in case you were wondering,
I want the yes to working with me to be a no-brainer. We don't need to waste time on a call discussing answers to questions I could easily share here. I'd much rather spend time getting to know you both as a final vibe check for whether or not our personalities mesh, instead of a laundry list of questions you'll never remember the answers to. I've made this FAQ to answer questions both common and obscure that you should know about working with me. If you still have more, don't worry, I am more than happy to answer them, but this should satisfy the bulk of your pressing thoughts.
WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING WITH
OLIVE AND OATH?
the basic logistics
HOW FAR WILL YOU TRAVEL?
Far and wide baby. As a lover of other languages, cultures and foods there are few places I will not travel to. As long as my schedule allows, I will follow you across the world.
How many weddings do you take a year?
My cap is 25 weddings for 2026 and 20 for 2027.
I will not take more than 3 weddings a month.
CAN I SEE FULL GALLERIES?
Of course! I wouldn't let you book without seeing a few full galleries. You can see quite a few galleries on my real weddings page, but here is a full gallery as it would be delivered to you.
Why full day coverage?
Our style is intentional and personalized to each couple. Your full story on the wedding day is very important to me. Your presence on the wedding day is very important to me. Your people are very important to me. That's why we only offer full day coverage. Whether you book for 6 hours or 12, the day is yours. We do not sacrifice your story for sake of fitting everything into 8 hours.
What happens if you get sick?
Most of the time, I photograph through illness. If it's a cold or flu, I wear a mask and take appropriate steps to make sure I can get the job done well. If it's some form of emergency, I have a few options: either a vetted associate photographer or a refund for any services not rendered. I've only had to cancel once in 6.5 years and I not only refunded the session fee, but all travel they paid to get to me. I will do my damn best to provide an exceptional service regardless.
Do we have to have a call with you?
For weddings and elopements, mostly yes, but won't require one if you are working with one of my trusted planners. I know that it can be a lot to schedule calls with a dozen vendors per category, but your photographer will be with you more than some of your friends on your wedding day. This initial call is the first vibe check to make sure our personalities are aligned as much as you love my work.
WHAT ARE MY NEXT STEPS?
Next steps are simple.
+ Schedule a call, because a vibe check is necessary to make sure we are the correct fit.
+ Send me any requested information.
+ I send your client portal that houses all our communication, including the contract and invoice. Once signed and paid, you'll be officially booked.
Do you require a planner or coordinator?
Planner, highly recommended. Coordinator? Mostly yes, but especially for larger scale events. Often coordination falls on the photographer when that role isn't fulfilled by a hired vendor. This not only is outside of my role, but takes away from my focus from creating the best imagery for you! I have many trusted vendors to share if you still need one upon booking me, but there is a coordinator fee if you don't have one hired a month before your event. (There are some exceptions to this rule and I'm happy to talk more about it.)
do you have business insurance?
I do! I'm more than happy to provide a COI to your venue and already have one on file for venues that I regularly photograph at.
Can we do fully film?
Hell. Yes. It's a $4000 upgrade, but well worth it for the film lover. This upgrade gets your gallery 100% on film and 4x6 prints of your entire gallery.
Do you offer any other formats of film?
Currently, I offer medium format, 35mm film, and polaroids. I have recommendations for other additions, such as, super8 video tintypes, and large format.
what cameras do you use?
My camera collection is ever growing and rotating, but I document with a combination of 120 and 35mm film cameras. I also offer polaroids as a add-on. Currently rocking with a mamiya 645, pentax p30t, canon EOS 650, and holga 120n. All, minus the holga, come with a collection of lenses. I also have a small collection of plastic 35mm cameras that are purely "for the vibes" and only shoot one or two rolls with them on the wedding day.
why film?
Many reasons. Film is my preferred medium; just like some painters prefer watercolor and some oil. Film has the ability to capture a moment how it felt and not just how it looked. It's gentle to harsh light, soft to the skin tones, and nostalgic. There is something beautifully grounding about a physical versus digital medium as well. I love that I can keep both the negatives and scanned files.
film and add-ons
What if the film doesn't come out?
Film, just like any medium, has risks. While a digital SD card can corrupt, a film strip can experience light damage, fogging, etc. My contract further illuminates how this is handled, but to some extent it is just a risk you accept when choosing this medium. To ease your mind, please know that I photograph on many cameras at once and take images in multiple places to alleviate the chance of lost memories.
We are having an indoor wedding. is that a problem for film?
Nope! It just means you can expect to see more flash imagery, grainy black and whites, and interesting color shifts. I personally love the look of moody, low-light indoor film. Just align your expectations accordingly.
Do you have an assistant to help with film?
Depending on the needs of your wedding I may bring an assistant to roll my film and support my work flow. However, most of couples value a slower paced wedding day, which leaves room for me to roll my own film. Plus, all my second photographers are film/digital shooters as well.
How many rolls do you use?
I never give an exact roll count because it is so dependent on your wedding. Just know it'll be between 40 and 60% of the final gallery, unless discussed otherwise.
Do you match your digital to the film?
Short answer, kind of? My digital edits are inspired by my preferred film stocks, but I love my film looking like film and my digital looking like digital. This means the two mediums are edited to be complimentary, but not copy/paste. If I could copy/paste, why would I waste my money on film in the first place?
How long does it take to get our album?
Most albums are a minimum two month process since they are handmade in the US. I keep you updated through the whole process as my album lab communicates with me.
Do you offer albums?
Yup. Just like prints, you can order a few variations of albums through your gallery link. These are mid-level, quality albums with some customization available. You have to do the design yourself when ordering through the gallery link.
If you are interested in a more curated experience, I offer full album design with luxury layflat albums, hand-bound and printed in the US. These are fully customizable, but the pricing reflects it.
Can I print film images as well as digital?
Of course. All my film images are scanned to be printed up to an 24x36 wall art. Larger scans are available for purchase, if you're planning for even larger prints.
Do you offer prints?
Yes! In fact, you can order them directly through your final online gallery. They are printed through my film lab and the same place I get my personal prints done. Whether it's a small wallet size or a large framed print, they have it! If there is something you want and don't see, we can discuss custom wall art design.
prints and albums
Can family order prints too?
Yes! Anyone you share the guest gallery link with will be able to order prints. They'll simply have to pay for the high-res version of the images and we can discuss what you want to be available for family wanting prints.
Can we add prints and albums on at any time?
There is no time limit on prints and albums, but there are a few early bird sales available when your gallery goes live. I recommend planning to purchase them upon receiving your gallery for the best price, but you can always do so in the future.
Can we see these albums before buying?
For the fully custom, designed by me albums, most definitely! I have three sample albums, as well as, all the finished available to touch and see. We schedule an album design meeting that can be held in-person, or via zoom. If we can't meet in-person, I will have a set of the finished shipped to you to choose from.
I do not have examples of the albums that are made via your online gallery because those are shipped directly to the consumer and a hands off process for me.
What if we want to print the images ourself?
You can most definitely self-print. All contracts come with personal printing rights (aka the high resolution image files for prints). Printing with me has the benefit of album design, a quality vetted print source, additional customer service, and another way to support my small business.
Do you recommend an engagement session?
It really depends. As a buyer and lover of documenting all seasons, I would get one. Not only is it a great way to freeze this era into heirloom imagery, it's a great way to get comfortable in front of my camera. However, I am not a cookie cutter engagement session photographer. We collaboratively curate a vision board that is full of little bread crumbs of this season. I want you to look back at these images and remember your favorite places, outfits, activities, etc. through intentional choices we make.
Do you have vendors that you can recommend?
When you book with me, you get a little wedding organizer to support your planning process AND that includes a holistic vendor list for vendors that I trust.
How do you choose your second photographers?
All my assistants and second photographers are highly vetted wedding professionals that have worked for or mentored under me or highly trusted friends. I have a rotating group of 5 second photographers and add a couple each year to make sure that I always have a top tier team.
other questions
what is your ideal wedding?
This question and answer is purely to share a little more of my personal preference, but it doesn't mean I don't love many types of wedding days! My favorite weddings are wedding weekends that are non-traditional, slow-paced, highly connected with the guests. If I was getting married this year, I would do an intimate wedding in Granada, Spain with an al fresco dinner party, organic floral design, slow food grazing, attending my cocktail hour, and more. I could go on forever, but really I would want to live and let the photographer do their thing.
How are travel fees decided?
I set my travel based on averages for how much it costs me to travel to a location. I've spent the last three years documenting through the US and Europe so I have an accurate average of what it costs me to do so. You can see the flat rates on my investment page and it covers flights, hotels, food, rental car, etc.
Do you accept or pay vendor kickbacks?
Absolutely not. Transparency is a key part of my ethos and I refuse to play the game by accepting a hidden fee from another vendor for a referral or increase my price to cover a fee to a planner. I recommend you steer clear from any vendor that works this way. It ruins an honest referral for me.
Can we add a second shooter at any time?
Yes and no. I guarantee a quality second photographer if booked at least three months before your wedding. If you want to book one closer to the wedding date, I will do my best to secure someone I trust, but will refund you the additional fee if not possible.
Why is the Riverside Engagement session so much cheaper than the others?
Truly, because I live in Downtown Riverside and not everyone wants to spend $2k or more on their session. This gives more couples the opportunity to get engagement photos. Some couples, especially my out-of-state couples, don't have a location here that is sentimental, but we can find other ways to bring in their personality and story.
copyright Olive and oath llc 2026 | design by With grace and gold | images bY olive and oath