Typical Questions
Regarding COVID-19:
+ If clients become sick or come into contact with a sick person between the time that they book and the day of their session, I would be happy to reschedule.
Please be respectful to the state of Hawai'i when you are visiting.
Keep our locals safe.
I am ready to book! What's next?
The first step in booking is deciding on a location and time.
The second step is signing a digital contract sent to you by Allison.
The final step is paying the retainer fee on the invoice sent to you through PayPal. The remaining balance is not due until the day of the session.
Is there a deposit/retainer fee for booking?
Yes, there is. The deposit will be half of your session price. This is required so that your date will be set in stone. The remainder of the session fee will be due on the day of your session. This also applies to small weddings/elopements (less than 5 hours).
For weddings (4+ hours), $500.00 is the required retainer fee, and it is non-refundable.
Do you charge a travel fee?
I only charge a travel fee for locations/venues on the North Shore and beaches around the Waianae area. Any travel to these locations is an automatic $30.00 additional fee. If the client requests a lot of back-and-forth travel, I may be inclined to add-on an additional travel fee.
If you request that I travel to another island, travel fees begin at $400.00.
Do you have a second shooter?
I am no longer offering second shooter options (unless absolutely required).
Do you edit all of your photographs?
I do! That is actually one of the best parts of the job. I love playing with color and making your portraits sparkle (not literally, but I could if you'd like...). I edit each portrait individually; not in bulk. Therefore each portrait is hand-crafted and given special attention. The edited portraits are also the only ones that you would receive in your gallery.
How will I receive my portraits?
Every session/wedding comes with an online gallery. Once all of your photos have been taken and edited, I will upload them to the gallery and email them to you and only you. Once you have this gallery, along with any PINs and passwords provided, you may share your album with family and friends. Please note that you (and whomever you give the album information to) should download the album ASAP. The online album will only remain accessible for three months.
What should I wear?
It really depends on your session type. I always encourage your individual style, but sometimes neutral colors and pattern-less outfits work the best. I can always send mood boards to you for inspiration as well!
For hiking sessions, I recommend wearing a different outfit up and then changing when we get to the destination. I have a changing tent that can be used. Most trails in O'ahu are muddy and rocky and I would never want someone to mess up their good clothes. Lastly, I am not liable for you if you slip or fall. Clients book a hiking session at their own risk and I ask that you follow my advice when booking a session that requires you to hike these unpredictable trails. I highly recommend wearing durable shoes with major grip to prevent any slipping or falling.
How far in advance do I need to book my session?
Preferably, I would love sessions booked weeks, if not months, in advance. Every date is up for grabs without a retainer fee paid or contract signed and it is not my job to hold a date for anyone without the proper steps taken. At the minimum, I need sessions booked at least two weeks before the session. Weddings, though, should always be booked months in advance.
I will only be booking weddings a year out, and portrait sessions several months in advance (a year is too far).
Do you do studio portraits?
I do not have a studio, so that would be a no. I do everything outdoors (unless the client has an indoor location available).
What is your turn-around time?
It varies on my work schedule! My average turn-around time is less than a week, but it can range up to three depending on my workload and the size of the galleries. I try to get things back to my clients as swiftly as possible, but I also want to make sure that they are perfect!
Can we get the RAW files?
That would be a NO, my friends. As stated in a previous paragraph, you will only receive the edited portraits, which are JPEG. The files are large, though. So you will be able to blow them up into beautiful canvases and prints!
Do you offer videography?
I do not. I would be happy to help you find a wedding videographer, though.
How many photos will I get back?
This is completely unpredictable and relies heavily on how many hours of shooting and locations are involved. It also relies on how many things are involved in the session/wedding (for example, someone who brings props/pets to a session or a couple that has something as simple as a cake cutting moment at their wedding is going to get more photos back than someone who doesn't do any of that). To sum it up, I do not put a cap on how many photos clients receive. You are paying for time, not an image count. My average, though, is about 100 photos per hour.
Do you take family portraits?
I will occasionally take on a family portrait session, but I try to limit the number of family members to less than 4.
Do you work for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community?
Easiest question to answer: of course I do.
I also want clients to be very upfront about their preferred pronouns as well before their session/event.
I want to reschedule, what happens now?
I would much rather reschedule than cancel with you!
I do encourage any visiting clients to schedule their original sessions early in their trip so that there is more flexibility in case we need to reschedule.
If you had originally booked to shoot at a location that requires a permit, there will be an additional rescheduling fee ($20) added to your total since permits are non-refundable and I would have to purchase another one for your session.
But there is rain!
I will not reschedule or cancel a shoot due to rain unless it is a down-pour and not stopping within 30 minutes of your session. It rains a lot here, and most of the time, it stops within 10 minutes.