FAQ’s

Wedding FAQ’s

Q: What type of gear do you use?
A: I’m a Canon shooter and use a lot of their pro gear. I carry multiple bodies (cameras) and a vast assortment of lenses that can work in all types of situations. I also bring multiple flashes for lighting any size room.

Q: Do you have an assistant?
A: I bring an assistant/second shooter to 99% of the weddings I shoot. Not only does having an assistant help me with the technical aspects of the photography, but they help with a lot of the little details that make the images that much more effective. Also when I have a second shooter it provides you, the customer with different angles and lighting which adds to your choices for images to include in your album or for wall portrait images.

Q: Do you travel and do you charge for travel?
A: I am more than happy to travel to your wedding. I regularly travel throughout Northern California as well as the Reno/Tahoe area, and I do not charge for those locations. However if you have a destination wedding, or if you would like for me to travel to your area like Southern California or another state I charge actual travel fees on top of the fees for photographing your wedding.

Q: How long have you been photographing weddings, and is it your full time job?
A: I photographed my first wedding in 1997 as a second shooter for a friend. Back then photography was a lot different, especially since it was all film based. From that wedding I was asked to shoot more and more weddings and continued to hone my skills. In 2005 I started CMC Photography as a side/weekend job and in 2006 I quit my “day job” and started doing photography full time. In May of 2011 I changed the name of CMC Photography to Christopher Cooke Photography.

Q: Can I give you a list of pictures I want taken?
A: Absolutely! I try my very best to accommodate all of your special requests. I know that many times weddings are only ways family members can all be together in one place at one time. So please feel free to give me a list of those special images and I will work through the list during your day.

Q: Can we do pictures before the ceremony?
A: I try to do as much before the ceremony as possible. Most times I arrive early enough to get the bride & groom getting ready, take formal pictures of the bride with her bridesmaids and her family, take the same pictures with the grooms side. If the bride & groom are OK with seeing each other before the ceremony, we can do most of the bride & groom photos before the ceremony too.

Q: How far in advance are you booked?
A: Many times I will be booked between 8 -12 months before the actual wedding date and for popular dates (i.e. 10/10/10) I may be booked up to 18 months in advance.

Q: Do you photograph more than one wedding in a day? weekend?
A: I will NEVER book myself for more than 1 wedding on any one day. I will book more than one wedding in a weekend, sometimes as many as 3 a weekend, but more commonly only 2.

Q: What happens if you get sick, injured, etc?
A: The photography community for the most part is very supportive of each other. Because of this I have quite a few photographer friends that I can call at a moments notice to cover a wedding I can not attend. Luckily I have never had to call upon one of my colleagues to cover for me.

Q: Do you offer Military discounts?
A: YES! I offer a 10% discount for all active duty military members and 5% for those who have retired from service. (Either the Bride or Groom must be military to receive this discount)

Q: What is your payment policy?
A: To book Christopher Cooke Photography for your wedding a retainer worth one third of your collection total is due. This as well as a signed contract insures you have me as your photographer. A second payment is due at a mutually agreed upon time then the balance is due no later than 30 days prior to the wedding date. Discounts for paying in full at the time of booking are available as well. I accept Cash, Check, Visa and Mastercard for all payments.