Strouse Photo Tip #22: FAQs
When we get an email from a new, potential client, we often get asked some similar questions. I thought it would be fun to have the answers to all of those questions in one place so let's get started!
Who are Allie & Brad Strouse?
That's us! We are a husband and wife photography team (Brad likes to say "duo") that started working together back in 2005 at Flip Flop Foto. Funny story - Brad and I didn't start dating until after we graduated from Auburn University (War Eagle). When we worked at Flip Flop Foto, our awesome bosses, Rob and Alison, would never let us shoot a wedding together because they knew we were going to date at some point and they didn't want us having any chemistry during weddings! Just kidding on that last part, I think our schedules just never aligned.
More importantly, we are a fun, loving, social couple who LOVES working together on creative and fun pictures for you.
We enjoy running, hanging out with our pets and listening to great music. Brad is a tri-athlete and marathon runner. I am a half marathon runner!
How did you get started with photography?
Allie: I always feel like that is a loaded question. I could say that I fell in love with cameras at a young age, but that wouldn't be entirely true. I actually hated cameras for a long time because there was one always in my face. The rumor mill says I came out smiling when I was born because I knew a camera would be there. Maybe I am just a ham, but I've always had my picture taken because my mom was super into photography (and still is! She's occasionally our third shooter!) When I was younger, I got sick of smiling for the camera so I started hating it. Ha. It wasn't until high school that I learned to love being behind the camera. I rocked out at photography class and photojournalism, learning the basics of photography. Film developing was my favorite. I miss the good 'ole dark rooms. Don't get me wrong, I love my digital camera! Makes life a little easier. From there, I continued shooting on my own until I was hired at Flip Flop Foto in 2005. Also, during my tenure at Auburn, I was on the yearbook photography staff and the school newspaper photography staff. The rest, as they say, is history.
Brad: Coming soon...
What is your favorite lense?
Allie: I LOVE LOVE LOVE our 70-200mm.
What is your favorite thing to shoot?
Allie: I love LOVE and weddings so being a wedding photographer is up my alley! More specifically, I love raw emotion and capturing things you may not have seen on your wedding day. I love all the details you put into planning your wedding so we both make sure you have plenty of pictures to look back on and see every detail you caringly planned.
How many weddings have you shot?
Honestly, we've lost count. As Strouse Photography, we've been shooting since 2010 and have shot over 20. When we were shooting in college, man - it was at least 20-30+ over three years. We were second shooters so we shot a lot more often! Not to mention portraits sessions, yea - I lost track of that number a long time ago!
Can I see your previous work?
You bet! Find us on Facebook for all of our work as Strouse Photography! We're always posting new pictures, weddings and sessions! You can also check out our portfolio on here!
What is your style?
I really like that question because it shows you care about who you are hiring. Our photography style is vibrant, lifestyle photography. We love rich colors and making sure your day is represented perfectly.
Our shooting style is non-intrusive. When you hire us, we want you to be as comfortable as possible. If you hire us for your wedding, we want the day to remain all about you so we remain non-intrusive while still capturing the entire day.
What do you shoot with?
We are Canon lovers all the way. I've shot Nikon, but I always came back to Canon. In our bag(s) right now, we have a Canon Mark III, Canon Mark II, Canon 7D, (2) Canon Rebel XTIs (backups), (2) Speedlite 600EX Flashes, and a slew of lenses.
Do you have backups?
We are a little OCD when it comes to having backups. What does that mean? It means we have batteries on batteries along with spare flashes, lenses and camera bodies. We got you covered! Want to know exactly how we back up our images? We have a post for that! Read more here!
What do I get when I hire you?
We offer the following with our weddings:
- Two Wedding Photographers
- Final Pre-Wedding Consultation
- Ideal Timeline
- High Resolution, Edited Images
- Online Gallery with Purchasing Options Available
- Digital Download after each session
- Printing Release
You can choose additional add-ons such as a USB of your images, extra sessions, a candid booth and more!
How many photographers do I get?
Every collection we offer includes two professionally-trained photographers for one price. We will both be shooting on the day of your wedding, instead of one of us shooting and the other carrying around the bags.
Do you offer albums?
Yes! Wedding, portrait and engagement albums! Our albums are a la carte to try to keep the overall price of your wedding as reasonable as possible. Some couples LOVE albums, others would prefer to make their own so that's why we offer them a la carte through our graphic designer, Ali Cali Photo.
What else do you offer?
Why should I hire you?
* We LOVE LOVE and WEDDINGS
Photography was a huge part of our wedding so we understand the importance of capturing every moment. You'll always have your wedding memories, but Strouse Photography will capture images that help keep them fresh in your mind.
* We are Fun to be Around
Next to your bridesmaids and maybe a wedding planner, your photographer is with you throughout your entire wedding. We are fun, easy going and nice to be around so you can enjoy your wedding, even with us taking your picture all day!
What happens if I hire you and something happens to one of you before my wedding?
I always love to follow that question up with a story from 2012. Brad and I played co-ed soccer together and a week before one of our client's weddings, I completely blew out my ACL. We communicated with our clients to let them know what happened and to assure them that we would be on our "A" game for their wedding. We went on to shoot the wedding...I just happened to be on crutches and lots of ibuprofen! Their wedding turned out to be one of our favorites! See their pictures here. We are super committed to our clients. :)
On a more serious note, should something happen to one of us where we can't be at your wedding - we have an amazing network of photographers in a community where we always support each other. All photographers are incredibly talented and we'd reach out to them to come to our aid at our expense, of course.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes!
How do I hire you?
YAY! Once you decide - "YES, I WANT STROUSE PHOTOGRAPHY", send us an email. We'll schedule a meeting to get to know you and find out all about your wedding. From there, we will send you a contract and our "what's next" information guide. Take your time, read through the contract and then mail it back signed with 25% of the total investment as a non-refundable reservation fee. Once your payment clears, your date is officially booked!
Speaking of payments, what is your payment schedule?
We understand a lot of checks are being cut when planning a wedding so our payment schedule generally is broken down into 25% installments. The first 25% is due at the time of booking as a non-refundable reservation fee. The second 25% is due 6 months from your wedding day. The third 25% is due 3 months out and the final 25% is due 30 days prior to your wedding!
What type of payment do you accept?
We accept check, cash, MasterCard and Visa.
What happens next?
If you purchased an engagement or bridal session, we start focusing on the planning of those sessions. We think about locations, outfits, dates and more!
YOU SHOT MY WEDDING, NOW WHAT?
Do you edit my pictures?
We color correct all the pictures you receive in accordance to our editing style. At our discretion, we'll also send you some black and white options as well! Additional retouching and photoshopping can be purchased.
How many pictures will I get?
A good estimate is about 80-100 pictures per hour. If we shoot your wedding for 8 hours, you'll get about 700-800 pictures that have been carefully selected and edited.
What is your turnaround time?
Depending on how many weddings we have around yours, our turnaround time to get the pictures online for you to view is 60-90 days from your wedding date.
How do you deliver my pictures?
The day your pictures are on your online gallery, you can download them directly to your computer. We also have the option for you to purchase a really cool USB drive that fits in your wallet! See pictures here.
Can I post my pictures online and print them myself?
Yes! When we send your pictures, you also receive a usage release which let's you post your pictures on social media as long as your credit them to Strouse Photography. Pictures we send you cannot be further cropped or edited, per our usage release. You can also print them. However, we cannot guarantee the quality or longevity of the prints that are purchased places other than our website. We retain the copyright of the pictures.
We love you! How can we leave a review?
You are too sweet! We'd love it if you shared your experience with us and the following websites:
Are there questions you didn't see on this list? Let us know and we can answer them for you! Email us now!
Need more wedding tips? We have more STROUSE PHOTO TIPS here for ya!