• I create experiences for people – from the moment we first meet to the moment you receive your album – and way beyond.
  
  
• I blend bridal glamour, fashion, modern portraiture and contemporary photojournalism in a unique and distinctive style you won't see anywhere else.
  
  
• I strive to match my work with the best of the best out there, internationally. I strive to get better and come up with something new and original with each shoot.
  
  
• I will come to your wedding as your photographer. I am down to earth and very approachable. I'll leave as a close friend.
  
  
• My photography is all real, just the way it came from the camera, with minimal editing - classy, elegant and timeless.
  
  
• I shoot with a vision. To complete that cycle, every photo is carefully edited by me, in-house.
  
  
• My wedding albums are designed by me too. It's all from the heart, with love and passion. My standards are extremely high and the quality control is unlike anything you've seen.
  

How long have you been in business?
I started Valdorama in 2008.

BOOKING

How much coverage do we need?
As a rule of thumb, the more time we have together, the better. We normally start with the Getting Ready sessions and photograph till a little after the cake has been cut. Every wedding is unique though. We’ll adjust your coverage to your heart’s desire. Just as you like it.

How long do Engagement and Afterglow Sessions last?
Each session lasts typically a couple of hours, but I shoot till everybody is happy and I am confident we got plenty of great images. What really counts is the end result and how much fun we have. While important, time is less of a factor.

If we run overtime at the wedding, can you stay?
Absolutely. There might be a fee added to your bill, but I’ll make sure we don’t miss any important moment.

What is the booking process?
Get in touch with me - we'll meet, we'll chat and we’ll make sure everything is exactly how you want it – coverage, album, other options, etc. Once that is done, we’ll fill out the paperwork and you'll pay a 35% deposit. That guarantees you your date is reserved just for you.

That’s pretty much it. As bookings are on a first come / first serve basis, the earlier we do it, the better.

Do you double-book weddings on the same date?
Never.

Can you hold the date for us?
Once the paperwork has been signed and the initial retainer deposit paid, the date will be all yours – right away.

SESSIONS

Can we just get an Engagement Session?
Yes, it is possible.

Can we just get an Afterglow Session… no wedding?
Yes, that is possible too.

Can we get unedited images and cut the costs?
Everything you see on this web site is part of my vision. This vision is what makes me unique and what my clients hire me for. The artistic editing I do is a big part of that. It’s what brings so much more value to your images. Investing in unedited images is pretty much like buying a car without seats.

...Would you do that?

Do you do trash the dress sessions?
I do artistic post-wedding shoots, and I call them Afterglow Sessions. You get to wear your dress again, have tons of fun and look absolutely gorgeous. My brides absolutely love them. None of these sessions involve physically trashing any dresses though - unless someone specifically asks me for that. Everything stays intact - even if we get wet.

Can we give you a shot list of pictures we want you to take?
That would be awesome! I actually highly encourage that, especially when it comes to family formals.

POSING

Do you take formal family images?
Yes, I do. More or less, formals are part of every wedding. It’s completely up to you how many of them you’d like me to take. If you can make a rough list with the people you’d like me to photograph, that would be great. See above.

How much posing do you do?
If you work with me, “posing” is kind of a dirty word. What I do create is the mood. Once you are relaxed and having fun, you’ll do the magic yourself. I might adjust a few small things along the way, but I never formally “pose” my clients.

Wait, but what if my husband is really uncomfortable in front of the camera?
That happens all the time - it's how guys are. Trust me, we’ll get him there – and I have some pretty impressive stories from the past to tell you along the way.

IN-HOUSE STUFF

Do you work with a second shooter/assistant?
I am very comfortable working alone (and covering absolutely everything for you), but if you are interested in a dedicated second shooter, that could be very easily arranged.

Where are you based? Do you travel?
My office/studio is located in Vernon, CT. I am available and travel all over the world.

What do we pay you for our destination wedding?
That would normally include the investment for your collection, along with any travel/travel insurance/hotel/food/car rental, etc. costs that might incur.

Do you have insurance? Can you provide your insurance details?
Yes. Yes.

What kind of equipment do you use? What do you bring to the wedding?
At your wedding I will have at least two cameras, several lights, a bunch of lenses, and a big bag full of photographic trickery. I also might be bringing stands, tripods, umbrellas and other lighting equipment. If we need something specific for a cool photo I have on my mind – an underwater shot for instance – I’ll bring it.

INVESTMENT

What is your payment schedule like?
35 % of your investment is due at booking as a retainer to hold your date. The rest is due two weeks prior to the wedding.

Do you offer any payment plans?
Yes, I do offer payment plans. Don't hesitate to ask me for the details when we meet.

Do you accept credit cards?
I accept all major credit cards. A small fee might be added to your total if you choose to pay with a credit card.

Can we pay you after the wedding?
At this point you can finalize your investment two weeks prior to the wedding at the latest.

What happens if we have to change the date?
I will do everything I can to reschedule your date. If I am booked or otherwise unable to come to your wedding on your new date, I will do my best to arrange for another photographer to come to your wedding.

What happens if we have to cancel my wedding?
That would be very unfortunate. Generally, your 35% retainer fee might have to stay with me as the date has been kept exclusively just for you.

PHOTOS & ALBUMS

Tell us a bit about the way you edit your photos.
My philosophy is that editing is at its best when you can’t tell what was done to the image, and yet it looks absolutely stunning. I never use Photoshop or any creative filters. It is very important to me that everything feels real.

I clean up your skin and make it soft and smooth, while retaining its natural texture (NO plastic look!!!). It is time consuming and painstaking in-house work - all manual. The results are comparable in quality to those you see on glamour magazine covers.

After I am done fine-tuning exposure, brightness, contrast and retouching your skin, I use a variety of artistic techniques to spice up your photo. The goal is to produce strong and unique images full of colors and emotion. I edit every single photo this way.

What albums do you offer?
My main albums are custom hand-made books printed and bound by Graphi Studio in the foothills of the Alps in Arba, Italy. There is a multitude of options for your cover, paper, size, shape, style. Whatever option you choose, the end result will be one of a kind piece of art.

I design every book myself. Every design is unique and matches the style of your wedding. You get to choose cover, paper type, physical size, and the available options and extras.

Do you offer parent/pocket books?
I do. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have the same design and number of pages as your main wedding book.

How does the album design process work?
As a rule of thumb, the more pages you order when you initially book me, the better. That will give us more space to maneuver when designing the final product - and make it even more breathtaking. After I am done with the rough album design we’ll quickly meet so that you can take a look at what we have. If necessary, we’ll make some corrections until we perfect everything. I’ll push an album to print only if I have your blessing and you are 100% happy with everything I’ve done.

How can we proof our images after the wedding?
When your photos are ready I will upload them to a secure online gallery where you’ll be able to see all of them, and order prints, enlargements, canvases and many other cool goodies.

What kind of custom enlargements do you offer?
Metal prints, stretched canvases, standouts - you name it, I have it for you. You’ll be able to order many of these directly from your personalized online gallery. It is a very quick and easy process. If what's on your heart is unavailable in your gallery, do not hesitate to give me a shout. Chances are, all you needed to do is ask. I'll go above and beyond to find what you are looking for.

How many black and white images can we expect from our wedding?
That varies quite a bit. If you desire more, less, or no black and whites, we can certainly do that. Just let me know.

Can our family and friends take pictures with their cameras?
Absolutely, they can enjoy taking as many pictures as they like, as long as they don’t get in my way and take pictures of my setups and arrangements.

Will our family and friends be able to view the images once they are ready?
Yes, once I upload everything online, I will give you the URL and password to access your online gallery.

How many pictures do we get?
The number your photos can vary and depends mostly on your wedding coverage.

As a rough guide, a typical 6-hour wedding normally yields anywhere between 500 and 700 final edited images. If we add to that the photos from the Engagement Session, you will end up getting up to 800-900 images total. If we have a second shooter, the number could be even higher. Again, this is just a general estimate. Every wedding is different.

Can we get printing rights?
Everybody who orders a wedding album will also receive a high-end boutique USB thumb drive with hi-res (300dpi) unsigned printable versions of your delivered photos.

When do we get to see our images?
Usually I am ready to show you your images about 2-3 weeks after the wedding. You will have your special password-protected gallery and will be able to view them as soon as they get posted to the server.

When do we get the album?
The rough design will be ready within 4-5 weeks after the wedding. After your approval it takes about 7-8 weeks for the album to arrive from Italy.

If you ordered a Guest Book from the Engagement Session, it is normally designed and produced within 2 weeks after the session.

When do we get the USB Drive?
Once I am done designing your wedding album and it is approved by you, I’ll have your USB Drive with all your images ready for you.

Still have more questions? Shoot me a message. I am here for you.