Wedding Frequently Asked Questions
Are you the person who will photograph my wedding?
Yes, photographer Stephen Kinstler will be the primary photographer for your wedding day.
Will you bring an assistant with you to my wedding?
A second photographer may attend the wedding as their schedule and your guest attendance list allows.
Do you have a professional studio?
We operate out of our home so studio portraits are done on-location and/or by appointment only.
What type of equipment do you use?
We use all professional-grade Nikon digital SLR cameras. We have the finest lenses available on the market for portrait and wedding photography.
Do you bring backup equipment with you to weddings?
Yes, we bring a backup camera and lighting gear to all weddings.
Do you visit the ceremony and reception sites prior to the wedding?
Yes, we normally try to visit the sites before the wedding day. We will also try to make it to your dress rehearsal at no extra charge in order to learn the timing of the ceremony and meet your family and friends.
Do you have liability insurance?
Yes, we are licensed and insured.
Are you skilled in diffused lighting & soft focus?
Yes, we have devoted much of our time to learn how to properly light a wedding scene. Our digital retouching techniques include soft focus effects for that special wedding glow.
Can you take studio portraits?
Yes, by appointments only or at the wedding reception (by request only).
Can you retouch our digital images?
Yes, we offer state-of-the-art retouching techniques using Adobe Photoshop CS3 software. The final results are barely noticeable because our goal is to keep you looking real (no plastic-looking skin tones).
Can the high-resolution digital images be purchased on CD?
Yes, the high-resolution disc of images comes with the Elegant and Elite Wedding Collections or may be purchased a la carte after the wedding (digital images are not available for individual resale and are not for sale outside of a wedding contract).
What is the cost of the Elite Wedding Collection?
The Elite Wedding Collection costs $3200. Please click here to view a list of our wedding services and prices.
What is your payment policy?
We require a 50% non-refundable deposit at the time of signing the contract. The remaining 50% is due no later than 30 days before your wedding date.
What is your cancellation policy?
We will refund all monies paid if we have to cancel the wedding date with you. However, the deposit is non-refundable if the client wishes to cancel with us.
Do you use proofs?
We offer digital proofs online usually within 10-15 business days after your wedding date. During this period we are editing all of your images to showcase the best images captured from your wedding day.
When will I get my album?
Please allow a minimum of 6 months for the Storybook Wedding Album to be processed and delivered after we receive your input.
What is the cost of an engagement portrait? Formal bridal portrait?
The engagement portrait is complimentary with the Essential, Elegant, and Elite Wedding Collections. Bridal portrait sessions may be purchased separately as one of our portrait collections (Creative, Classic, or Complete).
What is the cost of a parent album?
We have a beautiful parent album called the Mini-Album which holds 24 - 5x7 prints in a leather-bound album. The cost is $250 each, but the Elegant Wedding Collection comes with one Mini-Album and the Elite Wedding Collection comes with two Mini-Albums!
Portrait Frequently Asked Questions
Do you charge a sitting fee?
No, the sitting fee is included with the portrait collection that you purchase.
What packages do you have to offer?
Please click here to review the portrait collections that we have to offer.
Can I make a custom package?
To make a custom package, please purchase the $200 Creative Portrait Collection and order additional items after your session. For the other portrait collections (Classic or Complete) we are flexible to negotiate your needs with the different items in the packages (e.g., 16x20, 11x14, etc - those things which make it hard to determine who gets what). We usually ask what you need and then see what we can do for you.
Do you accept credit cards?
Unfortunately credit cards are not accepted to purchase our services. However, we do accept all major credit cards via PayPal for online purchases only.
When will I get to see my proofs?
Your proofs will be made available online within two to three weeks after the shoot, possibly sooner than that.
How do I order pictures?
You will send your print selections to us using an online form that we will send once your proofs are online. You may purchase additional prints via a la carte or print packages if you would like. We accept PayPal for online orders and an account with PayPal is not required to send payment.
Is there a limit on the number of people allowed in the session?
The Creative Portrait Collection provides coverage for up to 6 people with a $25 per person charge if there are more than six members. The other portrait collections do not have a limit on the number of people in the group.
Is there a limit on the number of pictures and/or poses taken during the session?
No. We take as many pictures and poses as time allows for during your session. The reference to "poses" for the prints in each portrait collection is in regards to the picture number itself and not the actual poses that we take during the session. We will shoot all kinds of different images and group shots that you want us to.
Do I have to make a deposit?
No. We do not collect deposits for portrait sessions due to changes in the weather, personal plans, and other contributing factors which may affect the ability to host the session.
What if the weather is bad?
If the forecast is uncertain before the start of the session then we will be in touch with you to determine if we need to reschedule or wait for the inclement weather to pass. You can reach us by phone at (757) 621-8635 or email at vabeachportraits@cox.net
When do you collect payment?
I will collect your payment at the time of the shoot. Please make checks payable to STEPHEN KINSTLER, but cash is also acceptable.
What are your clothing suggestions?
The key to what you wear is to blend in with your surroundings (for family portraits you also want to portray unity by wearing similar colors and styles of clothing). Shirts with patterns, stripes, dots, or other markings do not photograph well, so a solid color usually works best. Many people choose to wear khaki pants and a solid white button-down shirt for beach portraits, whereas jeans and a nice solid color polo for other outdoor locations look nice, too. You can wear any type of shoes that you want, or go barefoot as many people do for their beach portraits. These are just our suggestions as to what we think looks best but you can modify it however you want to reflect your personal style.
What time does the session start?
We prefer to start shooting about an hour before sunset to take advantage of the setting sunlight for beach portraits.
Is there a fee for on-location sessions?
No. We do not charge a fee or collect a deposit for on-location sessions. Our portrait collections include the cost for our time, talent, and taxes.
Do you have a refund policy?
Generally we do not give refunds, however, we will offer a bonus shoot if you would like to take additional portraits with us. Our goal is to make you look your best and sometimes it takes another shoot to get that look you really want for your portraits.
Do you sell copies of the digital image?
Unfortunately we do not sell the digital images on an individual basis. The Complete Portrait Collection includes the high-resolution images on disc.