Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

• Why should I hire a photographer instead of using my phone?

Firstly, there's no doubt that you can use your phone or tablet to take pictures. The newest generation of smartphones comes with cameras that blow some older professional-grade cameras out of the water.  Hiring a photographer, however, provides professional-level, high-resolution images, the creamy blurred background that phones just can't reproduce, and access to convenience and personal curation that allow you to focus on your event at hand. Life's short. Enjoy the moment instead of fiddling around with your phone flash for the fourth consecutive photo.

• What type of photography do you do?

My strengths for commissioned work are in portraits and event photography, but I will take a nice whack at just about anything. Let me know what you have in mind, and I'm sure we can figure something out.

• Where are you based and what languages do you speak?

I'm based in Chicago, Illinois during the spring and summer and Munich, Germany during the rest of the year. I tend to travel a lot between the two cities so my availability may change for a month or two in each given location. 

I speak English and Mandarin Chinese fluently, and have proficiency in German and French.

• How much do you charge?

My rates start at 75 USD or 65 EUR for an hour session, which includes post-processing and editing on my own time. I'll deliver around 30 finished photos per hour session that I think are the best.  For a multi-person session, I charge 40 USD or 35 EUR for each person (up to 6) per hour. Larger events are a flat charge of 250 USD or 230 EUR per hour. Deposits of 25% of the cost are required upfront.

• What image formats do you provide and what's your turnaround time?

I provide clients with images in .jpeg (.jpg) format. Other formats (excluding .RAW) can be arranged at our first consultation.

I strive to provide clients with their images within one week of the event, give or take two days. This period is to provide the best possible image processing and editing to make sure your memories pop. In extraordinary circumstances I can expedite processing to 2-3 days turnaround for an additional fee.

• You mentioned shooting with vintage glass. Why? Don't you miss auto-focus?

Most photographers will use the latest and greatest autofocus lenses from their respective manufacturers. These provide tack-sharp, ultra-high-quality photos, but in my opinion lack warmth, feel, or character. Modern lenses are built for capturing the cleanest images possible and their usage assumes that the photographer will adjust everything necessary in Adobe Lightroom. Vintage lenses (or "glass" in photo parlance) provides a character and image quality that tends to mellow out skin tones, provide interesting contrasts, and overall make the final image more interesting, with or without image processing. It is a myth that manual focus lenses automatically lead to out-of-focus pictures. In the right hands, a 60-year-old manual focus lens can be just as sharp as a 60-day-old auto-focus one. However, if you prefer the cleaner, sanitised  look, I keep a small arsenal of auto-focus lenses.

• What do you do outside of photography?

I currently study a MSc. in Public Health at the Technical University of Munich. I also play piano and cello in an orchestra and chamber ensembles, read novels, play linebacker for the Feldkirchen Lions, and enjoy a good beer and wine from time to time.