It's definitely booking season! Which means lots of consultations, lots of new couples and lots of questions! One of the most popular questions that I get asked (and one of the hardest to answer) is what is my style of photography? Or rather how to I operate on a wedding day? Or rather how would I describe my images. Phew! Cue the sweat! But this is definitely an important question to ask your photographer and important for a photographer to figure out for themselves!
Over this past year I my answer to this question has evolved. When I entered the year in 2011, I was still very influenced as my time as a news photographer and found the transition between news photography and wedding photography to be harder than I thought. I clung to a lot of things from my previous job that I just didn't have a place in my new business. So as the year progressed I took chunks of time to evaluate where I was and where I wanted to head and adjusted my style and process accordingly. Today, I take the best of my previous life as a news photographer and combine with a whole new style as a wedding photographer.
Because this question of style and vision of photography has come up a lot in recent client meetings, I thought I'd take some time to break down how I view a wedding day and what my goals are for your images.
1. Natural. I want to create images that are natural to each couple, that represent who that couple is and what they are all about. A lot of couples come to me and say they don't want posed pictures. What they really mean is that they images that reflect who they are instead of cookie cutter poses. I pose my clients A LOT, but I do so in ways that maintain the intimacy and uniqueness that couples are looking for. I often tell my couples after I pose them to feel free to move around, to snuggle in or to just goof around with each other. There is no right or wrong when it comes to being in front of the camera, just being yourself:)
2. Detail Oriented. I LOVE details, especially wedding day details. I love being able to have time on the wedding day to photograph the little details that go into making your wedding day special and unique. The dress, the veil, the shoes, the ring, the bouquet, the centerpieces, the invitations, you name it, I love it:) These are the images that help tell the story of your wedding day and make a wedding album complete. Often couples have spent months planning, thinking and agonizing over these details and want to have them captured in a meaningful way. At the end of the day, your bouquet dies, your cake is eaten and your dress is stored away. But these details live on through your images.
3. Romantic. I'm a sucker for anything romantic and I definitely bring that into my photography style. I love images that are intimate, where the couple is focused only on each other. I'm all about happy couples in love and there is nothing more beautiful to me than two people who have found their perfect match in each other. Love is infectious and I love being able to capture that and share it with others. I want to create images that reflect that sense of intimacy and joy you have in being with each other. And typically when that starts to happen, I will squeal. (Previous clients can attest to that;))
4. Iconic. When I was a news photographer my job was to be able to take a photograph that told a complete story. I had to create images that has sense of time, place, emotion, and story all within one image, all while being creative. It was challenge I took on every day at work and it's what I loved about my job. I wanted to keep that sensebility in my wedding photography and often try to grab images or sets of images that have a sense of time, place, emotion and story. I want my couples to walk away with at least one image that can sum up their wedding day as a whole, an iconic image of a beautiful day.
5. Fun. Fun!! Who would have thought!! My favorite things about being a wedding photographer is meeting happy couples in love! I want to work with joyful, happy people who can't wait to get married. And guess what, those same people also like to have fun! Sometimes planning a wedding can be stressful, heck, let me restate: IT IS STRESSFUL, and you need outlets where you can let loose and be yourself. My goal is to create that environment for you throughout our time together. And while I do pose my couples and give lots and lots of direction, most of the time my couples end up laughing and goofing around with each other. That's what I want. Because an image of you laughing with your husband to be or your groom is what is going to make you smile for years to come. My job is to capture those moments for you to cherish forever!
I hope that gives you an idea of my goals for your images as your photographer. My aim is to attract couples who have the same goals and desires for their wedding photography. Couples who want natural images that are romantic, iconic and fun! (with lots of details sprinkled all over:)) If you find yourself nodding in agreement, shoot me an email or leave a comment, I'd love to chat with your about your wedding!! And to all my photographer friends out there, here's to booking season and defining who you are as a photographer!