First, Lauren and Brian are totally gorgeous. I am talking cover model gorgeous. AND they love fine art photography. I’m so glad they stumbled across me on a web search because they were a dream. It’s hard not to talk about this sweet couple without busting into my favorite shots. They gave me access, time and creative freedom to do whatever I wanted and we created some magical shots.
During all of the hustle and bustle of wedding planning, Lauren was also finishing up her nursing degree (hello multi-tasker!), leaving little time for a bridal portrait. I was NOT going to miss getting a bridal portrait of this beauty, so we carved out some time before the wedding. The wedding was at Revolution Mills Studio, which is a really cool place…AND it has incredible lighting. When I saw a gold painting hanging from one of the walls, I decided to mirror the feeling of The Woman in Gold, a famous painting by Gustav Klimt. This is where a fine art degree comes in handy…it makes my photography more unique, more thought out, more composed and more intentional. I love this classic image of Lauren not only because she looks beautiful but also because I’m portraying her beauty through a fine artists’ lens, which was why she hired me.
Another favorite shot of Lauren was her getting ready shot. The bathroom that she was getting ready in was not the prettiest of rooms and certainly did not do her grace and beauty any justice. I had to really work through this one and it took some time, but ultimately, we pulled a table into the bathroom, put all of the bridesmaids’ bouquets on the table, put a backlight on the trashcan behind her and shot through the leaves of the flowers. If this sounds simple, it wasn’t. But it was completely worth it. Lauren has an ethereal glow and we were able to bring nature inside. I love it because it was hard and challenging and turned out beautiful.
Traci: Why am I the right photographer for you guys?Lauren: We love your photographic style, portfolio, and how you are so caring, engaged, and passionate about helping our wedding tell a story of our lives. We also love how you incorporate different ideas and envisions to the “norm” wedding photographs.
After photographing a “safe” shot of Brian and Lauren’s cake, I decided to have a little fun. I love to play on a shoot and really stretch my artistic vision. I also always carry a little bag of toys that let me alter reality a little. For this second cake shot, another one of my favorites, I used a blue filtered gridded Magmod on the left, a green filtered gridded Magmod on the right. Then I shot through an old magnifying glass I stole from my daddy (he won’t mind). It’s super distorted but you can still see the details. It’s a little weird and a lot interesting which is why I adore it.
While Brian and Lauren gave me creative license, access and time, they also knew what they wanted and were willing to do whatever it took to get it. One thing they really wanted was industrial shots. With a combined “do whatever it takes” attitude from all three of us, we were able to create the feeling of being in a factory.
Sometimes clients ask me why they should hire a photographer over asking a friend with a camera to photograph their wedding. It’s a good question and something that a lot of people think about. Lauren and Brian are the perfect example of what you get when you pay a professional photographer (especially one with a fine art background) to photograph your wedding. The photographs are the only tangible thing that you are going to take from this very special and important day of your life. Invest in your photography. Take something beautiful with you that is as beautiful as you and your love story. You won’t regret it.
Thank you, Lauren and Brian, for making photography so important and for giving me the access, time and freedom to give you what you wanted. I had so much fun photographing your wedding. Congratulations!
Recent Comments