FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We have attempted to provide answers to some of the questions we receive most frequently. If we have not addressed your specific question, please get in touch with us, and we will promptly reply.
We do not deliver every photo we shoot because not all meet our quality standards. There will be some shots just for testing purposes so we can dial in the settings required to get proper exposure to the scene’s lighting conditions. Often, especially with larger groups, someone will look off in a different direction or have an unappealing look. There may also be photos that are visually very similar, so we will select the one that has the highest overall quality.
We utilize Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop to perform our post-production editing. This can include touch-ups such as removing blemishes, removing bags under the eyes, and removing fly-away hairs, depending upon the type of photography. These edits are currently included in our pricing, which is another way we add value since many other studios charge extra for this type of editing. On the other hand, custom post-production requires extensive custom work in Photoshop, such as removing entire objects from the scene, changing the size and shape of body parts or other objects, adding objects to a scene, and other custom work. We do not offer this type of editing as it is not our specialty.
No, we do not shoot destination weddings. We operate in and around Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. Depending on the distance to the location of your wedding, there may be fuel, lodging, and other travel expenses applied.
Unlike others in this area, yes, we provide partial-day wedding coverage. We have packages that start with four hours of contiguous coverage, and you may decide how you want it used. Please refer to our wedding timeline for some recommendations on time allotment for your wedding day.
Each of our packages comes with a full-resolution image download. However, we typically do not provide RAW (unprocessed) files from our shoots because we believe in delivering a finished product. We’re often shooting with the end (post-produced) product in mind. However, we occasionally provide RAW images and our post-produced JPGs for an additional fee and restrictions.
We shoot exclusively in RAW format using professional-grade mirrorless cameras. RAW and JPEG can be considered image formats, each having benefits and uses. When shooting in RAW, everything the camera sees when you press the button is saved in the image file. This means that a much broader and more in-depth editing process can be performed on the image because the data from the original scene is still present. When shooting in JPEG, you allow the camera to make creative decisions. When the file is saved, much of the original data from the scene is removed, along with the ability to perform more extensive editing.
Yes, we do not release images to clients unless they meet our high standards. This involves color correction, exposure adjustment, selective black-and-white processing, clarity adjustments, tone mapping, and other corrections. This distinguishes us from others in our local industry and gives you even greater value.
Yes, please feel free to contact us with any specific questions.
No, we do not provide videography services. Historically, as a company, we initially filmed weddings and created DVDs (remember those). However, we learned that more couples were interested in photography, and the demand for videography decreased. So, to streamline our workflow, we changed our studio’s direction and services.
All dates are reserved once we receive your signed contract and deposit.
Please refer to our Wedding Timeline for an idea of how long different elements of your wedding day may take.
Once your photos have been edited, they will be uploaded to your professional online gallery. Once logged in, you can browse, share, download full-resolution images, and even order prints.
For various reasons, we have to charge for the time between events. We’re never truly resting during the day, whether backing up images, setting up for the second venue, traveling to the second location, taking venue shots, or making up for lost photo time because of unforeseen wedding day delays. We often use that “downtime” to take you and your significant other out for a photo session or more family portraits.
Unfortunately no. Retainer fees are used to reserve your date. Once we’ve reserved your date, we do not accept new clients for your date.
Generally no, but this is taken on a case by case basis. The reason for canceling and our availability is taken into account. Also, if rates change from your original date to your new date, the new rates will apply.
This involves color correction, exposure adjustment, selective black-and-white processing, clarity adjustments, tone mapping, and other corrections. While these corrections are typically applied to the proper exposure or technical side of photography, they are also utilized in the creative side. The style of a photographer is displayed through the use of these and other techniques.
We understand that not everything goes as planned during a shoot. We never pack up before the contracted time, and we’re not leaving on the dot when the contracted time is up. Instead, we will ask you at the end of your contracted time whether or not you would like to extend. If you want us to stay, we will charge the rates specified in your contract, rounded to the closest 30-minute increment.
Standard rates apply for overtime and are billed at the current hourly rate for your shoot type, billed in one-half-hour increments.
Our style of photography begins with photojournalism (storytelling) and is refined with the creative use of lighting, posing, and post-production editing. This results in a creative and fun photo session capturing all the key moments.
You can reprint images whenever you want and share them online via social media. However, you may not sell your photos for profit or publish your images without the written consent of 4GivenDigital.
Shooting your photos is only the beginning of the process. The second half of the creative process, post-production, likely takes longer than the actual shoot itself. Weddings require 4 to 6 weeks to complete, whereas other types of photography should be completed between 7 and 10 days, depending upon the number of photos that need editing.
As a husband and wife team, we operate differently than most wedding photographers. Typically, a photographer works independently and will hire what is known as a “second shooter.” These second shooters are required because various shots must be taken, and it isn’t easy to get them all with only one photographer. So, your wedding photographer will hire these shooters, which will most likely increase the cost of the shoot. On the other hand, we provide second shooters at no additional cost, which means you will get more shot variety at no extra expense.
