How will you and your team dress on my wedding day?

Usually, we will dress in business-casual clothing: black pants and blouses.

Sometimes, if we know in advance that you are having a casual affair and are okay with it, we will wear jeans. If it's supposed to be a hot summer's day, we may dress appropriate for the weather to include dressy capris and thin layers on top. One of my staples (regardless of the kind of wedding that it is!) is Converse. They are so comfy and help add a bit of my personality to whatever environment I'm in. I have been known to trade them in for hiking boots on a few occasions.

Do you travel for weddings?

Traveling for weddings allows me to combine two of my favorite things: travel and love-stories. So, yes! I love traveling for weddings. If your wedding will be set in a place that is 3+ hours of driving from Fort Collins, I will ask that you pay for a hotel for my second shooter and me in addition to your wedding photography package fees. If your wedding will be set in a place that is 5+ hours of driving from Fort Collins, I will ask that you pay for airfare and two-nights' hotel for my second shooter and me in addition to your wedding photography package fees.

Do you offer all-inclusive wedding photography packages?

Yes! My "It's All Important" package includes 10 hours of wedding-day photography with two photographers, an engagement session, a shareable and downloadable digital gallery of your final images, retouched images, and an album or canvas.

Why do all of your wedding packages include two photographers?

I have a second photographer built-in to all of my wedding photography packages so that more ground can be covered. While I'm photographing portraits, the other photographer can be watching for cute, candid moments by the guests. While I'm at the front of the aisle making sure I get you and your wedding party coming into the ceremony space, the second photographer can be positioned in the back to make sure to get the wide shot of everyone as you're coming down the aisle. During your first look, I'll be photographing your partner's face while the other photographer is photographing yours.
Sometimes, on wedding days, a photographer is needed in more than one place. Maybe your morning is short on time, so you have to be getting ready at the same time as your partner, and maybe your wedding venue doesn't have space for both of you so one of you is offsite. With a second photographer, we can split up and cover things simultaneously.

My sister/brother/uncle/friend is a photographer and will edit the photos that you take. Is that cool?

While I completely understand the sentiment behind this question, the answer is no. Often while I'm shooting, I will have a specific vision in mind for the resulting photo -- especially knowing what my editing process is. This is true of (most) professional photographers -- all of them that I know in the area, in fact.
I heard it explained this way once: it would be like a painter starting the background of a painting and then another painter coming along and adding the foreground and details. It just doesn't mesh well. I also have a clause in my contract stating that it is illegal to edit my images in any way, including sharpening or converting to black and white, even when uploading to social media. I work hard at making sure my images are perfect to my style before I release them to my clients, and I always include a black and white version of every photograph so that you don't run into any issues with this.

So...what's with the name?

Ha! Funny you should ask. It's actually related to my dog, Bailey.
See, in my household, we name parts of our dog. Her snout is called a Shnoot, her nose is the Sniff-Tip, etc., and her tail is called Penny! The reason it's called Penny is because when she was a puppy, it wag back and forth like a pendulum, so I shortened it to Penny.
Then, when Bailey was about six months old, there were some hairs on her tail that started to get longer...and we called them feathers.

What equipment do you shoot with?

Currently, I have in my photography bag: -Nikon D750 -Nikon D7000
-Nikon 50mm 1.8
-Nikon 70-300mm
-Yungnuo 35mm 1.2
-Nikon 18-55mm 4.5/5.6 -2 Neewer 750ii Speedlites I'm also not opposed to renting other equipment, as I've done for weddings in the past. Usually, my rentals are just lenses, but I have been known to rent cameras as well, especially if there is a new piece of equipment that I just cannot wait to try out.

Do you require a retainer?

I do! Each of my photography sessions requires a retainer so that your date is reserved on my calendar. This ensures that no one else will book a session on the same day as you.

Do you accept payment plans?

Yes! I want to make sure that every person who wants their memories documented beautifully can afford to have them. Send me an email and we'll figure out what kind of payment plan is right for your situation.

Do you require fees for travel?

For sessions inside of Colorado, I start charging after 100 miles per way. For example, if you want your session to take place at a location that is 120 miles away from Fort Collins, I would charge you for 40 miles. (I calculate the total owed for distance using the current federal standard mileage rate.) If your session will take place that is more than a three-hour drive one way, I will ask that you also pay for a hotel. If your session takes place at a session more than five hours driving distance from Fort Collins, I will charge you for airfare and a hotel for two nights.

What is the best time of day to have my session?

My favorite time for photo sessions in the morning starts thirty minutes after the sun comes up and end two hours later.
For sessions later in the day, my favorite time is two hours before the sun goes down until the sun has set.

You've made it known that you are a fan of tacos -- what are your favorites?

Well, where are we going? ;)

If we are going to a tacqueria, I will probably get a shrimp taco and a carnitas taco because those are my favorites at tacquerias. I'll get them plain with cilantro and add some cucumber to it -- maybe some lime, too. If we are going to Taco Bell, I will probably get a supreme Doritos Locos Nacho Cheese taco with beans instead of beef. Then I'll add two packets of mild sauce to it. If we are staying in, give me the Old El Paso Stand-n' Stuff taco shells filled with seasoned ground turkey (or veggie crumbles!), sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa.

What should I wear to my portrait session?

I will send you information specific to the type of session you are doing to you in your welcome guide, but here are some general rules:

• Wear something that will not date your photos so that they will be able to be displayed for years to come. Try to balance timeless and stylish, but avoid trends. (This tip goes for clothing AND makeup.)
• Don't wear all one color, and especially avoid wearing all black or all white as those are colors are harder to photograph. If you usually wear black, wear gray.
• Avoid busy patterns. Plaid works well though.
• Try to stick to neutral colors, like beige, blush, blue, and green.
• Coordinate your outfit to your location. (Don't wear stilettos on a hiking trail!)

Why should I have a documentary session?

Documentary sessions focus on the memories that you make every day. You know the ones: the way the kids are contentedly coloring at the table, the way your partner looks when they are so into their book in the living room, the happy emotions streaming out of the kitchen as the family makes dinner together...ah, yeah...those warm-fuzzy evoking memories. That's the good stuff right there. Let's photograph that.