While cost is usually the deciding factor as to which photographer you will likely select - a photographer's style, vision, or approach is likely the next factor that helps you gravitate towards whom you will entrust your once-in-a-lifetime memories.
While anyone can look at a picture and know instantly wether or not they like it, I thought that I would go into a bit of detail and explain a little bit about our style of photography and how we approach different situations and also how they are treated in post processing.
A drastic example of how I had to overcome a challenging situation is of the image of the bride and groom during their first dance - in the total pitch-black of night. Three carefully positioned lights were placed around the subjects in order to capture this moment.
Natural Light
Whenever possible, it's my goal to preserve the natural lighting of each situation. In the example of the toasting best man, the light came from overhead fluorescent lights. Despite being a flickering, green coloured light source, colore correction was employed in post and, ultimately, a natural looking photograph was the end result.
"Studio-Quality" Light
In many cases, I strive to enhance a particular moment with the addition of controlled light. It involves taking techniques used in the studio and applying them in the field using more compact and portable equipment. Natural light can often look flat - which is exactly why I am always on the pursuit to push the visual expression of my images by adding emotional, detail shaping light .
Left: The image of the maid of honour tieing the dress was lit with a studio light, creating a silhouette effect. Right: The image of the bouquet was natural illuminated by a near-by window.
An image that appropriately benefited
from a black and white conversion
Post Processing and Styles
Whenever possible, I strive to maintain the natural colors of a moment - especially those moments that are candid. I make sure each image is vivid, sharp and detailed. There are exceptions to this rule in which some posed shots, or concepts shots, can be aided by the use of styles and treatments.
Below is a family portrait that has been posed very losely and intimately. Because of the natural posing used in this group portrait, the image was flexible and it benefited nicely from a color treatment.
Preserving the natural look of skin tones is an extremely important task for me as there are often countless variables that can influence these vulnerable features, especially when portraits are concerned.
Take the test - when shopping around other photographer's websites - look at portraits that were shot in parks or in grassy areas - are the skin tones flat and greenish? This is a give-away sign that the photographer isn't as trained as they might claim they are.
Photojournalistic Photography
Capturing the rawness of a moment isn't always easy when many people become un-natural when they know they are being photographed. Photographing weddings requires a keen sense of how to manuever around people and photograph them without their knowledge. It's a skill in and of itself. Doing so is much more effective when you're equiped with top-of-the-line telephoto (long reaching) camera lenses, which of course we are.
More up-to-date examples of candids, detail shots (ie. bouquet, wedding dress, tablesettings, etc.) and portraits can be viewed on our the TLC Photo Blog.
While cost is usually the deciding factor as to which photographer you will likely select - a photographer's style, vision, or approach is likely the next factor that helps you gravitate towards whom you will entrust your once-in-a-lifetime memories.
While anyone can look at a picture and know instantly wether or not they like it, I thought that I would go into a bit of detail and explain a little bit about our style of photography and how we approach different situations and also how they are treated in post processing.
In many cases, I strive to enhance a particular moment with the addition of controlled light. It involves taking techniques used in the studio and applying them in the field using more compact and portable equipment. Natural light can often look flat - which is exactly why I am always on the pursuit to push the visual expression of my images by adding emotional, detail shaping light .
Preserving the natural look of skin tones is an extremely important task for me as there are often countless variables that can influence these vulnerable features, especially when portraits are concerned.
Capturing the rawness of a moment isn't always easy when many people become un-natural when they know they are being photographed. Photographing weddings requires a keen sense of how to manuever around people and photograph them without their knowledge. It's a skill in and of itself. Doing so is much more effective when you're equiped with top-of-the-line telephoto (long reaching) camera lenses, which of course we are.
