I would love to hear more about you!
The safest way to get in contact with me is through email. carolinacarusostudio@gmail.com. You may also contact me through the contact form below.
I do my best to answer every inquiry within 24hrs. If you don’t hear from me within a day, please, don’t forget to keep an eye on your junk folder, I am sure you will find there a message from me.
If you are inquiring about my wedding photography please include as many details as you can so I can send you a quote. Date, location of ceremony, start and ending time and any other detail I may need to know and I will get back to you as soon as possible to let you know my availability on your date. Certain dates are more popular than others and it’s always best to secure your date as early as you can.
To make things easier for my clients, all initial consults are held by phone - video call or on weekdays only. I also understand life, work & wedding planning can get hectic and I find this is the easiest, stress-free way to get to know my clients prior to booking.
I truly cannot wait to hear from you and get all the details about you & your day! XX
FAQ
WHAT IS YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE?
love capturing candid moments because those are the type of photos that tell the story of your day. Working with me means nothing overly posed, nothing dramatic and awkward, nothing that doesn’t feel like YOU. While I’ll spend some time doing your couple and group portraits, my priority is for you to be present and enjoy your wedding day.
HOW CAN I GET IN TOUCH?
You can email me on carolinacarusostudio@gmail.com or via the contact page. I will respond to all inquiries within 24 hours. If you don’t receive a response your message may have gone into your spam folder.
CAN WE SETUP A MEETING?
To make things easier for all my clients, I currently only schedule video chat consultations for all initial meetings on weekdays only. I understand life, work & wedding planning can get hectic and I find this is the easiest, stress-free way to get to know my clients prior to booking – I can’t wait to hear from you!
DO YOU TRAVEL TO OUR CLIENT MEETING?
Due to the limitations of my schedule, I currently do not travel to meet clients. If you would like to schedule a meeting, please contact me at carolinacarusostudio@gmail.com
HOW MUCH IS THE WEDDING DEPOSIT AND WHEN IS OUR BALANCE DUE?
A 50% (non refundable) booking fee is required to secure your date with a signed contract. The balance is due not later than 30 days prior to the date of the wedding. For portrait shoots, the full amount is payable at the time of booking to secure your date. The booking fee is non - refundable because once I commit to photographing your wedding, I turn down all other inquires for your wedding day.
HOW LONG DO I NEED TO BOOK YOU FOR?
For most weddings I arrive 1.5 to 2 hours before the ceremony to capture the bridal party getting ready and to take a few portraits of the bride and groom before the ceremony. Most people then like me to stay for speeches, cake cutting and a little bit of dancing at the reception. However, every wedding is different and I work to suit my clients’ wishes.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I NEED TO RESCHEDULE MY WEDDING
The couples have the option to reschedule if they feel that is best for them. While most couples are happy to get married with whatever the restrictions are, if you prefer to wait for “normal” to return, we can discuss rescheduling your wedding. If you’re choosing to reschedule for any reason, a rescheduling fee is due at the time of choosing your new date.
WHAT IS THE FIRST LOOK?
The first look is a special moment between the couple that takes place before the ceremony. I have the groom with his back to the bride, and get some awesome shots of her walking up behind him. After that, the groom will turn around and I will capture your expressions as you see each other for the first time. After a few photos, I will leave the two of you for a moment to yourselves. There are many reasons why I suggest doing this. First of all, it is less stressful on the both of you. Second, you get more pictures, because we are not rushing and we have more time.
IS THERE A BEST TIME OF THE DAY FOR DOING THE COUPLE SESSION
Yes! Because photography is all about how the light is falling on you, certain types of light are better. The warm, late afternoon light is best, as it gives you a radiant glow. A few hours before, and right up until, sunset is the ideal time to take photographs – however this is also the time many people wish to have their reception – so we’ll work within your time allowances.
The worst time of day is late morning to mid-afternoon, as the high sun tends to cast harsh shadows.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO ENSURE A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE?
Communication and trust! The more I know about you and what you are looking for, the better we can work together to produce beautiful photographs.
What makes the difference between “good” and “great” photos is when my clients have gone that extra mile. I love it when my clients play along with me, rather than try to hide from the camera. It is also very important to give me ample time. The worst thing is to be running late and for the day to be a huge rush.
CAN OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TAKE PICTURES TOO?
Yes! The idea is for you to enjoy as many photos of your wedding day as possible. I am happy to accommodate friends and relatives who would like to take their own photos, even during posed family groupings. We will work with them to make sure that everything flows smoothly and that there’s no confusion in the process.
DO YOU TAKE FORMAL GROUP PHOTOS?
Absolutely! I would recommend keeping it to around 10-15 photos, which takes around 20 minutes. It is not the taking the photos that takes time, it's the time it takes to gather everyone up.
SHOULD WE DO AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION?
Absolutely! Even though engagement sessions are totally optional, I strongly recommend you to do an engagement session prior to your wedding day. Apart from getting beautiful photos of you two, you will also have the opportunity of getting comfortable in front of my camera and getting used to having me around you during your special day. Plus, what better way to celebrate this special time of your life than by getting dressed up and taking some photos?!
WHERE CAN WE GO FOR OUR ENGAGEMENT SHOOT?
Almost anywhere! I like to shoot somewhere different and a place that means something to you but I can also suggest places if you are happy to go with my ideas. What parts of town do you like to visit? Are you a nature person or an urban person? Which style of photography do you prefer, lots of trees and nature, or lots of buildings and that sort of thing? Is there a part of the city where you go frequently on dates, where you went for your first date, where the proposal took place? All of these can be fun locations for a shoot. The choice is up to you!
WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR FOR OUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION
I suggest that you wear complimentary colors, although they do not need to match exactly. I recommend that your colors harmonize well together, and are similar in tone both light, both dark, but not one wearing dark blue and the other wearing a pastel blue. Patterns should be kept to a minimum, and only one of you should wear them. If one of you is wearing a patterned shirt, the other should not be wearing one too. Look at photographs that you like of couples in magazines and online and notice what they are wearing and how it makes you feel.
Last but not least, look at your seasons. Make sure they match. A light summer shirt and a heavy winter sweater in the same photograph makes the viewer focus on the clothes and not the people. If you are both wearing clothes from the same season, people will notice you and not what you are wearing.
DO YOU OFFER HAIR AND MAKEUP SERVICES?
Unfortunately no, but I can recommend a few talented makeup and hair stylists that I love to work with.
DO YOU PROVIDE VIDEOGRAPHY?
I currently do not provide videography services but I have a great list of wonderful videographers in the area.
SHOULD I FEED YOU ON THE WEDDING DAY?
Yes please! Unless it's half day wedding or short coverage, it's a really long day for me, and likely won’t have eaten anything since early morning, so I will be starving by the time you sit down to eat. I like to stay close so I don't miss anything rather than driving off site to find somewhere to eat. It would be great if I can eat at the same time as you. A simple supplier meal would be wonderful :)
WHAT’S THE TURNAROUND TIME?
Depending on the time of the year, your images will be with you between 6 - 7 weeks time. Portrait sessions in 1-2 weeks during high season. I work as fast as I can to have your photos ready as quickly as I can.
WHAT KIND OF RETOUCHING DO YOU DO?
I will make adjustments by hand to fine-tune contrast, color, sharpness and cropping on every photo you receive. I will also make subtle lighting adjustments (“burning/dodging” in darkroom terms) to emphasize the composition of some photos. These adjustments are done at my discretion as I process the photos.
CAN I SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM OUR DAY?
I do not re-cull or open archives after they are closed. After your wedding or photo session I will cull the images; this means I will remove the blurry shots, blinking shots, unflattering shots, photobombs as well as unnecessary duplicates/repetitive images. I will give you all the beautiful images and never hold back anything good.
CAN MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY BUY PRINTS?
Yes, you will have an online gallery with a password which you can give out to your friends and family.
WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH COPYRIGHT?
As the photographer, I own the copyright to the images I take. That’s just how the law works. But don’t worry – the images you receive are yours. You will receive hi resolution edited files and you can print them or share them however you see fit. Just don’t edit them and please don’t use them for commercial use without checking with me first. If any of your fabulous suppliers want to use my images on social media, they need to drop me a line and I will provide them with the images they need. I can’t think of a time I’ve ever said no – but I do like to keep track of where my work is going and I never like to see it subjected to IG filters.
WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE?
I use Canon professional camera’s and lenses and I always carry back up equipment too – just in case! Fortunately I’ve never had to use it!