Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ - Answers to your most common questions
I love questions and really appreciate it when my clients are enthusiastic about their upcoming shoots in an effort to get the best out of our time together!
Here are a few common questions that will hopefully answer any queries you may have…
Can we have a Zoom Call before we book?
Whilst I do offer zoom calls for Wedding & Elopement clients, I’m afraid I do not offer zoom calls for shorter portrait sessions. I receive a lot of inquiries throughout the year and I have to pace myself with communications. I have however, compiled plenty of information and tips for your portrait session to help streamline the process and give you a good idea on the different available locations. Upon booking, you will receive links to guides on posing, what to wear and a selection of different ideas for your portrait session.
What should we wear?
Good question - here’s a handy guide on what to wear during your portrait session!
We don’t know how to pose, can you provide assistance?
Another good question - check the link here for some guidance on posing ideas before the shoot day itself. I will of course be there on the day giving as much gentle guidance as possible throughout the shoot - I promise it’s nothing to worry about!
What If I’m late for the shoot?
Since I may have other shoots or personal commitments booked on the same day, I kindly ask you to be on time for your photoshoot. I also plan my shoots in time with the light on that day so if we start late, we may end up missing the best light! I allow 15 minutes for being late but following that it will eat into your actual shooting time.
What if it’s raining on our shoot day?
If the day really is a complete washout I can offer to reschedule pending availability. Since many of you might be travelling from overseas I can’t be 100% sure that I’ll have further availability based that lines up with your travel itinerary BUT I will do my best to fit you in. If we have no choice but to shoot on that particular day I may shift to the morning if the forecast looks more promising then, or embrace the rain with umbrellas and the city lights. You can check out my guide to light to see how I think when it comes to weather conditions on any given day.
Is transportation included within the session cost?
If the shoot takes place within central Tokyo around the Yamanote line then yes, travel costs are included. If I need to travel further afield then I will need to add a further fee to cover my transportation and time spent travelling if over 1 hour.
Do you offer extensive retouching services (make me thinner)?
Whilst I do edit my photos for a film-like look, I’m afraid I do not do advanced retouching that seriously alters your appearance. I encourage you to embrace who you are and keep things natural! The one exception would be for business headshots where within reason, I will do some more advanced photoshop retouching when requested.
Do you offer portrait sessions outside of Tokyo?
Yes I do! I frequently travel to Kyoto, Nara, Hakone and Mount Fuji for photoshoots. Unfortunately I do have to increase the costs to cover transportation and any accommodation fees when necessary. Sometimes you might be able to catch me in Kyoto or another location where I’m already photographing a Wedding anyway so could potentially offer a more budget friendly option - that’ll be down to good timing though!
I’m also very open to exploring areas such as Nagano or one of the many islands that makes Japan so special!Can you offer Kimono / Dress Rental Services and a hair and make up artist within the package?
As it stands I cannot offer Kimono and Dress rental services within my usual packages. I can however provide some recommendations for HMUA and Kimono / Dress rentals when requested. Please be aware that genuine Wedding Kimono rentals are extremely expensive and difficult to wear so a stylist will be needed - these types of shoots will take a considerable amount of time but can be fun too!
What is the final product and how are the images delivered?
The final product will be a collection of final edited images in my own signature film-like style uploaded to an online gallery that will be online for a minimum of six months. There is also the option to purchase prints and albums directly through the online gallery should you choose to do so. All images can be downloaded and shared freely for personal use.
Will my images be shown as part of your portfolio?
Since images are central to my business I may potentially use a small selection of photos for my portfolio or social media. Whilst I might make exceptions to the rule when requested, I tend to prioritise shoots that accept this fact. I know this might not be ideal but it can be quite disappointing when I have a stunning shoot but cannot share the photos to attract more customers further down the line. Thanks for your understanding!
Is there anything we should tell you before the shoot?
Please take your time when filling in the contact me form and give me as much detail as possible - then we’ll be off to a good start!
Can you help us with Wedding or Elopement planning?
Yes I can! Whilst I work with several trusted wedding planners in Japan, I’m also looking at planning my own elopements in partnership with my good friend Tyson Faa from Wonder Weddings Videography. Having photographed and videoed hundreds of weddings between us, we believe we know a thing or two about planning a perfect adventure elopement in Japan. We’re still getting things off the ground but please do feel free to get in touch and see what we can do. Here’s just one example of what we can do!
Where will the photos be taken and is a photography permit required?
This is a very important point. For any pre-wedding shoots wearing wedding attire we will need to obtain a photography permit for places like private Japanese Gardens which can be quite time consuming and comes at an extra cost. However, there are a few options where we can shoot without a permit. For casual engagement sessions we are usually OK to shoot in most gardens and public spaces. The same applies for shoots in London - if you’re wearing a Wedding Dress we will have to stick to public land which can be a bit of a minefield in London!
When will we receive the final gallery?
Whilst I will endeavour to get the final images to you as soon as possible, it may take up to 1-1.5 months during extremely busy periods. Usually though, I tend to deliver within 1-2 weeks or sooner. I’ll be able to give you an estimate timeline after our shoot. If you need a quick turn around on the images you can let me know and I’ll see what I can do.
What is your editing style?
My editing aims to be natural, timeless and film-like. You can read more about my style here.
I’ve lost my photos, can you send me the photos again?
Whilst I do try and keep a back up, I cannot guarantee a back up forever. Furthermore, resending the photos does take up some of my time through finding the photos on my archive disk, exporting, uploading and sending them again. Your online gallery will be online for a minimum of six months so I encourage you to download the images as soon as possible and make multiple back ups in several different locations, including the cloud. If I still have a back up several years down the line, I can resend the photos for a fee of 5000 yen (30GBP).
Our kids are having a meltdown, can you work your magic?
It happens but somehow it always turns out OK. However, if we’re experiencing a full on melt down I’m going to need your help through play and energy. It’s also important to realise that you’ll also be on camera too so when we do get a few smiles, try your best to be smiling too. This is actually one of the reasons why I do not offer mini sessions as at least with a longer session we can take breaks if needs be or have time to recover. I will do my absolute best to get keepers for you but there are limits to what I can do.
Do you offer gift certificates?
I currently do not offer gift certificates I’m afraid!
We’re a group of friends, can we do a joint couples photoshoot?
Within reason, I do allow for some flexibility for circumstances like this. However you must understand that since there’ll be a few of you, you will each receive less photos than you would during an ordinary photoshoot as I’ll have to split my time between you. These can actually work well though since you can encourage each other!
How long will our images be online through the online gallery?
A minimum of six months, often longer. That said, please be sure to download them and create multiple copies!
What are your photography rates?
You can find all my pricing listed on my website pricing page.
Are you insured?
Yes I am! Many Wedding venues require public liability insurance and I am currently insured up to 2 million GBP which can be increased to 5 million if your venue requires it.
Do I need to pay a deposit?
I do not take deposits for shorter sessions in order to save on admin and accounting entries. However, I do take deposits of 300 GBP / 60,000 yen for Weddings. The final Wedding payment will then be taken 1 month prior to the day itself.
And that’s about it, I will also try to keep adding to this list as new questions arise but hopefully this should answer the most frequent questions for now. Thanks for taking the time to read through this and I look forward to working with you!
