Editorial & fine art photography
Welcome.
I am completely honored to be capturing your wedding day. One of the most treasured parts of my role as a photographer is that I am able to guide my couples while recognizing their unique preferences and getting to know them personally. Hopefully, this guide will serve as a starting point for you - to begin to think on the details of the wedding that that will all come together to shape the experience you've been waiting for.
Keeping in contact.
Email is the easiest and most reliable way to contact me and get a response. Current office hours are Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-5pm. Weekends are reserved for traveling to and from weddings - should you have an urgent matter while I am away for the weekend you can email my office assistant
Myckenzie
Myckenzierussellphoto@gmail.com
Office assistant
Janemyckenzierussellphoto@gmail.com
What to expect.
01.
Book your date
Dates are ideally booked 12-16 months in advance. You will receive a digital contract and invoice to get your date officially on our calendar.
02.
6-8 weeks before wedding
You will receive a client questionnaire via email to fill out. I ask you to include as much information as possible that way I can begin working on a photography timeline. This will also be tied into your planners master timeline.
03.
1 week before wedding
At this point your photography timeline has been reviewed and confirmed by you and your planner. If there are any questions regarding the timeline, this is the time to schedule a final phone call to discuss.
04.
Post wedding
My favorite part of the entire process. You can expect your full gallery back in 10-12 weeks. You will be able to download your images in high resolution and print right away.
Services:
Engagements
Planning your engagement session is the perfect opportunity for us to meet in person, spend time together, and capture photos for you to use throughout your engagement. If your venue allows you time for a session, this is a fun way to walk the property and really immerse yourself in the surroundings + its a great date night!
PRICING VARIES ON YOUR COLLECTION
Starting at $500
Film add on additional $180
Boudoir
Boudoir session are a way to express yourself in your bridal era, and get beautiful images. Some choose to use their boudoir photos to design an heirloom book as a gift, and others just to acknowledge this time as a bride and feel your best!
Boudoir session are done in my Jacksonville based studio upon appointment only
Includes:
private studio space, 1 hour session, outfit changes, digital gallery of 80-120 images
investment
$750
Photography timeline
Every wedding day is different depending on the wants and needs of my couple. This is an example of a common timeline that can be customized to fit your day. As a rule of thumb - you can expect coverage to begin 3.5-4 hours before your ceremony.
1:00 pm Photographer arrives to venue
1:15 pm Detail photos & flat lay
2:00 pm Brides hair & makeup finished
2:30 pm Bride gets into dress
3:00 pm First look & initial photos
3:30 pm Bridal party portraits
4:00 pm Family portraits
4:30 pm Rest & be present before ceremony
5:00 pm Ceremony
5:30 pm Ceremony ends
5:30 pm Brief "golden hour" photos with bride & groom
6:00 pm Reception
9:00 pm Coverage ends - photographer departs
Browse full galleries
35mm film & polaroids
Please contact us to add on film and polaroids to your collection
Important elements to consider when building your timeline
First look
Whether or not you choose to do a first look will affect your overall timeline. If you decide to do a first look we will likely be able to accomplish all formal photos (bridal party, bride & groom, family) before the ceremony begins. Without a first look, we will schedule these photos after the ceremony which mean you will not attend cocktail hour.
Sunset time
Light is the single most important element to the photographs I take on a wedding day. Your photos will be a direct result of where the sun is during portraits. Ideally, the most beautiful light comes into play about an hour before the sunset. It's during this time that I always try to sneak in some "golden hour" photos with my bride and groom for 10-15 minutes.
Buffer time
Buffer time is key because it is where all of the candid, unplanned, and documentary moments will happen. If your timeline is jam packed, your gallery will reflect that. Having plenty of time in between your formalities is the best way to ensure you're able to be present and in the moment the day of.
Family portraits.
I will ask for a family portraits list when your questionnaire is sent out about 6 weeks from your wedding. As a rule of thumb, you can estimate that it will take about 10 minutes to gather all family members up after the ceremony, and about 2 minutes per photo combination. I recommend 10-12 family photo combinations in order to stay within the 30 minute mark
Choosing to take your immediate family photos (parents, siblings) before the ceremony can help the day flow smoother. additional extended family (aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins) can be finished up post ceremony if they are unable to come earlier in the day.
Example family list
This is a total of 9 combinations for a total of 25-30 minutes of photos
- Bride + parents
- Bride + groom + brides parents
- Bride + groom + brides parents + brides siblings
- Bride + groom + extended family (large group photo)
- Groom + parents
- Groom + bride + grooms parents
- Groom + bride + grooms parents + grooms siblings
- Groom + bride + extended family (large group photo)
- Bride + groom + all extended family (large group photo)
Cocktail hour.
Cocktail hour can be a part of the day where your guests are immersed in the day, and present with each other.
Things to consider
Provide a dress code (preferred color palette, fabrics, ect.) for your guests. As a whole, the cohesiveness of your guests visually will provide an overall elevated aesthetic.
Consider if you would like to attend cocktail hour as a couple - if this is a priority of yours we will need to incorporate a first look into the timeline so that portraits can be done prior to the ceremony.
Planning you engagement session
Depending on your collection, we will spend 30 minutes - 1 hour together shooting. I prefer to shoot one hour before sunset for nice light; but this can change depending on the location you choose. We can typically fit in two locations if they are within a 5 minute drive from each other.
I encourage my couples to curate their look and location to fit the overall aesthetic they would like to achieve for their photos. Using pinterest as a tool is the best way to do this. I prefer engagement sessions to be a reflection of the couple and their individual tastes - so explore a location that means something to you!
If you are still unsure of a location for your session, here are some reccomendations!
Beaches - Matanzas inlet, Guana River beach
Garden, European style - The Cummer Museum (Jacksonville), Jones Street Savannah GA, Downtown St. Augustine
