Who are we?
My name is Timothy Bearden. I am the owner and lead photographer/videographer of Wedding by Photo. My wife Jolene and I shoot weddings together in the Southern and Northern California areas (of course the occasional destination wedding). More specifically we are Riverside Wedding Photographers. Not only do we do photography, but videography as well. We also work with additional photographers such as Daniel Martinez when needed. I have a Bachelors of Art in photography/painting. After school I began this company to pursue my goals of photography. It is my passion to photograph weddings, portraits, landscapes, and much more. My education has taught me to be creative, and original as possible. It is my hope to make your wedding day as fun as possible, while capturing your most cherished memories. Along with my wife Jolene, we hope to capture the elegance of your special day.
What style of photography do you shoot?
There is much debate on what wedding photojournalism is. However, there are many photographers who are now concentrating only on the candid and documentary style photography of photojournalism. We do consider ourselves photojournalists, but we do not wish to be lumped only into one category. Many photographers use the label “wedding photojournalist” to attract business. However, what we try to do is take photos of your wedding in all aspects. That includes candid photos, creativity, documentary style photos, traditional photos, poses, artistic fun, all to capture your whole wedding by photo. Covering all aspects, not just one category, is how we choose to shoot and how we will shoot your wedding.
Are you a part of any Club or Photojournalist Association?
As of right now we are not part of any organization. Most organizations have a strict guideline on what you can and can not shoot. We consider the client first, which might eliminate us from any organization. Also, you can gain access to most organizations like the WPJA and PPA by paying a yearly fee. Paying to be part of a group by no way means you are a good photographer (it might just mean you have money on your hand and larger overhead). I feel that having a Bachelor’s Degree in Art (with the emphasis in photography) and experience as a photographer by far surpasses the qualifications of most clubs. What is more important is the quality of work, and not what a club says you need to ask a photographer. We are part of photo groups that help us connect with other photographers in various fields.
What type of format do you shoot your digital photographs in?
Our cameras have the capability to shoot photos in RAW format. This allows the largest format available from our cameras so that we can edit and convert the files into jpeg format. The high resolution CD/DVD’s that we give to the bride and groom will contain jpeg images so that the pictures can be opened up on any computer. We can give our clients the raw images, however we recommend a strong final product. Which is why we rarely give out the images unless they have been edited.
Do you print photographs?
We have a wide range of printing options. For our professional imaging, we use a Epson 3800 printer that prints photographs up to 17″ x 22″. We believe our prints will beat or equal any print company for a comparable price. We also outsource our prints that are bought in bulk. We trust in their quality.
Do you watermark your photographs?
We feel that your wedding day is very important. We hope that you print your photos with us, but we also don’t want to cheat you. Many photographers choose to watermark their photographs so that you have to buy the images from them. It is just a way for the photographer to make money. We feel we are making enough money from the wedding, that we don’t need to profit off watermarking photos. With this honesty in mind, we still hope you buy prints from us.
Can you print, or can we?
We hope you print with us because we know how the photos were intentionally intended. However, if you wish to print on your own then you can use the CD/DVD, or a USB Flash Drive, given to you to take to a local store. Many photo labs will print your photos in bulk with out looking at each photo individually. If you choose to print with us we make sure each one is printed at the correct level of contrast, lighting, and color needed.
What type of camera equipment do you have?
Lead photographer, Timothy Bearden, uses a Nikon D800 to capture his images in digital. Also he uses a Nikon D700 and D300 for a backup. The Nikon D800 shoots at 36 mega pixels, and the D700 at 12 mega pixels large. Also, we use a Nikon D3100 at 16 mega pixels. He also shoots with a Nikon N80 for film. Also available is a experimental medium format Holga camera. Assistant photographers use a Nikon D300/D60/D40x/D3100 to take their photographs. We believe from experience that Nikon offers the best quality in digital photography with no match. Their color quality, camera build, lenses, capabilities, and ease of use allows the photographers to take the best photographs possible. We are aware of and have used other brands, such as Canon, Sony, and so on, but quality is more preferred over name brand.
Along with our cameras we also have multiple lenses, such as wide angle, standard, and telephoto. More specifically we use the Nikkor 24-70 mm f/2.8, 50 mm f/1.4, 70-300 mm, 16-28 f/2.8 and others. We also have external flashes such as the Nikon SB-600 and SB-900 to use when needed. If even more lighting is needed, we have Alien Bees that we use in our studios. Diffusers are available for different light settings along with multiple reflectors. Each photographer has a tripod that can be used to minimize camera movement.
All edited pictures will be done on a Mac. Even though we do have a couple PC’s we prefer to use a Mac for editing and printing. We believe in using the best equipment available to capture your wedding by photo.
What type of video equipment do you have?
We entirely shoot in HD. Our video is captured on a 3cmos Sony HDR-AX2000, and on our DSLR’s as well. Using DSLR’s along side our Sony allows us to use different lenses that will aid in capturing your wedding in unique ways. Ways that could not be otherwise obtained. We also have wireless lavaliere mics for the ceremony and toasts. We also use shotgun mics for other needs. We also use flycam’s to steady our movement.
Who will take the photographs and video?
Every wedding will have the lead photographer/videographer, Timothy Bearden, on scene. Unless it is requested otherwise. Second photographers and assistants will depend on what day of the week the wedding occurs. However, no matter which assistant you have we believe you will be happy. Before any wedding, Timothy Bearden will meet with the bride and groom to make sure the shots desired are taken.
How long after the wedding will it be until we have our wedding proofs?
All photos that have been taken will be worked on in the following days after the wedding. Many will be done within three days to be viewed on our blog at https://aweddingbyphoto.com/blog/ . However, do to some time constraints we will work to get all photos done by four weeks. This usually coincides well since the bride and groom are then returning back from their honeymoon. If we feel we need more time due to the rush of our schedule, then our clients will be notified. We don’t want to rush the editing process and risk the quality of images we produce. When photos are completed, they will be placed on your own site that we create for you as well as our blog. We will make every effort to contact you by either phone or e-mail to give you your photos. However, if we cannot contact you by either method then it is up to you when you receive the photos.
Do you travel?
Definitely. We will travel to anywhere in the world and love traveling. Traveling is probably our next biggest passion. That being said we would ask that you pay for the flight, gas, and hotel room for one night if it outside of California. In many cases, depending on what you book with us and your location we may not charge for travel. If we are to travel outside of California we need at least a two month advance notice.
Why do we recommend an engagement session?
An engagement session allows for us to meet in a less stressful environment. Consider it as a trial run for the big day. It also allows us to be able to work with you one on one and get to know each other. We are then able to see what type of poses you do and do not like. Most importantly an engagement session allows for you to send photos in invitations, use for announcements, and to receive a creative way for guests to sign a signature photograph when they arrive at your wedding.
What type of albums do you have?
We offer numerous albums to our clients. That entails a Coffee Table Album which is similar to a yearbook. A more expensive album is the Pano Flush Mount Album. We now have albums called a Lay Flat Album and Lay Flat Book which is a mix between the Coffee Table Album and the Flush Mount.
What is the importance of two or more photographers?
Having two photographers allows you to not miss any important shots. For example, you want to catch the first kiss, but sometimes it happens so quickly. Your camera might get a blurred image because you didn’t focus fast enough, or you moved too quickly. At least with the second person you have a better chance at capturing the whole “wedding by photo”. Or another example, most emphasize the photo of the bride as she walks in. Well just as important is having the second photographer taking a picture of the groom and his reaction when he first sees the bride. Also, it can allow one photgrapher to concentrate on poses, and another on action shots. We realize some might see the photographer as intrusive or distracting, so if you only want one photographer, then tell us and we can rearrange pricing and packages.
Why are you cheaper than other photographers?
We feel that wedding photography is something that a bride and groom deserve to have. At the same time we don’t think you should have to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to get what you deserve. We have placed ourselves in a price bracket that is lower than other professional photographers, yet higher than others. We want you to know you are not getting beginner photographers from us, rather experienced photographers. Also since we work from home we don’t have the overhead fees that come with having a studio, which also keeps the cost down. We feel we have the best quality around with the exception of a couple photographers that start at $5000. Having said that, we do have three best choices that we prefer if you do not like us and have the money to pay $5000. Contact us if you want to know who we think are good photographers in our area. Just as a side note, beware of photographers who charge high prices. Just because they cost more, doesn’t mean they are any better. I specifically know of a few people in our area who charge much more than us and shoot the quality of an any day point and shoot camera.
What are your time limits?
For our wedding packages we have no time limits, unless you specifically only want a certain number of hours. We realize many people want to find the cheapest way to save money where they can. However, no matter who you choose, make sure to choose wisely. We feel that you shouldn’t have to worry how long you have your photographer for. Most photographers bank on you taking longer on your wedding day and then charge you extra. Which ends up costing more than you expect. You shouldn’t have to worry if 4, or 5, or even 6 hours is enough time. Weddings often happen differently than you plan or expect. If you choose a wedding package you won’t have to worry about sneaky charges or us leaving earlier than you intended. We also realize many people can’t afford the cost of the whole day. Our elopement package does offer a set price for an arranged time. However, this package is intended for those who just have a quick ceremony and posed photos afterword. No matter the cost, just contact us to see if we can arrange something for your day.
What happens if we loose or break our CD/DVD?
Your personal wedding album page will be up for a minimum of 6 months online. After that we will store the photos on file for indefinite period of time. We will store them on multiple hard drives and DVD’s so that they won’t be lost. That being said, as long as the CD is readable and the hard drives are still working, we will have your photos saved. If and when DVD’s become obsolete, we will transfer them to the next available storage device. Therefore if you break a DVD, or loose it, you can always come back and get a new one. We are also offering USB Flash Drives as an alternative to discs. They are easier to use and a bit different from the norm of what you get from other photographers.
951-288-6813
timothy_4_12@hotmail.com
Beaumont, CA