Monthly Archives: January 2011

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions that brides ask Lux all the time, so we decided to take a minute and put together a quick go-to guide, the frequently asked questions about our wedding photo and video coverage:

Q: Can I get a consultation?

A: Absolutely! A free personal photography consultation is the best way to learn about our unique approach to wedding photography and to view our extensive portfolio. Please call us at (888) 428-2040 or complete an appointment form on our Contact page, and we’ll be in touch within one business day.

Q: How would you describe your style of photography?

A: We use a natural, photo-journalistic shooting style that does not leave anything out. We document your story as it unfolds, capturing all the precious moments: quiet times, stunning details, unique personalities. We don’t run the show, we just shoot it. We don’t call the shots, we just capture them. You won’t ever find us harassing your guests to pose for cliché table shots or standard “say cheese!” photographs. We capture the moments rather than the poses.

Espace wedding detail

We get the classic favorites in a cool way. We even make “formal” family portraits fun. That means no stiff necks or fake smiles to look at in your living room for years to come. We are different. We might have you chasing taxicabs in your formalwear, or splashing puddles in Central Park to get that great shot that gets people talking. No matter what the story is, the results are utterly fresh, smart and fabulous.

Q: What happens after the wedding?

A: By the time you say “jeez Honey, our honeymoon sure went by fast!” your hardcover photo proof book will be waiting for you in your mailbox. Once you’ve chosen your favorite photos and sent in your personalized order form, our team of photo editors and book designers will start creating your albums. Throughout this process you will be in touch with our in-house album designer who will customize each wedding album to your specific needs. These exquisite albums will contain all the important details of your wedding story. You make the stories and we simply record and present them in a meaningful and elegant way. We promise to take care of you every step of the way – from the first moment you meet with us to discuss your wedding to the moment we apply the finial touches on your handcrafted albums.

Iris and Candice

Q: Can you digitally retouch my photos?

A: Sure thing! We want you to be thrilled with every part of your story – that’s why we offer digital retouching as an integral part of our photography services. Our professional photo-editors focus on making sure nothing distracts you from the magic. Whether it’s helping you look your best or creating a style for your photos that’s as unique as you are, we’re always working to create wedding photos you love.

All retouching is done to clone copies of your photographs, so the original files will always remain untouched. Once the retouching work is complete, you can have as many prints as you want, and your digital negatives will include copies of both the original and retouched photos.

Q: Can I have a color photo printed in black and white?

A: Yes – any color photograph can be printed in black and white. Our album designers have a great eye and can help suggest which pictures look better in black and white. Ultimately, you have total control over the printing style of your wedding photos.

Q: How many photographs will I have at the end of the wedding?

A: We normally guarantee a minimum of 500+ images from your wedding day that will be presented to you in their original format on a disk.

Q: Do I get to keep my negatives?

A: Yes! We shoot everything in high-quality, professional digital format. Along with your proofs, all of our packages include a CD of the original high-resolution digital negatives of your photos.

Joe and Candice shoot

Q: Do you do bridal and engagement portraits?

A: Yes. Along with our famous event coverage we offer bridal and engagement portrait sessions, whether casual or in-studio, as well as engagement party and rehearsal dinner coverage. These sessions are included as part of some of our packages, or they can be purchased as separate options.

Q: What are your rates?
A: Our photographic coverage starts at $4900 and includes a full day coverage by our lead photographer.

Q: How does booking and payment work?

A: A deposit of half of the coverage fee, paid by check, credit card or cash, is required to hold your event date. The balance of the coverage fee is due one week prior to the day of the event. You can contact us anytime with any questions, requests, or concerns.

Q: Do you offer video coverage?

A: Yes! We are proud to employ a very impressive roaster of professionally trained directors of photography, video editors, and special effects whiz kids. Our video works have won numerous industry awards – we do it professionally – not your average weekend warriors. We offer a full array of event video coverage, ranging from single camera SD-format to multiple-camera High-Definition format to DSLR cameras, with special lights, hidden mikes, digital effects and a few other professional tricks up our sleeves. Our video coverage starts at $3900.

Q: What is included in the Basic Photography package?

A: We are known to be an extremely generous wedding photography studio – our clients get a lot for their buck. Usually, you get what you pay for – as the saying goes. With us, however, you get what you pay for, and more. A lot more. Our Core Coverage includes 8 hours of photographic coverage in as many locations as you like. We deliver original high-resolution digital negatives on a disk. You and your friends and family will also benefit from our secure online gallery, as well as from our custom album design creation by qualified designers.

Manhattan rooftop wedding

Q: Why hire a professional photographer?

A: When you think about the cost of hiring a professional photographer, remember that this cost not only covers the event coverage but also all of the time we will be spending on individual portraits of you, your parents, extended family and yours friends. Your wedding day will be one of the most important days of your life, make sure you choose a team of photographers who can handle all that your special day has to offer! A professional photographer will be timely – arriving at your wedding promptly, and getting the results to you quickly. The right equipment for capturing all the magic plays an important role as well. Having attended many events, an experienced photographer is comfortable around your guests and knows exactly what to do and where to go. And a professional is used to working with individuals, couples, and groups alike – our photographers are people-friendly.

Q: How do we arrange for a consultation with you to view your work in person and to discuss our specific wedding needs, and what is covered during a consultation?

A: We offer a no-obligation, personal consultation for each couple who is considering us for their wedding photography. Please call and we will arrange a meeting at a time and place of your convenience. During the consultation, you will be able to view samples of our work, including several assembled wedding albums showing start-to-end coverage of weddings we have previously photographed, proof book samples, and a sample of our web gallery. We will spend some time discussing your specific wedding plans, after which you should be able to tell whether or not what we at Lux have to offer is what you are indeed looking for. We will go over our price list and packaging options, answering any questions you might have about choosing the right package for your specific needs.

We realize that most couples wish to consult with more than one wedding photographer before making their final decision. We are confident that if you are pleased with our work, our prices, and our personalities, you will give us a strong consideration in your final decision.

Our New York studio is in SoHo on Broadway and Grand. 446 Broadway, 3rd Floor
To schedule you consultation today please call 888 428 2040 or email info@luxphotos.com

PS: the images in this post are from a wonderful multi-traditional wedding of Candice and Joseph that we photographed in the summer of ’10 at Espace in New York. The event was meticulously organized by Iris Rafaeli, the owner of all-inclusive event planning company Maison Lublu. Her company specializes in event and wedding planning, as well as interior design and home staging. We also shot the video that can be seen here: http://luxphotostudios.com/2010/12/candice-joseph-wedding-at-espace/

More wedding photography samples and wedding cinematography collection from our famous destination weddings, and our local photo studios in New York, Miami and Montreal at http://LuxPhotos.com

Brides Choice Award

I guess the congratulations are in order. Lux Photo Studios is proud to announce that we won the Bride’s Choice Awards 2011 (again!) from WeddingWire and Martha Stewart’s Weddings! This means we are in the top 5 percent of Wedding Pros nationwide. I know I know.. it’s not very modest to speak of your own success but, considering how many clients reviews we received through the Wedding Wire and through Martha Stewart Weddings, we figured that we will let our clients speak of their experiences with Lux. To see some more detailed reviews and well-deserved praise see a special page on our website: http://luxphotos.com/praise/

While we are on the subject of wedding awards and all sorts of photography related accolades here is another wedding planning website called MomentVille.com who thinks that we are hot. This is what they awarded us: “Lux Photo Studios is Named to the 2011 Wedding Professional Hot List“.

More wedding photography samples and wedding cinematography collection from our famous destination weddings, and our local photo studios in New York, Miami and Montreal at http://LuxPhotos.com

New York Engagement Video

This is the video where unique idea meets skilled cinematography. What makes this engagement video particularly lovely is of course the couple who are not afraid to look silly and were subjected to a full day of videotaping all around Manhattan.

More wedding photography samples and wedding cinematography collection from our famous destination weddings, and our local photo studios in New York, Miami and Montreal at http://LuxPhotos.com

Trash the Dress photo session in Punta Cana

Venue: Ocean Blue & Sand Resort www.oceanbluepuntacanaresort.com
Travel Agent: Marina Kaplan of Infinity Travel (732) 851-5150

Saving your wedding dress? Forget it! These days many brides choose to sacrifice their dresses in the name of art. The process that came to be known as “Trash the Dress” came from fashion and glamour photography, whereas beautiful people were put in unusual settings. Also known as “fearless bridal” or “rock the frock”, this style of post-wedding photography contrasts elegant clothing with an environment in which it is out of place, in our case a bride and groom swimming in the ocean off the coast of tropical island in the Caribbean.

Wedding dress on the beach

You probably remember this beautiful newlywed couple from our last month’s post about Igor and Natalia’s beach wedding in Punta Cana. Natalia Komissarova said that sitting (more like jumping, swimming, laying down) in 2010 for her post-wedding Trash the Dress photo shoot was a great idea – one of many ideas we had in mind for our post-wedding creative collaboration.

beach photo session

Being a successful NY model whose face once adorned the Times Square as part of an advertising campaign, Natalia prepared thoroughly for her beach photo shoot. She brought four different gowns, with an idea to swim in them, wear it on horseback, dirt race in a buggy wearing it, rock climb and possibly even scuba dive. As great as all those ideas were, due to a myriad of logistic snags we were only able to do one of them, which turned out to be a lot of fun and the photos speak for themselves. We were going for a very clean, Vogue look that revolves around the pure beauty of the subjects, instead of the lifestyle images that are dominant in our wedding photography work.

Engagement photo shoot

As we mentioned in the previous post about this memorable event, the Punta Cana international airport welcomes all tourists with a huge photograph stretching over the exit to the city. The photograph features our very own bride, Natalia Komissarova, photographed in a beautiful tropical setting, welcoming visitors to the Dominical Republic. You can view that and other official welcome photos on a website created by the Ministerio de Turismo de la República Dominicana – a Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic.

More wedding photography samples and wedding cinematography collection from our famous destination weddings, and our local photo studios in New York, Miami and Montreal at http://LuxPhotos.com

The Wedding Party in New York

It’s about that time of the year again – the big show is here! Every year NY’s fabulous event planning duo Claudia Hanlin and Jennifer Zabinski of The Wedding Library in collaboration with Martha Stewart Weddings put on a giant of a bridal show, a true flagship of New York City’s finest bridal show: The Wedding Party.

The event will take place on Saturday January 22nd, at the ultra luxurious and majestic New York Palace Hotel between 10am and 4pm. We encourage all future brides to attend this event, taste delicious food and scrumptious pastry, get the feel for the wedding industry and choose among Manhattan’s finest wedding vendors, including photographers, videographers, florists, bakers, musicians, and many more.

wedding party event

Find out more about the company and the upcoming show on their website and on Wedding Library’s blog. You can view the full list of participants and the schedule of the events that will take place during the show.

Lux Photo Studios will be exhibiting on the 5th Floor, at the Hubbard Hall. We will be showing our latest photographs, albums, and will be happy to answer any of your questions about wedding photography, videography or print and album making.

free ticket to wedding party

We recommend you purchasing your tickets in advance, as the capacity of the boutique hotel where the event takes place is limited. To book your tickets visit The Wedding Party details page.

More wedding photography samples and wedding cinematography collection from our famous destination weddings, and our local photo studios in New York, Miami and Montreal at http://LuxPhotos.com

Bridal Fitness in New York

We are happy to announce the start of collaboration of Lux Photo Studios with Melissa “Missy” Groeger, an athlete, a personal trainer, and an expert in all things fitness related. Missy has been helping New York brides to feel and look better for their big day and beyond. Missy is sought after not only for her expertise in fitness, but for her realistic approach to the business of getting in shape, and the personal relationships she develops with clients.

NY Fitness Coach

From an expert advice on nutrition, to creating custom exercise programs, Missy will make great use of boxing, plyometrics, yoga, weights and bands to get you in shape in no time. See her website missygroeger.com and make your appointment today.

On a personal note, Missy has been getting Lux team in shape as well – you think it’s easy to schlep around the world with all our photo and video gear?

More wedding photography samples and wedding cinematography collection from our famous destination weddings, and our local photo studios in New York, Miami and Montreal at http://LuxPhotos.com