Frequently Asked Questions

 

These are the most frequently asked questions that I get from couples searching for wedding photography services.

 

 

Did you study photography or just a trained photographer with Photography Association accreditation?

I have got 'Master of Design' degree from Industrial Design Centre, I. I. T. Mumbai, with photography specialisation. 

I also got "Once in a Life time achievement award" from Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi for my Fine art photography works. I am not a believer in paid Photography Association accreditations.

 

 

Who will actually be taking the photos at our wedding?
Neelesh Kale will be the primary photographer and there is no second photographer unless you specifically request.  

Your initial interview will be with Neelesh who will shoot your wedding so that there are no suprises or substitutions.

 

 

Can I get a second photographer?
If you wish to have a second photographer present at your wedding, I can arrange that as well.

The cost ranges from $400 - $800 depending on the time required. The benefit of having a second photographer is that you will have two sets of eyes and two different creative minds working together to capture your wedding from every possible angle.

 

 

What kind of camera equipment do you use? 
I use Nikon professional cameras and lenses. I always carry backup camera and flash just in case there is a malfunction. I am well aware of the fact that there are no re-shoots at weddings. You get married only once and you have to get it just right.

 

 

Why do you shoot exclusively in digital?

Digital photography offers better quality and faster turnaround vs. 35mm film — all at a lower cost.
Here are just a few reasons why digital photography is my preferred choice:

1. High-quality photographs: Digital photography provides crisp, vibrant images, and gives the photographer a higher level of control during the development and printing process compared to 35mm film.

2. Unlimited photography: I use high-capacity digital storage media that requires much less frequent reloading than film.

This allows us to capture every moment of your wedding day, without missing a beat.

3. Affordable quality: With digital, there's no additional cost to taking each photograph, so our wedding photographers are free to take as many pictures as it requires to tell your story. That means you have a greater selection of images to choose from when it's time to assemble your album and order prints for yourself, your family and friends.

 

 

Are there any "hidden" costs in your wedding packages? 
Absolutely not! We will exactly work our your requiremrnts when we do your wedding contract. If your needs do not change there is no question of price changing. Our photographic services are geared to provide more than enough time and people to complete the job with the best results.

 

 

How many images do you take?
The number of images varies according to the wedding. Smaller weddings like 6 hours weddings will get roughly

800-1000 while larger weddings with many events throughout the day, might range from 1500-2000 images per photographer. This is before editing. During the editing process, roughly 1/4 of the images will be deleted. If you hire a second photographer, the numbers will roughly double. Please note that we take pictures of everything that we see that we think might be interesting to you, however, we cannot guarantee any certain image or any specific numbers of images.

Are albums included in the price for your service?

We offer packages as a special part of our services which include different types of Albums and photo coverage hours. The packages also include the high resolution files on DVD as well as canvas enlargements and your personal web gallery.

Our Packages range from $1950 to $4950.

 

 

Can I make my own prints?
Yes, you will get "home use rights" to your images which means that you can do anything you want with them as long as it doesn't generate any income for yourself or the people you give them to.

 

What do past brides have to say about your service and personality?
As a bride, one of your biggest concerns about hiring a wedding photographer is how this person will behave at your wedding particularly with indian and asian weddings. Neelesh has a friendly and mellow, yet outgoing personality that quickly sets people at ease. Testimonials link is coming soon.

 

Are there different types of wedding photographers?
Yes, there are basically 3 types. The difference between them has nothing to do with how they run their business or how much they charge. The difference is in the type of images you end up with. A true photojournalist works from the beginning to end in an effort to tell the story of the wedding in images without posing or interefering in the event in any way.
A traditional style photographer creates beautiful posed images of the couple, the family and the event. The images may be very beautiful but they will look like they were deliberately posed.
A third type of wedding photographer is a Portrait Journalist. This photographer will shoot in a photojournalist style for most of the event and then pull the couple aside for some creative portraits as well. These images will often rely heavily on influences from the fashion and fine art world - as such, they might be very different from the Traditional posed wedding portraits.

What celebrity weddings have you been most proud to shoot and why?
I photographed models, actors and celebrities, while working as a professional advertising and editorial photographer in Mumbai, India from 1994 till 2000. I have worked with more than 60 Bollywood actors and many many celebrities for Magazine covers, interview features, film publicity stills, advertising and fashion features. I have also photographed celebrities for their fan mail return gift phots.
Since I m in Sydney I photograph people. It helps that I don’t watch TV so celebrities are just normal people to me.

I treat all of my clients as if they were stars. For their wedding day, everyone deserves to be the star - even if it’s only for a day. The only time that I feel the difference between a celebrity and any other person is when I have security restrictions placed on me. That actually makes celebrity weddings less fun for me and much more of a hassle than normal weddings where I can do pretty much anything I want.

Why is good photography so expensive? Is it true with photographers that "you get what you pay for?"
That saying is very true. There may be some exceptions of young photographers that are good but haven’t realized it enough to raise their prices yet, but for the most part, a really good wedding photographer will charge a minimum of $2500 just for the photography service. Rates will vary widely based on the location of course, so that a photographer who charges $1500 in a low income area could easily charge $3500 in a big city. As a photographer gains national experience and some name recognition, the photographic service will cost roughly $4500 and up.  My clients are much less concerned with price and much more concerned with finding a photographer that offers a unique perspective and a high level of skill.

What has been the most challenging part of wedding photography?
I find shooting the wedding to be very fun and it flows very naturally. I enjoy it so much that I never really feel challenged by a particular moment.