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Who are we? - Our Approach - Why are we different? - Investment
Who are we?
Hi! We are Kara & Darrell Adkins, the eyes behind Stackwood Studios.
We finally got married in 2016 after 9 years of dating and shooting weddings together so we know first hand wedding planning is hard and can be stressful. We want to help you make it easy and fun :)
We started working together after Kara got back from Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA in 2006 and decided to start shooting weddings. Darrell wanted to learn how to use a camera and it took him about 2 weeks to pick up everything Kara learned while getting her photo degree. Let me tell you, that was annoying, but helpful to have another shooter! So photography is what we have been doing ever since!
When we aren't working we are mostly hanging out with our daughter trying to give her new experiences every day. We love to travel and have been to Asia (Singapore, Bali & Thailand) in the last few years which we highly recommend if you are looking for a honeymoon destination!
Kara is an animal lover and gives all her attention to our new baby girl and standard poodle :) If you have a pet, please bring it to your engagement session!
Darrell is a sports lover and coaches football & track at Northville High School. He is techy so he is constantly making sure we have the best equipment. He gives all his extra time to our daughter and soon to be daughters!
Our Approach
The most important thing is that you enjoy your wedding, so we spend most of the day in the background catching you laughing and loving each other and your guests. There are a few parts of the day when we need to do a little more posing and directing your families and bridal party, but we try to make those times relaxed and quick so you can get back to the party.
We have a very ying/yang relationship, so Kara is the one who is super calm and laid back on your wedding day and Darrell is the one making sure the timeline makes the most sense possible and that everything runs on time. We do more than just shoot - one time Darrell ordered Ubers for the groomsmen when their limo broke down. Kara is an expert dress bustler (you'd be surprised how hard it is to find your maid of honor once cocktail hour is open!)
After the wedding we like to have something to show you quickly. We will have at least one photo to show you in a couple days, and then we make a slideshow of our favorite images for you within 2 weeks. After that we like to have all the final images ready in 4 weeks.
Why Are We Different?
There are a lot more options for amazing wedding photographers since we started shooting 12 years ago, so we understand it is hard to weed through all of the pricelists and galleries and figure out what works best for you. There are a few things that I think set us apart.
First, because we have been shooting together so long, we know how each other works, what each other will be shooting, and what each of us is responsible for. Kara is very “go with the flow” and Darrell likes to have everything planned, so we make a good team, as parts of the day need each. Kara will do more of the up front photo work, posing your family and bridal party photos, while Darrell shoots from the background catching those moments when you don't even know he is there.
Second, as a professional retoucher, I spend a lot of time making your photos look perfect! These photos are an example of a bit of the process. The first is a photo straight out of the camera. You will never see any of your photos this way, but unfortunately for many photographers this is the delivered photo. The second is the treatment that all of your photos will get- color, contrast, exposure, etc - to make the photo look good. The last photo is a completely retouched photo - taking out facial blemishes, fly away hairs, and anything distracting in the background, and doing more shading and coloring to make the photos pop even more. This treatment is done to anything that goes in your slide show or album, or is ordered as a print. In a typical wedding this can add up to more than 100 photos that are completely retouched.
And lastly, this year we are trying something new with fusion (more info below) to try to offer something that no one else does. We think it is a good way to get the most out of your photo/video budget if you don't necessarily want a full wedding video. Technology has caught up and we are able now to do both with the same camera, which enables us to not lose any moments as photos, but to shoot some video on the front and back of those special moments to create more of a scene in your slide show.
Investment
We have options for a lot of budgets, ranging from $2500 for 6 hours of coverage with one of us, to $4000 for both of us to shoot your wedding and an engagement session with files. All packages include the digital files so you have the photos to keep, and you can add options like albums, engagements, cards, and fusion. Please email and tell us about your wedding day and we can help create a package that fits exactly what you need.
Contact Us
Stackwood Studios
Address: 446 South Main Street Northville, MI 48167 (By Appointment)
Phone: 248-347-4900
Email: Kara@stackwoodstudios.com