“Photography is a system of saving memories.
It’s a time machine, in a way, to preserve the memory, to preserve time.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT US + OUR APPROACH
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Natural and photojournalistic with a focus on outdoor landscapes and communities. We capture unscripted moments while highlighting a sense of space to tell a richer story of your day.
Working with us means nothing overly posed, nothing ridiculously dramatic, nothing awkward, nothing that doesn't feel authentic to you.
As logistical nerds who love planning and time management, we’ll help figure out a timeline that flows stress-free and includes the formal group portraits your mom requested. (We're great with parents!)
We like to be prepared for all situations and always keep fashion tape, bobby pins, detergent wipes and safety pins in our camera bags and will happily help pin boutonnieres.
We don’t work off magazine shot lists as we believe those restrict creativity. We prefer to hang back and let the action unfold naturally, only stepping in to direct here and there. When it’s time for your portraits, we’ll help you pose with movement and draw upon the connection you have with each other.
We don't see your wedding as a magazine photoshoot, but an opportunity capture a damn good party with your favorite people (and you just happened to get married too.)
Want to know more? You can read what past couples have said.
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Yes! You are more than welcome to work with my associate photographer, Erin Prado. With over a decade of wedding photography experience, she shoots in a similar style (loves candids and outdoor landscapes!) and all of her photos will be edited to match the color tones you see here. Erin will be there to photograph your celebration and take care of all the wedding logistics like your timeline and group portrait list. Erin’s packages are similar to mine and you can add hours, second shooters, rehearsal dinner coverage and engagement sessions. I’ll take care of the contracts, invoices and editing (a.k.a. the boring stuff.) It’s a win/win. Learn about Erin and see her work here.
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In addition to digital, Vivian and Erin’s coverage includes 35mm and 120 film scans. You can see more of Vivian’s film portfolio here.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Yes, our “Artistry Package” features 10 hours of wedding day photography coverage with both Vivian and Erin. Vivian is the principle and lead photographer for your wedding weekend while Erin is the second photographer. This package includes rehearsal dinner, an engagement session and much more. Fill out our contact form to see our detailed price guide.
For weddings needing a second photographer, Erin and I have a list of professional and experienced assistant photographers/second shooters who work in the same style as us. For a flat rate of $1000, they would stay the same amount of time as the lead photographer. Learn more about second photographers below.
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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.
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Yes! You are welcome to add an engagement session, welcome party coverage or additional wedding day coverage hours after the contract is signed. The additional coverage fees would be added to your remaining balance invoice.
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Not necessarily! Erin and I both prefer shooting solo as it helps us stay discreet and connect with our couples. That said, some weddings benefit from a second shooter: those with 120+ guests, extensive details/decor, or multiple locations. For instance, if we’re doing formal group portraits after the ceremony, my second shooter can cover cocktail hour during that time. Our second shooters are experienced photographers we've worked with before who share my style. Their photos make up about 25-30% of your final gallery and will be edited by me to maintain color tone consistency. We are happy to show you examples of real weddings shot with and without a second shooter, just let me know!
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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.
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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.
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Yes! We love animals and are happy to include any and all fur (or feather!) babies for your engagement session, elopement, or wedding.
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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.
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After we talk (either in person, over the phone or video chat), we need a signed contract and a non-refundable retainer fee to save the date. You will be automatically invoiced for the final portion of your wedding payment due a week before your wedding date. Portrait session payments are due on the date of your shoot or at contract signing. All contracts are completed and signed digitally. Invoices for payment will be emailed. Cash, checks, credit cards, Venmo and Zelle accepted.
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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.
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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
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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 ask for photo approval before sharing and others will do something in between such as sharing only detail and decor photos. If this is a concern for you, let me know and we’ll work something out.
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Each image is individually chosen and edited to my standards. I start by backing up your photos on multiple hard drives, then cull out any closed eyes, awkward expressions, or anything that doesn't help tell your story. I color-correct each photo to the proper exposure and tone (AKA making them look "happy"). 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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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While I refuse to contribute to the media landscape of unrealistic beauty standards and diet culture, I am happy to do some light edits to your final images within reason. Examples of this include: removing small blemishes, a spot on your outfit or power lines in the background, etc. I will not Photoshop your body into a different shape, change your facial expression or remove wrinkles that occur naturally on your skin. I want my final images to look as natural as possible and not filtered to oblivion. Let me know what you want done to each photo specifically and I can send you a quote for additional editing.
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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.
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Yes, you can learn more about my album design services.