Based in Southern California, Regal Bay Photography offers Professional Photography services (Videography coming soon). The Regal Bay Photo Team consists of Steven R. (Commercial / Traditional Photographer), Keila I. (Photo-journalistic Photographer) and assistants (lighting/prop/makeup support).
Our typical crew for most gigs consist of two photographers and at least one assistant (usually interns from the local college). Our wedding / event shooting styles include Commercial Photography (creative / choreographed shots), Traditional (the usual poses) and Photo-journalistic (candid / non-posed). Since we include a minimum of two photographers per shoot our clients get great value for their investment as we can capture multiple angles of the same event / talent.
We are personable and would be open to meeting with you prior to shooting any gigs (at a Starbucks/Panera/etc.) to discuss our photography / videography services.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Creative Style, Image Quality and Photoshop!:
Here at Regal Bay Photography we pride ourselves in incorporating both photojournalistic and commercial event/wedding photography styles into your images and video. Of course we always cover the traditional posed shots (bridal portraits, mother-daughter, grandparents, family portraits, etc.) but since each booking includes a minimum of two photographers we can deliver both photojournalistic and commercial styles into every traditional pose. Our goal is to deliver high quality, magazine style images with a strong emphasis in photojournalism and commercial wedding, portrait and event photography.
Can I give you a list of specific shots we would like?
Of course! In-fact, during our introductory session we specifically discuss your expectations and go over the style and approach you would prefer for your event / wedding pictures, including times, VIPs and creative / traditional shots you want to have.
Do you shoot in color AND black & white? Infrared?
We use professional DSLRs like the 5D Mark III to shoot in an uncompressed unprocessed digital format (.RAW) which grants us an amazing amount of dynamic range to be able to produce high resolution photographs in any color style and variation; black & white, sepia, pastel, retro, glamor and more.
Do you shoot in .RAW or .JPEG? What’s the difference?
As a standard each photographer at Regal Bay Photography (including assistants) shoot in .RAW file format. Shooting in .RAW allows for the Highest Level of Quality to be brought out of your images and allows the photographer (during post-production) to interpret and process the *complete* data from your images. When someone shoots in .JPEG they are allowing the camera to compress, process and convert your images to what the small computer in their camera thinks is right. We don’t think that’s right… especially since shooting in .RAW allows us to get better detail from images and dramatically correct over or under exposed images which would otherwise be deemed unusable. There’s no second chances when it comes to getting that once in a life-time shot, so why leave the image processing up to you camera?
Do I get the High Resolution Image Files? Is there an additional cost, and are they printable?
We won’t hold your images hostage. The majority of photographers will give you digital images but lower their resolution and force you to go to them to get higher sized prints. In contrast, as a standard, we deliver each of our images in complete high resolution (300ppi) format which can be used to create larger prints than those with smaller resolutions. These images also come with full printing rights, so you can print and share your images with friends and family as you see fit anytime you want.
Notice: When printing images keep in mind that automated printing machines (like those at Walmart/Target) may crop your images incorrectly when printing a custom size, so as a courtesy we will help you crop and resize your top 20 favorite images if requested.
What is “shoot and burn” photography?
“Shoot and Burn” photography describes the action of photographing a wedding or event and burning the images from the event straight to a CD/DVD without post-processing. “Shoot and Burn” Photographers are usually super cheap (for a reason); unprocessed .JPEGs usually leave the couple / client with distracting elements in their images such as bad lighting, in-correct color tones, over/under exposed images and blemishes such as pimples and scars that can cost hundreds of dollars to edit/remove later. There’s no second chances when it comes to getting that once in a life-time shot, so why leave the image processing up to you camera?
Photo-Bomb! You can Photoshop that.. right?
Composition and timing are what make up most of an image’s quality; enhancements and retouching can only do so much. If your Auntie photo-bombs your special shot, we’re going to retake the photo. Of course this isn’t always possible, so we’ll do our best to correct any mischievous cousins or stubborn hair as we review your images. Each of our packages include a certain number of retouched images, however, should you find that you need more images retouched later we can help.
Do you provide retouching, color adjustment or other corrective services?
Yes! Each of our photographs is shot in .RAW format which means that we have a tons of data we can use to enhance each image we capture and we do. Every image delivered has some degree of color correction and detail enchantments done to it such as contrast, white/black levels, luminance and more. We also provide retouching services to remove temporary blemishes (pimples, razor burn/cuts) and help create a more natural “air-brushed” look between natural skin tones and make up. Each of our photography packages include complete image enchantments and a certain amount of retouching for your best images. You can always come back to us, should you later decide you would like additional images retouched.
What if I blink? Do you take multiple shots?
In a perfect world everything would work out perfectly and everyone would look perfect in their pictures. Unfortunately, we’re not in a perfect world.. so to make up for that we try to take at least 3 or more pictures of posed and special moments to increase the chances of getting everyone in the shot looking their best. There are no re-do’s so the value in having at least two photographers working from multiple angles throughout day is usually a deciding factor for many of our clients.
Booking Your Date:
How far in Advance do I need to book with you? Last minute booking?
Ideally we would prefer bookings to be made at least 30 days or more before the event. However, we understand that things can get a bit hectic before weddings/events so please contact us to check if your date is available. Keep in mind that a booking fee of fifty percent of the total package cost is paid at or near the date of booking with a certain percentage of the remaining balance being paid at least one to two weeks prior to your event (payment options available).
What forms of payment do you accept?
We currently accept any credit or debit card with a MasterCard, Visa, Discover Network, American Express, Diners Club International or JCB logo. Prepaid cards and gift cards (any cards that are temporary and without your personal information) may or may not be accepted. We accept personal checks or money orders. We will apply this payment to the account indicated as soon as we receive it, but not earlier. Please make the check or money order payable to “Esteban Robledo” (Owner). Checks must be in U.S. Dollars and drawn from a U.S. Bank. We also accept payments via bank wire or direct deposit at any Wells Fargo location (please contact to get our company information and our bank details).
In order to book your date, we require a deposit of at least fifty percent of your initially chosen package. But don’t worry, should you later choose a different package or can’t decide between a photo booth for your reception or two parent albums we can always adjust your new balance later. If at any point you can no longer attend your session due to emergency or unforeseen circumstance we can apply your deposit towards a future date or event (if available). Due to the nature of the business we do not issue refunds but allow clients to “gift” or “transfer” their booking credit to another party. We require a new contract when applying your deposit towards another event (such as a friend’s wedding, photo booth at party, etc.). Just keep in mind that all refund/transfer/reschedule requests must be made at least 30 days prior to the booked event/session.
I found a Photographer that only charges $____. Why should I go with you?
Here at Regal Bay Photography we offer full-service Photography Packages that include a minimum of two photographers per session (each using professional equipment), retouching/image enhancing services, live slideshows, photo-booths and more. Instead of just shooting our images .JPEG (like the majority of photographers), all of our images are exclusively shot in .RAW. Shooting in .RAW format allows us to pull hundreds of times more detail and data from a single image in post-production instead of being limited by the more compressed .JPEG format images. We are dedicated to bringing out the best attributes of your images, usually spending two to three hours in post-production processing your images for every single hour of shooting (an 8 hour wedding usually interprets into over 20 hours in post-production work).
Regal Bay Photography (RBP) has two main photographers, Steven (Esteban) Robledo and Keila Iraheta, however, we do collaborate with other of photographers to provide our clients with experienced assistants and second/third shooters for certain events. Typically the photographer you speak and/or meet with initially will be the one photographing your wedding / event. Any samples of work shown during your consultation / initial meeting will be those captured by the same photographer(s) shooting your wedding or event, they will also be the ones signing your event contract and forms.
How will you (and your assistants) be dressed?
Our staff can wear professional attire that matches the style of your event. Typically we wear dark clothing such as black pants (Dickies/Slacks) and a dark/black button/form-fitting t-shirt to blend into the background. To avoid causing distractions we can also wear appropriate clothing that takes your event’s theme and culture into consideration (such wearing Hijabs and avoiding taboo colors). Want your photographers wearing a tuxedo? No problem! But please let us know in advance if there are any wardrobe preferences or specific do’s and don’ts for your event.
Do I really need a second photographer?
When it comes down to it, no one really needs a second photographer, but remember, there’s no re-do’s at a wedding, sweet sixteen, Quinceañera, bar/bat-mitzvah, etc. so having a second or third shooter who can provide you with more images and perspectives of your special day the more memories you will have to share with family and friends in the future. Not to mention that having an experienced photographer assist with the lighting and candid shots can help make more efficient use of the limited time left for shooting.
Are you photographing other events on the same day as mine?
Typically, booked sessions requiring 5 or more hours (like weddings) are assigned an exclusive photographer(s) for the day. You will be notified of any same day sessions prior to finalizing your booking.
Package and Service Questions:
The typical wedding photographer can deliver 50-100 photos for every hour of coverage they provide. With Regal Bay Photography you get two photographers a shoot which interprets to 100-200 images an hour per session. That may seem like a lot, however keep in mind that includes moments captured while you were focused on the plans of the day. These images may include pictures of the kids, grandparents, flowers, decorations, family and more. Each complete wedding package we photograph typically produces a minimum of 500-1500+ images.
Yes! We can prepare a slideshow for your wedding for use at the event hall or reception which include your engagement and other photos of the couple. We can also incorporate some of the best images taken that same day at the ceremony. There must be at least two hours between the ceremony and reception to allow for compiling and video rendering.
Do you provide printing services like albums and professional prints?
Yes. We can provide full photography services including printing proofs, textured prints (such as metallic paper, pearl, canvas and high-quality archival inks on fine art papers), albums, parent albums, story books, photo-guest books, welcome banners (with pictures), custom framing and more.
Can I customize a package based on my needs? À la carte options?
All of our services can be ordered individually and bundled into a custom package that best fits your event and needs. However, we have created a list of three suggested service packages to give our clients a quick way to choose some of our best services options at a better value when purchased together.
What is a Fusion Slideshow and Traditional Slideshow? When do I get it?
A Fusion Slideshow is compiled of both video and stills captured at your event. They area a great alternative to traditional video that usually captures hours of unnecessary footage and highlight the best moments of your day in a 5 to 15 minute video clip. Fusion Slideshows are delivered two to three weeks from delivery of your images. A Traditional Slideshow is compiled of scanned and digital images provided by the client (no video) for display at the reception or event. The images must be delivered by a predetermined date for processing and compiling.
Do you include an engagement session in your wedding packages?
Most of our wedding packages do include an engagement session. However, if you would like to only book us for an engagement session and later choose to book us for your wedding we will apply a $300 credit towards any of our wedding packages beyond our essentials package.
We are always looking to build our network and establish a relationship with like minded artists and professionals (experienced & beginners) who are looking to build/compliment their professional portfolio. We are willing to negotiate both paid and TFP shoots in the Los Angeles and Inland Empire area. Shoots must serve an artistic or aesthetic purpose (we do not shoot x-rated material). TFP and paid services include retouching and enhancements.
Equipment:
What type of equipment do you use?
For each of our events we use Canon EOS 5D Mark III (Canon’s newest 5D FULL-FRAME DSLR) and Canon L-series lenses which include, but are not limited to the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 50mm f/1.8 II and the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. We also use a variety of other lenses and camera bodies when shooting video. Aside from our camera bodies and lenses we also use multiple flashes (Canon 580 EX II’s or equivalent) to create and achieve professional images regardless of the lighting situation available such as dim lighting in churches, outdoor receptions and dimly or non-lit dance floors. We also use at least three remote strobes to light our portable studio photo booths. To prevent harsh light and strong shadows on the face we use diffusers such as soft-boxes and umbrellas to focus and soften the light on our subjects. Miscellaneous equipment used includes radio transmitters for our flashes (similar to the Pocketwizard Plus III, used to eliminate the use of cables), tripods, monopods and camera sliders and jibs.
I love blurry backgrounds and circles of light (bokeh). How do you get that look?
What you’re referring to is shallow depth of field. To achieve that look, photographers must use professional lenses with a large aperture rage (like f/1.8, f/2.8) that are able to focus tightly on a subject. A lower f-number setting on a lens usually produces more dramatic bokeh effect.
Yes, we take multiple camera bodies and lenses to each shoot to make sure we’re ready for any unforeseen circumstances. We also collaborate with local professionals who are capable of providing quality work and assistance to cover your session in-case of an emergency. If there are any complications getting to your booked event you will be notified immediately via call and text, however, throughout the years of shooting events we have not missed a single booking.
Travel Compensation:
Do you travel outside of the Southern California area for weddings/events?
Yes! Though many of our clients reside in Southern California (where we are based), Regal Bay Photographers will travel to any location to offer our professional services. Some of our travels have included Las Vegas NV., Phoenix AZ., Austin TX. and more.
In regards to travel, any event requiring round trip travel of over 50 miles from the location of your Photographer will typically require additional compensation. If the round trip mileage to the event equals less than 50 miles there is no additional compensation required. In general, for events held greater than 50 miles from your photographer’s location, travel fees are $0.34 a mile beyond 50 miles with a minimum fee of $50. Each event will be quoted on an individual basis, however, please keep in mind that it can take one to two hours to travel 50-100 miles using ground transportation.
How about long distance travel (400 miles round trip) or flight arrangements?
Round trip travel requiring 400 (about 7.5 hours travel time) miles or more may or may not require additional consideration such as overnight accommodations and a $75 per diem per photographer. If air-transportation is required, clients will be charged (at-cost) airfare, car rental and two night accommodations at or near the event to allow for plenty of time to adapt to unforeseen circumstances and detours.
To put things into perspective, if it takes 3 hours to get to your location and your session starts at 9 am (prep shots) your photographers will need to wake up at 4 am, prepare, test the electronics and head out around 5 am to arrive with enough time to set-up. If your complete session ends at 12 am that night it will turn out to be a 20 hour day for each photographer not counting break down and the drive back.
Do you charge set-up and break-down fees? How much time do you need to setup?
We do not charge additional fees for equipment set-up and break-downs. Depending on the package chosen, set-up and breakdown time typically falls between 20-30 minutes.
Delivery:
How long does it take to get my images?
We offer multiple turn-around times: 3-5 days, one to two weeks and two to three weeks, each dependent on which package you prefer.
Here is an example of the amount of processing time the average 8 hour wedding can require: let’s say it takes an average of 80 seconds to manually process a .RAW image, at 1000 images that’s over 22.2 hours of post-processing work. That doesn’t include the time initially spent shooting the session, uploading and sorting through the best images (1-2 hours at 4000 images/1.5 seconds an image) and the time spent correcting blemishes and softening make-up and skin (2.5 hours for 30 retouched images/5 minutes an image). See our section regarding the differences between .RAW and .JPEG images.
Once enhanced, processed and retouched your images will be uploaded online for your downloading and sharing convenience. A private link to your entire image catalogue will be sent to you via email with instructions on how to download your high resolution images. We can also provide your images to you in person or via post usually on a USB flash drive.
Why do I need to wait a week or so for my images? Can’t you just give me a DVD the night of?
As mentioned above, at Regal Bay Photography we are dedicated to preserving the memories of your day to the best of our abilities and take the time to process and deliver the highest quality images possible. We do this by taking advantage of the benefits of shooting .RAW and manually achieving the proper color balance and choosing the correct color space for each image and salvaging images that would otherwise be impossible to correct if shot in .JPEG. Photographers who shoot in .JPEG allow their camera to process and compress the image for them, effectively losing massive image data forever. .JPEG records 256 levels of brightness and RAW records between 4,096 to 16,384 levels! That’s an amazing amount of detail and data immediately lost in each and every image when shooting in .JPEG.