FAQ

Why should I pick you out of the other hundreds of photographers out there?

Your wedding day is the most intimate moment in your life. It’s very important to be comfortable and able to “click” with your photographer since they will be around you as much as your wedding party, if not more. I understand it’s your day and will let you enjoy it while pulling you aside for the important posed images when needed. My main focus is to capture your vision of your wedding. We will go over the itinerary, talk about setup shots, and plan out to important stuff so you can enjoy the whole day without being flustered with the hectic runaround. On top of photographing your wedding, I pride myself on excellent customer service skills because communication is the key to success.

Why do you charge so much?!?!

Amongst the wedding vendors, photographers have the most work. Besides consultation and the wedding day coverage, typically I have to do an engagement session, scout the wedding venue and other photographing locations, and then edit for about 80-100 hours. Once you break it down, you will see it is much more passion work than pure profit haha. What’s the point of spending so much on flowers and decor if you don’t have beautiful images to remind you of them years after your wedding?

But there’s photographers that are cheaper? What’s the difference?

There’s a number of things that make my services different from others. I use high end professional equipment and 2nd shooters, edit your images, deliver luxury products, and keep in contact. Some don’t edit their photos and just slap whatever the current trendy filter on your pictures. Others don’t deliver your images in an appropriate time frame. Then there are the husband and wife team where one does the shooting and the other "photographer" is more of a helper than a true professional photographer. While others don’t contact you after the contract is signed until the wedding day, then not again until they deliver. Most of all, they don’t have the experience that I bring to the table. With over 200 weddings photographed, I’ve seen and handled it all.

Can I make payments before and after my wedding to help with budgeting?

Yes. I only require an initial 20% payment to save the date and then 50% by the day of the wedding. The remainder of the balance can be worked out after the wedding date. Please ask about details!

What kind of equipment do you use?

I carry 2 cameras at a time (Canon 5D Mark 4) with a backup camera in my bag. All my lenses are Canon L series (and a few Sigma Art series lenses) to help in low light situations like churches and reception halls. I have 8 off camera strobes that are mobile, fast to set up, and will light up any situation. All my gear is top of the line because it’s your most important celebration and it deserves the best!

How many images do you typically deliver?

In my wedding packages, I deliver any image that’s worth receiving. I remove out of focus, test, and true duplicate images from your set. If there’s a moment where I happen to capture 10 images that are slightly different, but different enough for me to notice, I’ll give them to you because who am I to say which one you will like best? If you’re looking for a ballpark number, I typically deliver 1000 images for an 10hr American traditional wedding.

Do you shoot in JPEG,Small RAW, or Large RAW?

I shoot in both Large RAW and Small RAW with dual card slots in my cameras just in case of memory card failure (which has never happened, KNOCK ON WOOD!). RAW over JPEG because it allows me to do much more editing options. I deliver images in JPEG format.

Do you edit my images and/or put filters on them?

Every image I deliver will be individually touched up with corrected exposure, color, and crop. If it’s a blemish that will go away, I remove it. If it’s permanent, I leave it be (unless you request otherwise). I do not put filters on your images because over time, your taste will change and that Instagram or VSCO filter just might not seem so cool anymore!

How do you deliver my images and how long does it take?

Packages include a personalized acrylic USB and case. You also get a 2 month online gallery with optional downloading for guests. Delivery time varies from 1-3 months depending on workload. I will give an estimation at the time of consultation. Express highlights are also available.

Will you post my images everywhere online?

No. In a social media frenzied world we live in, I believe in privacy. Although I own copyright of all my images, I respect my clients to contact them (or wait for them to post)before posting online.

What’s with the name Charlie in the Tree anyways?

It’s a name with many reasons behind it. First, my name is Charles and I’m Vietnamese. If you’re familiar with American war history you may already know where that’s going haha. On top of that, photographers sometimes refer to other photographers that shoot with long lenses snipers, which I do. And finally, I’ll climb a tree if it’ll help me capture the image I’m trying to achieve.

Wow that’s slightly offensive isn’t it?

I don’t think so. It probably tells you my humor and attitude towards life. I’m not shy and can laugh at myself. I hope my clients feel the same way around me so we can capture some raw images that will ooze emotion.

I still have questions, can I ask?

Of course! Just send me a message down below and I'll do my best to answer any questions you have.