I photograph you like a friend because I become one. Here is how that happens.
I changed a comfortable career as a mechanical engineer to become a wedding photographer because I want to live deep human experiences with you and your guests.
I am genuinely interested in getting to know you, feeling the emotions of your day, and finding those emotions again when I look at the photos afterward. Sometimes I stop at one and smile at my computer. Sometimes I cry.
I am actually a pretty sensitive man. I hide it most of the time like most people do, but in the context of your wedding I am not playing that role. I give myself permission to feel everything without holding back. I am completely at ease with the people around me.
It is probably the happiness around me that I just soak in. It energizes me. And I am on a mission to give you back the positive energy you are giving me.
The first hello
It usually starts with a text or an email. Sometimes that is enough and we move forward quickly. But the best experiences start with a coffee shop meeting, somewhere with a little character, not a chain.
We sit down and we learn about each other. We take the time it needs. I don’t want to know much about your wedding logistics, I am interested in you. What you do together, what you love, what makes your relationship yours, what you are excited about in your wedding, the details that light you up. I ask a lot of questions and I genuinely want to know the answers and I want to know all your questions! By the end of that first meeting we usually both know if this is going to work. And when it does, it feels like making a plan with someone who is already excited to be there.
The year in between
Weddings are planned a long time in advance. Between the day you book me and your wedding day, life keeps happening. I am sending some messages here and there and I am always available if you have questions by text or email. Most couples do not reach out much during this time and that is completely fine.
The engagement session
If you decide on an engagement session, by the end we are no longer strangers. We have laughed together, tried things together, figured out how we work together. Your couple photos during your wedding day feels different when you already know how that works and we can nail it down faster if needed so you go back to that party, enjoy your guests or a quiet intimate time.
And this is why, first we meet on video call or a cafe again if you prefer in person, to continue our discussion. I am still curious about you and what will make those photos feel like you. I will try to open the range of possibilities so we don’t miss out on some opportunities. For example, Rachele and Chad love to go to the Majestic restaurant. That is the ultimate date for them. So why not call them and see if we can come before the client arrives, and that is exactly what we did. They were like fish in the sea and the photos show that!
Then during the session itself we create together. To make the energy level stay high I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Breck and Jason might have given away a few of my tricks in their reviews. "He gave us prompts to loosen us up and make the posing more natural which I think my fiancé especially appreciated." "He had endless ideas and games to create poses but he also balanced those with our own inspiration for shots."
If the weather or situation changes, we can reschedule as many times as we need but sometimes it is also the opportunity for a memorable experience. Hannah remembers: "It rained the day we were scheduled to have our pictures. Etienne still managed to get amazing photos and even brought along a light on a tall stand to try and recreate the sun coming through the trees for us." That was the photo she wanted the most BTW, so of course I helped her create the vision she had. For Ashlyn it was one of those minus 20 degrees that Kansas City loves to grant us at least one week per winter. "Even though we picked what has possibly been the coldest day of the season, he still made sure our photos felt warm and full of love."
Ultimately as you might have understood by now, it is all about the experience, because it is the foundation for building great photographs. Or maybe selfishly I want to have fun, but I know I am not the only one: "We had so much fun taking pictures that it felt like a date night being photographed." remember Allison.
As a results, I will deliver photos that looks like you. It is not me saying that it’s Rebekah "His candid approach really captured our authenticity as we explored KC together." or Justine: "He did amazing at listening to our vision and working with us to make that vision happen. Our pictures were a great snapshot of us and our personalities."
The questionnaire
Before your wedding I send you a questionnaire. Nothing overwhelming. I want to know a few logistical things and the key moments you care about, the family dynamics I should be aware of, the things that matter most to you on the day. It helps me show up already knowing what to look for.
The planning meeting
At least one video call or meeting before the wedding but we can do as many as you want. We go through the logistics, the timeline, the people I need to know about. And we talk about photos, confirm what you value, what you expect, how I am planning to focus my attention.
Your wedding day
At your wedding I show up like a guest. What I mean by that is that I don’t consider myself as a vendor providing you a service. I am a friend that comes to live the full experience of your day and my gift to you for inviting me is to give you your wedding back with my photos. That energy that I am coming with is what makes me connect so fast to you, your family and guests. It is not calculated, I just noticed over the years that is how I operate. It is noticed like Taylor says "He brought such great energy and made everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera."
And it gives me that ability to get those unique photos that feels like I was in the middle of the action, well because I am physically and mentally in it! Cierra: "He blended in so naturally that people kept asking if he was a friend or relative of ours. He managed to capture genuine smiles, emotional moments, and all the little details we didn't even realize were happening."
I am so present that you will forget I am here. Tamieka remembers "Many times we didn't even know he was there, but he captured some beautiful photos for us."
During a recent wedding Diana the bride came to me after her bouquet toss a little worried. "Did you get that picture?" I showed her the screen on the back of my camera. "You are the best" she said. To get that image I was probably two to three feet away from her. She had no idea I was there. That is what your wedding day feels like. You live it. I witness it. And at the end of the day you will have proof that every moment happened exactly the way it felt.
For the family photos you get another version of me. The comedian that never made it to the opening act at “the Comedy Club of Kansas City”. I like to make them fun so they are enjoyable and the smiles are more natural. Here is how Claire describes it : "He did an amazing job at making the almost awkward family photos enjoyable."
I used to race mountain bikes and I still think I am young so as Elsie tells us: "One guest remarked how agile our photographer was, moving quickly throughout the day to capture our most important moments." I will give my 100% to be everywhere and nowhere all at once to make sure I can make you that gift.
The blog post
Following the wedding, I will write a blog post about your day. That is the way I found to give you the photo highlight and write about the detail that made your wedding yours. Based on views from those posts, I can say that most couples love to share it with guests and family!
The album reveal
If you decide on an album, our experience together continues!
I invite you to my house to see the picture reveal. Beth (my wife) is there. She already knows everything about you and your wedding because she has seen your photos many times. She loves my photos and I guess I am like a rock star that married his number one fan.
I will cook something simple, usually homemade pizza. We open something to drink. We reconnect. Then we sit together and you see your wedding for the first time as what your album will look like. We talk about those moments, we laugh. You see yourself the way I saw you.
It feels like I invited you to my house as a friend. Because by this point that is basically what it is.
The delivery
After you ask for a few changes, the album is printed and I do not just mail it. We find a way to put it in your hands. You come to us, we come to you, we meet somewhere in between.
It feels right to end it that way. In person. The way it started.