Where are you based out of?

We are located in Port Orchard, on the Olympic Peninsula; however, we travel far and wide to photograph weddings and events.

How would you describe your photography style?

I describe my style as classic, true, natural, and with a hint of fashion. My team and I provide a complimentary mix of classic poses while capturing the emotions in a photo journalistic manner.

Are you a licensed and insured business?

Perfect Balance is a Washington State LLC, with current county and state licenses. We also carry General Liability Insurance and can have your event named as additionally insured should this be required.

What is the reasoning behind the cost of wedding photography?

The investment of a qualified photographer can seem a bit daunting at first, especially if you have not had the experience before. We invest in who we are so that you can be confident in choosing Perfect Balance. My team and I are full-time professional photographers who dedicate our time to capturing and processing engagements, weddings, maternity and family portraits. We stay on top of our continuing education and new technology in the industry, while maintaining the best photo editing software, image storage/back-up, equipment and insurance.

Do you shoot in digital or on film?

While I started my photography career using film, I have grown with the times and my team and I currently use all digital equipment.

Do you carry insurance?

Yes. We carry General Liability insurance. If your venue will require an insurance certificate, you must let me know at least thirty days in advance of your wedding date. If your venue requires more than one million dollars in liability insurance, you may be responsible for the cost of purchasing the amount over one million dollars.

What type of equipment do you use?

I carry Canon professional cameras and lenses, a mixture of prime lenses and zoom professional lenses, as well as Canon flashes and off camera lighting. My secondary photographers carry Nikon, Sony and Fuji professional cameras and lenses. Each photographer also carries back-up equipment to ensure coverage of your wedding in the case of an equipment failure.

Do I really need a professional photographer for my wedding or can I just have my friend with a good camera take our pictures?

As professional photographers, we have insurance, over 20 years of experience to guide you, professional quality equipment to conquer tough lighting situations, premium editing software and the know how to present your photographs at their best. We have the knowledge to pose you and your wedding party, to capture the details and the candid expressions shared on your wedding day. This is not a part time interest for us, it truly is our life's blood, our full time dedication, our passion. Being professionals, we have experience many problems and issues faced during weddings, this gives us the know how to think outside of the box, find solutions and ensure we capture the memories of your wedding day.

Do you offer videography?

I do not offer any video services; however, I'd be pleased to make some recommendations of great local videographers for you.

How will we receive our images?

Each client receives an online, private gallery of their images that stays active for 90 days from posting. Each image is available for a high resolution download.

Are all of my images edited? Do you remove blemishes or other unwanted items?

All of your gallery images will have basic edits for exposure, color balance, crop, with some being converted to black and white at our discretion. Hand retouching, such as the removal of blemishes, is done on large prints or in the album when ordered through Perfect Balance. If you ever want more retouching, let us know and we can give you a quote for it.

Can I provide you a shot list?

While we will run through a list of what shots you must have, we would love focus on what is important to you, and create personal, unique images. Is there a special detail on the dress, or a certain look you and your loved one share? Is the bride wearing an heirloom, something different that sets you two apart? Let us know so we can capture that.

Do you provide a consultation session?

Absolutely! We can set-up an in person or Skype/FaceTime meeting, should distance or time be an issue, to go over the details, feeling, style and all of the other details of your day. As always, when you book with us, we are available for texts, emails and calls to discuss.

Can you provide any reviews or references?

Of course. We will happily share our reviews or put you in contact with our previous clients.

Will you have an assistant or second photographer for my wedding?

Having an assistant is at my discretion based on the wedding plans and is at no additional cost to you. We also offer a dedicated second photographer option. This is not absolutely necessary for many weddings; however, this can be purchased as an add-on. We'd be happy to discuss your timeline with you to see if this would be a good fit for your day.

Do I get the copyright to my photos?

You will receive your images in an online gallery and a personal unlimited reprint release for making your own prints, photo books and for online sharing. Perfect Balance maintains the copyright to all of the images.

What happens if you are sick or injured and cannot make it to our wedding?

I have had first hand experience with and because I have a fantastic group of photographers that have been able to assist and cover me and my associates in times of emergency.

How many weddings do you photograph in a day?

We do not book more than one wedding per day. We want our focus to be on you, to optimize our focus and time towards each individual wedding.

How long do you keep a copy of my images?

Your images will be placed in an online gallery, where they will remain for 90 days from posting. Before the expiration of your gallery, I highly recommend that you download and store copies of your photographs on a thumb drive in a safe location such as a fire safe or safety deposit box, as well as uploading a copy to a cloud storage like Microsoft's OneDrive or Dropbox.

How to I book my wedding day with you?

Email or call us and provide some information on your day. If we have the date available and you would like to book with us, we will email you a contract that will be valid for 30 days in terms of pricing and deliverables. Your date is confirmed and booked when we receive your signed contract and non-refundable retainer either via online payment, check or USPS. If the signed contract is not received within 30 days, you will need to request a new copy if the date is still available, and you are subject to pricing/collection changes. You will be emailed a signed copy of the contract and an invoice payment receipt plus confirmation of your wedding date. After you are booked, review the wedding guide we send to help you plan out your day. With all clients, we finalize the timeline and schedule before the wedding with a check-in call/meeting and give you a copy of the timeline for easy reference.

What is your payment schedule?

We require a 25% retainer for services of your chosen package, to hold your date. Two months prior to your wedding, 50% of your package price is due. One week prior to your event, the remaining 25% will be due. No need to worry about remembering this schedule, as we will include reminders for you along the way.

Do you offer any type of payment plan or discount?

Any discounts offered are specials that are run on our Facebook page. If payment is a concern, please feel free to contact us to discuss your situation and how we can help with a payment plan.

We will be having a religious ceremony that will include some photographic restrictions. Will that be an issue?

Will work within the restrictions to the best of our ability; however, we highly encourage you to speak with your clergy member and reception location regarding any restrictions prior to booking. Being unable to utilize a flash, placement restrictions in the ceremony venue are quite common. These restrictions will affect the look of your images, our team will make the best of what we are permitted to ensure your images are the best possible.

What will you and your team wear to my wedding?

Our attire will be determined by the look and feel of your wedding as well as the formality of the venue. We typically wear dark colors to blend into the background.

Do you mind if my family and friends take photos?

We don't mind at all; however, we do ask that they remain seated during the ceremony and not interfere with the formal posed portraits as this leads to the people being photographed looking in multiple directions and not at our cameras. You have a large investment in having professionals at your event, we recommend asking photo happy Aunt Bea to wait until we are finished to snap her shots.

How much time will you need to capture all of the images?

We will work with you to develop a timeline at our first consultation. For estimations sake, we recommend: Ladies; prep and details-1.5 hrs Posed bride, bridesmaids, and immediate family, dressed and ready-1 hour Posed groom, groomsmen, and immediate family, dressed and ready-1 hour First look, bride and groom formals, bridal party-1 hour Ceremony-varies Extended family formals-45 minutes Optional secondary photography location/cocktail hour-45 minutes Reception-2.5 hours (work with your DJ to insure all important events are completed prior to photography end time) Don't forget to allow time for travel between all of the locations, time for running a bit late, traffic, time for a receiving line if having one.

I've heard about a first look or pre-wedding session, can you tell me what it is and what the advantages are?

Most couples today are opting for a first look. A first look is where the couple, freshly dressed and prepped, have an intimate glance at each other prior to the ceremony. It's your wedding day; you should spend it together! This allows you to get most photos done when you are at your freshest. It is essential for weddings taking place close to sunset, in the winter when the sun sets early, and a good idea for any couple for whom photography is a priority. We can fit in more locations, more poses, more creativity, and more fun with the first look!

Do I need to provide a meal for you as a photographer?

Yes, we will require a meal for our staff. If you have chosen the single or secondary option, each person will need to be fed or we will need the opportunity to have an off site meal break during which no images will be captured. Having a separate table for your vendors is a wonderful choice and ensures we do not miss anything during your event.

Will you attend the rehearsal or do a site visit prior to my event?

Rehearsal coverage or a site visit is available for an additional fee depending on your event details and our schedule availability. Set site visits are not normally needed unless there is restricted access to the location. We typically scout venues for our own information and proper equipment planning.

How long will it take to see our images?

A sneak peek will be provided within 2-3 days of your wedding. Your image gallery will be delivered within 30 days from the event.

How many images will I receive?

We do not guarantee a specific number of images; however, we typically provide 400-800 for an 8 hour session.

Do I get every photo you took during the wedding?

No. We spend hours culling through your images to remove duplicates, blinking, uncomplimentary expressions or poses, or where lighting was not flattering.

©2023 Perfect Balance Photography, LLC