Nighttime outdoor celebration with tables, string lights, and people mingling on a rooftop with city skyscrapers in the background.

“Photography is a system of saving memories.
It’s a time machine, in a way, to preserve the memory, to preserve time.”

— Hiroshi Sugimoto

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT US + OUR APPROACH

Our approach is natural and photojournalistic, focused on outdoor landscapes and capturing a true sense of space around your celebration. We document unscripted moments while telling a richer story of your day, which means nothing overly posed, nothing dramatic for drama's sake, and nothing that doesn't feel authentic to you.
We're logistical nerds who love planning and time management. This means we'll build a timeline that flows stress-free, including the formal group portraits your parents want. We come poised for any unforeseen emergency: fashion tape, bobby pins, detergent wipes, safety pins—all in our camera bag, ready to help.
We don't work off magazine shot lists. Instead, we hang back and let moments unfold naturally, stepping in only to direct when it's time for your portraits. Then we help you pose with movement, drawing on the connection you already have with each other. Because here's the thing: we don't see your wedding as a magazine photoshoot. We see it as capturing a damn good party with your favorite people, who just happened to get married too.
Want to know more? Check out what past couples have said.
Erin Prado brings almost two decades of wedding photography experience to every celebration she shoots. Her style is similar to mine, with a focus on candid moments and outdoor landscapes, and all of her photos are edited to match the color tones you see here.
As my associate photographer, Erin handles your celebration and the day-of logistics, including your timeline and group portrait list. Her packages are similar to mine, and you can add hours, second shooters, rehearsal dinner coverage, and engagement sessions. I take care of the contracts, invoices, and editing, so you have one clear point of contact for the business side. Learn about Erin and see her work here.
Yes! We shoot film alongside digital—35mm and 120. The cameras vary by wedding: Contax T2, Holga, Nikon F100, Fujifilm Instax. We like shooting with a variety of film stocks including Kodak Portra, Kodak T-Max, Ilford Delta, and CineStill depending on the event. See Vivian’s film work here and Erin’s film work here.
If film is your priority, the Artistry Package pairs Vivian’s film-focused coverage with Erin’s digital work. See the section below for more information.
I currently do not provide videography services but I have a great list of videographers I love working with on my vendor referral page. The list also includes make up artists, florists, wedding planners, caterers and many more awesome people to help you with your wedding day.
Of course, we insist! Full wedding galleries will give you a better idea of the guest candids we love capturing. Fill out our contact form and we’ll send over a few real wedding and engagement session galleries for you to review.
Communication and trust! The more I know about you and what you are looking for, the better we can work together to produce beautiful photographs.

Photography Coverage + Booking Process

Our Artistry Package starts with 10 hours of wedding day coverage with both Vivian and Erin, and it’s an especially good fit for film enthusiasts. Vivian is the principal and lead photographer for your wedding weekend, shooting primarily on film, while Erin serves as the second photographer and captures digital coverage alongside her. The package can also include your welcome dinner and an engagement session.
Fill out our contact form to see our detailed price guide.
For weddings that need a second photographer, Erin and I work with a list of professional, experienced second shooters who share our style. A second shooter is available for a flat rate of $1,000, and they stay for the same amount of time as the lead photographer.
Many weddings do well with one photographer, but a second shooter can make a real difference for some celebrations. Erin and I both prefer shooting solo because it keeps us discreet and helps us connect with our couples. Some weddings benefit from a second shooter, such as those with 120+ guests, extensive details and decor, or multiple locations. For instance, if we have formal group portraits after the ceremony, a second shooter can cover cocktail hour during that time.
Our second shooters are experienced photographers we’ve worked with before who share our style. Their photos make up about 25-30% of your final gallery, and I edit every image to keep the color tone consistent throughout. We’re happy to show you examples of real weddings shot with and without a second shooter, just let us know!
Coverage hours depend on your wedding's size and location. I typically recommend six hours for intimate weddings (80 guests or less) in one location, and at least eight hours for larger weddings (120+ guests), especially if you have multiple locations. I suggest budgeting at least two hours before the ceremony for getting ready photos, a first look, and group portraits. Doing portraits beforehand gives you more time to enjoy the day and mingle with guests. (Isn't that what you'd rather be doing anyway?) During our pre-wedding consultation, we'll map out a timeline that feels realistic and fun for you.
Yes! You are welcome to add an engagement session, welcome party coverage, a second photographer or additional wedding day coverage hours after the contract is signed. The additional coverage fees would be added to your remaining balance invoice.
We work closely with you during planning to ensure your timeline fits within your contracted coverage hours. If the day runs behind or you need extended coverage, overtime is $500 per half hour, invoiced after the event. Photos will be delivered once any overtime charges are paid.
Note: Second photographers need to be added at least two months before your wedding date to insure we can book someone for you. We have a list of photographers we like to work with but sometimes they may book their own photography gigs so the earlier we can secure them, the better.
Engagement sessions aren't required, but we highly recommend them as practice for the big day. They're a great way for us to spend time together and get comfortable with each other. You'll feel more at ease on your wedding day after doing an engagement session. Due to limited availability, schedule yours as soon as you book. During wedding season, engagement shoots must be on weekdays since weekends are reserved for weddings.
We also offer mini sessions and a "Give Back" option for a complimentary session to fit all budgets. Learn more about mini sessions here. NOTE: Mini sessions are restricted to the East Bay and San Francisco. Engagement sessions that require more than an hour of travel must be a full engagement session.
That’s perfectly fine! Unless you’re a professional model, we don’t expect you to know. I remember how nervous I was before my wedding day, so I know exactly how you feel. But don’t worry, we will work together to embrace the awkwardness and make sure you are comfortable and at ease when it comes time for portraits. (This is also why we love engagement sessions!) We will do a bit of directing and check for stray hairs, but for the most part, we'll encourage you both to be yourselves and focus on each other and not me.
Yes! We love animals and are happy to include any and all fur (or feather!) babies for your engagement session, elopement, or wedding.
Vivian’s mileage is included for all 6+ hour wedding packages within California.
Erin’s mileage fees are billed at $1/mile outside of a 60 mile radius of 94577.
Secured overnight hotel lodging (at least three star to ensure safety and security of myself and my equipment) must be provided for travel beyond a two hour drive (~130 miles) of 94803 or 94577.
For events that require plane travel, please inquire for a custom travel quote.
After we connect (in person, by phone, or video chat), you'll need to sign a contract and pay a non-refundable retainer to secure your date. The retainer is due within 15 days of contract signing.
All contracts must be completed and signed within one month of being issued. If we don't receive your signed contract within that timeframe, it will be cancelled and your date will be released for other clients.
For weddings, you'll be automatically invoiced one week before your wedding date for the remaining balance. For portrait sessions, payment is due either at contract signing or on the day of your shoot.
All contracts are completed and signed digitally. Invoices will be sent via email. We accept cash, checks, credit cards, Venmo, and Zelle.
All retainer fees and payments are transferable to future events with no rescheduling fees as long as we are available on the new date. To reschedule, all we need is a new contract signed for the new date. If a new date is unavailable, let’s talk and figure out a way to transfer your retainer fee to a different type of shoot (engagement, family, small elopement, etc.)
Note: Photography shoots are not transferrable to a third party.
Overtime is charged at $500 per half hour. Overtime is any additional photography coverage time added on the day of the event. Additional coverage hours can be added prior to the day of the event at our normal hourly rate. California state tax applies to final price if final photos are delivered via USB flash drive.

Post Production + Photo Delivery

Not at all! I completely understand and respect my couples need for privacy in our social media obsessed oversharing culture. While my photography agreements come with a model release because these shoots allow me to expand my portfolio, I am happy to address your concerns on an individual basis to support all levels of comfort. I never share last names and can share only first initials if preferred. Some couples will opt to have nothing published, some will ask for photo approval before sharing and others will do something in between such as sharing only detail and decor photos or sharing only photos where no one is visibly identifiable with no names attached. If this is a concern for you, let me know and I’ll include an addendum contract to sign when you book with us.
Each image is individually chosen and edited to my standards. I back up your photos on multiple hard drives, then cull out closed eyes, awkward expressions, or anything that doesn't help tell your story. I color-correct each photo to the proper exposure and tone. For weddings, I organize images chronologically into categories like "Getting Ready," "Group Portraits," and "Ceremony" for easy viewing. The digital files you receive are edited final images (JPGs, not unprocessed RAW files).
If you have film coverage, I drop off the rolls to be processed and digitally scanned at my local film lab. The film scans are integrated into your final gallery alongside your digital images and can be printed the same way.
Four to six weeks is my average turnaround time for wedding photograph collections. During high volume wedding months (August-October), turnaround time can be up to eight weeks.
For a six hour wedding, you will receive between 500-800 images. For elopements, you will receive between 200-300+ images. The image count depends on the length of coverage and amount of events during the day. A good rule of thumb is about 50-75 images per hour.
Turnaround time for all other portrait sessions is two weeks and you will receive at least 80+ images from our session.
Unfortunately, no. The best analogy for why is: when you a hire a florist, you aren't simply paying for the flowers, you are paying for the florist's artistic eye and floral arranging expertise. It's the same with photography. While we aim to capture everything perfectly within camera the moment we press the shutter, I have a very specific way I like to post-process my images. RAW files are like an unfinished painting. The way that I edit and color correct is specific to me and my personal style aesthetic. It's what you see on my website and with all our photos.
Yes, for digital images only. Black and white to color conversion and vice versa is relatively easy with digital files. I am happy to convert up to 20 of the final photos from your wedding day or portrait session at no extra cost. All I need is an email with the filenames. (It's best to select photos you plan to print out and/or display.) If you wish to convert more than 20 images, let me know and I can send you a quote for additional editing work.
Film scans can only be converted to black and white and not vice versa.
While I refuse to contribute to the media landscape of unrealistic beauty standards and diet culture, I'm happy to do some light edits to your final images, like removing small blemishes, spots on your outfit, or distracting background elements like power lines. What I won't do is alter your body shape, change your facial expressions, or remove wrinkles and natural skin texture. I want your photos to look natural and genuinely like you, not filtered or digitally manipulated.
If you'd like specific light edits done to any photos, let me know what you have in mind and I can provide a quote for additional editing work.
I hand-edit and color-correct each photo individually, which is the same process I've used for over two decades. This means every image you receive has been personally reviewed and adjusted by me to ensure it meets my standards.
AI, which has been integrated into Photoshop’s removal tools, is only used lightly for one specific purpose: removing distracting objects from the background, like garbage on the ground or stray hairs that are out of place. It's a tool to clean up, not to alter.
What AI is NOT used for: I don't use it to cull your photos, change how you look, adjust your body or facial expressions, or fundamentally alter the appearance of your images. Your photos remain natural and true to how you actually looked on your wedding day.
My editing philosophy is straightforward: enhance what's already there through color correction and careful curation, but never change who you are in the photograph. If you have specific light edits in mind (like removing a blemish or a power line), I'm happy to discuss those separately, as mentioned in my Photoshop policy above.
Absolutely. The contract includes an exclusive rights print release. You'll be able to use the photos for any personal use (display, social media sharing, etc.) The digital files you will receive are edited, free of watermarks/logos, color-corrected and saved at a high enough resolution for any professional lab to make prints.
Yes, you can learn more about my album design services.