Congratulations - You're Getting Married!

 

You are going to look amazing - Lets make sure your photos do too!

One of Chicago's most experienced

wedding photographers!

I offer a unique blend of candid, traditional and detailed
photography styles developed over 24 years!
Allure on The Lake Wedding Chesterton Indiana

A very Personal Experience!

 

Every wedding package includes a complimentary engagement session.

I am available to help plan your own custom wedding day timeline.

 

I would love to meet you at my studio in Hyde Park and chat about your wedding!

 

Forget about restrictive hourly packages!

 

The industry is dominated by photographers offering hourly packages locked in on their start times.

This often forces you to adjust schedules to do all the important things in six or eight hours.

 

My packages are built around all day coverage and the clock only starts when your reception starts.

 

 

 

Wedding Collections

 

All collections include Shane as your photographer.

A complimentary 60 to 90 minute engagement session.

Wedding day bridal party getting ready, first look, ceremony and formal portrait coverage.

Selected reception coverage.

An online proof gallery of high resolution images and complementary downloads.

 

 

Collection One - $4250

Wedding day Coverage all day and 3 hours of the reception.

700 edited images

20 x 30 Canvas Print Ready to hang.

 

 

Collection Two - $5000 (most Popular Package)

Wedding day Coverage and 4 hours of the reception.

800 edited Images

Signature Album - 15 x 10 - $1000 (20 pages / 10 spreads)

 

 

Collection Three - $6500

Wedding day Coverage and 5 Hours of the reception.

900 edited Images

The Wedding Book Album - 16 x 12 (30 pages / 15 spreads)

 

Extras

Extra Time - $500 per hour

Add a Second Photographer - $1000 (covering the main events)

 

Albums

Signature Album - 15 x 10 - $1000 (20 pages / 10 spreads)

The Wedding Book Album - 16 x 12 - $1500 (30 pages / 15 spreads)

Extra Album pages - $25 per page

Coffee Table Book - 15x10 $500 (20 pages / 10 spreads)

Coffee Table Book - 16x12 $750 (30 pages / 15 spreads)

Extra Book Pages - $10 per page

 

 

Wall Art

16 x 24 Metallic Print Ready to Hang - $300

20 x 30 Metallic Print Ready to Hang - $600

24 x 36 Metallic Print Ready to Hang - $900

 

16 x 24 Canvas Ready to hang - $300

20 x 30 Canvas Ready to hang - $400

24 x 36 Canvas Ready to hang - $600

32 x 48 Canvas Ready to hang - $800

40 x 60 Canvas Ready to Hang - $1000

 

Candid

Those unscripted moments between all the busy moments of your wedding. A strong journalistic background has helped me master these spontaneous images.

Traditional

Formal photos of family, friends and your bridal party that you will treasure for generations.

Detailed

I love to find ways to capture those details with an artistic flair.

A Chicago Wedding Photographer You Can Trust!

Your wedding day memories will fade in time, but your photos will remain.

Tangible, visible reminders of your day.

Your children, grandchildren, family and friends will cherish your wedding photos for years to come.

These memories demand a professional wedding photographer.

Someone who has experience and passion.

Backup plans and equipment.

A flexible attitude, able to adjust to changes in timelines and weather or logistics.

An eye for details, candids, as well as the standard formal photos.

Chicago Wedding Photographer

Real – Personal – Experience

I have personally captured over 1000 weddings!

Not many wedding photographers today can say they started on film before digital was an option!

You can relax and enjoy your day, knowing your photos will document the day as it unfolds.

Your wedding will get my full attention and I will adapt to day of changes.

From first contact to meeting, booking and  planning your wedding day, I offer very personal service.

 

When you book me you get years of experience and

I am available to help plan timelines, family shot lists and so much more.

Personal attention after your wedding too

I refuse to use an editing service and edit every photo personally.

Every photo selected for editing is cropped, straightened, color corrected and added to your gallery.

Since I am at every wedding I edit I know what was important on your day and who was too.

This personal hands on approach gives you more of the images that will matter for generations to come.

Don’t Wait months for your photos!

In about two weeks, (and never more than six weeks), your beautiful images will be online and ready for you.

Not long after those images are online I begin designing and ordering any albums or large wall art you may have ordered.

Follow this link to see my Portfolio of wedding photos

I would love to be your Chicago Wedding Photographer!

 

 

 

The Process

 

 

 

GET IN TOUCH

Once you have a date locked in, get in touch with me and we can set up a meeting in person. I encourage couples to come to my studio in Hyde Park. We can relax and chat and you can see my work and tell me all about your wedding. Meeting in the studio allows us to go through stunning wall art and albums too. I really want to know all about you and your wedding dreams.

 

 

 

 

BOOK ME

When you are ready to book I have an online booking form. You pay a $500 deposit and lock me in as your photographer.

 

 

 

PLANNING + CONSULTATIONS

We plan a date for an engagement session, talk about timelines and photos for your wedding day. I have attended over 1000 weddings and all that experience is available to you and your wedding planner as you set up timelines and other details.

 

 

 

ENGAGEMENT SESSION

We have some fun capturing engagement photos for an hour or two. Clients are welcome to bring a change of clothes and any props or pets. In a few days you will get a gallery of 35 to 50 stunning photos.

 

 

 

YOUR WEDDING DAY

Finally it is here and you get to look your best, relax and know I am there from early in the day to capture wonderful memories.

 

 

 

EDITING AND DELIVERY OF IMAGES

My work continues with just as much passion when I get home. I refuse to send out my photos to an online editing company. I was at your wedding and I know which photos were important to you. I spend hours selecting and editing the best photos. Within four weeks you will get an online gallery of your images. After that we work together on designing any printed albums and large wall art you may want.

 

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS

 

 

DO YOU HAVE BACKUP PHOTOGRAPHERS AND GEAR?

Yes! I have a great backup network of backup photographers and always carry extra equipment.

 

See my full equipment list here.

I use Canon Cameras, Lenses and Flashes.

 

I know there are a few options but Canon offers a complete package of gear that compliments

my style and stays ahead of the creative technology curve.

 

 

HOW DO I BOOK SHANE?

I have an online booking form and ask for a $500 deposit to reserve a date. I will happily email you a link to book after we confirm I am available.

 

DO YOU HAVE PAYMENT PLANS?

Yes, you can make payments online. The balance is due two weeks before your wedding.

 

HOW MANY PHOTOS DO WE GET?

Depending on your package, 600 to 1200.

 

ARE THE PHOTOS EDITED?

Every photo I deliver is edited, cropped, straightened, color corrected and edited by myself with my personal attention to

selection of which photos to edit and maintaining the consistent style I have developed.

 

CAN WE PRINT OUR PHOTOS?

Yes they are delivered as free downloads with print release so you can print them anywhere

and you can also buy prints on the gallery directly.

Custom albums, wall art canvas, metallic and leather prints are available from me after your wedding as well.

 

HOW LONG TILL WE GET OUT PHOTOS?

Photo galleries are normally ready within 2 to 4 weeks.

 

DO YOU HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE?

Yes I do and every professional Chicago Wedding Photographer should. Many venues require it.

 

SHOULD I BOOK A SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER?

If you are having multiple locations or you just want more details and guest candids a second photographer is a good option.

I do about 75% of the weddings I cover alone.

Wedding Day as a Photographer

 

Nearly every time I meet a couple, I get asked to describe what a wedding day looks like for me.

When I start, where I start etc.

So here is a run down of a typical wedding day. Everything is adaptable though haha.

 

Day Before the Wedding

The day before a wedding I charge all the gear up. I charge 6 to 8 camera batteries and all the flash batteries.

I format cards in the cameras and make sure my cameras are time synced. Depending on the wedding I will prep two or three cameras.

Everything gets packed into my Think Tank Roller bag so I am ready to go.

 

I make sure I have all the venue details ready and have google mapped everything weeks in advance, so I know when I need to leave.

I always allow extra travel time in case of any traffic issues.

 

I take time to review the timeline, go though any special requests and make sure I have any relevant shot lists.

 

 

 

Wedding Day - Pre Ceremony

 

I normally start photos with the bridal party. I love getting the candid photos of hair and makeup getting done.

This is a good time to get detail photos of rings and shoes and dresses and invitations etc.

These pre ceremony photos normally happen at a home, hotel or the venue if everything is in one place.

This is a good time to get detail photos of rings and shoes and dresses and invitations etc.

I like to get to the ceremony site a little before the bridal party.

I like to learn about any rules from the minister if there is one and it is a religious site.

If a couple wants a first look and formals before the ceremony we may do those at this time.

If not I may take some photos of just the bride and her crew and keep everyone seperate.

I will never push a couple to do a first look or not do one. It is not my day.

There are advantages to a first look but I love the tradition too.

 

If you want my thoughts on a first look go here.

Ceremony

During wedding ceremonies I balance two goals.

Firstly, cover the action and get the main moments and candid moments.

Secondly, stay out got the way and avoid being a distraction.

It's a delicate but essential balance.

I have attended weddings and watched photographers and videographers standing right on the couple and guest miss so much.

This is why I carry longer fast lenses. I can be out of the way and get close in photos.

 

I seldom use any flash during ceremonies. I carry very high quality cameras and fast lenses that allow this. It is far less distracting and very often flash is not allowed anyway.

Post Ceremony

This is normally the time for family formals and photos of the bridal party and couple.

I like to start with the older family members first to avoid them standing too long, then work through groups from there. A basic shot list of the groups here is often utilized.

If everyone is ready family normally takes about 30 mins to get done at most.

Then I move onto the bridal party and then the couple.

Ideally 30 minutes with the bridal party and at least 30 minutes with the couple is great. Often I get 30 minutes with everyone and we have to move fast.

Many venues only allow for an hour of cocktail time after the ceremony so all the family and bridal party photos have to be done in that time.

This is when getting photos of the bride alone and the bridesmaids with her before the ceremony helps alot as those are taken care of.

Sunsets

Often I get to a venue and just wish the whole timeline was planned around sunset haha.

Sunset may fall at any time during most weddings, but often it is just before the reception, or during the reception and hopefully at a time we can sneak out for ten minutes.

I love sunset photos and will always be happy to do them when a couple wants them.

 

Reception

I love receptions. I love the raw emotions in speeches, the faces of parents during first dances.

The crazy dancing once the bar is open!

I find receptions give me time to be creative with lighting and action.

I like to stay until I have at least a good amount of the shenanigans.

Home But Not Done

I often get done after 10:00p.m. but when I get home. The first thing I do is transfer all my photos from the cards to two hard drives at home. This gives me backup and peace of mind. I also edit about ten photos right away so I can send out a few teasers to the couple.

 

Wedding - Portrait - Event Photographer