Joe Deese Photography
Raleigh, NC
919.676.7697

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Email:   joedeese@joedeesephoto.com
Phone:   919.676.7697 (w)
919.601.3326 (m)

Joe is a native of Charlotte, NC. He attended Davidson College and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He first picked up a serious camera while in Chapel Hill as a way to record and preserve some of the fun things that he saw.

In 1989, a friend asked Joe to photograph her wedding (get Joe to tell you the full story if you talk to him). The wedding was fun and the photos were good and pretty soon other people were asking him to photograph their weddings. Joe became a full time professional photographer in 1996 and has been enjoying photographing weddings ever since.

Additionally, Joe has photographed for some of the best known companies and organizations in the world. A partial list of his current and past clients include The ACC, American Heart Association, BellSouth, The Foundation for the Carolinas, Frito-Lay, McDonalds, Raycom Sports, and numerous others.

In July 1997, Joe received his first national magazine cover for his work on the Charlotte Repetory Theater's regional production of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize winning play Angels in America. Joe was photographer-in-residence at the Charlotte Rep for five years.

Today, Joe, his wife Emily, daughter Frances and their two dogs live in North Raleigh. Just like when he first picked up a camera, he's still trying to capture and preserve some of the fun that is around him. Let him capture the fun in your life and treasure the moments for years to come.

How long have you been a photographer?

I got my first "real" camera in 1977. I photographed my first wedding in 1989 and I officially went into business in 1996.

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Are you a full-time photographer?

Photography is a full time occupation for me.

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What is your style of wedding photography?

I feel that my primary style is photojournalistic, meaning that I shoot mainly candid photographs that tell the story of your wedding day. The very best photos that I have ever shot are the ones that are natural, spontaneous and unposed. I have absolutely no problems in shooting some posed and group shots as the day progresses. I would say that overall I shoot about 80% candid and 20% posed photos. If you are looking for a very traditional posed type photographer, I'm probably not the right photographer for you.

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Who will actually photograph my wedding? Is it you personally?

I photograph all weddings personally. If the need demands it I sometimes work with a second photographer.

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What happens if something happens to you?

I belong to a professional group in Raleigh and have a network of photographer friends in Charlotte. If something happens to me, I can promise you that a professional photographer will photograph your wedding and I can also promise you that I would have to be in the hospital for that to happen. Fortunately, I have always been fit, healthy and accident free throughout my life.

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How many weddings have you photographed and what kind of weddings can you handle?

I've never counted the exact number of weddings that I've photographed. I know that it's somewhere in the hundreds. I've never tried to be a wedding "factory" and churn out as many weddings as possible. Since I will work on your wedding for over 40 hours. I want each wedding to mean something to me. This past year I photographed weddings where the wedding party was just the bride and groom and the guest list was under 50 as well as a wedding where there were over 40 in the wedding party and the guest list was over 500. I feel confident that I can photograph your wedding.

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Do you use a second photographer?

If you need it. If you are planning to have a large wedding, then we'll need a second photographer. If you are having a more typical-sized wedding, then I can more than cover your wedding as the sole photographer.

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Do you use an assistant?

I always use an assistant to help organize and make things run smoother.

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Do you travel and is there a fee?

I love to travel! I consider anything within an hour of Raleigh to be a "local" wedding and there is no fee involved. Ordinarily, I charge only travel expenses and overnight accomodations (if necessary). I have photographed throughout the Southeast with concentration in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

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When and how do we book you for our wedding?

Book me as soon as you know for certain that I'm the right photographer for you. Typically, I get some bookings at least a year in advance. I only shoot one wedding per weekend so once I'm booked, I'm no longer available for that weekend. Once a contract is signed and I receive a deposit, then I'm officially booked for your wedding.

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Do you offer planning sessions before the wedding?

I think planning sessions are essential for a wedding. The more that I know about you, your family and what your hopes and dreams are for your wedding, the better the photographs will be. I do not charge for planning sessions.

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How about lists? Are you open to "must take" lists?

I am totally open to lists. It is a form of communication and helps me to better photograph your wedding. I ask that you give me a list well in advance of your wedding so that I can incorporate it into my planning.

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What if you've never photographed at my church or ceremony site before?

One of my policies is that I always attend every rehearsal. It helps me to prepare for your wedding the next day. I can easily become familiar with any policies or restrictions that your particular church or site has. Because of this policy I've never encountered a problem in photographing a wedding at a particular site.

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Are you able to photograph with film? And how about special Black and White films?

My personal preference has always been film. Most of the images on this site were shot on film. I feel that I can safely say that as a professional photographer, I can pretty much produce whatever you can imagine. Film or digital, color or black & white is not an issue today. You are limited only by your personal preferences.

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Do you offer videography?

I am a still photographer only and try to be the best that I can be everyday. I have a good friend who is a professional videographer. I will refer you to him first. If he is not available, I have worked with other talented videographers and can refer you to them as well.

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When will I receive and/or see my photos?

You will get all of your photos and be able to see them on my website within 2-4 weeks after your wedding.

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Do you offer wedding albums? What kind of albums do you offer?

I can buy albums from over 35 different companies. Even within the various companies, the offerings are very broad. You can order anything from an album made of handwoven silk and handmade rice paper to a high tech edition digital coffee table-style book. The possibilities are basically unlimited.

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