having a model's figure. Having said this, we do minor edits for blemishes or unflattering angles. We draw the line when the photos do not reflect the client. After all, if it does not look like you, chances are someone will notice it.

Q: Where can we do our engagement photos?

A: If you have spent some time looking through our engagement portfolio, you'll notice we are usually in the mountains or woods. We believe nature is beautiful, and while the scenery adds to the photos, it never takes away focus from the couple. We find that the drive to the mountains, a short hike, the fresh air, and lack of internet, makes the moment special. We think it really shows in the photos. You do not need to be a mountaineer. Heck, even a few of our clients have gone on their first hike with us. Alberta and British Columbia are full of amazing locations such as Moraine Lake, Yoho, Lake Louise, Banff, Blue Rock Provincial , Badlands, Emerald Lake, Jasper, and more. If you have a crazy idea let us know and we can make it happen, we're always game to hop on a plane and explore this little blue and green planet!

Q: What time of day is the best time for engagement photos

A: The best time of day to have your engagement session is at sunrise and sunset; this is how we get that warm and soft glowing light in your photos. We like mornings best because there are fewer crowds, more light to work with, and we can hike back in daylight.

Q: What season should we choose?

A: If your desktop background is a landscape, what season was it taken it? Probably go with that. Honestly, all the seasons work. Fall has a festive and warm feel, winter has a clean and adventurous feel, spring says young love.

Q: What clothing should I wear?

A: Where clothing that is natural to you. These engagement photos are for your memories. Think of them as family photos before you have a family yourself? Or if you have children already, you can include them as family photos! Your clothing should be in style with the season, not too trendy, and allow you to move around.

Q: What colours should we wear? Do we need to match?

A: Try picking analogous or complementary colours to the background. [Try this tool for picking colours][2]. Keep the colours simple, not too bold or flashy. Or give us a shout and we would be glad to help!

Q: Should we bring extra clothing, accessories, makeup, etc...?

A: Bring extra layers depending on the season. Leave the rest to us!

Q: Do you have any tips for making a successful wedding schedule?

A: Being calm and reasonable about your wedding timeline is most important. Your wedding day is unique to you, it doesn't need more details to be memorable. Place your trust in a few reliable people who are good at certain things. Keep them close and talking with each other. Spread your day out and leave room for delays.

Q: Do you have any preferred vendors you have experience with?

A: Yes, we do, feel free to ask if you are having trouble finding a someone.

Q: Do we need a wedding coordinator?

A: Your choice, however, wedding coordinators vary. If their website is unorganized, they are hard to connect with, recommend sub-par vendors, then these are red-herrings.

Q: We have wedding day traditions that we would like to incorporate, how can we include them in the photographs?

A: We send you a wedding questionnaire where you can include these in your comments. We are always looking to experience different cultures and traditions.

Q: We have certain family members and important wedding guests we would like to prioritize, how do we arrange this?

A: We send you a wedding questionnaire where you can include important family and guest members. We may ask for headshots of them, depending on the size of the wedding guest list.

Q: Our wedding venue is small, will this be a challenge?

A: No small venues are intimate and have a special feeling to them. We have wide angle lenses that let us do our job if we need to work up close and personal.

Q: Our wedding venue is dimly lit and is dark, will this be difficult for photos?

A: We shoot with full-frame professional cameras that provide a good mix of resolution and low light performance. We pack off-camera-lights if we need to problem solve.

Q: Is there anything to consider for venue lighting?

A: Those pretty purple/blue / green wedding uplights sure make your venue look cool, however, they tend to make peoples skin tones look like aliens. Just know what you are getting into.

Q: How many photos do we get from our wedding?

A: About 400 per eight-hour wedding, or 800 or so for a full day wedding. It depends on the events of the day and how much downtime is in between.

Q: Do you edit all of our wedding photos?

A: Yes, we edit all our photos in-house. While we respect the quality of work that some editing labs provide, we believe in maintaining our creative freedom. We firmly believe a big part of the growth of a photographer comes in the editing portion where we reflect on our work.

Q: How do we get our wedding photos?

A: Your wedding photos will be available through a beautiful online gallery from which you can download from. This keeps things simple, fast, and saves on waste.

Q: How long after the wedding do we get our photos?

A: Approximately 4-8 weeks depending on the time of the year your wedding takes place.

Q: What do the albums look like?

A: Images to come, but there is nothing like seeing them in person.

Q: How can we purchase one?

A: Through our online shop, or just shoot us an e-mail after your wedding and we can get an wedding album started for you.

Q: Where is the album made?

A: 100% Canadian made.

Q: Can we have an input in the design?

A: We send online gallery proofs of the album design, from there you may approve or add your suggestions to fit your needs.

Q: What is the turnaround time to make a wedding album?

A: Between design time, approval, printing, and delivery, it could be around 4 ~ 8 weeks depending on how fast we get your approval, holidays, and the time of year we're making the album.

Q: Do you have all the right equipment?

A: For our digital wedding photography, we use full frame professional Canon DSLR cameras, all with dual internal memory cards, and weather sealed. Wedding photographers with only one single camera, or memory card, are asking for trouble. Equipment and technology fail, and one day it will happen to them; this is why there is a revolving door of amateur photographers advertising themselves as wedding photographers.

For our lenses, we specifically use prime/fixed focal length lenses because of their ability to handle low light situations, they have a unique character and give that 3d pop that everyone loves. We don't use big zoom lenses because they have that "far off into the distance" look, and the subjects usually look wary because they know they're being photographed.

For our film cameras, we use a Nikon F100 or Leica for 35mm film, a Pentax 67 and Rolleiflex for our medium format film. Colour and black and white film are extraordinary in its tones, rendering, and in the case of medium format; its amazing detail and size of prints. We are introducing 35 mm film and medium format film photography as a complementary option to our wedding photography. If film photography is something that appeals to you please do not hesitate to ask! If you love film, you are in the right place.

Q: What happens if it rains on my wedding day?

A: Our cameras are weather sealed and if the rain picks up we have camera sleeves and umbrellas if it gets really bad. The show must go on! We never encourage couples to have an indoor ceremony as a backup; outdoor ceremonies in the rain can be beautiful! Take this for an example!

Q: What is different about your equipment versus my uncle or aunt's camera?

A: The camera of a pro wedding photographer usually is priced between $4,000 - 8000. Hobbyists can have the same camera but they usually just have one. Your uncle or aunt is more likely to have an all-around lens for travelling and family snaps. Pro wedding photographers have a unique lens on each camera, ready to be used at any moment. The most important thing a professional wedding photographer has backups of everything: cameras, lenses, memory cards, batteries, and other accessories, and your wedding photos!

Q: Why do you have so many cameras?

A: Cameras fail, yes they are expensive and high quality, but anything can happen. We have two strapped to each one of us for convenience but also for backup.

Q: Can an iPhone photograph a wedding?

A: Of course, the memories captured is most important.

Q: Is Jim and Nikki insured?

A: Yep.

Q: Why is insurance important?

A: Wedding photographers shoot back-to-back weddings sometimes and if equipment is damaged, stolen, or lost the day before your wedding, it needs to be replaced quickly. This is just one scenario. Another scenario is some venues requir all vendors to have a liability insurance in case damages occur to a venue.

Q: Do all wedding photographers have insurance?

A: No, because like memory cards failing, some "wedding photographers" never think they'll run into that scenario.

Q: What is your backup process for our wedding photos?

A: Our backup workflow starts with dual slot memory cards in our cameras. When we are done shooting a wedding we back it up to a raid one hard drive configuration (mirror copies). This hard drive is being synced to the cloud continuously. We also make another backup to an external hard drive that is kept off-site.

Q: What happens if your editing office burns down or caught in a tornado?

A: We have options, we can retreive our off-site drive, or we can download our backup from the cloud. Yes we will shed some tears from losing our home, but life goes on.

Q: How long do you keep our wedding photos for?

A: We keep them for about a year for our portfolio and website purposes. We do not keep them for clients in case a client loses their photos!

Q: We want to learn how to safely store our wedding photos just like a pro, can you teach us how?

A: We would love to sit down for coffee and give you some helpful advice on how to back up your wedding photos. This is such an important thing for wedding, family, and vacation photos!

Q: What are your wedding photography prices?

A: We offer elopements, an a full eight hour package. Our prices start from $4,000 for eleopements. Let’s meet, we can discuss over coffee about our full price list and coverage that best suits you. We're booking 2023 & 2024 weddings dates as we speak.

Q: Why isn't your prices listed in detail on the website?

A: We want to meet all our potential clients before working with them. We want to know see if our personalities match. We will be frank, we do not want to work with people who are not getting married for the right reasons, lack trust, and are not game for some adventure. From your perspective, meeting a wedding photographer should be top of the list. You probably do not want to work with an unprofessional weirdo, who will be stuck with you for most of the day, so perhaps price is not everything.

Q: Do we really need to meet for coffee?

A: We can do tea? Or hot chocolate?

Q: We don't understand why some wedding photographers are so cheap and why some are so expensive?

A: You will see the same "expensive" wedding photographers continue with a sustainable business and growing client list. The "cheap wedding photographer" will go out of business soon, perhaps midway delivering unedited wedding photos to someone. There will be a revolving door of amateurs trying to make a buck. This is just our advice and we cannot tell everyone how they should spend their money.

Q: How do we secure a wedding day?

A: 50% of the wedding package, whichever is the greater of the two.

Q: What are our payment options with Jim and Nikki Photography?

A: Credit card or email transfer or cash.

Q: When is the full amount due?

A: Prior to the week of your wedding date.