• Member Application for Photography & Videography

    Member Application for Photography & Videography

    (Last Updated 2/18/26)

  • Welcome! We’re glad you’re here. This application has four short sections and should take less than 15 minutes to complete. Your responses are confidential and judgement-free.

  • This is not a test! There are no answers that will make or break your acceptance – this is just to establish a baseline for you to measure your progress and for us to collect data on the state of the industry. Please feel free to email us at hello@emeraldhour.org with any questions or comments!

  • Part 1: Getting to Know You

  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • How did you hear about Emerald Hour?*
  • What components of Emerald Hour are you most excited about?*

  • Part 2: Sustainability Survey (All Vendors)

  • The following two sections are designed to assess your company's current sustainability efforts and identify areas for improvement. Part 2 focuses on "universal" criteria across all company types.

  • My company uses paperless contract, invoice, and payment processes.*
  • My company utilizes digital marketing and educational efforts instead of printing brochures, business cards, and other materials.*
  • My company conducts consultations and meetings virtually.*
  • My company minimizes landfill-bound waste through active reuse, repairing, recycling, reselling, or composting in daily business, as well as at events.*
  • My company utilizes public transportation, carpools, or uses a private vehicle powered by renewable energy.*
  • What percentage of your business is conducted within 100 miles of your location? (An estimate is perfectly fine!)*
  • Approximately how many roundtrip flights do you take each year as part of your business?*
  • Of those flights, how many are more than 7 hours long?
  • When making purchasing decisions for my company, I prioritize small, local, and/or second-hand over mega-retailers like Amazon or Walmart.*
  • My company welcomes clients from all races, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, abilities, and backgrounds.*
  • When selecting and referring vendors to clients, I prioritize businesses led by people-of-color, LGBTQIA+ and other underrepresented groups.*
  • My company’s staff and contractors are paid a living wage in my County according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator.*
  • My company provides staff (if applicable) with paid personal leave, health insurance and/or retirement contributions.*
  • In what wats do you talk about or encourage sustainability?*
  • My company abides by local permitting and licensing requirements to ensure the safety of guests and/or the environment.*
  • My company prioritizes working with and buying from companies with sustainability certifications. For example: B Corp, Forest Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance, LEED, Fair Trade Certified, Leaping Bunny or Salmon-Safe.*

  • Part 3: Sustainability Survey (Industry-Specific)

  • Part 3 focuses on criteria specific to your industry.

  • My company buys equipment from local stores.*
  • My company focuses on local couples and promotes local shoot locations.*
  • My company rents, borrows, or buys second-hand equipment when possible.*
  • When buying new equipment, my company invests in high-quality pieces that will last.*
  • My company uses equipment to the end of its life and upgrades equipment only when necessary.*
  • When gear is damaged, my company looks to repair it before replacing it.*
  • When retiring gear, my company tries to sell or donate items before disposing of them.*
  • My company prioritizes eco-conscious accessories whenever possible (ex: no disposable cleaning cloths for lenses, etc).*
  • My company takes care to dispose of electronic waste responsibly.*
  • My company strives for a responsible digital footprint (ex: reducing file sizes whenever possible, streamlining file management to reduce redundancy, etc).*
  • My company practices “Leave No Trace” principles on public lands and in natural areas.*
  • My company is mindful when geotagging or otherwise promoting fragile environments to promote responsible behavior in the outdoors.*
  • My company disallows the use of single-use, wasteful, or harmful practices and props (e.g. smoke bombs, aerosol sprays, confetti or balloons).*
  • My company encourages and educates clients on eco-friendly grand-exits and recessionals.*
  • My company minimizes wasteful printing.*
  • My company sources eco-friendly product and printing options.*
  • My company uses eco-friendly mailing options for shipping products to clients.*
  • My company delivers proofs/galleries online.*
  • My company practices responsible energy consumption (e.g. using rechargeable batteries, not leaving electronics plugged in indefinitely).*

  • Part 4: The Pledge

  • Finally, we ask that all Emerald Hour applicants agree to the following pledge:

  • I will make every effort to consider the environment in my business decisions, always striving to reduce my impact on the planet. I aim to consistently make improvements, while honoring progress over perfection.

    I commit to sharing knowledge and educating clients on choices they can make to achieve a more sustainable wedding.

    I pledge to treat fellow vendors with respect and without judgment. I will contribute to a welcoming and inclusive environment and provide encouragement to other members, no matter where they are on their sustainability journey.

    By signing this pledge, I commit to doing my part to make the wedding industry more environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.

    *.

  • You have completed your Member Application. Thank you!

  • Click "Submit" to submit your Application. A copy of your replies will be automatically emailed to you. Our team will review your Application and respond, typically within one week. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us. We appreciate your time and commitment to inspiring greener weddings and hope to have the opportunity to work with you!

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