About That Photographic ninja thing
I believe the best photos happen when people don’t know you’re taking them.
Yep, that’s right. I love capturing candid moments filled with real emotion. Outside of formal photos, you won’t hear me say, “look over here”. Real moments are what matter when it comes to telling your wedding story, and those are best photographed from the shadows. I’m never going to be up in your face, hovering over your shoulder, or shouting out commands. You won’t see me in the middle of the dance floor. In fact, you probably won’t see me at all.
The biggest compliment I receive after a wedding is, “I never even saw you!” Officiants love me for my non-obtrusive approach. Rarely after a ceremony do I have an officiant NOT take time to come up to me and compliment me and tell me they hope to see me again soon. I often hear, “I have no idea where you were or how you even saw that happen”. I love handing over moments that the bride and groom were not even aware happened, but can now share.
I tell people, “don’t pay attention to me” and they are usually pretty happy to oblige. The ability to blend in and go unnoticed is one of my greatest assets, and has earned me the nickname, “Photographic Ninja”.
feel beautiful, even if you’re unphotogenic, Guaranteed.
The fastest way to make someone feel uncomfortable is to take them out of their element. And having your photos taken is one of the quickest ways to make a person feel vulnerable and uneasy. That’s why I don’t focus on taking pictures. I am all about having my couples take a moment to connect with each other and enjoy their time together, picture taking just happens to be taking place simultaneously.
I start by clearing out the area where we shoot. Formal photo time with your new spouse should be a special, quiet part of the day where you finally get to enjoy some time together without an audience. I’ll prompt interactions from you that allow you to respond in the way you naturally would without focusing on having to perfectly place your hands or stand in an uncomfortable way. A forced laugh will always look like a forced laugh. A genuine belly laugh is priceless. I’m excellent at reading people and know how to get them to respond naturally without giving traditional posing instructions. But if you do something weird that doesn’t look flattering, I’ll point it out, we’ll have a good laugh, make a quick adjustment, and get back to just having fun.
The Process
Beautifull photos don’t have to be the only thing you get from a good photographer.
The PS Experience focuses on pre-planning to ensure you are 100% present and prepared on your wedding day. I’ll help guide you through the planning process to eliminate as many speed bumps as possible. I know the things that brides often overlook, so I’ll be sure to bring them up to you and make sure they don’t surprise you later on.
At Booking….we will discuss the vision for your day and go over a rough schedule so you can have a general idea for how many hours of coverage you’ll need. Don’t worry, packages are flexible and can be changed, so if things change once you deep dive into planning and timeline, that’s ok!
In between…..from booking (or your engagement session) until your wedding, it can feel like a big stretch of time. Feel free to reach out to me anytime you have questions and I’ll also check in just to see how things are coming along.
Three months prior to wedding day….I will send over a questionnaire about timing and preferences so we can establish a manageable schedule that gets you everything you want in the amount of time you have and best suits how you would like to experience your wedding day. I’ll never force you to see each other before the ceremony, unless you want to. I’ll never tell you we have to leave the reception for sunset photos, unless of course you want to. I promise to listen to your needs and make sure your day happens as you want it to, not how I would prefer to photograph it….this is an event, not a photography session. You’ll also get a photo checklist and cast of characters form so that I know who to make sure is included in all the special moments. If you have a planner or day of coordinator, we will also include them in this conference call or email thread to make sure everyone is on the same page about timing. After this, you’ll be able to finish scheduling times with your other vendors, like hair/makeup, dj, etc.
Two Weeks prior…..I’ll check in one final time to make sure nothing has changed and reconfirm times and locations.
Wedding Day….I’m there for more than just picture taking. If you need a helping hand, I’ve got you covered. I’m happy to help clean up spaces, move things around, gather up people, fix broken bouquets, grab water bottles, avert crises, and create moments of time for you take a deep breath if needed. If you get off schedule, I’ll get you back on track. Together, we’ve got this. It’s doing to be the best day ever.
After Your Weddding….Give me about two weeks and I’ll have your gallery back to you! Pour a couple glasses of wine and sit back and relive your day - from your beautiful rings and wedding details all the way to the packed dance floor, every moment you want to relive forever will be captured for you to enjoy again anytime you want. I’ll also pop a USB in the mail to you in addition to your online gallery.