Where does your name come from?
How far ahead of my wedding should I make a reservation for a photographer?
How do we arrange a meeting with you?
Do you accept credit or debit cards?
Do you take black and white photos too?
What do you mean by a combination of black and white and color?
Do you mind if my Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/etc. takes pictures too?
Is it OK if I put little disposable cameras out on the reception tables for my guests to use?
Should we do the formals before or after the ceremony?
How many pictures will you take?
Do you retouch photos before you print them?
Can I keep the digital images?
Do you put proofs online and how do I order prints?
Do I get to pick the pictures I want, or do you do it for me?
How long do you keep digital images on file? Can I order more pictures later?
How long will the prints last?
What will you and your associates wear to the wedding?
Do you photograph every wedding, or do you send out assistants?
Where does your name come from?
When the French explorers under Captain Bonneville first came to the Boise Valley in 1833, they had crossed vast dry deserts. When they saw the lush tree lined river valley, they exclaimed "Les Bois! Les Bois! Vouyez Les Bois" which means "The Woods, The Woods, Look at the Woods!" Boise is actually the French word for "wooded".
Les Bois is pronounced "layBWAH".
How far ahead of my wedding should I make a reservation for a photographer?
You should reserve a photographer as soon as you decide on your wedding date.
How do we arrange a meeting with you?
I offer a no-obligation free consultation. Please contact me to arrange for a meeting.
After discussing your photography needs, I will present our contract and go over it with you. I require a $500 deposit to secure your wedding date when you sign the contract.
Do you accept credit or debit cards?
Sure! Just click here. But if you want to reserve our services by paying a deposit, I would like to meet with you first and go over the contract with you, so please contact me to arrange a meeting.
Do you take black and white photos too?
I use state of the art digital cameras, which means that any image can easily be rendered as color, black and white, or a combination of black and white and color.
What do you mean by a combination of black and white and color?
Back in the days before color photography was common, artists would often paint color into a small section of a black and white photo, such as a red rose. I can do the same thing digitally with ease. It's a very charming effect. Here's an example:
The comprehensive packages include travel time anywhere in the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, and select countries worldwide. You will only be charged for actual travel expenses (meals, lodging, transportation, and incidentals) with copies of all receipts.
Do you mind if my Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/etc. takes pictures too?
Not at all, as long as they refrain from photography during the formal sessions. It is almost impossible to take a proper formal photograph with more than one photographer working, because each person in the group will be looking at a different photographer.I would also appreciate it if I could have my choice of locations during key moments, like the cake cutting, the bouquet toss, etc. But I have no problem sharing these special moments with amateur photographers.
What sorts of albums do you make?
Some examples are: Finao, Jorgensen, Leather Craftsmen, and Renaissance. Finao has awesome printed canvas and metal covers.
We do not currently offer videography services. But we highly recommend Jim Seaney at Foreverlasting Productions.
Sure! Again, I highly recommend Jim Seaney at Foreverlasting Productions.
Is it OK if I put little disposable cameras out on the reception tables for my guests to use?
I certainly don't mind if you do. However, almost everybody has a digital camera or camera phone these days, so your disposables probably won't get used.
Should we do the formals before or after the ceremony?
There is an ages old tradition that it is bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony on the wedding day. If following this tradition is important to you, we can certainly do the formals afterwards. However, getting all the formals done before the ceremony has several advantages:
- Flowers, clothing and make-up are fresh
- You can carefully budget time for formals. Couples who feel formal photos are important will set aside one, two, or even three hours for formals, which finish up about half an hour before the ceremony begins.
- If you do formals immediately after the ceremony, guests have to wait before they can greet you, and members of the bridal party will have pose for pictures rather than mingle. This can also add to your wedding expenses if you have to keep the band, DJ, catering staff, etc. waiting at the reception hall.
How many pictures will you take?
Usually somewhere between several hundred and a thousand pictures per wedding. I have on occasion taken over a thousand. Of course, this is dependant on the number of photo opportunities I have. But there is no upper limit on number of pictures taken.
Do you retouch the photos before you print them?
Basic retouching is free with every print order. This includes skin smoothing, stray hair removal, and other basic steps. More extensive retouching, such as opening closed eyes, turning frowns upside down, and adding people or removing people from a scene is often possible, but is quoted on a case by case basis.
Can I keep the digital images?
Most of my packages include DVD's of all the high resolution images, including basic color correction, sharpening, and skin smoothing.
However, if you want the finest print quality, I would encourage you to order prints through me. Every print I make is a work of art.
Do you put proofs online and how do I order prints?
Yes, I put all your proofs online at your personal website where your friends and family may view them and place orders directly from the website. They are usually ready one week after the event.
Do I get to pick the pictures I want, or do you do it for me?
You and your guests can pick whichever pictures you want for printing at any time from your own personal website.
How long do you keep digital images on file? Can I order more pictures later?
I keep the digital images on file indefinitely. You may order additional pictures whenever you like.
How long will the prints last?
I print on archival media. Under normal display conditions, your prints should last for generations.
The place where my wedding will be performed has rules about use of flash photography, and they don't want the photographer getting in the way of the ceremony.
As a rule, I hardly ever use flash during a ceremony. I also use telephoto lenses to get the best shots from the back of the church and the balcony. But just to make sure, I always consult with your wedding official to make sure that the rules of your establishment are respected.
I carry a full set of backup equipment to every wedding so that if anything fails, I can carry on.
What will you and your associates wear to the wedding?
We dress semi-formally, the guys in polo shirts and slacks, and the girls in nice dress slacks. (Dresses are difficult to work in). Of course, if you would rather we dressed more formally for your wedding, we are happy to do so.
Do you photograph every wedding, or do you send out assistants?
I am the principal photographer at every wedding I book.
My prints are stunning, but when I look at my digital proofs on my computer screen, they don't look nearly as good as my prints. Why?
Computer screens have relatively low resolution compared to prints, and most screens are not calibrated to display color properly.
If you have any more questions, please contact me at the phone number or e-mail address at the top of this page.
