Why i offer what i do
Photography in itself is an extremely personal craft and art. When certain photos reach you and have an affect on you, that is a personal experience. For that reason, it is near impossible to keep my personality out of my photography business. And frankly, I wouldn't want to.
There is a huge number of very talented photographers in the Delmarva and DMV areas. Originally, and still on occasion, it can be easy for me to get caught up in the comparison game. In some aspects I have to; I have to compare pricing to make sure I am competitive, for example. Then I found myself comparing styles and client experiences and that is where I have to stop myself from going down the rabbit hole that can be social media negativity.
I know that a lot of wedding photographers offer their own branded printed magazines to help you plan your big day in ways that will get you the most out of your wedding photography package with that particular photographer. I know that some create gorgeous heirloom albums for you and sit down with you to hand pick what your favorite images are to put in these albums. I know that some send you holiday gifts and birthday gifts, and they genuinely make you feel like you are their only bride. You are truly purchasing an experience with those photographers. And I think it is pretty great. But again, YOU are purchasing that experience, it is why they can charge what they do. And that is just not my intention. Not that I do not want you to feel important or special, you are very much those things and I surely hope that you have people in your life that tell you that daily.
This is where my life style comes into play. I tend to lean more towards the minimalism way of doing things in our home and in my life. We are constantly eliminating things that we do not need and I cannot stand clutter. Every thing (ideally) has it's place. We are not big gift givers unless it is a gift that has true sentimental value or is a necessity that I know a loved one would not purchase for themselves. I do not purchase something for a friend when I think they are feeling down or there is something to celebrate, I call them and we get coffee or a few beers and have true face-time. So when it comes to your photography package, I don't want to add a bunch of filler just to make it seem more attractive. That ornament that I could send you saying "first married christmas", that cost would be added to your wedding package as part of your client experience. Also, on more occasions that I can count, long after the wedding has passed, I am often asked by parents or friends of the bride and groom for the wedding gallery to be sent to their emails so that they can order prints or create an album of the wedding photos for a holiday or anniversary gift for their people. That would be a beautiful gift for a loved one to give to the couple celebrating their first married Christmas or their first anniversary.
WRP's wedding pricing is on the lower end of the scale in comparison to others and you do get less, I won't lie. You do not get prints included, you do not get an album, you do not get a monogrammed Yeti with your new initials, or any of the other things Pinterest suggests wedding photographers do to "enhance their client experience." But I can tell you with one hundred percent certainty, your wedding day is a BIG deal to ME. If you choose to have an engagement session, it will be personal to you both individually and to you both as a couple. Your wedding will be documented as naturally as it unfolds with little interruption. You will still get all of those detail shots, all of the getting ready moments if that is important to you, and I will stay and photograph until the music shuts down if the dancing and partying is something you want photographed. Your gallery is delivered to you in full within 5 weeks post your wedding date (very rarely does it take that long) in an online gallery because that is the fastest way for you to get your high quality images and that way you can download your favorites or every single image and do whatever YOU want with them wherever you want to do it. Sure, it would be great if you printed directly from your wedding gallery so I can make a little bit more money, but that is truly just a bonus. I guess you could say that WRP is the bare minimum. You get high quality, beautiful images and the rights to every single one of them. I just don't think the "bare minimum" is a negative thing.
When it comes to putting a number on the amount of photos you receive in your galleries whether it be for a portrait session, head shots and branding, or a wedding; I never disclose an exact number because I send you every photo that turned out from your time being photographed and each image is hand edited without a watermark. I have a certain number that I aim for in my head, but it really just depends on how our time together unfolds naturally. The price you pay for your package includes every single photo that turns out (the ones that might be a bit blurry or someone blinked or are nearly exactly as another are left out).
My approach to my packages and delivery is certainly different than most. It is not wrong or it doesn't mean that my work is "not as good quality" and it certainly does not mean that another photographer is wrong, either. It is just that I like things to be down to the essentials. I like to know exactly what I am paying for and why things cost what they do when I make a big purchase so I assume the same for my clients whether they are paying for their photography package or they have help with wedding costs. Regardless, someone's money that they earned is paying for these photographs and they deserve to know where every penny goes and why. And, most importantly, I want your experience with WRP to be genuine. If this fits with your lifestyle and your vision for your wedding day or newborn session or whatever type of session, let's work together!
