Okay, this is the big FAQ file! We wanted to include as much information as possible, and it ended up being pretty long. Let us know if you have any other questions! 
Film or Digital?
We shoot entirely digital files. The reasoning for this is simple; in the past digital imaging was still in its infancy and could not meet the quality offered by traditional film. Modern digital cameras, with their extremely sensitive sensors and high capacity memory cards, have changed the wedding photography industry immensely. We are now able to shoot throughout the wedding day, capturing many more images than was ever possible in the days of film shooting.
Do you shoot in RAW or JPG?
100% RAW. Although shooting RAW files requires larger memory cards, larger hard drives and special software to covert the files to printable images, the benefits far outweigh the extra storage and processing. RAW files are able to be more heavily manipulated for artistic effect and have a larger degree of exposure flexibility for unusual lighting situations during the wedding day.
What equipment will you be using?
All of our equipment (including our back-up equipment) is professional level Canon bodies and lenses.
Do you shoot in all color or some black and white?
With digital images, any picture can be in color, black and white, sepia, etc. We decide to make some images black and white based on our artistic experience; images shot in low light situations tend to look best as black and whites, but ultimately any image can be printed in either style.
What is your primary style?
We like to consider ourselves “photojournalistic with a fashion twist.” We definitely take the standard posed formals, but we have found that creative portraits and candid shots capture more of the emotion of the day. Our goal is to be there to document your day, provide enough direction and structure to end up with images you love, but not to interfere so much that you miss your own wedding day! We encourage our clients to let us know how much direction they would like us to take; the more communication the better!
Who will be shooting our wedding? Do you ever have associates shoot weddings for you?
Emily and Steve are the only photographers who shoot weekend weddings, and we will both be there for the entire wedding day. Emily occasionally takes on smaller, weekday weddings by herself in situations where there are very few guests and a second photographer is unnecessary; please contact us for additional information on weekday weddings. Pogo Photo does not ever subcontract wedding photography to an associate photographer!
Do you have an assistant?
We will occasionally have assistants but they will be in addition to Emily and Steve for no additional charge. We will always let you know in advance if we plan on bringing an assistant with us for your wedding.
Can we have a third photographer?
In most cases we feel that two photographers provide more than adequate coverage of a full wedding day. If you have an unusually large wedding or if you feel that you need more than two photographers for the day, we do have access to additional shooters. We are highly selective in terms of who can represent Pogo Photo, so we need plenty of notice in order to book a third photographer.
Do you use flash? If so, when?
For an indoor ceremony without ample light, we prefer to use flash. When it is not allowed (by location, clergy, etc.) or strongly not preferred, will we shoot with camera settings that will result in slightly grainy images. For receptions, flash is less intrusive and captures individual moments. Capturing natural light results in a more natural and realistic image; if there is natural light available we will definitely use it! Pleas let us know if you have particular concerns flash usage.
We are planning on having an unconventional wedding. How flexible are you with non-traditional ceremonies?
We welcome offbeat brides and are always open to new and different experiences! Please give us as much information as possible in advance of the wedding day so that we can be prepared for the unique qualities of your itinerary.
Are you gay/lesbian/transgender friendly?
We celebrate love and families in all of their varied forms and are absolutely welcoming to anyone who is looking for beautiful photographs of important milestones in their lives.
What time do you arrive for our wedding day?
Every wedding is different, and so is the itinerary of every wedding. We work closely with our clients to determine the best time for us to arrive, but typically Emily arrives for the getting ready photos around when the bride is finished with her hair but not yet fully made up. Steve will be with the guys for the entire seven minutes it takes them to get dressed, then go out and do some groom/guy portraits. (We do recommend guys getting ready with a little extra time to spare so Steve can have more time to take fun portraits!)
What if our event runs late?
Then we’re staying! We shoot for the day, within reason. If you start getting ready at 8:30am and you are still popping champagne on the dance floor at 2:30am the next morning, we might start wrapping up our shoot. We believe that this is your day and you should not be checking your watch to see if your photographer is going to nickel and dime you for extra time. Enjoy your day!
Do you have back-up equipment?
Yes. We have back-up cameras, lenses, flashes, etc. that we bring with us to each wedding.
Do you accept a “must-have” photo list for the formals?
We will get whatever shots you would like as long as the time is provided. We have found that for larger wedding families/parties, designating someone who knows everyone by name to direct groupings for each picture flows easier than either of us yelling out a role call.
Can our guests take photos?
As long as they are not professionals, that will be up to you. For the formals, only one of us shoots while the other directs. This is to prevent people from looking at the wrong camera just between the two of us, so allowing any additional people to shoot will only cause further distractions and reduce the quality of your final images. For the ceremony, we are not responsible for having people jump in front of the camera to get their own shots. Having just us shooting improves the quality of the finished images and percentage of useable photos but we will never tell non-professionals to stop shooting unless you instruct us to do so.
Are you insured?
Yes. Professional liability and photographic equipment coverage. We are happy to have our insurance certificate faxed to your venue directly. Please note that if your venue does require proof of insurance, it can take up to 3 weeks for the insurance company to submit the required documents.
Are you members of any associations within the industry?
We are members of the Professional Photographers of America.
What will you be wearing while you are shooting?
Let’s call it “dressy but practical.” We mainly like to shoot in suits without ties, but for beach weddings (or anything outdoor in Florida summer heat) we will wear slacks and light colored dress shirts.
Who does your post-processing?
We do. All final images will be color corrected and artistically retouched. We do not charge extra to make minor adjustments to images that you would like to order (turn black and white, crop, etc.).
How long does it take until we see all the images?
The honest answer is “as soon as possible.” Clients usually want us to put an exact time frame on the turnaround time, but depending on lighting conditions, length of the overall day, and how busy our studio is at that time of year, the amount of post production work can vary. The shortest turnaround time for a full wedding was 12 days, the longest was 6 weeks (with two destination weddings inbetween the first shoot and final posting of all the images).
What is your background in photography?
Emily fell in love with photography in tenth grade and has rarely let a camera leave her hand since. She graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with her BFA in Photography and has been shooting weddings and portraits professionally for 10 years. Steve has been shooting with Emily for three years and she taught him everything he knows about photography. For more information about our backgrounds and shooting styles, please see the About the Pogos page.
Do you include a disc of all the images?
A disc of images is included in our signature package and available for purchase for all other packages. We offer high quality printing at very reasonable prices through our online proofing site, but realize that many of our clients would prefer to have the piece of mind of having all of their images on disc for archival purposes. The price point for the DVD decreases after 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years.
Can I put pictures up on social networking site like Facebook?
Definitely! You may put watermarked images up on Facebook to maintain exclusivity rights, both for you and for Pogo Photo. We will watermark any images for you (it’s a non-obtrusive slightly opaque banner across the bottom of the photo) and allow you to put them up on your Facebook page. Due to Facebook’s copyright restrictions, all images must remain watermarked.
Why should I go with a professional photographer for my wedding?
There are three things that last long after the wedding day itself: the marriage, the rings, and the photos. Trusting a professional to capture the day first eliminates stress the day of the wedding, then provides you with high-quality images for years to come. We work with professional printing labs and album companies so the final printed images can be passed down through multiple generations.
Okay, but why should we go with Pogo Photo?
Deciding on your wedding photographer should be based on how much you love their photography, making sure that you and your photographer have similar styles, and the consistency of their work. Some added bonuses with Pogo Photo are that we always have both of us shooting weekend weddings, every image you see is retouched, we are there for the entirety of the day, our on-line proofing and ordering process is easy and convenient for you and your guests, we offer top of the line prints, and we work with the best album companies in the business. All the being said, we love what we do! We have fun doing this and we enjoy sharing your day with you!
Why is your entry package price so low?
You will find photographers at nearly all price points. For the services we provide, the background that we have, and the equipment that we use, we are closer to the entry-level pricing tier. We debated having a physical studio shooting space, but since so much of our work is done on-site (weddings, family shoots on location, in-home newborn shoots, etc.) that we could not justify passing along an unnecessary overhead cost into our package prices.
Why are you professional photographers?
We have reasons for each type of photography and what we enjoy, but overall we are doing something we love! We have each had “jobs” before, but this is different. Shooting a wedding all day is hard work, but it does not always feel like work! Before Pogo Photo, Emily worked in the restaurant business and had a job with her college in the photography department in addition to her position with a portrait studio on Hilton Head Island. Steve also worked in the restaurant business, in addition to his positions as a manager and a broker while getting his degrees (B.S. in accounting, B.S. in finance.) Those backgrounds have surprisingly helped us more than we had originally thought; interacting with people, working within tight timeframes, running the financial side of the business, handling stress, working long hours, and running all day with minimal breaks combined to make all-day photo shoots seem natural to us. Also, having right-brained and left-brained viewpoints behind the lens provides us with a fun internal competition as to who can get the best shot (i.e. “whose shot makes the cover of the album?”). Spending the day with happy people, celebrating a new beginning with family and close friends who all there to enjoy themselves and have a great time… how can you not enjoy this profession!?
What is it like working together as husband and wife?
Well… ask us after our wedding on August 14th! Shooting other couples in love always reaffirms our own love for each other. It reminds us that love is everywhere, and capturing those moments in camera has become a passion for both of us. Long term, we hope that seeing love in its beginning stages will always bring us back to how we fell in love.
I have more questions! What do I do?
Contact us! Click the contact link at the top of this page or email us.