How do you work?
First, no matter if it’s a wedding, a family session, or even a headshot you’re planning for, we start with a fun conversation. We want to know who those important people are in your life, and why they are important. We want to learn what you’re passionate about, and how that has helped create the person you are right now. Our goal is always to photograph you as your best possible self, and we want to help make that possible so you are reminded of it every day when you see your photographs.
Why do you care so much?
Because we love people. We always have. It’s our nature to be curious, and to want to understand people’s unique point of view. That fuels our creativity, and the better we know you, the better job we can do for you.
What’s your style?
Our style is most often described as “creative documentary.” Because we come from photojournalism backgrounds, we photograph your wedding day as it unfolds naturally without interference. However, we do add artistic flair to what we document and put a lot of energy and time into creative portraits of the two of you. We look for interesting light, angles and backgrounds, and often use unusual, experimental techniques to turn your wedding portraits into works of art. In addition to all your creative and documentary photos, your parents can rest assured we will produce beautiful, traditional family photos, bridal portraits, and even magazine-quality photos of your food, flowers and fashion, to do justice to all the amazing design details you worked so hard on!
We wish we could meet with you, but we don’t live in Charleston, San Francisco, Santa Fe, or Italy. Is there an alternative?`
The majority of our couples and families hire us without an in-person meeting. We are very quick and very thorough with emails and phone calls and are able to answer most questions in those ways. In addition, we are happy to schedule a Zoom video meeting. Many of our out-of-town clients do this, and we love it! We recently video-met with one couple who lived in Hong Kong – they were just waking up and recovering from partying the night before, and we were getting ready to go to bed. We can always find a time and method that work for you!
How do we arrange your travel?
We will book our own airfare, hotel and transportation, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. But if your coordinator is arranging shuttles, or prefers to book our room for us, we’ll happily accept! We do whatever is easiest for you.
Will you travel for engagement sessions as well?
Yes, we’ve photographed engagement sessions all over the world, and we are happy to come to your town or meet you at a fabulous destination of your choice. Just reach out for information.
Do you photograph details and family group photos?
Absolutely! A wedding photography collection would not be complete without good details and family photos. We take all the photographs you would expect from a skilled wedding photographer and go beyond those expectations to give you photographs that you never even imagined.
My fiancé is uncomfortable having his picture taken. How can you help him on the wedding day?
We are very calm, mellow people who tend to blend into the scene rather than bring attention to ourselves and our cameras. That, combined with our documentary style, will put you at ease within the first half-hour of your getting-ready time. Looking back, most couples tell us they felt like we were part of the gang, just hanging out with everyone. The only time you’ll really be aware of our cameras is during the family group photos and creative portraits. During this time, we will guide you through everything so you can just be yourselves while we take care of the rest. In addition, we make a point to talk with each of you, and even your parents if possible, a month or so before your wedding to get to know you better and establish a rapport so we will all feel like buddies when we meet in person. Want to take it a step further? Have us photograph your rehearsal dinner or welcome party so we’re in with your fiancé and guests before your wedding day.
What do you do if we have an outdoor venue and it rains?
We easily adapt to any situation and find that most venues will offer you a rain plan with a backup indoor location. If you are happy and in love, that will show in your photos, and that is why our favorite wedding photos have a lot more to do with your personalities and your chemistry as a couple than what kind of background you’re standing in front of. If you’re curious how we handle rainy wedding days, please check out our Rainy Wedding gallery. We see rain as a fun, adventurous twist that usually brings joy, laughter and spontaneity.
Should I give you a shot list?
When you contact us about photographing your wedding, we will send you a full gallery of a real wedding. You will see that we are very thorough with our coverage, including photos of your dress, jewelry, shoes, flowers, food and reception décor. We always love a list of family group photos so we don’t miss anyone important, and please tell us if there’s something unique about your wedding we might not be aware of. But for all the normal photographs any bride would expect, we’ve got you covered.
How many photographers will be at my wedding?
We always have two photographers at each wedding, unless it’s an elopement. The second photographer is chosen from a short list of very talented people we are lucky to work with. The second photographer helps photograph the getting-ready time and details, provides a second angle on the ceremony and reception, and assists the lead photographer with lighting. The same applies for our videographer Vlad.
When will we see our photographs?
We take great care in making sure all your edited photographs will look stunning for years to come, and completion takes anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks (depending on time of year). When your collection is complete, your online gallery will be made available for you to share with all your friends and family.
How do we hire you?
Use the contact tab at the top of each page to reach us with questions about pricing, products and availability. Once we have talked about your wedding, we’ll send you a password-protected site where you can sign your contract and pay your retainer. Everything can be done online in less than five minutes. As soon as your date is booked, you can count on us to be there with our cameras, ready to capture the most anticipated day of your life.
Where can we meet you?
If you’re in Charleston, you can come by our studio that’s just minutes from downtown. We’re usually in the studio Monday-Friday, unless we’re traveling for a job. Since we generally have several sessions a week, it’s best to give us a heads up that you’re coming by so we can make sure we have plenty of time for you. We love visitors!
Our address is: Chrisman Studios: 2681 Spruill Ave. Suite E, North Charleston, SC 29405