>>  Q    How long do you need to shoot our photos on the wedding day?
A.  When deciding on the best times for ceremony and reception, most brides do not take into consideration the time that the photographer needs to take your wedding pictures between the end of the ceremony and beginning of the reception. You’ll be spending a lot of money on your wedding photographer so you’ll want to make sure you make time. Your day and your wedding photography will be much more relaxed and memorable if you space things out and allow yourself to enjoy every aspect of the day, including your unrushed photo shoot.

>>  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.  Please call me and I will make arrangements for a meeting with you. The purpose of our consultations to spend some time discussing your specific wedding plans, after which you should be able to determine if we offer what you are looking for in wedding photography.  We will go over our price list and packaging options, answering any questions you might have about choosing the right package for your needs. Our advice to couples concerning choice of a wedding photographer usually involves answering these three questions -

• Do you like the photographer’s work?
• Do the photographer’s prices fit within your budget?
• Are you pleased with the photographer’s style and personality?

If you can answer “yes” to all three of these questions, you are well on your way to making a decision.  If the answer is “no” to one or more of these questions, you might want to shop around a bit more before making your final decision.

>>  Q   How do we book Cesar Chavez Photography for a shoot?
A.  We require a non-refundable deposit/retainer and a signed contract to book our wedding services. Once the retainer has been received and details of the chosen wedding package have been finalized on the agreement sheet, your booking with us is finalized.

>>  Q   Does Cesar Chavez Photography do bridal and engagement portraits?
A.  We offer both bridal and engagement portrait sessions.  These sessions are included with some of our packages, or they can be purchased as separate options. As a side note, we sometimes do bridal or engagement sessions (or both) for couples who are not booked with us for wedding services.

>>  Q    How many photographers and assistants do you use at weddings?
A.  CESAR CHAVEZ is the primary photographer and in most cases, my wife, Melissa assists me throughout the day. I also use a handful of other assistants, and possible second shooters.  Depending on the package, I can use up to 4 additional people including a second camera, video camera man, and a look designer.

>>  Q   Do you shoot film or digital?
A.  Cesar Chavez Photography shoots exclusively with Canon digital SLR cameras.

>>  Q    What is your start time for wedding day photography?
A.  Our basic start time for wedding days is at least one hour before the ceremony.  This allows us time for equipment setup, assessment of the location for our shooting strategy, and taking a few shots of the bride, groom, and other wedding party members, etc., before the ceremony. In some cases, we start much earlier, depending on the wedding couple’s needs. Earlier starts are advisable when the bride and groom want to have more formal photos done before (rather than after) the ceremony.  Sometimes, the bride and groom wish to have a portion (sometimes, even all) of the formal photos out of the way before the ceremony so that there is little or no interruption between the end of the ceremony and the beginning of the reception.  In those cases, we will adjust our start time appropriately in order to have a good comfort zone (time-wise) to get all of the desired photos within the time allowed before the ceremony. .

>>  Q   What shooting style do you use for weddings?
A.  I use a combination shooting style, mixing a candid photo approach (occasionally referred to as a photojournalistic style) with the more traditional posed formal photographs. Much of the style that I use is determined by the agreement that we reach with the bride and groom concerning the type of shots that they want us to use to tell the story of their wedding.  I generally adjust my shooting style to some degree based on what the bride and groom want from us, and we are usually able to determine what the bride and groom want in our pre-wedding consultations with them.

>>  Q   Are you willing to shoot portraits of small family/friend groups as a part of your wedding-day photography?
A.  Yes of course, we are happy to photograph small family groups as long as the bride and groom wish us to do this.

>>  Q   Are you able to converse with my guests in Spanish?
A.  Yes, I am bilingual in Spanish and English. Spanish is my native language.

 

 

General Information Pertaining to all Wedding Packages is as follows:

All digital negatives are included with every package, which means you own your photos! You do not have to order your reprints through us.

All packages include a professional assistant who not only assists the photographer, but also helps with poses, arranges the bride’s dress, and places props and lighting.

Professional digital quality photo albums and a CD with all images of the day’s event can be added to any package for an additional charge.

Photographer is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.

With over 7 year of professional experience in wedding photography, Cesar Chavez balances a passion for recording life’s real,
unrehearsed moments with an artistically trained eye.   His style is a combination of photojournalism and
creative portraiture mixed with fashion forward sensibilities.

Custom wedding photography packages are available.
Cesar Chavez is happy to provide wedding photography services to Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland.

For Cesar Chavez, seeing the world through a camera is as natural as breathing. His camera is an extension of his mind’s eye, and he as an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time to capture defining moments of a wedding. He shoots quickly and flows with the consistent stream of the day’s events, keeping artist integrity and technique in mind. He pays special attention to details that tell the story of the unforgettable occasion; “there is nothing more gratifying than seizing a special moment with your camera. I laugh and cry along with the bride and groom, says Chavez.”

With over 7 years of professional experience in fashion and wedding photography, Chavez balances a passion for recording life’s real, unrehearsed moments with an artistically trained eye. “My style is a combination of photojournalism and creative portraiture mixed with fashion forward sensibilities. From the first stroke of eyeliner, to your walk down the aisle, to the last dance of the evening, I will be there to capture every moment with grace and ease.”

Cesar Chavez was born in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico and has studied photography at the New York Institute of Photography.  Cesar Chavez is a bilingual and is happy to provide services in both Spanish and English.

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