FAQs

What type of camera do you use?

I have two Nikon D750s (yes, I loved that kind of camera so much that I had to purchase two!!).  The D750 is a professional, full-frame camera with amazing capacities, especially when it comes to shooting in low light situations.  Plus, it's lightweight and really weather resistant!  Hands down, I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking to upgrade!!

What experience do you have?

I have been doing photography casually since I was in high school, but officially as a business since 2014.  I have studied photography in universities in both the United States and Ecuador, and I have done a lot of independent learning and shadowing since then.  I love photography, so a lot of my "free time" involves researching and learning more!  I've photographed hundreds of sessions and events in the United States and Canada, and honestly there's probably something new I learn from every single experience!!

Will I receive all of the images taken during my session or wedding?

No, you will not.  Now, before you become sad, please know that I sometimes take up to 1,000 photos in an hourlong session and have sometimes as many as 5,000 images from an all-day wedding with a second shooter!  Do you know how long it takes to go through that many images (ahh, sooooo long!)?!?  You'll have to trust me and my experience as a visual artist on this one, but I very carefully select only THE BEST photos to present to you (nobody wants photos with eyes closed or weird things happening in them), and I make sure to deliver a complete story of the session or wedding.  You won't ever even miss those images that don't make the cut!

How many images will I receive from my session or wedding?

For an hourlong session, you'll receive at least 30 high resolution digital images (usually more because I tend to overshoot!!).  For an all-day wedding, I deliver anywhere from 300-600 high resolution digital images.

What type of payment do you accept?

Currently I can accept cash, cheque (written to Athena Cospito), and e-transfer (to athenamariephotography@gmail.com).  In a few months, I'm hoping to be able to accept credit card payment, as well!

Do you travel?

Short answer:  YES!!  I absolutely LOVE travelling, and I would love to do so for your wedding or elopement!  I do charge additional travel fees, though I believe they're quite reasonable.  For those of you getting married in Pennsylvania, there's a discounted price, as I love being able to return to visit family there!  Additionally, I am fluent in Spanish & Portuguese, so you get bonus points if I am able to use my language skills while travelling for your wedding or elopement!

When should I book my session or wedding?

For weddings, please contact me ASAP to book, as dates can be filled up quickly!  Similarly for newborn photography or family sessions, there are times I am booking 4-6 months in advance, as I do limit the number of sessions I accept per month.  Generally speaking, just head to the "Say Hello" page and connect with me right away!!  :)

How soon will my photos be returned to me?

For hourlong sessions, your full gallery will be returned within 3 weeks (usually a lot sooner, but I work a fulltime gig, as well, so I want to give myself a good window of time!).  For birth photography and wedding photography, my turnaround is a bit longer, as there are many more photos involved.  All weddings are delivered within 8 weeks of your wedding date, and you likely will see previews ahead of time to keep you excited about your full gallery's arrival!!

Do you shoot weddings with a second photographer?

I only bring a second photographer along with me if you indicate you are interested in having two photographers (inquire about my wedding packages)!  While it's much easier to ensure all of your moments are captured with two photographers, I've photographed more than half of my weddings solo, and I don't mind it at all!

How do I go about booking your services?

First of all, connect with me!  Tell me the type of photography in which you're interested (wedding, newborn, family), and your timeframe or event date.  If I still have availability, we'll chat further, either online or in person, you'll pay the retainer/deposit and sign the contract, and then I'm officially your photographer!  I hope to have my booking guides online at some point in the near future, so be sure to check for those for more information about investment.

How would you describe your photography style?

I definitely LOVE capturing things exactly as they appear.  I find myself drawn to images that have accurate colouring and not a lot of manipulation.  My photos are edited to be authentic-looking and real.

Do you back-up your images?

YES!  I have lost way too many of my personal images over the years to not back-up my photos!  There are always two copies of your images at any given moment.  While shooting, I have a dual card slot and both are recording simultaneously.  So if one memory card goes bad, I still have the exact images on the duplicate card.  When I transfer the images to the computer, I keep them on an external hard drive that creates an automatic copy of the images.