Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) couples ask about our wedding photography services, or just general tips to have the best experience from your wedding day!
What sets you apart from other wedding photographers in Pittsburgh?
The Pittsburgh region is home to a lot of extremely talented, creative and exciting photographers. We’re blessed to work in such a strong photography community that pushes the limits of creativity. A few things that set us apart as One Way Street Production is our vibrant style. We specialize in colorful, bright and fun photography. We love creating images that pop, but above else, we treat each wedding and each couple as a totally unique love story.
We don’t like the idea of following a cookie-cutter formula for wedding photography. Yes, of course we come prepared with a shot list and pose ideas, but we want your wedding photos to be truly yours and unlike anyone else we photograph.
We want your wedding photos to be so unique that you can really relive the moments of your wedding day when you look back at your photos.
How do we know if we are the right fit?
We don’t like to pressure anyone into booking us as their wedding photographer. Wedding photos are a big investment and you should choose your photographer not just based on the quality of the work, but how much do you enjoy talking with them and how do they make you feel? We always ensure you feel heard, cared for, and important!
Engagement photos are great opportunity to experience our photography style and work together to make you feel the most comfortable in front of the camera. We take time to know you personally the moment we start talking together, and to open up in ways we hope helps you trust us with your most treasured memories.
We love documenting your love story from early in your engagement, all the way through to “Happily Ever After.” Your love journey continues long after marriage, and we have been blessed to be part of so many couples and and families who grow over time.
We have cherished the opportunity to watch married couples become pregnant and who came back to us year after year to photograph their newest, big-life moments. It’s been amazing to watch families grow, and it warms our heart every time a couple asks us to photograph their maternity and first baby and second baby … It means we do everything we can to deliver not just the best images, but also the best experiences!
Are you new to the Pittsburgh region?
We’ve been in Pittsburgh long enough to know “that stadium” will always be Heinz Field in our hearts! We actually started our photography business in the Pittsburgh area in 2009, but we have moved around to various states (Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina) in the years since due to Michel’s military service. We are finally back in Pittsburgh, the place we call home, and we are so thankful to reconnect with couples and families in this area to provide the best and most colorful photo services we can!
Why is it important to hire you as a husband-and-wife team?
Having two photographers for your wedding day is critical to capturing your day in full! There are so many moments happening. Not just the ones scheduled on paper, but all the little unpredictable bursts of joy that can happen spontaneously. We think weddings should be documented to the fullest, and two photographers can be in twice as many locations than one 😉
Additionally, as a husband and wife, we really complete each other creatively. We also care about not just the success of your wedding day, but we pray for each couple we photograph that God may sustain their marriage through the end. We often feed off each other with creative ideas to push to create new image opportunities that our couples will love.
However, since our family has grown and grown over the years (we have five kids) it’s not always possible for both of us to photograph your wedding day. In such occasions, one of us will serve you as a lead photographer, and we will bring in a second shooter whom we trust and whose style and energy matches ours.
How many hours of photography should we book for our wedding day?
Wedding days can be a marathon! We offer wedding packages that begin with a minimum of eight hours because there’s too much going on from start to finish to fit into a shorter timeframe. We have tried to offer six-hour packages in the past, but we noticed it didn’t offer enough coverage, and brides often wished they had hired us for a little longer.
We believe in documenting your wedding day as a visual story, so we think it’s valuable to start photography earlier in the day when the bride is still getting ready. Capturing that first moment the dress slips on, and being there until you and your best friends are letting loose on the dance floor gives you the fullest recap of your day.
How soon should we expect the photos after the wedding?
We are as eager and excited to share your wedding photos with you as you are to receive them! Typically, we like to post at least a few image teasers within days of your wedding, that way you can see and share them as immediately as possible! We then edit a larger batch of “select” photos (usually 40 or more) and publish them as a blog post. After that, it could take a month or so to edit and deliver the remainder of the photos. That can sound like a long time, but we often shoot more than 5,000 photos during a single day, so it’s important to go through each image, so we can retouch it to the highest level to correct color, contrast, sharpness and tone.
How do you deliver images?
Every wedding couple receives a private online gallery (password protected) and customized wedding presentation box with a USB drive with all your images. The online gallery will make it easier for you to order prints and share your photos with friends and family simply by passing on a link and password to those you want to view your photos. The presentation box is a beautiful keepsake that helps further safeguard your digital files.
You also have the option to add a wedding album for yourself and your parents, and order beautiful, high-quality prints through your online gallery.
How many Images do you deliver?
We love to deliver both quality and quantity. It’s very rare that we will deliver to the bride and groom less than a thousand images from their wedding day. We shoot heavily to make sure to capture moments, moments, moments and details, details, details. However, just because we shoot lots it doesn’t mean we just unload everything. We take the time to curate your images to deliver the best shots, and we also personally retouch each photo so it’s polished and ready for you to share proudly and print if you choose.
Can we receive the RAW files?
RAW photos are images shot straight out of the camera, untouched and unedited. We personally shoot with Nikon cameras that create NEF files. When the camera produces these image files, they are extremely large in file size and data rich, but there are a few problems: The first is that you need specialized software to view them, and the second is they appear very flat, dull and gray. Flat and dull is not our style. We deliver our clients sharp, colorful, polished and print-ready photos. We don’t provide RAW images because we believe you deserve our finished work. Delivering RAW files would be the equivalent to a chef at a restaurant just dumping ingredients at the table (raw meat for example) and expect you to cook it yourself. We instead deliver JPG photos after we have completed several stages of professional retouching to them.
Should we get an engagement photo session?
Yes! We think engagement sessions are a fantastic way to get to know you better. Also, if you’re shy in front of the camera, it will make you more comfortable for your wedding photos later on. Engagement photos are great for printing out your announcements and invitations. Those photos are so often treasured by our couples, and we tend to see them printed at the wedding for guests to see!
How much time should we allocate to portraits on our wedding day?
This one is a little harder to say because it depends on your overall schedule and the size of your families and bridal party. I would say you should set aside at least 45 minutes of uninterrupted time just to do photos of the bride and groom alone. Whether you split that time up between a First Look (before the ceremony) and devoted time after, or if you do them all at once, it’s up to you.
Additionally if you have a large bridal party, of say five or more bridesmaids and groomsmen, you should consider at least another 30 minutes for photos with them? Why such a big chunk of time? Our experience has shown that it’s a bit challenging to wrangle large groups of people for photos, and someone always ends up going missing right when you think you have everyone with photos.
The same goes with your formal family photos at the “altar” after the ceremony. If you have a large list of group photos that includes lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and their partners, that can be fairly demanding on your schedule. To be safe, consider at least another 30 minutes or even 45 minutes for formals. If you don’t end up using all that time, great! You get to relax and go enjoy the cocktail hour and reception a little early! But if you don’t schedule enough time, it will cause you some unwanted stress.
Our advice is to alway pad extra time to everything on the schedule. Weddings can be very busy and chaotic, and spreading the timeline out a little to give you extra space between events will reward you with a much more enjoyable and memorable wedding day!
Should we do a first look?
The “First Look” is a more modern tradition that more and more couples have enjoyed and decided to include on their wedding day. Traditionally, couples used to choose not to see each other the day of their wedding until the ceremony when the bride walks up the aisle.
However, in the last decade of weddings or so, couples have started a new(er) tradition where they will see each other before the ceremony. When we help couples set up the first look, we make sure it’s organized so there’s still excitement and joy during that first reveal.
There are a few benefits to the first look. One of the biggest benefits is that First Looks actually help you fit more into your wedding day schedule and spend more time with your friends and family after the ceremony. By doing the First Look, you are able to schedule your Bride & Groom portraits before the ceremony, so you won’t have to keep your guest waiting as long. We have noticed that couples who do a First Look end up getting more wedding photos because the time is scheduled more efficiently. Rather than spending that hour or so before the ceremony nervously hiding from each other, you can squeeze in that look and photos in advance.
Additionally, we’ve noticed First Looks help calm down couples by letting out all that nervous, exciting tension out early. Finally, we have noticed that grooms are just as excited and emotional when they watch their bride walk up the aisle even if they already saw her in her wedding dress beforehand.
However, as your wedding photographer, we’ll never push a First Look if that’s not something you’re comfortable doing. We want to help deliver your best wedding day the way you envisioned it. If you prefer waiting until the ceremony to see each other in your wedding best, then we do everything on our end to accomodate and give you the best photo experience!
