Stec Photographers
Jordan Station, ON L0R 1S0
(map) Phone: 905-562-0820
Reviews for Stec Photographers
GUEST




Hiring Stec Photographers was one of the best choices I could have ever made for my wedding! Not only were the pictures beautifully edited, but the photographer was natural and fun on such a busy day. I would recommend Stec Photographers to any and ALL of my friends!
GUEST




Stec Photographers exceeded my expectations. They were very professional and reliable. Whenever I had a question they were very efficient and responsive to my needs and requests. With regards to overall value Stec is comparative to other experienced photographers. My engagement and wedding photos were well worth it the money!
GUEST




Stec Photographers is an exceptional photography service! They are extremely professional while also making the day fun and comfortable for everyone. Debbie was absolutely fantastic in the way she gave us direction in posing in order to yield the most amazing shot, and therefore photo. Every single photo taken at my wedding was a winner. The only difficult part with having Stec as your photographer being able to choose the best shots, because they are all so great. Thanks Stec for an amazing day!
GUEST




It was wonderful working with Pete and Deb - and our photos are wonderful! I still get compliments on them all the time. I would definitely work with them again :)
GUEST




We had a fabulous experience on our wedding day. Our photographer Pete was amazing and we didn't even notice him during the ceremony despite the fact that he took loads of pictures.
Our pictures and our album are fabulous and everyone has commented on the quality and composition of the pictures. I would highly recommend Stec as they are professional and the pictures are works of art.
GUEST




From our very first email, Pete was a joy to deal with. We got married on a Wednesday, and he was very open to giving us a weekday rate which allowed us to budget for some fabulous photography!
His style is very relaxed, and he was so much fun, laughing and talking with us between shots. Every wedding he shoots looks different, he's really able to capture the individuality of each couple he shoots. He was very flexible with us. He arrived at the hotel a few minutes late, but more than made up for it by springing in to action, quickly beginning the shoot, and staying with us nearly an hour past his pre-arranged end time.
I relied heavily on Pete's expertise, because we are not from the Niagara area, and had no ideas for where to take shots. In fact, he helped us pick our ceremony location too!
Proofs came very quickly, and we had probably twice as many pictures as we'd anticipated. He uses a few filter effects on the odd shot, but by and large the shots are just purely good on their own, without all the fiddling that many other photographers do.
All around, and wonderful experience, in fact... if he's still in the game, we're hoping to have him shoot our 5th anniversary in 2016 too! :)
GUEST




Pete Stec photographed our wedding this past weekend. He is an incredible artist who knows his craft very well. Let him "get into the zone" and great things will happen. Also very helpful with the flow of the day. This man knows weddings inside and out.
About Stec Photographers
Based in a sleepy county tourist town near Niagara Falls in Southern Ontario, Stec Photographers travels worldwide, and with associate photographers and offices in Western Canada and throughout Ontario, they stand ready to serve any location and budget! Your inquiries are very welcome!
FAQ for Stec Photographers
Q -How would you describe your photographic style?
We like to use the words "fashion journalism". That means we inject an element of
fashion photography, and candid photojournalism (which just means that we capture
events as they actually happen). Generally, we give each couple some direction
throughout the day -otherwise it's a bit awkward as we wander around you not saying
anything. Most couples we find, prefer at least a little direction, while many prefer quite
a bit of direction. If you prefer, we'll accommodate whatever approach you'd like!
One last thought; our photography philosophy focuses on "VISUAL DYNAMICS" which
we define as being images that elicit a real response from the viewer. We're referring to
really cool looking shots that may not have that much to do with a wedding in particular,
but they look really different and evocative.
Q -How much experience do you have?
As far as we know, Stec Photographers has shot more weddings than any single one or
two person wedding studio in Southern Ontario. With over 2400 weddings behind us, we
still REALLY enjoy shooting weddings and are well prepared for any situation -we've
seen it all so you won't catch us by surprise!
Q -Should we give you a list of shots we'd like?
A list is fine, but only for about 5 -10 family combinations that we usually take at the
church. You don't need a list, but we'd rather not miss any important family photos on
the wedding day. Otherwise, in the nicest possible way we can say this, please don't give
us a list of dozens of bridal party shots, groom with the guys, bride with girls, etc. as this
truly stifles our creativity and spontaneity! We're okay with a few special requests you
might have for some specific shots.
Q -Do you have an assistant?
Debbie usually brings an assistant and Peter generally does not. Peter prefers to shoot
alone as he normally gets into "the zone" on the wedding day and often an assistant or
protege will distract him from his focus. Debbie works very well with her assistant and
finds her to be absolutely invaluable.
Q -How many photos do you typically take?
Usually around 1500. There are many virtual duplicates and other technical issues like
blinking eyes, etc. From that we will select only the very best 500 (ish) images.
Q -Do you colour-correct or retouch the photos we get?
This is where Stec Photographers stands out from the others! Of your 500 photos, we
"optimize" ALL 500! Our definition of "optimize" is "mess around with them in
Photoshop until they look really cool!" We spend an average of 4.5 minutes PER
PHOTO applying technical corrections like colour adjustments, blemish removal,
contrast adjustments, etc. All the photos in your collections receive this treatment. We
then apply up to 8 layers of effect filters on 100 of your images which give them the
signature "STEC LOOK" that you see on many of our online images. We know you
won't order all 500, but we want you to want them all -that's why we treat each one as a
piece of artwork.
Q -What should we know about locations and timing on the wedding day?
People usually comment about how perfect a wedding day is when it's super sunny and
bright. This may be true for everything -except the photography. We usually don't like
direct sunlight. It is harsh and unflattering. We typically prefer open shade as found on
the shady side of a large building on a sunny day. Overcast days are the perfect days for
wedding photography since we can shoot wherever we want, rather than compromising
our locations based on available shade.
Ideally, on a sunny day we'd love to shoot right around sunset if possible. Those photos
will be the most flattering and they will outshine all the others earlier in the day. The
problem of course is that at sunset in the Summer time, most couples are halfway through
the reception dinner! If you're up for it, a 10 minute break from your reception might get
us a fantastic sunset shot.
Q -Getting ready for my wedding is going to be hectic. Can I help arrange things to
make the most of the photo session at our home or hotel room?
We usually arrive about 2 hours before the bride must leave to get to the ceremony
location. When we arrive, we like to photograph "details" like the dress, shoes, jewelery,
flowers, invitations, etc. After that, when the bride is sufficiently "covered" to her
comfort level, we usually come into her room for some final prep pictures. After some
"candid" shots, we spend about 20 minutes doing some unique and creative shots of just
the bride followed by some family photos. All the while, we are very aware of any real
candid moments that happen throughout the house.
Q -How will you capture those amazingly real, emotional moments as I get ready?
Of course we want to be respectful of your wishes, so you'll need to fill me in on your
ideas and comfort level during the "getting ready" time. Every bride has a different
viewpoint here -some brides don't care if we're in the room as they get ready and in fact
they'd like some tasteful and professional "lingerie" shots for their husband's eyes only.
Other brides don't want us anywhere within 40 feet of the bedroom at all times and prefer
to have their photo taken for the first time on the wedding day as they descend the main
staircase in full dress! It's totally your call, and we're okay with whatever you wish.
Q -Can you shoot at the groom's house before the ceremony as well as the bride's
house?
We typically like to be with the bride before the ceremony and because we're there 2
hours or more before the ceremony, we'd have to be at the groom's house 3 hours or
more before the ceremony to get his photos. In most cases, the groom will either be
sleeping, or on the golf course 3 hours before the ceremony, so we typically save the
"groom" shots for the timeframe between the ceremony and reception. We may have a
second photographer available if you insist on groom's house coverage, but it will be an
added cost if available.
Q -How long do you need for photos of the bridal party, bride and groom after the
ceremony?
In a perfect world, we'd like 3 hours from the end of the ceremony, until the bride must
arrive at the reception venue. This is just a general time since it can vary according to the
distances we have to travel, how many family photos we shoot, how many locations we
go to, etc.
Q -When do you take family photos?
Most family photos take place at the ceremony site (ie. church) right after the ceremony.
If the wedding officiant makes an announcement that the bride and groom will be having
family photos outside of the church following the ceremony, people will usually respect
that and allow us to do some photos. If no announcement is made, the bride is usually the
"Queen Bee" and she's swarmed by everyone wanting to be the first to kiss and hug her
after the ceremony -thus cutting into our family photo time. We really need only about
20 minutes -and remember to give us your list of 5 -10 combinations of people. It's a
good idea to get someone in the wedding party or family to gather all the family members
together for photos -for the most part, we're unsure of who they are and can't easily
gather them up after the ceremony. We'll need a bit of help from someone who knows.
Sample List:
1. Couple and Groom's Parents
2. Couple and Bride's Parents
3. Couple and Groom's Immediate Family (parents, siblings and Grandparents)
4. Couple and Bride's Immediate Family (parents, siblings and Grandparents)
5. Couple and best friends
Q -What do you think of doing bridal photos and wedding party BEFORE the
ceremony?
It has been our experience that doing group photos BEFORE the ceremony makes for a
very smooth day, and less delay for the guests to endure between the ceremony and the
reception. If you are comfortable seeing each other before the ceremony, then we highly
recommend scheduling the bride and groom pictures as well as wedding party shots as
the first order of the day. And to make it an extra special time, we are happy to set
things up so the first time you see each other is a planned and carefully thought out
poignant moment, not just bumping into each other at the front door as you leave for the
car.
Remember, you are not paying us per hour on the wedding day. It's a "full day" of
coverage, so the more time you can devote to photography, the more value you're getting
for each dollar spent.
Q -Should we be responsible for feeding you? If so, where should we put you
during the meal and reception?
While it is not written into any contract that you MUST feed us, we would kindly suggest
that if no meals are provided that no important events be scheduled for one hour while we
leave to replenish. Keep in mind that if we leave to get food, then we may be missing
photo opportunities, which could defeat the purpose of having us stay in the first place.
It's preferred that meals be provided and that we are seated to eat at the same time and in
the same room as the guests. That way, we won't miss any special events or moments
that are very easy to miss if we sit in another room. (Some venues offer a "Service Meal"
to vendors which quite often means that we are seated in a separate room and eating an
hour or two after your guests; please keep in mind that should this be the case at your
venue, we may be unable to photograph events as they occur.)
Q -If you stay for the reception, at what point will you leave for the day?
Typically, we stay for the first dances, cake-cutting and the bouquet and garter toss (if
you do that). Then we shoot some of the general dancing, and once we know we have
some great shots of people dancing and having fun, we will approach you to see if there's
anything else that should be photographed; if not, we will then pack up and leave. The
usual time that most of our photography wraps up for the evening is 10:30 -ish. If you
know you'll need us longer, we can make arrangements, but it usually involves an hourly
rate of $150 after 10:30pm. Most couples are easily able to get everything done before
then.
Q -Do you give us the "negatives" or HIGH RESOLUTION photo files?
Some of our packages and coverage options include the high resolution files and some
don't. Please read our price schedule carefully and ask us if you have any doubt. If you
DO have them included in your package, that means that you have the right to do
whatever you'd like with the photos (alter them in Photoshop, print them yourself or take
them to a lab). However, Stec Photographers still owns the copyright -we just share it
with you forever! We'll even give you a letter stating that you have the rights to the files
in case a photo lab questions you on ownership of the files.
Q -How long do you keep our wedding photo files or "digital negatives"?
Typically, 25 years. We do not get rid of your files after a "few years" as many photo
studios do. We believe your disk does NOT take up very much room, so it is not a
burden to keep them.
Q -Where do you keep our files and how are they stored?
We keep 3 different copies of your wedding photo files. One is an external hard drive
attached to our computer, one is a regular high quality DVD stored somewhere "near" our
production office, and the third is a gold-plated archival DVD which has an archival
storage rating of 100 years. This copy is stored at "another location" in a fire resistant
environment.
Q -What does it cost to have our images on a private viewing gallery on your
website so all our family and guests can view them?
Exactly $0. This service is free of charge, and what's more, your guests can use our
shopping cart to order photos directly from us!
Q -How do we know the images on your website reflect the quality and consistency
of your daily work, and more importantly, will our wedding look like that?
While we cannot prove this beyond a doubt, it is absolutely true that our work is very
consistent and the photos you see online are a small sample of our "average" weddings.
We do not show you our "BEST" work because it does not reflect what most couples can
expect (ie. we've done amazing weddings all over the world on beaches with sunsets in
the Caribbean, etc. -we don't show them because they're not typical). What you see
online is VERY typical.
Q -Will you attend the rehearsal?
Usually we find it is not necessary to attend rehearsals since a 10 second question and
answer is usually adequate to give us a good idea of how things will run from a
photographic standpoint. We have never actually come across a situation or problem that
could have been avoided had we been at the rehearsal.
Q -Are we guaranteed a certain number of photos or files?
While we are very consistent in our coverage under normal circumstances, we cannot
guarantee any specific number of photos. Sometimes the day ends up taking a few
unexpected twists due to timing delays, bad weather, traffic, etc. and the number of photo
opportunities is limited. We CAN guarantee we will do our best to shoot for the 500
photo mark as stated in our price schedule. This number can vary by 50 or more photos
even under normal circumstances.
Q -What taxes do you charge at Stec Photographers?
All wedding services and products are subject to GST and PST.
Q -We're interested in booking or finding out more. What's the next step?
Feel free to email or phone us to schedule an appointment to meet with us for an hour or
so. During this meeting, we often discuss the specifics of your day and we offer a
customized approach to your day from a photography standpoint. Many of the questions
you would have of us are generally answered in this FAQ section, but please feel free to
send any queries our way.
If you'd like to book, give us a call or email and we'd be happy to discuss payment terms
and options. If you don't have our Agreement Form, we'd be happy to email you a PDF
copy and you can mail or fax it back to us. Once we receive payment, we will mail you a
receipt and confirmation form.
I know it sounds like a shameful promotion, but PLEASE book early. We deal with over 150 brides annually who are sorely disappointed because they really wanted to book us and thought that 1 year in advance was plenty of time. Most of our warm weather wedding dates (Saturdays especially) are booked 2 - 3 years in advance. We'd love to consult with you, but we can only do that if we're available!
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