FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY DO YOU SHOOT WEDDINGS?
I love weddings. Shooting a wedding is a beautiful opportunity to be part of something wonderful, and to capture authentic emotions and candid moments. It's a pleasure to do something you love and at the same time make other people happy with your work.
Do you have a minimum booking period?
Yes, I do.
The minimum booking period on Saturdays during high season is six hours.
Why is there a minimum booking period?
My artistic approach is photojournalistic reportage, meaning that I tell the whole story of your wedding day—from beginning to end—through a series of beautiful photographs.
Reportage can’t be rushed; time is a key factor.
There are certain expectations linked to a good wedding reportage that simply can't be met by a photographer who's only been booked for let's say the ceremony or the reception or the bridal shooting. Clients booking periods between 8 and 12 hours tend to be the most satisfied with the resulting reportage.
For a lifelong keepsake, it’s essential to find a photographer who captures all of the essential moments of your wedding day, both the highlights and the in-between moments, in the
timeless style and quality you desire.
A heartwarming collection of candid moments from the ‘getting ready’ to the reception.
Do you offer print?
Yes, I do.
If you're interested in buying prints from me you can always get in touch and I'll gladly set up an online shop for you and your guests to order prints easily for yourselves.
It's important to emphasize that you are free to have prints made at the lab of choice.
I'll even recommend a lab if you wish.
What's your stand on social media?
As you might have noticed my passion for blogging and updating my website is very limited. I consider the whole PageRank chase a blessing and a curse.
Social media is a good way to get yourself out there and let potential customers know what you’re up to at the moment, but on the other hand it robs you of time you could spend doing more inspiring things.
That said, even I can't totally ignore social media in 2015.
I do have a Facebook page for Mark Mattingly Wedding Photography as well as an Instagram Page and I do upload pictures once in a while.
You should feel free to tag yourself in your images if you recognize yourself, but I won't do that on my own.
Our wedding venue doesn't allow flash photography. Is that an issue for you?
Absolutely not. As you can see in my portfolio, I hardly use a flash anyway.
Even in low light situations, I prefer using available light instead of altering the atmosphere and drawing unnecessary attention to myself by flashing.
I can compensate for inadequate lighting by using fast prime lenses and using a high-end digital camera capable of superior low-light performance.
Do you process the images?
Nowadays any image that gets routed through a computer gets processed in one way or another.
The finished photo incorporates experience, taste, as well as technical know-how. I hand process every picture individually, simply getting the most out of every image I deliver instead of manipulating the essence of the day by abusing Photoshop.
This is my recipe for creating consistent, high-end imagery.
How will the images be delivered?
By default he images will be transmitted via download link.
Alternatively, it is possible to order a DVD or a USB flash drive.
Will my images have watermarks?
No.
What happens if we lose the download link and the dog eats the DVD?
No problem at all!
After a while I erase the online galleries and download links but I never delete the actual images. Just give me a call or drop a line via email and I'll be glad to help out.
My neighor's brother-in-law's cousin will also be taking pictures. Will this be a problem?
It’s a wedding, so I understand of course that all of the guests will want to take photos. That’s only natural.
What I would discourage is having a relative or friend acting as a shadow wedding photographer. More often than not, the amateur photographer—although well-intentioned—gets in the way.
The best way to get the best professional photos possible is to have your guests relax and enjoy the ceremony.
A good friend has offered to shoot our wedding for free. Why should we pay for someone instead?
In a word, the answer is quality. A good wedding photographer must able to adapt to a unpredictable situations, keep an eye on many details over the course of the day, and have the ability to stay focused for up to 12 hours and more—not to mention having spare equipment and experience-based fallback plans.
I’m sure your good friend has taken some great photos in the
past. But taking a great pictures once in a while doesn’t qualify you to be a good wedding photographer any more than walking through a park qualifies you to be a good marathon runner.
Amateurs often lack consistency and you risk not getting what
you imagined.
And what if my friend is a professional Photographer?
It’s probably still not a good idea. If your friend acts as the
wedding photographer, he’ll really miss out on the wedding.
No chatting, no drinking, no real time to eat. Which guest
would voluntarily give up everything that makes a wedding
such an awesome event?
You make reference to Berlin very often. Do you also do weddings elsewhere?
Berlin is my home, but I offer my services wherever my
clients need me to be. I'm a very fuss-free person, which helps keep traveling expenses reasonable.
Get in touch and request a quotation for your destination wedding.
Can we tell our friends about you?
Yes, please do.