Rochester Wedding Photographer Rochester Wedding Photography Fotoimpressions

	Tweet

View Larger Map

With studio locations in both Rochester NY and Buffalo NY, Van Hoy's immediate coverage area ranges from NYC to Montreal - For those outside the country Fotoimpressions maintains a current passport and offers Destination Wedding Photography services worldwide, including Cuba.

Van Hoy is one of the most sought after wedding photographers in the United States - his outstanding wedding photography portfolio has earned him commissions from San Antonio Texas to Montreal and reaching as far as South America and Sicily.

Also specializing in Architectural, Commercial, Editorial Portraiture, Headshots, Senior Portrait Photography, Stock, Advertising, Food, and Travel Photography . Paul D. Van Hoy II is a world-renowned professional wedding photographer who received distinction and award in 2007 as Microsoft's "Photographer of the year".

Van Hoy is an Alumni from the Rochester Institute of Technology's prestigious Master of Fine Arts Program. His award winning wedding photography has been featured in some of the most popular wedding magazines such as Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle Wedding, Brides, and Bridal Magazine, while his Fine Art and Editorial work has been showcased in PDN, Digital Photo Pro, Camera Arts, and Rangefinder Magazine.

In addition to earning worldwide recognition and prestige for his photographic works Van Hoy is also a published author with a newly released title on wedding photography, entitled: Wedding Photojournalism | The Business of Aesthetics which was published in May of 2011 by Amherst Media and available through all major booksellers.

What are the advantages of hiring a professional Rochester wedding photographer as
opposed to having a friend or family member take the pictures?

The advantages of hiring a seasoned professional versus commissioning a friend or family member to photograph your wedding are vast and numerous. Rochester Wedding Photography is an art form and a highly specialized trade unto itself. It requires a repertoire of talent and expertise ranging from technical acumen and acuity to a finely honed artistic ability, and of course, one's professional poise, i.e. the ability to deliver under immense pressure and amid extremely challenging and high stress situations while maintaining composure and a professional demeanor.

A veteran wedding photographer's greatest advantage is experience - both in the form of formal training as well as industrial experience - he or she will possess a level of training and proficiency that far exceeds and outshines that of any friend or family member no matter how hardcore of a hobbyist he or she might be.

A professional will not only have many weddings under their belt, but they will also be properly outfitted with high grade "professional" gear, which enables them to capture images in situations where amateur level cameras simply cannot perform.

Professionals also have assistants and carry back up gear, they also maintain professional liability insurance and work under contractual agreement/s guaranteeing that the client's interests, expectations of service and products will be met delivered upon per the client's request/s by a governing deadline.

As a professional myself, I offer an exemplary and unparalleled service and product to my clientele, but beyond their investment in the tangibles, I offer them piece of mind, which you really can't put a price tag on. They know that they can rely upon and trust in me, based on my many years of experience and reputation, that their most prized and precious moments will forever be immortalized in a way that no one else with less experience, skill, and artistic ability could guarantee or deliver.

The adage that, "you get what you pay for" could not be more fitting than in the field of professional wedding photography. It's rather simple really... you probably wouldn't entrust a friend or family member to cut/style your hair or do your make-up, so why would you entrust them with the responsibility of photographing one of your life's your most special and defining days?

Why do Rochester wedding photographers copyright the pictures they take at weddings? Is this common?

It is typical practice for a professional wedding photographer to keep and maintain copyright over the wedding images they produce for their clients. Copyright is often kept in the possession of the photographer so that he or she may is able to sell additional prints and albums in the months and years following the wedding event. If photographers surrendered their legal copyright, there would be no legal consequence to deter the unlawful reproduction of works captured by the photographer. A large portion of a pro wedding photographers' income is dependent upon print and album sales which necessitates the ownership of copyright by the photographer. Copyright is also important to photographers wishing to promote, advertise, compete or publish their images.

Is it better to book a Rochester wedding photographer who uses film or digital equipment?

Film is at present an antiquated and archaic photographic medium. Not only is film and film processing technology/equipment now hard to locate, it requires a expensive and laborious processes that are vastly unreliable compared to digital technology. In my personal and professional opinion film no longer holds anything over digital technology aside from ascribed sentimentality and a "dated" aesthetic quality that (if one wished to achieve) could easily be rendered and reproduced digitally. There are absolutely no incentives or advantages to capturing with film versus digital.

What is a proof and what are the advantages of the different types of proofing?

A proof can be in either digital format or a traditional physical photographic print. It is simply the final rendering of a photograph presented to the client for his or her approval when selecting enlargements or albums. Digital proofs can be disseminated more quickly among friends and family members, however physical prints often provide a more accurate representation of what an actual print or album image may look like.

What are the pros and cons of hiring two wedding photographers to take pictures at a wedding, as compared to only having one photographer taking pictures?

The pros of having two or more shooters to document your wedding begins with coverage, i.e. two sets of eyes are always better than one. Unarguably there will be more photos made throughout the course of your wedding day when two photographers are employed. Comprehensiveness of coverage is also an huge incentive to having a duo versus a soloist shoot your wedding. If you're wanting to have equal coverage of both the bride/bridesmaids as well as the groom/groomsmen - having two shooters is a must!

The cons of having multiple shooters document your wedding can result in what I like to refer to as the chaos or paparazzi factor. There's a certain and undeniable degree of awkwardness in having anyone photograph your every move, but when you put two buzzing and ambitious photographers in the same room, the photography can and often does become the main event. This can be intimidating and off putting to those being photographed and can certainly spoil decisive moments that may otherwise naturally occur. Obviously cost goes up when you hire more photographers, so expense might be a con if you have a limited budget for photography.

If you're considering having a second shooter for your Rochester wedding, make sure to inquire about his or her credentials, work experience and portfolio samples. Often times, second shooters are a way for photographers to "pad" and incentivize their packages, and brides will often book with a photographer who includes a second shooter over one who does not. But bear in mind that most second shooters are greatly lacking in their technical abilities and overall work experience. In all reality, they only contribute 2-3% of the final net return, but most brides are willing to pay 500.00-1000.00 more for the peace of mind that a second shooter's presence brings. Personally, I'd rather just have one veteran shooter alone versus one mediocre principal photographer backed by a mildly competent fledgling second shooter.

What types of wedding packages do photographers typically offer?

My studio typically offers three tiers of packages, as do most other wedding photographers/studios. Usually there is a basic package, which includes a primary photographer and an allotment of time (typically 4-6 hours), a mid-range package, which usually includes a primary photographer for an allotment of time (typically 8 hours) along with a print package and or album or album credit, and a premium package, which often includes a primary and secondary shooter and a time allotment of (8-10 hours), a custom designed album, print package, redeemable print/album credits for a la carte items and upgrades, and maybe a small canvas print to sweeten the deal.

What is the customary deposit to put down, to reserve a photographer for a date? When is the balance typically due?

Typically a deposit equal to 1/3 of the chosen package is required at the contract signing with the remaining 2/3 to be paid on the day of the wedding event. Many of my clients will actually pay their full balance a few months prior to their wedding event.

Why is there such a large price range among different wedding photographers?

I'll use myself as an example in an attempt to bring clarity to this question... Before I even begin discussing the costs integral to running one's own business, i.e. overhead, I'll start by discussing the value of experience and expertise. In 2007 I earned a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. That same year I won first place in Microsoft's Professional of the Year Contest and during that same year I was also recipient of "Photographer of the Year" by Creative Quarterly Magazine. My client list includes, Fossil, Jones New York, DKNY, Barilla, Adidas, Exxon, Goodyear, and Kraft Foods. To this day I have photographed over 700 weddings during my 15 year career as a wedding photographer.

In this industry you have those who are distinguished veterans; those who have earned the highest degree of scholarship, and acclaim for their accomplishments and contributions to photography, those who have dedicated themselves tirelessly to the pursuit of excellence of their craft... Then you have those who operate home based weekend businesses with no formal, technical training or education, no real industrial experience, no real claim to being a professional aside from buying a professional camera, printing off business cards from their home computer and calling themselves a... "professional".

Unfortunately, for many brides and grooms who aren't well-informed about the world of professional photography, i.e.the distinctions, accreditation, accolades and affiliations that distinguish and delineate seasoned pros from the amateur ranks - it becomes difficult to tell one photographer apart from another, and another...

In many cases brides and grooms rely solely upon what they see, i.e. the packaging, advertising, and portfolios, but portfolios and advertising alone can be extremely deceptive. This is why it's so important to really research and prospective photographers you might be considering or corresponding with.

Research them with a fine-toothed comb, everything from their educational background, work experience, client lists, awards, accolades, publications in which their work has been showcased - find out if they belong to any major professional photography communities such as the PPA or WPPI or the WPJA. Google their name and do your homework, because in this profession... unfortunate as it is, anyone with a camera and a blog can herald themselves a professional photographer.

Price, in the end, boils down to the caliber of photographer and subsequently the quality of photography you desire to have for your wedding day. Joe Smith who has no formal training and works out his mother's basement, who spends under 1k a year on advertising, doesn't have liability insurance or belong to any professional affiliations is going to cost significantly less that a pro who attended a top technical institute, who leases a studio space, advertises using a multi-tier state-wide campaign, and has significantly more overhead.

At what point in the wedding planning process should a couple book a wedding photographer?

The wedding photographer should be at the very top of the list when it comes to planning and booking vendors for your wedding. In fact, I think booking a photographer should rank before booking a ceremony and reception venue. The reason I say this is that if photography is chiefly important to you than make sure you get the best, and getting the best requires fast action, because the best ones book quickly - usually 1-2 years in advance. The added benefit of booking your wedding photographer first is that they can help inform your venue decisions since most veterans know from experience the most photogenic venues.

What should a couple look for in a wedding photographer?

First and foremost, clients should only meet with photographers whose work they connect with on an emotional level. Obviously you want to meet with only those photographers that fall within reasonable range of your budget, but maybe most importantly, clients should look for a photographer they feel comfortable with. It's imperative to choose a photographer that not only you and your fiance mesh well with, but someone you can see getting along well with your wedding party, family, and guests. After all, the last thing you want is to hire a photographer that makes you feel awkward or irritates you on your wedding day.

What should a couple beware of with certain Rochester wedding photographers?

Make sure the wedding photographer you meet with is the one who will be photographing your wedding. Make sure he or she has back up gear, as well as back up staff in the event that he/she cannot photograph your wedding due to sickness, injury, or death. Make sure that the photographer has references and a strong searchable online presence and work history record. Watch out for any high pressure, pushy wedding photographers - if you're gut says no, listen to it!

How should a couple determine their wedding photography budget?

I think this is a really subjective question, but I would say that a couple should be willing to spend just as much, if not more, on their photographer as they do on their cake, flowers, and or alcohol - to me this just makes sense...

What equipment should a wedding photographer have?

Your Rochester wedding photographer should have at least two professional digital DSLR camera bodies. He or she should also have a collection of lenses ranging in focal length from 20mm to 200mm, flashes, tripod, etc. Among those lenses they should have a few f/1.4 and f/2.8 lenses which are essential for capturing images in low light situations. Last but not least the photographer should have enough memory (at least 100GB) to capture the entire wedding day in RAW format.

Do prices typically vary for off-season or weekday weddings?

Every photographer has his or her own views about price reductions, but I'm certainly willing to be flexible in my pricing for weekday weddings.

Is it possible to get black and white photographs as well as color photographs, or do couples typically have to decide between one or the other?

Absolutely, I capture every image is full RGB color, which gives me the freedom and flexibility to render images any way I see fit when it comes to the editing/post processing phase. I use artistic license to decide which images should have color enhancements, i.e. cross processing, vintage toning, split-toning, black and white, sepia, selective color, the list goes on and on, but the sky is the limit and all options are available.