Frequently Asked Questions

Please look at examples of our work before you come to a decision, as we have a style of working with people, communicating, posing, editing etc. that might not be to your taste or expectation. Everyone is different and ultimately we want your experience with us to be a good one. You can find our work on Facebook, Instagram, Blogger and our fantastic website built entirely by me!

In fact, 'weighing up your options', is something everyone should do before coming to any decision. Do your research and look at the portfolios of other photographers, so that you know what to expect and that you are happy with the style of editing, general work ethic and most importantly, their Ts & Cs for e.g. are you in agreement with the stipulated delivery/turnaround times? 

Preferably via email so that details and expectations are clear, precise and not 'lost in translation'. It also helps to have a paper trail of our discussions. 

As a busy, working mom, who does school runs twice or thrice daily etc. I'm not available 24/7. When I’m with clients, I don’t take calls or read messages. Understandably, I also don't know what our calendar looks like for certain days or the rates of different shoots, off the top of my head - so email eliminates a lot of back and forth, and any memory lapses.

Yes of course, but the 15 minutes is not a 'given' or just 'assumed'. It needs to be planned for and charged for. If you would like us to come earlier, this needs to be expressly requested so that we can give you an accurate quote.  If not requested before the time and in writing, we will be there at the time you requested and will conclude at the time you have been invoiced for. So please don't phone to enquire where we are, 15 minutes before we were told to be at a shoot. Asablief lol.

30-working days (6-weeks) is when you can expect your images. For clarity, please note that 30-working days EXCLUDES weekends and public holidays. For ease of reference we include the exact date on your booking contract. Please take note of this date so that you eliminate any unreasonable expectations or disappointments. 

*Please note, when load-shedding is implemented, there will unfortunately be delays.

If you would prefer your images sooner than the social media sneak peek of 10 days, or the 30 working days for final images, an express fee is payable.

A 50% non-refundable booking fee is required upfront and in full, before any bookings will be confirmed. No shoot/booking is ever confirmed without this payment first being made. To avoid disappointment, make sure 50% of the shoot is paid at least 12 hours after confirming our availability. Our calendar gets booked up very quickly (specifically weekends) and just like all vendors/service providers, we require more than just your word, that you will be requiring our services. 

Where there is a clash of bookings (and Margot or I can't assist), the first payment received will secure the booking. The rest of your payment will be required before the release of any images. This includes social media sneak peeks from 10 days. Or not wanting social media, means you only need to pay the other half in 6-weeks time when you get your final images - which gives you a financial breather.

Depending on the package chosen, this could be a digital download only; a USB containing the images; or a photobook and other printed materials. 

Events are related to occasions where we will roam around and capture both candid and posed shots. This is not a session whereby we will concentrate solely on posing and capturing images of individuals. Our goal with event photography is to capture the spirit of the event and to tell a story from start to finish. This includes but is not limited to decor, food, speeches dancing etc. Obviously we will capture posed images of family and friends, but this will not be the main focus and should not be treated as such. All the good quality images will be edited and given to you. We charge by the hour and operate to a strict time schedule, so if you have speeches or know that people will run late for example, bear this is mind when booking us.

Portrait shoots are normally an hour or so long, and the focus is predominantly on capturing posed or styled portraits of family and friends; posing together and separately; in different combinations. This includes family portraits, matric dance portraits, cake smashes etc. The ultimate goal is to get some fabulous photos of you and your loved ones. All the good images will be sent to you to select via a temporary online gallery, and depending on the package you paid for, you will be asked to select a number of your favourite images for us to edit. You WILL NOT get all the images, it is based on the package you chose and the number of images you want. 

Should you wish to have more images than your package states, a discounted rates can be worked out for you.

No we don't and this is non-negotiable unless I am on my deathbed. This would be like giving you the raw ingredients to bake a cake, instead of providing you with a beautifully made cake. When you procure our services, you are paying for our time, experience, technical ability and our trademark style - all of which you should familiarise yourself with, BEFORE commissioning us for a shoot. 

As mentioned above, Ashleigh Rose Photography requires an upfront payment of 50% before any shoot is confirmed. If no money is reflecting in our account, we will not consider your booking to be final, and will still take bookings for this time slot. No exceptions.

The final payment for your images is only required when your images are due. This puts a little less strain on your 'pocket'. Only once, the remainder of the cost of the shoot has been paid, will Ashleigh Rose Photography release your images, and if you wish; put up a sneak peek on our social pages.

Paying upfront or before the due date of your images, will not expedite/speed up the turnaround time of your items. We have a workflow we work towards, and the only way you can 'jump the queue' is by paying an express fee.

The short answer is no. If you have enquired with us regarding a date and rate for a shoot, and we have sent you the necessary info, we will leave the final decision up to you. If we hear nothing further from you regarding the said date in 24 hours, we will assume you have gone with someone else. 

To avoid embarrassment or awkwardness for the folks who can't afford our services, we DO NOT follow up to find out if you'll be booking Ashleigh Rose Photography. It is not in my nature to pressurize or 'hound' people to make a booking with us, as it is something I absolutely and personally abhor. We will take your silence as not requiring our services, but are always appreciative of a response to say that you won't but using our services. 

On the other side of the coin, if payment is due for your final images, we will not sour the relationship by hounding you for payment and sending you countless invoices demanding such. Another irritant I would never inflict on our regular clients. Our Ts and Cs are very clear cut and if you read the info provided, you will know when you need to settle the final balance. NO IMAGES ARE RELEASED WITHOUT PAYMENT - so this should serve as motivation enough.

During the time we take your photos, to the time when they are ready, we will go quiet. This is not because we've forgotten about you, or have 'ghosted' you and run off with your 50% payment. It is simply because we're hectically busy taking images off our cards, sorting through hundreds of images, culling and selecting images to edit, making adjustments to the selected images, editing the images and converting them to a useable format, designing photobooks and sneak peeks - and of course dealing with admin etc. A lot of work takes place behind the scenes, and if we're a little quiet, and not following up with a 'hi' or 'hey there', know that we're not ignoring you, mut merely 'in the zone', trying to get your final product to you as soon as possible. 

This is a good question. What you wear, can really make or break a photo. Thankfully, to date, no one has cracked my lens yet, solely due to their appearance. While I would never profess to be a stylist or fashionista, there are certain yay's and nay's when it comes to what you wear for your photoshoot. For instance, if you don't like the size of your upper arms, please don't wear strappy or sleeveless tops that will only draw attention to this area.  If you don't like your legs, wear flowy skirts or pants. Instead focus on drawing attention to what you consider to be your best features like your fabulous cheekbones, eyes, lips, hair etc instead. However, whatever you wear, you need to feel comfortable in it. Clothing with patterns, lines, words, logos, pictures etc are to be worn at your own peril but note that this dates your images and draws attention away from the subjects. Rest assured, I can help you decide if you are in a bit of a quandary about what to wear. 

Also worth mentioning, is that if you are going to go the super glam route for your shoot, don't decide to get spray tan a day before the shoot, or have eyelash extensions, lip fillers or a skin peel just before your shoot. Murphy's law will dictate that what can go wrong, will go wrong on the day of your shoot. And while spray tans may appear to look natural to the naked eye, it doesn't always translate well on the screen.

The 'ph' or f'word. The most common request we get is to Photoshop people. Mostly it's a passing joke, but oft times not. Popular culture has indoctrinated people with the notion that we have 'physical flaws' which can easily be eliminated with this wonder product called 'Photoshop'. Trust us, you don't need any work. You look beautiful as you are, in this exact moment. There is absolutely nothing that a warm, genuine smile and a bit of well-thought out outfit, posing style and light, can't remedy. Perfection and unrealistic standards should never be the end goal. Authentic, unbridled "YOU" is what we're after.

Our ultimate goal for you is to have images that reflect the true embodiment of you and your loved ones. To reflect your love, joy and personal uniqueness. If you would prefer images that are intensively retouched or manipulated, other than stray hair erasing, acne and scar removal and a bit of skin softening, then perhaps we are not the team for you. This is why it is paramount to do your research BEFORE you choose a photographer.

Due to the fact that we book out time-specific slots, please make sure that you are on time for your shoot. We operate on the 10-minute rule (which I made up lol) '10 minutes early or 10 minutes late' are perfectly acceptable. However, arriving too early or very late for a shoot, puts us out and impacts on our ability to manage our time effectively.

If you anticipate being more than 15 minutes late or early for a shoot, please let us know in advance. If we don't have another shoot booked before or after yours, we will be able to accommodate you. If, however, you are more than half an hour late, that shoot will need to be rescheduled at a time when we are available. 

We are extremely punctual and use Waze/Google Maps to predict how long it will take for us to get to your location. We try to arrive at least 10 minutes early to a location, but that is for our benefit so we can find parking and gather up our equipment. We will only start shooting at the time we have been booked to start. If asked to start earlier than the time agreed to in our contract, you will be billed for the extra time. As mentioned previously, if you would like us at your location earlier than stated, this needs to be communicated with us, and not just be expected.

Friendly, respectful and down-to-earth, are the words that come to mind immediately. We are like smiling assassins, who will make sure you laugh and smile - but don't think this doesn't make us experts behind the lens.  We know exactly what we're doing and how to do it, and the only help or input we require from you, is pointing out people or things we simply must get photos of, and of course, explaining to us where everyone fits into your inner circle so we have an idea of what shots to get. We're smiling experts, not mind readers or genealogists.

Other than that, what can I say?  We're reliable, hard working, extremely personable and will always have your best interests at heart. In fact we're like your long lost sister, and love a good chat and laugh. We're even a good shoulder to cry on when the day is not going as planned. Ultimately, our goal is to not only deliver a top notch quality product and service, but to gain your trust, confidence and to be seen as part of your 'inner circle'.

People eating. When it comes to food, we will take pics of food stations and setups, but we respectfully will not take pictures of people eating.  This is just proper etiquette and worth considering when you book us. It is often preferable to book us to capture all the formalities before/ after meals are served, so that our time can be used productively.

While photos can be captured no matter the weather or time, there are certain conditions which will not lend itself to stunningly well-lit photos. Light is all-important in photography and the quality of light is always forefront in our minds. 

For instance stark, harshly lit scenes are never ideal and will cause images to be overexposed and colours to be drained. Lightly shaded areas, make for far better shooting conditions. Even more ideal, is waiting until that moment before the sun sets; but obviously not always practical. On the other side of the coin, evening functions can prove to be very tricky to light if the photographer has nothing to bounce their flashes off e.g. draping gets in the way, or we're outside, or we're under a thatch roof. Without an area that is lit up enough for our cameras to focus as well, our cameras simply won't trigger. So when planning evening events where light may be very minimal, keep the above in mind. And when having an outdoor function always consider stretched tents (White or cream colour) overhead so that our flashes will be able to light the scene without discolouring skin to look red or green due to the colour of your tents.