Frequently Asked Questions
Find all of the answers to my frequently asked questions on this page. If you don't know me I'm sure you have hundreds of questions about my service, but hopefully the information below will be of some help.
If you can't find the answer you're looking for below please feel free to get in contact with me today by phone for a friendly chat or direct message. I'll endeavour to get back to you within one working day.
General Questions
How do you prefer to communicate?
You are welcome to get in touch via any of my social media channels, telephone, email or enquiry form. For first time enquiries I prefer to be contacted using the enquiry form on my contact me page. This is so that I have your complete enquiry details on file.
How do I book a date?
Just drop me a message using the enquiry form on my contact me page. Be sure to include as much detail as possible about your requirements. From there we can have further discussions to understand your needs and get to know each other. If you decide I'm the right fit for you, we'll book a free date; which is on a first come, first served basis.
What payment methods do you accept?
I accept payments via bank transfer or cash only payable to Jolley Productions Ltd.
Are you VAT registered?
I am not currently VAT registered. All of my prices are free from VAT.
When do I pay my invoice / deposit?
A deposit of 40% is required up front to reserve your booking. The remaining balance will be due on the day of your media shoot, unless it's a wedding where the remaining balance will be due 14 days before your wedding day. Media will remain the property of Jolley Productions Ltd until the full balance is paid.
Do you have insurance?
Yes I’m fully insured with professional indemnity cover and public liability cover.
Do you have mileage charges / travel expenses?
Yes and charged at £0.45 per mile. A limited mileage allowance is already included in some of my product packages; please refer to the relevant product pages on this website for more information.
Do you backup your media?
Yes all photos/video files are written simultaneously to twin memory cards in my cameras on the day. This means if one card should fail I still have a backup copy. Once I'm back at home your files are double backed up to a remote hard drive server once the files are transferred to my computer. The chance of total loss of your media is kept to an absolute minimum. In the unlikely event of loss of your media I will offer a reshoot or partial refund options.
When will I receive my edited photos / video?
Great question! The answer will vary greatly depending on the type of product you have ordered, and how busy I am with other jobs at the time.
Please bare in mind that the editing process for photos or videos can take several times longer than the shooting stage. The editing time also varies greatly depending on the type of service you've ordered. Here's a breakdown of my estimated delivery timescales:
Property Photos / Videos 1-2 weeks
Pet / Portrait / Sport / Business Photos 2-3 weeks
Party / Wedding Photos 2-4 weeks
Wedding Videos 4-6 weeks
Promotional Business Videos 4-8 weeks
How will my media be delivered?
Typically using online cloud sharing facilities. I'll send you a link via email to download your files as soon as your edits are ready. If you've ordered a special wedding photography or video package; delivery may also include your files posted to you physically on a flash storage device and/or some printed images. Contact me for options.
What kind of photographic equipment do you use?
I have many weighty cases loaded with photography, video, audio and lighting equipment. I'll tailor what I bring to a shoot for logistics. My core gear is two Panasonic Lumix S5 camera bodies combined with a wide range of Sigma Art and Panasonic lenses.
Are you able to shoot at night or in low light?
Absolutely. In fact low light, dusk and night time environments can create unique photo/video opportunities! For instance, sometimes a dramatic dark silhouette where the viewer has to 'fill in the blanks' can have more impact than a fully lit subject. Low light is also an opportunity to use specialist lighting and off-camera flashes to dramatic effect.
Can you shoot in bad weather?
Hey this is the UK caught in the grip of the Gulf Stream! Planning for wet weather in particular is essential. I carry umbrellas and waterproofing protection and my cameras are weather sealed, so we can even capture your wedding portraits in the rain; as long as you're feeling brave enough. Much like the low-light situations discussed above, I also see bad weather as an opportunity to capture some unique and moody images.
What's your policy for rescheduling?
Be it due to bad weather, sickness or a change of plans I'm always happy to work with your requirements and reschedule any shoot. Please don't worry if the forecast is predicting bad weather on your wedding day. At the point you know the weather forecast it will be too late to reschedule your wedding, but as mentioned above, rain or snow is simply an opportunity to capture some dramatic images in my opinion!
Do I own the copyright to the media once it's delivered to me?
Under UK law as the content creator the copyright for all media produced will remain with me. You are free to use and share your images / videos for personal use but not for commercial use. Please contact me if you'd like to create a usage agreement or buy the copyright from me. For more information on copyright law please visit the gov.uk website: Copyright information for digital images.
Can I share my photos / videos online?
Of course you can! That's the main way we share media these days with our family and friends anyway. All I'd ask is that you might kindly mention my name in your post or email. Word of mouth really helps me grow my business. If uploading to a social platform such as Instagram please don't apply filters to modify an image; I've already put a lot of time in to grading your media to my own signature look.
Will my images / videos show up on your website?
It's important for me to be able to showcase my previous work to future clients. As the copyright owner I reserve the right to share your images on my website or social media platforms. Be it for personal or legal reasons; sometimes there will be extenuating circumstances where you won't want me to share your media online. Please discuss this with me if this is the case. I will always respect your privacy requirements.
Portrait Questions
I think I'm a bit awkward / unphotogenic... Do you instruct how to pose?
Hey I get it, most of us aren't models or comfortable in front of camera... you are not the odd one out! Instructing how to pose is something I will always help with. It's important to remember however that posing is more about relaxing and having fun in front of camera than it is about learning a playlist of different stances! It's my job to make you laugh and enjoy the moment. If we can get that part right your images will sing, regardless of whether you think you're a model or not. Please get in touch for a more personable chat so we can decide if I'm a good fit for you and vice versa.
How much retouching do you do?
Every image will be carefully edited and graded to varying degrees to master framing, exposure, contrast, colours, white balance and much more. I will do minor retouching of facial contrast, complexion and spot removal. Please forewarn me if you have any birthmarks as I'd hate to cause offense by unknowingly photoshopping these out!
Should I learn some poses before my shoot?
Yes by all means! These are your portrait photos and I want you to sell yourself on camera. Here's a great portrait pose guide for photographers and models alike. I'd recommend scrolling through this list then having a go practicing a few of your favourites in front of a mirror, or with friends. This will help you get more comfortable and confident before the shoot, and give you some more ideas of what you want.
Do you have any general posing tips?
Yes and in one word... authenticity. It's amazing how skilled we are as human beings to read complex emotions from someone's face. If you are overthinking about, or worrying about the face you're trying to pull for camera; that will show. I'll help you relax and forget about the camera. All you really have to do is be your true self. Have fun, take two steps back, then really embody the emotion or feeling you want to sell to the viewer.
Wedding Questions
How far in advance should I book?
My calendar does book up fairly quickly, especially for popular summer dates. I'd typically recommend booking as far as 18 months in advance to be sure of my (or any other photographer / videographer's) availability, although I'm equally happy to make arrangements at very short notice too.
What will you need from me before the wedding?
A detailed schedule of your day with event, speech and ceremony times, locations and relevant contact information. Discuss all of this in detail with me and we can formulate a plan together. If you're booking my wedding photography (as opposed to videography) I'll also need a shortlist of your important group photos. Please see my wedding photography page for more information about this and some useful advice for wedding planning.
What if my partner 'does a runner' just before our marriage?
Awkward turtle. Hopefully this isn't a a question you'll ever need an answer to. However, assuming you will no longer want the edited photos from your day then I'll refund 60% of your invoice. The 40% deposit is unfortunately non-refundable.
Is your coverage consecutive?
Yes. If for instance you've ordered my 10 hour package I'd be photographing or filming from 1pm right through to 11pm (including the occasional short break). If your wedding day is heavily fragmented please discuss this with me for a tailored quote.
If my wedding runs late, can I ask you to stay late?
Yes you can. I'm more than happy to stay longer than agreed in your original contract subject to an additional fee per hour. For rates please refer to my wedding photography and wedding videographer pages.
Gay weddings too?
Of course yes. Love is love, gay or straight and I look forward to filming or photographing any wedding.
Do you work alongside wedding videographers?
Well of course yes. I am a wedding videographer as well as a wedding photographer so I understand the needs of both professionals. Working together should be a harmonious affair. There will be plenty of action on the day to focus on so it's unlikely we'll constantly be standing on each other's feet. I'll always be courteous and polite when working alongside any other professionals on the day. If you'd like to put me in touch with your wedding photographer / videographer before your wedding day please do. I'll be happy to chat to them to help with planning the shoots.
Will you block my guests' view on the day?
This is sometimes inevitable as I chase the most photogenic angles of the day. I am however very conscientious of the people around me. I'll try not to hover in the same spot for too long, especially if I feel I'm blocking anyone's view. In reality I'm often moving around continuously anyway as I chase the action.
Do you take any breaks during the wedding day?
I will take the occasional ten minute break whenever appropriate in order to reset and recharge. I will always extend my coverage and stay a bit longer to compensate for any breaks taken.
Do I need to provide you with dinner?
Yes please. I'd kindly ask that I could have two meals and be seated at the same time as your wedding guests. I don't mind filling any random seat allocation, as long as the table is in the same room as the main party. This is so I don't miss any unexpected photo opportunities during dinner. One final request is that I eat at the same time as the bride and groom if possible; because I doubt they want any photos of themselves whilst they're chewing on food!
Can we do multiple photoshoot locations on the day?
Yes of course we can. Just bare in mind that your wedding is typically already a very busy day. You don't want to make it too stressful by packing too much in to your schedule. Consider also booking an engagement or bridal photo shoot so we can get some great couple photos outside of your wedding day. These relaxed shoots will take some pressure off the day itself.
Do you have any schedule recommendations?
I have lots of advice for planning your photoshoot times on my wedding photography page. Please chat for me for further advice and help with planning. The key here is careful planning combined with not trying to overload your schedule.
What do you wear to a wedding?
I prefer to dress in my all black smart-casual outfit of work trousers, collared work shirt and jacket. This semi-smart outfit allows me to blend in to the background whilst being practical enough for any kind of filming scenario. I am flexible. If you have a specific dress code you would like to to work with instead please contact me to discuss this.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellations are not a desirable position for either of us, but one we need to plan for just in case. Please consider that if you have made your reservation and paid a deposit; I will have had to turn away all other enquiries for the same date. Most people like to book their wedding photographer well in advance, so finding a last minute replacement customer for the same date is often very difficult. For these reasons my 40% deposit is not refundable should you cancel. However, I will refund the remaining balance if you have already paid in full.