F.A.Qs

Your Photography:

What type of photography do you do?
Seymour Photos covers weddings in a journalistic or natural style but photography shouldn't be limited to one particular style alone. Whilst we are unassuming in our coverage of the day we feel we can also capture naturally posed images of the bride and groom together - we will generally try to take about an hour (or possibly more, time permitting) alone with the both of you to create more intimate images of you. Seymour Photos also tries to capture all of the detail of the wedding; your cake, place settings, shoes, dress detail. Posed "table shots" are kept to a minimum. I prefer, instead, to capture guests laughing, smiling, dancing, drinking, and having a great time.

Do you take posed family images?
Yes. This event is a record of your entire family at a momental but historical time. There are a selection of family groupings that are traditionally photographed at each wedding we cover, which we will provide to you. This is not to say that you cannot have other individual shots but remember that each photo can take up to five minutes (or possibly more) to complete. A very long list of posed images may hinder our ability to cover your day efficiently. This is time that could be used to capture the intimate Bride and Groom shots or spend mingling with your family. We would suggest a maximum of 15shots on your "Formals List" to ensure we do not over-run.

Can we give you a list of photographs we want you to take?
Aisde form the groupings mentioned above, no. It is very useful to be told which relatives and friends are attending your day, and if you have any significant events occuring throughout your day, however continued requests for extra images may detract from the images i am trying to capture. One thing we do request is a designated organiser (or ‘bossy person’ as I like to call them) to co-ordinate the shots on your Formals List. I don’t know your family as well as you and your family members do and it would take rather a long time for me to find them.

 

Travel and Coverage:

Where are you based and can you travel to our wedding?
Seymour Photos are based in Andover, Hampshire but we can travel to all locations in the South of England. Locations beyond the South of England may incur travel and accomodation charges, but these will be kept to a minimum and arranged at the time of the signing of the contract.

Are you the only photographer?
Garry is the sole primary photographer of Seymour Photos. This is due to the fact that people pay for my style of photography and using another photographer for the main shots wouold not be indicative of my work.

Do you have an assistant - a second photographer?
Yes, but not at every shoot. The assistant, when available, will take shots of the details, photojournalistic people shots and assist with lighting.

How long will it take to receive our products and images?
It normally takes up to twelve (12) weeks from your photo selection to receive your final products, but this is dependant upon the amount of images used, the intricacy of the work being carried out and your timescale in determining which photos will be part of the album.

How many pictures will we receive?
There is no limit on the number of photographs taken and it depends on many things - the number of guests, hours of coverage, types of events. A couple would normally receive between 200-400 final images but this is also dependant upon which package you choose. The final images will all be of the highest standard with minimal duplicates and blinking/head turning. You will not find any blurred images in your package (unless intentionally blurred for artistic values).

Can we keep the negatives?
We provide high-resolution files (see specific packages for details) but not the RAW files (the digital equivalent of negatives). Discs are supplied with resized and watermarked images for your social networking sites etc on all but our basic packages. Only our top package comes with all of your wedding images on disc (please see our Weddings page for more details).

Can we keep the copyright to the images we purchase?
Where files are supplied, we do retain the copyright to the images. What you will receive with your purchased images is 'usage rights'. This allows you to print off as many photos for yourself, your family and your friends as you want. This is what most people require of their photos. A photographer will keep copyright as they are images created with an artistic vision in mind. The photographer may also use these images for promotional purposes, competition, professional review and so on. Imagine if everyone retained copyright to their own images and didn't allow the photographer to use them... how would you be able to visit a photographer's website and judge how good they are without seeing their work?!

Will you come to our rehearsal?
Seymour Photos does not normally attend the rehearsals. If you would like us to attend then availability and pricing can be arranged at the time of signing the contract.

How does the album design process work?
You will have six months to select the images for your album, should your package include one. If a selection hasn't been made within that time we will create an initial draft for you. You can preview your album design and make a maximum of three changes to it before a change-fee is applied. Once you have approved the layout you will sign off the layout and it will go to print. Once you choose your images it can take up to four weeks to produce your first draft and each change will take up to two weeks to complete.

What will my album look like?
When we meet at your first consultation you will be shown a selection of albums so it will give you an idea of what your finished product will look like.

What is the online gallery?
This is a private, password protected section on our website where all of your wedding photographs will be placed online for you and your family and friends to view. A secure shopping cart can also be provided to allow you and your family and friends to purchase extra prints. All you have to do is provide the username and password we supply you to anyone who you want to be able to view the images.

Do you do engagement sessions?
Yes, engagement sessions (or Couples Sessions as we like to call them) are supplied in specific packages (see our Weddings page for more details) but can also be supplied separately (see our Couples Sessions page for more details).

 

Business Details:

Are you insured?
Yes.

What kind of equipment do you use?
High end, professional Canon equipment and backups.

How long have you been in business?
Seymour Photos has been in business since 2008 but Garry has been shooting weddings and other commissions since 2005..

Can you secure the date for me?
Unfotunately we can't hold the date without a retainer and a signed contract. We accept bookings on a first come/first served basis.

What is your payment schedule?
A retainer of 30% is due at the signing of the contract to reserve the date. The balance is then due fourteen (14) days before your event. If you are booking under one month before the wedding the entire contract amount is due at the time of signing.

Can we pay you part of the amount after the wedding?
No. We do require full payment fourteen (14) days before the event.

I have to cancel my wedding. Can we have a refund of the retainer?
No. The retainer fee and all monies paid are non-refundable. The retainer guarantees that we will hold the date exclusively for you and once you've signed the contract we turn down all other commissions for that date.

What if you cannot attend due to illness or even worse?
We will still supply you with coverage from our assistant or second shooter. Seymour Photos can also call upon organizations and networking groups to find you a replacement photographer.

If we decide to commission you for our wedding, when should we book?
As soon as is humanly possible. Due to the nature of booking weddings a date cannot be held so you will have to beat the competition to reserve your date. The only way to do this is to pay the retainer to secure the date.

If we run over time, will you stay?
We certainly will. Seymour Photos has an overtime rate and it goes into effect only with your permission. You will be billed for these hours after your return from your honeymoon.

OK, what price deals can you do?
Unfortunately we cannot offer discounts. The prices are based on many, many factors. If, however, you have concerns about your budget, please contact us and let us know - Seymour Photos can always tailor a package to suit your needs.

Do we need to feed you at the reception?
Some couples offer the photographer a meal on the day. Although this is by no means expected it is gratefully received. If we are offered such a generous gesture then we normally take it away from the wedding breakfast. This allows you to concentrate on eating and interacting with your family and friends without intrusion; besides, we would never normally photograph the meal itself as they don’t make flattering photos! It also allows us to review the day’s proceedings and charge or change any batteries.

Can our family and friends take pictures with their cameras?
Yes, of course. We would ask that we are not crowded when taking the formal pictures as it can be very hard to control the direction of each persons eyes! Once we have the shot then family and friends can jump in and take their shots. One area we try to keep private is the Bride and Groom intimate shots. This is a creative process and any distractions from guests could marr the final image