FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Where are you based?

  I am based in Auckland, New Zealand and I will travel to your wedding where ever it is. I'm passionate about taking photos in new and beautiful locations. I encourage you to have an adventure and get married somewhere where you always wanted to go!

  I often travel to Hamilton, Tauranga, Coramandel etc. Travel fee applies if you are getting married more than 100km away from Auckland.

  If you're getting married in The South Island or overseas, that’s awesome, I would love to go there to photograph your wedding! If it's one of my dream locations, I will be happy to give you a discount, just ask! :-)

• How do we book?

  If you would like to know each other before booking, let’s chat. Contact me here to organise a meeting. If you are keen to book, I ask for 30% deposit. I’ll also get you to sign a contract outlining my terms which protects us both. Once retainer is paid and the contract is signed, your wedding date is booked in.

• I don't have any experience in front of camera, will you help?

  Don't worry, I will be there to guide you through the day, that’s why you have me. Nearly all couples have never been professionally photographed before. I have been doing wedding photography for a while and have learned some tricks to make the experience easy for you. I will make sure you look relaxed, natural and beautiful in your wedding photos.

• Why choose zanda.photography?

  This day is all about you. I apply a personal approach with each couple and lead them through the photoshoot to get the best angles and photos to suit your tastes. I will capture the story of the day through photos, so you can look at it later and remember all the details and little moments – the laughter, the weather, how the food tasted, how the air smelled and how happy you were!

  “I love the people I photograph. I mean, they’re my friends. I’ve never met most of them or I don’t know them at all, yet through my images, I live with them.”— B. Gilden

  I will try to make you laugh and will ask you to enjoy moments together to capture natural and emotion-filled images. During the ceremony, I will try to be invisible and quickly move around and document how the day unfolds. I will be there to guide you all through the bridal shoot and help to come up with some unique ideas. 

  If you think we could be a great team on your wedding day, contact me! We can meet for a coffee or tea and see if we are meant to work together.

• When should we book?

  As soon as you know your wedding date. I often get clients who book a year or 2 years in advance. The wedding season is short and it is difficult to find the right photographer that is available within these 3 summer months. Weddings are always happening on weekends, so it limits you even more. I suggest starting looking for a wedding photographer today.

• What is the best time for the couple portrait session?

  Definitely choose the golden hour - this is the time before the sunset. It will create that gorgeous sunlight you always see on Instagram. The light is low and it will cover you with a glow. 

  If you can’t make it work before sunset, try to schedule time for the photoshoot after the ceremony or in the morning before the wedding.

  I would allow 1-1.5 hours to enjoy the shoot and to not rush.

• What if it rains on our wedding day?

  We do it anyway! Rain is just happy tears from the sky. There is no bad weather on your wedding day. Many times rainy day weddings look much better than the sunny ones because the rain creates a special mood with unique colours. Buy a few extra see-through umbrellas if you are a bit scared of the rain and we will lose them eventually.

• When will we get our wedding images?

  You will get the first sneak peek photos in a week after the wedding day. The rest will depend on how busy the wedding season is. All photos will be uploaded online for you to view and share within 8-12 weeks.

• Where are you originally from?

  I come from the other side of the world from a small country called Latvia. Our language is one of the oldest in the world. There are less than 2 million people living in Latvia. Its landscape is marked by wide beaches as well as dense, sprawling forests. It is a very beautiful country. My favourite thing to do in Latvia is to go to a pine tree forest in winter and summer.