EMBRACING LOVE & IMAGERY
There are so many jobs, paths and life opportunities that this world presents itself with. For a photographer, an artist or just a creative in general there’s such a bevy of wonderful outlets. We came together in such an accidental and purposeful way; the couples we get to build relationships with, the places we get to go and the emotions we get to be a small part of are so much more wonderful than we could have ever expected. When we were growing up all of our parents told us the same thing, we can do anything we want.
And while along the way we all wanted to be dinosaurs, g.i. joes, power rangers or ninja turtles at some point, we ultimately decided we didn’t want to have ‘jobs’ that simply sustained one week to the next without touching the lives of someone else. This is our passion. Everyday we get to meet new and wonderful unique people, in places near and far whom allow us to instantly connect into their most emotional caveats of their lives. This isn’t a job for us, this is what makes our lives so fulfilled, in order to bring a balance to things to both our creative passions and our own worlds. Simply put, we love, love. It’s what drives us, brings us down and pushes us up. It’s the force behind everything we do in our lives and in our studio. Words cannot begin to describe our gratitude for allowing us the absolute pleasure of getting to know you, your family, your friends and your love.
Let’s be friends, Hinterland Stills
GETTING READY
Getting ready can be such a beautiful time to get those genuine pre-wedding shots. But sometimes the energy is ruined by the aesthetic. A cluttered, messy, dark room takes away from the genuine moments happening and the beauty of the morning. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Clutter: I know there is a lot going on, but try to keep clutter hidden and to a minimum. Keep bags, suitcases, laundry, etc in a different room, or the closet. We often do a short sweep when I arrive to clean up the area anyways!
Light: Window light is our favorite light. If possible, get ready in a room with lots of window light, where we won’t need to use lamps or artificial light. Having an orange tungsten light mixed in with the window is not ideal for color. So I always prefer to turn all lights off and rely only on window light whenever possible!
Hair/Makeup: If you will have a h/mu artist, they will need as much light as possible. I suggest doing your h/mu next to the window, for them and for us! Don’t forget about the groom! Sometimes the groom gets left with the dark tiny room. He is just as important, and his photos will look way better in a well lit room.
Typical hotel rooms often don’t provide the best light or setting for prep. If you can, I recommend looking into other options, like a well lit AirBnB, for your prep. There are tons of affordable radones out there! If there is time, right after your dress is on and you’re ready to go, I will probably grab you for 4-5 minutes to take some photos of you alone, likely by the window.
FIRST LOOK
A first look shoot is when the bride and groom see each other for the first time in a more private setting before the walk down the aisle. It doesn’t have to be a big staged moment. It can be simple, genuine and intimate. We always recommend doing a first look for three reasons: 1. It calms the nerves. There is nothing that relaxes nervous brides and grooms more than finally seeing each other and enjoying a few moments alone before the official events begin. 2. It gives you time to take it all in. You can share what you’re feeling, you can hug, you can actually say “wow you look incredible in that dress”– all things you can’t do when you’re at the front of the isle with everyone watching. 3. It makes the timeline easier to work with. If you can see each other before the ceremony, we can do all family portraits and bridal party photos before too. Your family can go enjoy the cocktail hour right after the ceremony, and we can get to couple portraits right away. Which means you miss less of your cocktail hour too! If you’ve always dreamed of the walk down the aisle as the first glimpse of each other, then we’ll do it that way. It’s your day!
GROUP PORTRAITS
The best time for family and bridal party portraits is before the ceremony. Everyone is ready to go and no one will miss any cocktail hour or reception time. It’s possible to do them after the ceremony, but gathering everyone once they’ve gone to cocktail hour is always a difficult and time consuming task. If we’re taking just a handful of shots (parents, immediate family, bridal party) then about 20 minutes is plenty of time. We recommend keeping the list short, because on your wedding day smiling at the camera posed with tons of different groups will get tiring! We will work together on a family portrait list that we will have with us to make sure I check off every group you list
COUPLE'S PORTRAITS
We recommend two portrait time slots for portraits of just you two together: right after the ceremony for 20-30 minutes, and at sunset for about 20 minutes. Why after the ceremony? Because the pressure is off, and you’re ecstatic, giddy, in love, and ready to party. We’ve gotten some of the best, most genuine joyful moments at this time. Why before sunset? Because its when we get the best light, at sunset we’ll get great golden light. And right after the sun disappears we’ll get some of the best moody light in which we love to shoot. If your ceremony is later in the day, close to sunset, we will just merge these two into one, for about 30-40 minutes total. The most important thing to ensure we get great photos is trust. If you trust usto create the photos you’ll love, we’ll be able to do ourthing and guide and direct you well. It’s all about collaboration and trust!
CEREMONY LIGHT
Ceremonies in nature are ourfavorite: the setting, the light, and the freedom for us to shoot all around. For outdoor ceremonies, light and sun are super important factors in the photos. Spotty sun light and harsh uneven light are not ideal. So if you’re having your ceremony close to midday, try to always backlight yourselves. This means, try to set up the ceremony so that the sun is behind your officiant, so you two are backlit, evenly, You could also plan your ceremony later in the day, so the light is nicer, closer to sunset. Just be sure to leave enough time for any delays, as well as couple portraits around sunset. If you are unsure, feel free to ask us about your ceremony spot and we’d be happy to help!
UNPLUGGED
An unplugged ceremony is when you ask your guests to refrain from taking any photos. Asking your guests not to use cameras or cell phones allows all guests to really take in your ceremony, without fussing with cell phones and flashes. If you don’t want to entirely unplug, we would at least recommend that guests take photos from their seat, without getting up into the aisles. If anyone is in the aisles during any part of the ceremony it will definitely affect the photos we are able to take.
RECEPTION LIGHTING
As you know, capturing the mood of your event is very important to us. This is why we don’t use flash for anything other than party/dancefloor time. For a romantic mood, market lights and candles are great, and if you use enough, they provide great light for photos. Just try to stay away from using only candles, or super dim lighting, which will make focusing trickier for us. If you’re unsure about your setup, just ask us and we’ll help! DJ Lights: While colored/flashy lights that your DJ provides might be fun for party time, they can destroy the romantic mood of your first dance and special dances. If you are having colorful lights, we reccomend that they be turned off for special dances. For party time, go crazy with them if you want!
A FEW MORE THINGS
Receiving lines: They can be very time consuming, especially for a medium/large wedding guest list. They can also get very exhausting and they take away from the burst of excitement right after the ceremony. However, we do love the energy right after you walk down the aisle, and your wedding party or family walks out and greets you, hugs you, kisses you, etc. So having a few minutes there to laugh and love is great. We just recommend that it not become a 20-40 minute event. Of course, its up to you and we’ll work around your schedule! Dinner: It is ideal for us to be served as soon as dinner begins. so that we can eat quickly while guests are eating and be done in time for any toasts or dances that might happen during or at the end of dinner. The easiest way to do this is for us to be considered a “guest” as opposed to a “vendor.” Some caterers insist on serving vendors at the end of the meal, so please make sure you speak to your caterer about this so we don’t miss anything! If you have a buffet, we’re happy to go through it and grab our own food too of course!
