You don't get married every day, so we understand you have questions. Below are some of the most common inquiries we receive from our couples.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You are not alone, and you will never be left guessing what to do with your hands. While the foundation of our work is photojournalistic, we also honor the tradition of beautiful, elegant portraiture. During your dedicated portrait time, we provide gentle, relaxed guidance rather than rigid, stiff poses. The goal is to create a comfortable space where you can connect authentically, allowing us to capture your natural dynamic. We keep this process efficient and enjoyable so you can get back to celebrating with your guests.
6. We feel awkward in front of the camera. What can we expect during portraits?
Instead of interrupting a tearful hug with your parents to ask everyone to smile for the camera, a documentary photographer anticipates the emotion and captures the raw authenticity of that interaction exactly as it happened.
How It Looks in Practice
While the foundation is purely photojournalistic, a complete wedding story also honors tradition. The approach is about blending candid storytelling with elevated, intentional artistry:
- Unobtrusive Presence: We blend into the background during key events—the getting ready, the ceremony, the speeches, and the quiet in-between moments—allowing you to stay entirely present with your guests.
- Truth-Led Observation: The focus is on finding the authentic interactions, the nervous laughter, the unposed joy, and the fleeting glances that make your celebration distinctly yours.
- Intentional, Elegant Portraiture: A documentary approach doesn't mean abandoning beautiful portraits. We still carve out dedicated time to guide you through relaxed, timeless portraits that feel natural and connected, never stiff.
- Nostalgic Mediums: By weaving analog formats like 35mm and Super 8mm film into the coverage, the final story reflects not just how the day looked, but how it felt—imbued with a timeless, enduring warmth.
The goal of documentary photography isn't just to provide a catalog of who attended; it’s to build a visual legacy. When you look back at your gallery decades from now, the images shouldn't just show you what you wore—they should immediately transport you back to the exact emotion, energy, and atmosphere of the moment.
5. What is documentary wedding photography?
Because our couples hire us for our specific aesthetic, we do not deliver unedited or raw files. Raw video files (shot in SLOG or FLOG) are essentially flat, colorless data files that require extensive professional color-grading to look beautiful. Additionally, we capture audio separately, meaning raw video files don't have usable sound until we sync them in post-production.
Providing raw, unedited digital files is like a baker handing over flour and eggs instead of a finished cake. Rest assured, we do not hold back beautiful moments. If a photo or clip is in focus, properly exposed, and captures a meaningful part of your story, it goes into your final gallery.
3. Can we purchase the "raw" video or images?
Honestly, it’s hard to say before the event because we don’t make those choices until we are in post production after the wedding. There is a misconception that you can make any photo look good just by making it b+w, but that is definitely not the case. Some images just BEG for a black and white edit. While others (like where the background is very busy/distracting), don’t work as well in monochrome.
If we had to put an actual number to the percentage of B+W images you’ll receive in your final gallery, we’d say it’ll be between 10% and 30% depending on how your big day unfolds.
4. How much black and white photography do we deliver in the final wedding gallery?
We’ve been shooting on film for years, long enough to have written industry blogs nerding out over our favorite Kodak Ektachrome and Vision3 film stocks. We believe there is an unmistakable honesty in 35mm and a visual poetry in the flicker of Super 8mm that digital simply cannot replicate. It’s imperfect, intentional, and unapologetically nostalgic.
Because of the specialized nature of the medium, film is available as an add-on to our standard collections:
- 35mm Photography: We offer 35mm film integration for all photography collections to give your gallery a raw, observational depth.
- Super 8mm Videography: We can intentionally weave Super 8mm footage into any Signature Wedding Film to add softness, movement, and a sense of nostalgia.
If you are looking for a fully film-driven experience, our Silent Movie collection is a stand-alone offering where Super 8mm isn't an add-on—it's the main event. Because authentic Super 8mm cameras don’t record sound (the whirring of the motor is the only soundtrack the camera knows!), we capture the grainy, retro beauty of the day on Kodak film stock while simultaneously recording high-fidelity natural audio through our digital cinema gear. This layers the voices of your history over the vintage texture of the film, creating a 4-6 minute edit that feels like a rediscovered family heirloom.
2. Do you shoot 35mm film and Super 8mm at weddings?
- Photographic Prints
- Wedding Programs
- Save-the-date Announcements
- Guest Books
- Party Favors
- Gift table or cake table displays
- Personalized reception table numbers
- Thank-you Cards
- Holiday Cards
1. What is a print release and what can I do with my images?
LOG Video Footage
Graded Video Footage
Woodstock
Hildene
Stowe
Burlington
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