A very talented professional photographer

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a portrait and wedding photographer . I enjoy working with people to create art and preserve memories. Most wedding couples start working with me during the engagement photo session. I love getting to know them and teaching some can’t-miss tips. We start with easy photos and I show them a few good photos and you can see them gain confidence. They go from being shy in front of a camera to knowing that they are the lead players in this scene. Their confidence carries over to wedding day for both my skills and their ability in front of a camera which is good since I don’t have much time to direct. Confidence and interacting with each other goes a long way for the couple to have a nice expression and look natural.

I don’t submit for awards. My awards have all come as a direct result of nominations and reviews from couples including WeddingWire Couples choice award the last 5 years and Expertise.com top 24 Baltimore area wedding photographer the past 3 years. Awards started happening a few years ago when I started an extensive planning of the wedding day with the couple for photography rather than letting the day unfold and hope to get great photos.

My favorite part of the experience is the positive encouragement I get from couples when they receive their photos and videos. I especially love seeing the photos in a gorgeous album knowing it will be treasured for a lifetime.

How did you become a wedding photographer?

I have been a professional photographer for many years. I was photographing portfolios and headshots for talent agencies. An actor Danielle asked me to photograph her wedding. I just loved it - the experience was more challenging and rewarding than I expected. Every wedding is a new location , a different couple and personality, different lighting. My favorite part of the experience is the positive encouragement I get from couples when they receive their photos and videos . I especially love seeing the photos in a gorgeous album knowing it will be treasured for a lifetime.

How would you describe your style?

My style is Natural with a pop of color. It's called Lifestyle wedding photography. It is very important to me that the couple looks natural, not stiff or unnaturally posed and everyone looks good. Sometimes I am photojournalist during the ceremony and during the other parts of the day if everything looks good. If things don’t look like what I think will deliver great photos for the couple I take control of the situation. During the editing process, I eliminate photos where someone doesn’t look good and they might be embarrassed. My team and I, take 3000+ photos on the wedding day and we deliver about 1000 edited photos.

For you, what is wedding photography?

Its a story on how two families come together as one in photos. It involves friends, family, and especially the couple enjoying the celebration. Any great story has some drama and humor so just go with it.

What is the newest trend in wedding photography?

The newest trend in wedding photography is the bright and airy look. This can look good for some outdoor photos but I think the photographers push it too far when I can’t see the couples’ skin and the tree leaves are white. Another trend that I am investing in is mirrorless cameras. They have several positives for weddings including smaller and less noise. Everything has a trade-off though so I am carefully testing so I don’t compromise quality.

Where and how do you find a good wedding photographer?

You can find a good wedding photographer anywhere but seeing them in action at a wedding and liking the photos is probably the best way. Finding them online is great although I suggest meeting them in person and seeing some of their final work. You should make sure their personality blends well with yours. You will be with your photographer more than your spouse on your wedding day.

What are the typical services/packages offered by wedding photographers?

Services and prices vary across the board. Most photographers including me offer services in packages that provide a good value if you want the services offered.

Why is wedding photography so expensive?

Most people think of wedding photography as the time the photographer spends photographing the wedding. That is is the tip of the iceberg. A typical wedding for me is a weeks investment in time. What you don’t see is all the things that go on behind the scenes - marketing, training, meeting with couples, planning wedding day, preparing and maintaining equipment, editing and sharing the photos and producing albums and prints. Wedding photography is a business. Expenses on equipment, marketing, taxes, and insurance add up. I have two or three pieces on all my equipment. A good wedding photographer invests in training, professional cameras, lenses and lighting which is quite expensive.

One of my first weddings was a destination wedding in Jamaica. I photographed the whole weekend including the group trip the next day to the beach and Rick’s Cafe for cliff diving.

What was the most memorable wedding you photographed?

One of my first weddings was a destination wedding in Jamaica. I photographed the whole weekend including the group trip the next day to the beach and Rick’s Cafe for cliff diving. I really enjoy getting to know the couples and spending an entire weekend is a great way to get to know someone.

We went several rounds with mother nature this year. Many weddings we were photographing at plan B but its my responsibility to make the photos look great no matter what the conditions.

Was there ever a time you had to improvise?

I have to improvise at almost every wedding. I do lots of planning but obstacles always come up. It helps to have wedding photographers with lots of experience. Macgyver has nothing on us. The Jamaican destination wedding my primary light was damaged on the flight down. I had a destination wedding with Alyssa and Peter at Dream Resort in Cancun Mexico during a monsoon. It rained for 3 straight days - sideways. The rooms were flooded. Everything was flooded. Alyssa was very disappointed she wanted outdoor photos near the water. Fortunately, the rain ended the day after the ceremony and Alyssa convinced Peter to get back into his tux. We got those outdoor photos. We went several rounds with mother nature this year. Many weddings we were photographing at plan B but its my responsibility to make the photos look great no matter what the conditions.