how long have you been photographing weddings?

I’ll be going on my seventh year of weddings, and tenth year of film photography in general. I did study photography in college and eventually plan to get my Masters in Fine Arts.

how much does it cost to have a second shooter at my wedding?

I charge a flat rate of $1,000 to pay for a second photographer to assist me. All of my photographers are vetted by me personally and I trust their eye, talent and expertise to assist me.

We’re interested in having a Videographer- do you do video as well?

I only do digital and film photography, but I have partnered with documentary filmmaker - Jonah Lorsung - to be able to cover all your wedding day memory needs. His work has been selected for international film festivals along with music videos for indie artists such as Lady Lamb and he shoots incredible film portraits as well. Book us together for a flat rate of $6,700. Inquire Here.

I would love to have you travel to our wedding out of where you are based, what will that cost me?

Any wedding outside of the midwest will just be the added cost of travel and stay. Outside of the midwest (MN, WI, MO, KS, IL, ND, SD, IA, CO) and out of the country, will be a flat rate of $5,400 for full coverage plus airfare, travel costs and stay. I sometimes can factor in travel costs, we can discuss that together. Getting married in Mexico or Spain? Not much of a Spanish speaker? Fear not, I do speak Spanish as my second language and will be happy to translate as much as possible for you. If there is an opportunity to go somewhere you think is pretty cool, reach out, maybe we can work something out to both benefit from an amazing experience together.

What’s your turnaround time?

Normally 2-3 weeks, but in the high season it can take up to 6 weeks max. I have it in my contract that you will always get them back by 6 weeks from the wedding date.

Do we get a preview?

Yes, usually I can get a preview out within a couple days to a week from the wedding date.

How many images do we get back?

On average I return a gallery of roughly 500-1000+ images. I believe my couples should have every memory that I can capture.

what’s the booking process like?

Inquire about your date to see if I still have it available, normally wedding dates are booked out almost a year in advance, so once you know your wedding date and venue is booked, then I suggest reaching out to book. We’ll sign your contract and collect a deposit of 40% to hold your date. The rest can be paid up to two months prior to your wedding date.

What happens if our wedding date changes?

All wedding deposits are non-refundable and only transferable if I have not had to turn away anyone else for the original date, and if the new date is still available.

Do you shoot film?

Yes! Film is where my passion for photography started. You can see my digital work also resembles the timeless look of film, but of course nothing truly matches the real thing. If you’d like to add film to your wedding day, it’s a million times worth it. I promise.

What do you shoot with?

I use all Canon, Minolta, and Mamiya gear, at the moment. My go are prime lenses and manual film camera lenses that give my digital images a film aesthetic. It’s magic. For film I shoot with Minolta 35mm cameras and a Mamiya 645 plus a Yashica G-Mat TLR Medium Format Camera. She’s a gem. I also carry a couple point and shoots loaded with black and white film for those spontaneous shots. I’m always in the process of upgrading my gear. Might surprise ya with somethin’ new (or old).

Each wedding we see might look a little different, how come?

I am an artist to begin with. I photograph my couples the same way I would go about painting a portrait. Every couple has their own unique story, their own way they love, their own vision of their wedding day. You won’t see two weddings ever look the same because A) No two weddings are the same and B) I do not copy and paste edits across multiple weddings. I work one on one with my couples to make sure I’m able to see their vision, and the rest comes as organically and naturally as possible.

Do you stage/help with posing?

I am a documentary style wedding photographer. Like a photojournalist, I will capture the moment as is and if required I can assist and direct as needed. But I will say that most of my work is organic as I work with my couples and usually their Day Of Coordinators to make sure the stress is at a minimum and my couples are fully present to enjoy everything the day brings.

Do you feel comfortable traveling to non-English speaking countries for a wedding?

Yes. Always. I am bilingual, fluent in Spanish. If you book me for a wedding in Mexico or Spain, I will be your translator free of charge ; ) I know some Italian as well, having lived in Italy for some time. Traveling has never made me uncomfortable, in fact it’s what gives me so much life and has allowed me to create the work that I have.

Do you photograph anything else other than weddings?

Oh yes, most of my work is commercial and fashion editorial photography. I work with brands both big and small shooting campaigns for new product launches, promotions or events. I also photograph musicians - I have a great love for music and photographing the artists is such an enriching experience. I’ve had work featured in GQ, LA Weekly, and the NYT. If you’re interested in seeing more of my work visit www.stephaniesunberg.com