style without even knowing what it was.

Can you give me more info on your pricing? I offer one of the best values in high-quality wedding photography. Creative fees start at $2,000 for 4 hours of coverage. A web gallery and a DVD are included with all coverages. Please contact me for additional info on pricing. Why Mark Hopkins Photography for my wedding? First and foremost, when you hire Mark Hopkins Photography you get me, Mark Hopkins, as your photographer. I am not a big studio and do not send out other photographers, only me and my assistant/second photographer will photograph your wedding--with me photographing 99% of the weddng myself. I answer all phone calls and respond to every email regarding your event; however, please be considerate and understand that sometimes I may need more than 24 hours to reply. I strive for absolute perfection, paying careful attention to each detail to maintain the highest quality. I specifically book very limited dates within the calendar year (no more than 25 weddings a year) in order to allow for personal attention to each and every couple, and the details. I only photograph one wedding per day to allow my full creative energy to your wedding. Some photographers often photograph 50-100 weddings per year, compromising the attention given to your special event. What is "wedding photojournalism"? Let me assure you that although I am a highly skilled photojournalist, I do setup and pose the families for the standard group portraits. Those are a must have photographs and my assistant and I always set them up. However, unlike many other photographers, I will not interfere with anyone during the ceremony or reception. Now for the definition on photojournalism: Many photographers say they offer photojournalism but really have no clue what photojournalism actually is. Photojournalism is NOT a style, but is more of the philosophy on how the photographer approaches photographing an event. A wedding photojournalist will photograph the wedding as an observer, and will not interfere or try to force moments into happening. A wedding photojournalist will capture key moments and a variety of other shots that help tell the story of your wedding day with creative images and not with random snapshots captured by luck. What is "candid" photography? Candid photography is basically a series of random photographs where the subject is not looking at the camera; or a photo that isn't posed. I believe the majority of photographers out there who consider themselves photojournalists are really just candid photographers at heart. This doesn't mean they aren't good photographers, but the majority of their photographs are not as emotionally powerful and connected like a photographer who is more of a photojournalist. How many hours of coverage will I need? The majority of weddings require at least 6 hours for full coverage. Weddings with church ceremonies will more than likely require 7 hours for full coverage. We consider full coverage: photography starting 1-2 hours prior to the ceremony time with coverage continuing to the last event at the reception--which is normally either the cake cutting or garter/bouquet toss. What kind of albums do you offer? We offer albums from both Leather Craftsmen, and Zookbinders. They are available in the flush mount, magazine-style, and the classic matted style. These albums are all handcrafted with leather covers. Do you offer proofing on the internet? Yes, we do include a web gallery for most weddings. Do you work with an assistant or second photographer? Yes, I do bring an assistant/second photographer to the majority of weddings I photograph. Should I have a fashion photographer photograph my wedding? Wedding photographers specialize in photographing real people at weddings. In wedding photography the photographer has no control over the lighting or anything else for that matter. The photographer has to be ready at all times and basically has one chance to capture those fleeting moments that happen very quickly. You can not stop the wedding and ask for a reshoot. Fashion and commercial photographers specialize in photographing models in a carefully controlled production enviroments with plenty of production assistants, etc. Fashion and commercial photographers are accustomed to working with production crews and in controlled situations. I would say most fashion photographers at a wedding would be like a professional football player playing professional baseball. If you are not sure, ask to see their wedding portfolio. We want to schedule an appointment consultation, where are you located? Consultations are available by appointment only. We are located in the La Costa area of San Diego North County. We are located very close to both the La Costa Resort and Spa and The Four Seasons Aviara. We are especially interested in photographing weddings at both those locations, so please contact us to see more of our work. 760-431-2856 | 949-705-8354 Weddings | Portraits | Questions+Answers || The Photographer | Contact