Gone are the days when the wedding photographer lines everyone up and yells, “say cheese.” Instead today’s bride wants images that are beautiful moments in time that capture the emotion of the day. She wants playful images, candid and not posed imagery.
My photographic style is journalistic in nature; it comes from my early experiences working as a news photographer. I enjoy capturing images as they happen, quickly and precisely. My work process is to advance in a three stage progression, pre-wedding, wedding ceremony and post wedding sessions.
My real work begins several days or even a week before the wedding. I usually meet with the couple once at their home and once at the chapel or church where the ceremony will take place. What I try to do is build history with them, create common points of interest. This way I will better understand what they like and what they don’t. I also enjoy meeting their family before the big day. This way I’m more like a friend coming to their wedding, rather than a stranger showing up with a camera. I usually talk with them about any series shots they want and any concept shots they would like to have captured. All my sessions are centered on the couple, their families and their expectations.
During the pre-wedding phase I capture things like the building, the rings, her shoes, the guys out back and the girls fussing over the bride. I don’t do every shot as a candid because many of the details need to be captured in a precise manner. This is where I combine my experience as a commercial photographer, action photographer and studio photographer. In effect I act as a set director and construct a moment in time and create the imagery the couple want.
Throughout the wedding ceremony phase I only use a flash when all parties agree; otherwise I use special low light techniques to record the complete ceremony. When the post-wedding phase begins I typically create the concept shots we talked about the week earlier and any candid shots that ‘happen’ during the rest of the day.
My motivation to do wedding photography is that I love working with the people. In many ways a wedding is like a complicated portrait session with dozens of people. I love the creativity it allows me and I love making new friends.
