Frequently Asked Questions About Weddings
Q: Are you a full-time Albuquerque wedding photographer operating a professional business?
A: Yes, and yes! Matt Blasing Photography is a full-time business that is licensed in the state of New Mexico. I’m also a member of the Professional Photographers of America.
Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Matt Blasing Photography has been a full-time business since 2014, but I've been in love with photography since 1998 when I first set foot in a darkroom in high school (digital wasn’t a mainstream thing yet).
Q: Do you have a second photographer with you?
A: I do! Not only does this provide you with two photographers capturing two different viewpoints throughout your day, but this also means you have a team that has mastered wedding day flow. Having photographed hundreds of weddings, we move seamlessly through your day, making sure we tackle any situation and provide you not only with beautiful photographs, but memories of an incredible, stress-free wedding day as well.
Q: So what's your style? How do you like to photograph weddings and what can I expect from the images you give me?
A1: Short-short version: Check out my website and social media accounts to get a great idea of my style.
A2: Long-long version: I like to mix it up. If you look through this website, you’ll notice a mixture of color photos with some black-and-white images in there. Some are posed, some are candid. I mix a photojournalistic style with fashion and drama. I pride myself on these images being bold, well-lit, and timeless. I don’t prefer to go with trends like selective coloring or matte, muted-looking images. When processing your images after your wedding, I like to ask myself a.) Will this image still look amazing in ten years? And b.) Will this wind up on awkwardfamilyphotos.com? I take your wedding day very seriously, and want your images to be stunning. My editing style is clean, and my shooting style is FUN! I like to keep it light. If you’re having fun, your photos will show that.
Q: We checked out your website and really like the images! Are the photos on your website from real weddings?
A: You betcha, every single one. I pride myself on my portfolio being as unique and one-of-a-kind as our clients. Although some photographers will use images on their website of staged weddings, that’s not really my style for a very important reason: I like to show that we can consistently get amazing images while working in an intense situation. Most weddings are on a tight timeline and tend to be fast-paced and unpredictable. Weather can change, venue lighting can be unflattering, and things can go wrong. I want you to be 100% confident that, even in that type of situation, we will still capture and provide you stellar images.
Q: Do you deliver every image you shoot?
A: No way. While I like to deliver a high quantity of photos, I'm not going to deliver that family group shot where your new spouse gets a nose itch and I capture them mid-sneeze. If an image is blurry, too dark, too light, someone blinks, or is otherwise unrecoverable (and that includes test shots), the only ones who see them are me and my recycle bin. I only give you the best of the best. That being said, I don't limit the number of images I deliver either. Some photographers include a set number in their pricing (for example, 300 edited images for full wedding day coverage), but it's important to me that you receive every single great image, and they are each edited by hand. So that's what I do.
Q: Whew, that’s a relief! How many images is that, exactly?
A: That varies by wedding, but you can typically expect 75-100 edited images/hour of photography coverage.
Q: “Fully edited” images? What does that mean?
A: When I take a photograph, I'm looking at a number of variables once it gets to our computer. Is it crooked? Is it a bit too dark? Is everyone’s skin tone too orange because of the reception hall lighting? Are there any distracting elements in the background that need to be removed? I edit every photo to make adjustments in these areas and to deliver a complete gallery that looks consistent in style. I also abide by the “two-week” rule when it comes to correcting your skin. Essentially, if you have a blemish that will go away in two weeks (like a new pimple or a small cut, scrape, or bruise), I’ll remove it. If I come across a blemish that is in question, I’ll talk with you first before addressing it.
Q: Have you ever photographed a wedding at our venue before?
A: We may have! Please check with me after you’ve booked your venue and I’d be happy to show you some sample photos. However, if we haven’t had the pleasure of working at your venue, we always make sure to swing by and check it out before your big day so there are no surprises! We are detail oriented and like to be prepared for your day. I actually get a little extra-excited when we have a new venue to photograph. It means that you'll be the first to receive images from that location, which makes your photos super unique. And I see everything with fresh eyes which makes me, as a photographer, really happy and fuels my creative side.
Q: Do I get an engagement session with my wedding package?
A: Most of our collections include an engagement session, but I do include one collection without this option in case you are an out of state couple who won't be able to travel here for your engagement session, or for those couples who either don't want to have one or who already have had one. I find that having an engagement session is great not only for images for your “save the dates” and invitations, but I get to discover your comfort level and you get to see me work. This way, you can have an idea of what to expect from us on your wedding day!
Q: My venue is pretty dark. Will you still be able to shoot there?
A: Absolutely. We pride ourselves on the fact that we leave nothing to chance and have spent much of our developmental years learning how to light just about every situation. I bring our own off-camera lighting if your reception venue is a bit dark.
Q: My ceremony venue doesn’t allow flash during the actual wedding. Is your equipment capable of handling low-light situations without using a flash?
A: Yes. I have a wide assortment of high-end Canon lenses and camera bodies that can handle low-light situations where flash lighting isn’t allowed, such as churches or other spaces where flash may be distracting.
Q: Do you have liability insurance? My venue is asking for it.
A: That was one of the first things I obtained when making the decision to open this business full-time. We’re absolutely insured.
Q: Do we need to give you a list of photos we might want?
A: Only for your formal family photos. Since no family is the same, I like to be sure that your family images are specifically tailored to you. We also know that there are some families with members that are at odds with each other, so if there is a rare instance where two people refuse to be in the same picture together, we will respect that and photograph them in separate groupings. For all other images, just sit back and trust us. If there’s a specific shot you really want on your wedding day, just let me know and we’ll make it happen if conditions allow.
Q: Do you carry backup equipment?
A: Religiously. I have spare batteries and lenses coming out of my ears. My assistant and I each shoot with two high-end Canon camera bodies and lenses, so for our two photographer packages, that’s four cameras you’ll have pointed at you during your big day! Our camera bodies write to two internal memory cards simultaneously, saving your images in the event that one of the memory cards fail. We also have many high-end lenses that can handle low-light situations.
Q: Have you ever had to cancel a wedding or have you ever not been able to make it to a wedding?
A: I’ve made it to every single wedding we’ve booked! We feel that if you’ve paid us and have reserved our photography services, we have no excuse to not be in attendance. However, if a legitimate life-threatening emergency ever happens, we have containment plans to ensure the impact on our clients is minimal. In addition to our backup cameras and lenses, we also have a few trusted colleagues that we would absolutely trust to cover for us in an emergency, which would only happen in the most rare and dire of circumstances.
Q: What happens if we want you to stay at our wedding longer that we had agreed upon?
A: We will stay! Once your wedding day comes to a close, we’ll pull you aside about 20 minutes prior to our end time to recap, making sure we got everything you wanted and squeezing in any last-minute photos you'd like to add. If it turns out that you want us to stay longer because you've decided to extend your coverage hours (or because the party just got REALLY good), we will stay on an hourly basis, sending an invoice for the additional time after the event is over. We don't handle money on wedding days, partly because we think it's a bit tacky but mainly because your day should be all about you. We don't want you to have to worry about paying for any requested extra coverage on your day, we can take care of that in the days that follow, prior to delivery of your photo gallery.
Q: When will our photos be ready to view?
A: We always try to share a few photos as a "sneak peek" on social media within 24-48 hours of your wedding. Your complete wedding gallery will be delivered to you electronically within four weeks from your wedding date. If there is a circumstance that prevents us from providing them to you within that time frame, you’ll be the first to know. So far, we have proudly delivered every single wedding gallery by this deadline.
Q: What happens if I lose my images? Do you hang onto them?
A: I sure do! When your images are delivered to you through your personal online gallery, I leave your gallery active for one year after your wedding date so you can download them at will. After the gallery expires, I keep your images externally backed up for another year just in case anything happens. For all of our clients, I always recommend backing up your images in two locations, like an external hard drive or a large USB drive.
Q: Do I have to order prints from you, or can I print my own?
A: You can absolutely make your own prints! However, for top quality prints and albums, I would recommend using us and our professional photo lab for any items you want to hang on your wall or leave on your coffee table. I guarantee the quality of every photo print or photo album we provide.
Q: My wedding isn’t in Albuquerque. Do you charge for travel?
A: Only outside of the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area. Beyond that, we will include travel fees when I provide your personalized quote before booking. Each situation is different and I make sure we only add what's absolutely necessary to keep your costs down. I provide quotes prior to booking so there are no surprises, and I handle all of my own travel arrangements. I also have a custom coverage package that includes travel anywhere in the continental United States and Hawaii for a flat fee, which is a great option for out of state weddings.
Q: How far in advance should we book your services?
A: That's hard to say. Some clients secure their date up to 24 months in advance, and because I only book one wedding per day, that means that date is no longer available to anyone who reaches out after the initial clients book their wedding. Unlike other photographers, I won't book multiple weddings per day or hire a stand-in photographer to photograph additional weddings once we're booked. I want every client to have us! So to be safe, reach out as soon as you start your planning, especially if you are having a Saturday wedding between May and November (the busiest months for me). That being said, you never know when I might be available, even if your wedding is only a month or two away, so reach out and I'll let you know. It's also not uncommon for couples to book their wedding with me before they've selected a venue, so don't hesitate to reach out as soon as you're ready. I love helping couples with recommendations for venues and everything else they need for their day. We're kind of photographers plus wedding planning assistants (without the extra fee).
Q: This all sounds really great! How do I book you for my wedding?
A: 25% of your selected package price and a signed contract will seal the deal. Once you provide the 25% retainer, we’re all yours. I can even work with you to develop a payment plan for your retainer if needed. Give me a call; I'd love to talk and learn more about your wedding plans.