The FAQ Page!

The FAQ Page!

To ask the hard questions is simple. - W.H. Auden

Pricing and Booking

How do we hire you?

It's pretty simple actually. Let's grab some coffee or if you're further away, we can schedule a phone call. After we get to know each other, to make sure we're a good fit, the whole booking process can be done online. A $1,500 retainer fee is required at booking. The remaining balance is broken down into 3 equal payments prior to the wedding date.

Do you offer “off-season” discounts for weddings?

Sure! Well… maybe. It all depends on when your elopement or smaller wedding is. During prime wedding months (March through October), I only accept smaller weddings (5 hours or less) during Monday through Thursday. If your wedding is between November and February then I’m more open! Contact me and I’ll send you a way to build your own collection based on your needs.

Can you hold our date for us?

The only way to secure a date with me is to sign a contract and send in your deposit. If you are the first to contact me for a date, you will have 48 hours preference to book if another couple expresses interest to book that same date.

Where can I view your pricing?

Please check out the details area! And then contact me so I can send you even more information!

The Logo

What’s up with your logo?

"A cord of three strands is not easily broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12

I wanted to incorporate my philosophy as a business as succinctly as possible; in one symbol. My main focus and common theme is "connections". Ultimately, I know the BEST connection we can have with our spouses is when we also have a connection with God; to have Christ as the center of our relationship!

Style and Additional Questions

Can you describe your style?

As relaxed, fun and organic as possible! I love having fun with my clients and making them feel comfortable in front of the camera. For the most part, I keep out of the way during a wedding, capturing authentic moments as they happen! Those are the photos you'll treasure! There are a couple of times during the day that I'll have to get more involved... such as when I take group photos or portraits of the bride and groom. Don't worry... I'll make those as painless as possible as well!

Do you work with a second shooter?

I shoot a lot of my weddings alone and have never had a complaint. But for larger weddings where there is more going on and more details to cover, I definitely recommend a second shooter. For local weddings, you can commission a second shooter on a per hour basis. So that if you have me for 10 hours, you can hire a second shooter for just 2, 5, or all 10 hours. It's completely up to you! Contact me for details!

Do you photograph families?

As of right now, I only photograph the families of my existing couples whose weddings I've documented and now they've started their family. But contact me anyway; I have some great recommendations!

Would our wedding be a good fit for you? Describe your ideal client.

My ideal couple is full of life. They have an amazing connection and an exciting love story to tell! They place a high priority on photography for their wedding, knowing that their images will far outlive the wedding day, and will be valued for generations. The groom is involved and is interested in the wedding process and not folding his arms disconnected from the conversation. Their familes are tight knit, are excited for the union, and will show a lot of emotion and have a great time at their wedding!

Can my uncle bring his camera? Would that distract you?

Nothing distracts me! :) Oh, who am I kidding. I have ADD. But when I'm in photographer mode, I'm really focused! So if someone brings their camera to your wedding, I'm definitely not going to stop them. My photos will be better. My only exception to this is for your immediate family. I want them to be a PART of your wedding day, not documenting it! That's my job! Do you want to look at photos from your wedding years from now and instead of hugging you, your dad's face is hidden behind a camera? So tell your guests to put down their cameras and be PRESENT at your wedding!

Should I give you a shot list?

Don't feel the need to give me a shot list. I've shot enough weddings to know how to beautifully and creatively capture every moment and the details from your event! Don't worry, I'll ask all of the right questions to know who are the special people, sentimental items and fun moments that will happen during your day! And we'll work together to finalize your formal family shot list!

For out of town weddings, do we arrange your travel?

Kind of you to ask. But no thanks! There's a lot that can go wrong when hotel rooms and other travel documents are in your name instead of mine. I'll book airline, hotel and rental car. That's just something else off your to-do list that you don't need to stress about!

Do you travel for engagement sessions as well?

I definitely do. Let's go on an adventure together! Anywhere 1 hour outside Chattanooga will incur a travel fee. Anything past 2 hours of travel may incur hotel fees. Anything past 5 hours of travel may incur airline fees. Contact me and we can talk!

Do you photograph details and take family group photos?

Definitely! And I capture a lot of them! I wouldn't be able to tell the full story of your wedding without those. But that's not what I'm most well known for. My passion is to capture your wedding moments and people in your inner circle beautifully and authentically! If you're interested in seeing an entire wedding gallery, contact me!

How many images will we receive?

It really all depends on how many hours of coverage you commission me for. Or if you have a second shooter for any part of your day. As a rough guestimate, you should expect anywhere around 500 to 700 images. These have been edited and retouched by either Heather or yours truly!

Do you offer a photobooth service?

Heck yeah! We call it the Strut Booth. And it's the best way to capture your wedding guests in the most fun way! But it's not a normal photobooth. It's basically like a portable studio with a 9' backdrop. LOTS of people can jump in and have fun! I have an additional photographer who comes in and directs your guests to do crazy and creative things. You can bring your own props. If not, everything around us becomes fair game to turn into a prop!

Do you offer videography services?

I'm definitely a photographer, through and through. Video is such a different animal all together. Believe me, I tried it! So, no, I do not offer video services. But I have a lot of respect for videographers. I definitely have a list that I've worked really well with in the past. Contact me and I can get that info to you!

FAQs

Do you travel?
Where can I find more pricing information?
How would you define your style of photography?
Do you photograph families?
Do you photograph traditional group photos at your weddings?
How do I view and order photos?
Why do you so strongly recommend an engagement session?
How long is an engagement session and what is included?
What should we wear for our engagement session?
Can we have an outfit change during our session?
What is your favorite color?
Does your wife Heather always shoot with you?
Does a second shooter come along to your weddings?
Can I purchase my digital images?
When are we responsible for payment/How does your pricing work?
I love your photography. Can you teach me everything you know?
What if I have questions not listed here?

Do you travel?

Yes, and I would love to travel to your wedding or session! I thrive in new places and my creativity can seriously soar! If you’d like my travel costs details, please check out this link: Travel Information.

Where can I find more pricing information?

Please check out our pricing area to check out that information. And then contact me so I can send you more information!

How would you define your style of photography?

Recently there have been terms of style flying around like crazy and many of them are a bit ambiguous. So to put it simply, we consider ourselves modern lifestyle photographers. Our desire is to connect with our clients and document your relationship and your interactions as authentically as possible. We want to tell the true story of who you are and that is what we consider success. We do not call ourselves photojournalists because that term implies that we do not engage with our subjects at all. On a typical wedding day, we do spend some time setting up shots that we believe will help to tell the story of your day. But most of the time throughout your wedding day we are completely invisible and allow your moments to unfold while we simply observe and document. With that said, we do not believe that we are the right fit for everyone. If you feel a connection to us through our photography and are moved by it, then we are the right fit for you. We want to work with couples who put a high priority on photography and are passionate about this art form. And since your photographs are the only tangible remaining thing once your wedding cake has been eaten and your flowers have wilted, we are pretty sure you want your images and album to rock!

Do you photograph families?

Yes and no. As of July 2009, we no longer accept any new family clients. We had to make the difficult decision to discontinue the family and baby side of our business in order to narrow our business focus to weddings. But we do have relationships with past family clients and current wedding clients and our desire is to be their photographer for life! So the rule is: if we’ve photographed your wedding or family in the past, give us a call! We’d love to photograph you again and catch up! If you’re an existing client, consider yourself part of an exclusive club! If you are not a client of ours and need a family session, please contact us and we will gladly refer you to a select few photographers who regularly shoot family and baby imagery.

I don’t see any traditional group photos on your website. Why is this, and do you provide these images?

We certainly provide traditional posed group portraits at every wedding we shoot, and while they are family heirlooms and very important in their own right, they are not what we are most proud of creatively. We want you to hire us for who we are and for our ability to capture the fleeting and beautiful moments that are part of your day. Your favorite images from the day are going to be unprompted, natural images that depict who you are and feature your interactions with each other. THAT is why we do what we do! Simply put, group photos don’t require significant artistry or intuition, so they are not what we brag about on our website.

How do I view and order photos?

We use a professional online lab called Pictage for proofing and ordering. If you’re looking for a particular gallery from one of our clients, please use the contact us form.

Why do you so strongly recommend an engagement session?

We really want to get to know you, and unless you are a professional model, you are not accustomed to being in front of a large black camera and lens. The engagement session is a perfect time for us to hang out together, ease you into life in front of the camera, and of course, to provide you with beautiful professional images from a brief and unique time in your lives. Then, come wedding day, you two are relaxed and we’re old friends. A very important key in a successful client-photographer relationship!

How long is an engagement session and what is included?

An engagement session is typically about 1.5 to 2 hours long, and includes a blog, an online gallery for proofing and ordering, and depending on which Collection was purchased, an incredible album to brag about to all of your friends!

What should we wear for our engagement session?

You should truly wear what you are most comfortable in. We don’t mean that literally, because if you wear 3-inch stilettos every day and they are horribly uncomfortable, please feel free to wear them to your photo shoot! But we desire for your photos to convey who you are and accurately reflect your personality. So, if your favorite pair of shoes are a pair of black Chuck Taylor’s, it may not be in your best interest to don a pair of heels and expect to be happy with your images! The same is true for hair and makeup…be true to yourself and let your personalities shine through! You are cooler and more interesting than you think. Trust us.

Can we have an outfit change during our session?

Sure! Just be aware that the amount of time it takes you to change will be time away from shooting! But one outfit change is perfectly acceptable and pretty standard for our engagement sessions. A second location is also allowed, but again, can take away from the time desired for shooting, so the closer the locations, the better!

What is your favorite color?

Green. Thank you for asking 🙂

Does Heather always shoot with you?

My wife is my best friend. We work really well together and she’s so fun to hang out with. And it’s a bonus that she’s a great photographer as well!  Since we’ve had our second baby, we’re in a period where she doesn’t get to shoot with me. But that will change as we go through our next season.

Does a second shooter come along to your weddings?

If you need a second photographer documenting your wedding, I can certainly get one to come along with me! It is an add-on so please make sure you add it into your collection!

Can I purchase my digital images?

But of course! Everything has a price tag, right? Digital negatives can be purchased for $100/hour of coverage.  So for an 2 hour engagement session, they would be $200. Or for 12 hours of coverage for a wedding would be $1200.  Not too difficult, right?

When are we responsible for payment/How does your pricing work?

Regardless of the wedding Collection chosen, we require a $1,500 deposit with the remaining balance due 10 days prior to your wedding day. We can accept check, cash, or credit card forms of payment and are happy to work out a payment plan based on your needs.

I love your photography. Can you teach me everything you know?

Thank you! I’d love to teach you how to use your camera more effectively but I don’t want to teach you how to shoot like me. We don’t need another Rich Smith. I want to teach you to shoot like yourself! If you would like to know more about my one-on-one photography workshops please visit our “for photographers” section.

What if I have questions not listed here?

Please don’t hesitate to shoot us an email at info@richsmithphotography.com or give us a call at 423.402.0331. Our office hours are Tuesday-Friday 10-7 EST

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What other’s are saying

Something subtle, yet powerful, happens when I look at Bo. There’s an energy present that is very real and felt only between the two of us. It is the connection we have with each other, embodying all that brought us together and the love we share. I imagine that most people assume it’s there, but no one actually looks for it. Except you. Instead of taking pictures of the two of us, you capture what is between us. It is a profound gift that you have, Rich, to catch meaning in a glance or love in a touch. Thank you so much for sharing your gift with us. - Rebekah Hughes

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