Frequently Asked Questions
(Updated December 6, 2019)
Where are you located?
I'm located in Tiffin, Ohio. That's in northwest Ohio by Toledo and Findlay.
Do you travel?
I have my passport and I'm always willing to travel. I also love traveling all over Ohio and all over the US!
Do you have a studio?
I do not have a studio. I prefer to find new locations to shoot at, but I have my favorite locations, both outdoor and indoor so we can find the perfect location for your session.
What if there's bad weather or if it rains?
I always come prepared! I have hand warmers, clear umbrellas, and other things to make it more comfortable. Many times when it rains or snows the lighting conditions for photography are amazing and your images will pop even more. If the weather is particularly bad or dangerous we will reschedule your session to a more appropriate time or move it to an indoor location.
What should I wear?
I send a style guide to each of my clients for some tips on what photographs well. For some basic clothing tips check out this blog post.
I found a cool photo online, can we take a photo like it?
Absolutely! We won't do the exact same thing, but we'll add our own spin on it and make it YOUR cool photo.
How would you describe your style?
This is an important question to ask, but a difficult one to answer because photography styles are subjective and full of buzzwords. I would describe my style as warm, airy, and bright. I do a mix between more editorial and posed shots and lots of lifestyle and candid shots. I capture the moments as they happen and I try to get creative shots when I can. Visit my Instagram feed to judge my photography style for yourself.
What are your rates?
You can see my pricing for weddings here and my pricing for portrait sessions here.
What are payments like?
For all of my sessions there is a 25% non-refundable fee that once paid guarantees your time and date for your session. The remainder is due before the session takes place.
How do I make payments?
There are a few ways you can make payments. You can make payments online through ALL major credit cards. You can also make payments online through ACH (eCheck) bank transfers. If you pay online you can even set up reminders for any remaining payments or set it to auto-pay. I also accept checks made out to Laura’s Lenses or cash.
Can you hold a date for me?
Absolutely! Once you pay the 25% retainer fee I will hold your date for you. Until then it's not fair of me to hold your date.
Can you keep my images private?
While I love sharing your images with the rest of the world, if you're uncomfortable with this for any reason we can make sure that the images are for your eyes only.
Why are there watermarks on my online gallery?
Too often I've had clients screenshot the photo and then use that photo by sharing it online. I want you to have the image and share the image, but I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE BEST QUALITY POSSIBLE, not some screenshot with black bars on the side so please download the image (the watermarks will NOT be on your downloaded image).
Do you have insurance?
Of course! When you're looking for a photographer you should always make sure they're a legal business and are covered by insurance.
Why should I get prints?
Technology is constantly changing. Having your images on a usb may be as useless in a few years as floppy disks are today. Images can also get lost in the hundreds of photos you keep on your phone so you won't get the optimal use from your photos. A printed photo will never go out of style and is something that you can keep for years to come even when technology changes.
Do you deliver every image you shoot?
It's so important to me that you receive beautiful, print-ready, images that you want to view and share. Not every photo I take is going to be that photo. Sometimes there will be someone with their eyes shut, a photo could be blurry because of people moving, there's usually doubles of the same photo, and sometimes there's a better angle for the same general photo. Part of hiring a professional photographer is hiring someone to go through all of these images and pick the very best ones. I do my best to deliver the best and the most images I can that reflect my work as a photographer.
What's the typical turnaround time?
The turnaround time for portrait sessions is 4 weeks with sneak peaks being available within 3 days of the session. Full wedding galleries are available within 6-8 weeks of your wedding day with sneak peaks within 24 hours of your wedding.
How are your prints, albums, and other products different from the ones at Shutterfly, CVS, Walmart, ect?
All of my prints, albums, and other products are made by professionals in professional labs from the highest quality materials. The quality and materials that come from these professional labs are not something that is available for consumers so the only way to get these products are through me. Additionally many consumer labs like Shutterfly, CVS, and Walmart do not have a quality check so the image you see on your screen could be vastly different from the image that gets printed.
What makes you different from other photographers?
There are hundreds of thousands of photographers in the US alone and many of them are talented and good at their craft. What sets me above those other photographers? I am incredibly resourceful. This helps me get creative images that you love, but also lets me be flexible and think outside the box during the planning process. On the day of your session I become more than just your photographer, I am the person who is always one step ahead and a friend to help you through it all. You are also more than just a client to me. I care about your images just as much (and sometimes more) than you do. I want to give you the best possible so your joy over the photos lasts a lifetime.
Okay, I'm ready to book! What's next?
Hooray! I'm so excited to work with you! The next step is to either email me or fill out my contact form so we can go over specifics, find a time and day that work for both of us, and make sure we're both on the same page so you have amazing images.
Do you have a question that wasn’t answered? Use the button below to ask your question and get an answer.