Since passing the one year mark of my photography business, I noticed that several questions kept coming up or that I repeatedly went over certain details with each client. I decided to put together a collection of common questions and protocols to help my clients know what to expect and how to best plan ahead! You will be able to find these frequently asked questions on their own page in the navigation menu of the site from now on as well (next to the ‘Booking’ tab).
Q: How soon can I expect to receive my photos?
A: This depends on the type of session I photographed for you. For Seniors, Engagements, and Business sessions, the turnaround time is no more than 3 weeks. For Weddings and other full day/documentary style photography, the turnaround time will be no more than 6 weeks in order for me to be able to give attention and time to each photo you will be receiving!
Q: When is my full balance due?
A: It varies. For Weddings, your full balance is due one week before your wedding day. You are welcome to pay anytime and in any amounts you wish in the months leading up to your wedding, but please note that any payments made will not be refundable so feel free to wait until the due date to pay your full balance.
For Senior Sessions, the full balance is due at the beginning of your session (before I start taking photos). For lifestyle & Business photography, your full balance is due on the date of the Photo Shoot, and this will be listed on your invoice.
Q: Do you have an assistant or second shooter that you bring with you for weddings?
A: YEP! I always have a second shooter at least for the wedding ceremony. Usually they come a while before the ceremony and stay with me into the reception. If you’d like the second shooter to come for more time on the wedding day (for an extra fee), please let me know at least two months before your wedding date.
Q: Do you have any vendors you recommend?
A: Yes! I would be happy to give you suggestions on any vendor needs you might have, both in Fort Wayne and worldwide as I have a network of wedding industry vendors that I am in communication with!
Q: How early should I start getting ready in order to give you time to capture the “getting ready” shots?
A: It depends on whether or not you are planning to do a first look. If you do plan to do a first look before the ceremony, I would recommend getting started around 4 1/2 hours before the ceremony. If you are NOT planning to do a first look, I recommend starting to get ready around 3 1/2 hours ahead of time.
Q: How late into the reception will you be there?
A: This depends on how long before the ceremony I will be getting there. My most typical wedding photography package includes 8 hours of wedding day coverage, so if I come (at the most) 4 1/2 hours before the ceremony, I’m usually at the reception for about 1 or 2 hours. This is usually plenty of time to capture special first dances, cake cutting, and some free dancing. If it isn’t, you can always have me stay an extra hour or two for an extra fee (this is billed to you after the wedding and is due before I deliver your finished photos, so you don’t have to worry about it at all during the wedding itself!) If you have a special send-off planned (sparklers, fireworks, etc) we can adjust my arrival time or add more hours onto your package accordingly.
Q: How much is an engagement session by itself?
A: An engagement session by itself is $250, however, most of my wedding photography packages include a complimentary engagement session. If you choose to book me for your wedding after paying for your engagement session, your payment will be deducted from your wedding photography balance!
Q: How do you ensure that the images won’t be accidentally erased or destroyed?
A: Great question! My camera is WIFI enabled, so as I shoot photos (no matter where I am), they are sent directly from my camera to my computer which is also hooked up to a hard drive so your photos are instantly backed up 3X!
Q: Are you willing to travel?
A: YES, YES, and YES. I absolutely love to travel and I offer really great travel rates and packages for destination weddings and shoots in large cities! For distances from 50-250 miles of my home, I charge $0.50 per mile. For distances longer than this, I have a very affordable travel reimbursement system set up for my clients.
If you have any questions that are not covered above, please don’t hesitate to email me at
[hello [at] annabarkerphotography.com]
or send me a private message on Facebook or Instagram (links below).
I will do my best to respond within 24 hours.
much love,
