Zhen & Associates

Phone (415) 680-1684 to book your wedding date!

F.A.Q. / About us...

At Zhen & Associates we want you to feel confident and comfortable knowing you are hiring a quality, professional service. We will deliver creative and artistic images of your event for 1/3 the cost of other high end studios. Our images prove our talent. We promise our calm approach will help make your dream wedding a reality. Here are 31 key wedding photography & video questions you should be concerned with and how we address them:

1. How long have you been in business? Everyone knows there is no substitute for experience. At Zhen & Associates we have been providing outstanding wedding service for Northern California since 1979. That's over 25 years of professional experience.

2. Do you use professional equipment? Yes, we do. At Zhen & Associates we use automatic exposure Canon 1D EOS digital SLR cameras with auto-focus Canon EOS EF lenses and camera mounted integrated TTL EOS flash to ensure clean, sharp, high quality images. We shoot 35mm with Canon 1V EOS SLR cameras. Our DVD video is shot with Sony digital video. As we are natural light artists, we do not bring studio equipment (light stands, umbrellas, lights) to a wedding. All our equipment is professional, industrial grade.

3. Do you bring "back up" equipment? Yes, we do. Although equipment failure is rare, we won't let it stop and ruin your special day. We bring enough back up gear to cover any equipment failure.

4. Why do you shoot a 35mm film camera along with a digital camera? We shoot 35mm because we love the "look", contrast and color saturation of film. All of the 4x6 prints are from Kodak (GA-36) 35mm negative film. However, we appreciate the convenience and ubiquity of digital photography. We try to shoot every image in 35mm and digital. If we have mechanical failure on 35mm, we will always have the digital images available. This redundancy ensures that we never miss an important moment. Our service rate is $250 per hour. This includes approximately 50 (fifty) 4x6 inch photo prints per service hour. You pay only for shooting time. There are no photos or images to pick or chose. You get every image we shoot.

5. Do you charge extra for black & white 35mm film? No. Absolutely not. You can specify how much (%) of you wedding you want shot in Kodak B&W 35mm film at no extra charge.

6. Do you charge for set up and take down? No. Absolutely not. You are only charged from the moment we start, to the moment we end, as you specify in our contract. We usually arrive 1 hour early (Not billable time) to set up and familiarize ourselves with the locations.

7. What is your shooting style? At it's core, our shooting style is a mixture of unobtrusive photojournalism (candid) and traditional (posed) photography. We feel that this modern approach satisfies everyone from the bride & groom to the parents & grandparents.

8. What are Proofs? Why do I want the © copyrights? In the USA all creative work is intellectual property, protected by copyrights rights law , for 95 years. All copyright protected images, digital or hard copy, are "proofs". By default, all photographers & videographers own the copyrights (proofs) of your wedding images, and will greatly profit (often thousands of $) from your lifelong reorders, reprints, and enlargements after the wedding. The clients do not own the "proofs". For example- average price for one 8x10 proof/reprint/enlargement from a wedding photographer/studio is $50. The cost of one 8x10 from WOLF CAMERA is $3.50, if you own the copyrights and negatives. Also- all major photo processing companies (Walgreen's, Wolf Camera, Costco) will recognize professional wedding images and will require certificate of ownership in order to reprint your wedding photos. By signing the certificate of ownership , we legally transfer the copyrights to our clients & the means (35mm negatives, CD ROM, DVD) to reprint your wedding images, forever. We offer our clients the ownership of all images; all the 35mm negatives, all the 4x6 prints, the DVD, the digital images on CD ROM. This is the best long term deal for our clients.

9. In the $995 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY package you include a DVD. What is that? This DVD is a Music Video Slideshow. It looks like a power point presentation, except with a music soundtrack. This video slideshow is made from Hi-Resolution digital images of your wedding , set to a song , with titles, transitions & fades, on a DVD video format. It is not encrypted and easy to copy onto a computer or DVD burner. U2's "Beautiful day" is the song/soundtrack. Copyrights included. One DVD is included with our $995 Wedding Photography. Additional DVD copies are available for $250 each.

10. We have seen a "photo montage/slideshow" of the bride and groom at a wedding reception. Can you make that DVD? Yes, we can. For $995 we can make a photo montage of bride & groom on DVD. We require 100 pre-scanned jpeg images and 5 (five) songs on MP3 format. The images and songs must be provided by the bride & groom on CD ROM. (Scanning fee is $10 per image). We can set up projection and sound on location for an additional $995. We require a 50% deposit/retainer to secure this service.

11. How many photographers/videographers shoot our event? For our $995 service, we use one artist and often an assistant. If you want an second camera/artist with a different perspective, we charge a subsequent rate of $250 per hour. Our availability is limited, as our photographer and videographer can only shoot one wedding per day. We are first come, first served.

12. When will our photos & DVD or DVD video be ready? After your event, your photos & DVD will be processed & burned and ready for pick-up after 2 weeks. DVDs with full videos are ready for pick-up after 4 weeks. We will send an email bill upon completion.

13. Do we have to prepay for your $995 service? No. Absolutely not. We require a $500 deposit (50%) now, to secure the service for your wedding date. The $580 balance is due upon completion. The $580 balance is paid after the wedding, when you pick-up the photos or DVD video.

14. Why should we use Zhen & ASSOCIATES for our wedding VIDEO and PHOTOGRAPHY? At Zhen & Associates our talent is integrated. Our $995 WEDDING VIDEO and $995 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY service has the same artistic vision. We can easily coordinate & cooperate, to get the best imaging, for your event. If you hire us for both $995 PHOTO and $995 VIDEO services, your total billing will be under $2,162 (8.5% CA/SF Sales Tax added). Raw footage (DV tape) is available for an additional $995. These tapes are high quality mini DV Sony cassettes. We offer all the DV tapes that we shoot of your event, for one flat fee of $995. Please note- Our $995 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY service and $995 WEDDING VIDEO service run parallel-IE: We start and end at the same time (4 hours). If you increase the time for one service, the other service must also be increased to match.

15. How many digital images are on the CD ROM? In a four hour period, we will have a minimum of 200 (fifty images per hour) Hi Resolution digital (sample JPEG) images on the digital camera. After the event, we burn a CD ROM with all these digital JPEG images. We offer unlimited digital images. Afterwards, you can copy the CD ROM, with all your wedding photos, for about 10 cents each. If you had 100 guests (100x .10= $10) at your wedding, you could give everyone a PHOTO CD for $10. Also, 4x6 re-prints from snapfish.com cost 12 cents each. A photo CD ROM (jpeg) will also play as a slide-show on most DVD players. Additional CD-ROM copies are available for $250 each. Copyrights included.

16. Can you make an online gallery for us? Yes we can. New for 2007 Clients, this service is included in our $995 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY for no additional fee. We can publish up to 200 of your best images onto the world wide web. This includes construction and 1 year of web hosting. This is the best way to have your family and friends see, access, download, and print your wedding images, from any part of the world, from any computer. Sample Often photographers will post your wedding images on a pay-per-print service (such as pictage, momentshare), and receive a commission, which can add up with multiple orders. At Zhen & Associates, your wedding gallery is free to access and download.

17. Can you colorize, soften or retouch the digital (jpeg) images? Yes we can. We charge a rate of $50 per hour to PHOTOSHOP any image to your specifications. Price estimates will be given per retouching job. All the images displayed online are not enhanced or retouched.

18. Can you put the 4x6 prints in the wedding album? Yes we can. However, please add four weeks to your delivery date. We provide one wedding album, with a white sewn leatherette cover and textured center band. It is archival photo quality, with optically clear slip pockets and a black mesh background. It will hold 200 4x6 prints. Additional wedding albums are for available for $50 each. wedding album

19. Can we give you a "VIP-Must Have" photo list? Yes you can. Providing us with a VIP-photo list, is the best way to ensure you get the images you want.

20. Do you provide a written contract? Yes we do. We know the importance a written commitment is to you. Not only does it guarantee our performance but gives you the peace of mind knowing we will be there on the exact date you specify. After the deposit is received, we will email you a receipt of purchase of our respective $995 service for your wedding date.

21. How will you dress? At Zhen & Associates we know the importance of a professional image and we will dress in black slacks, black dress shirt, and black vest with black dress shoes.

22. What do you think of disposable cameras at each table? Deposable cameras are very expensive, about $5 each and $20 to process. That is about $1,000 USD for 40 cameras. $1,000+ is a lot of money to spend on amateur images, that may not come out at all. We would recommend spending that budget on $995 WEDDING VIDEO

23. Do you charge a travel fee for my wedding? No. Absolutely not. There is no travel fee for Northern California. Here is a partial list of some of the cities in our travel radius: Sacramento, Chico, Yuba City, Dixon, Davis, Roseville, Stockton, Lodi, Modesto, Elk Grove, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Napa, Calistoga, Mendocino, Fort Bragg, Crescent City, Carmel, Santa Cruz, Oakhurst, Yosemite National Park, Placerville, South Lake Tahoe and Zephyr Cove, NV.

24. Are there any hidden fees? No, absolutely not. There are no additional fees to worry about. Our competitors will profit from price and service obscurity. At Zhen & Associates we keep our $995 service fee clear, honest, and simple.

25. Is four hours enough time? Yes it is. Most of our clients can do everything (pre-ceremony, ceremony, reception & events) in four hours. Four hours is continuous time. Our service is expandable. If you need us for more time, we are available. We bill at $250 per hour. [Add 1 hour Photography to Cart] or [Add 1 Hour Video to Cart]

26. Do we have to provide you with a dinner or lunch? No, absolutely not. We know that dinners can be expensive, about $200 per person. We believe that it is not your obligation to serve us. However, we will accept an invitation to eat if offered.

27. Are Engagement Photos available? Yes they are. Engagement sessions are available for an additional fee of $995. This $995 fee must be prepaid in order to schedule a session. This session consists of two San Francisco locations, and 100 Hi Resolution digital images on CD ROM with the copyrights title. http://jcimages.com/engagement.html

28. How can we get a Magazine Style Album for $19.95? We know MAGAZINE ALBUMS can sell for $2,000+ . With our digital images on CD ROM and copyrights title, you can do-it-yourself and save! We refer you to http://www.mypublisher.com MyPublisher’s unique tools and publishing software have enabled hundreds of thousands of customers to create and order custom-made, high-quality, coffee-table books in single-copy editions at affordable prices.

29. What distinguishes you from other services? Our business has three great qualities: Experience, exceptional creativity & low price. Please read what our clients say about our $995 service! testimonials

30. We are so busy, we don't have time to meet. Can we secure our date now with a credit card, and meet with you later? Yes, you can. With a $500 deposit, you can book photography or video through our secure servers, egold or paypal . Once we receive payment, we will email you a receipt for your $995 purchase. Your credit card company (VISA or M/C) will also have a receipt of purchase from Zhen & Associates on record. Afterwards, we can meet by scheduled appointment or teleconference with you to discuss your concerns and wishes for your event. We do not require that you meet with us before the event. We offer unlimited consultations.

31. Why are your prices so low? What's the catch? There is no catch. We know that wedding photography, digital images & DVD video can run $5,000 to $10,000 for a day. We believe that providing equal access to high quality photography & video is an important mission. Please visit our $995 Wedding Galleries to see our imagination. You will love the artistic images and the money you save with our service!

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You can book Photography online now with a $500 retainer/deposit. *Please note- We are now booking for 2010. Also, our availability is limited, as we shoot only one wedding per day. We can meet, by appointment, to review more samples of our work at our studio in San Francisco. Our San Francisco studio hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, from 12pm to 5pm.

For more information please read our Testimonials.

Sincerely, with our best regards,

Zhen & Associates / San Francisco, CA.

Phone (415) 680-1684 to book your wedding date!