A Wedding Photographer discovering the States
Erica Brenci is a ceremony photographer, a wedding photographer to be precise. She’s a friend of ours here at Traveleurope, and she’s about to leave for a tour in the United States. Her first stop will be the WPPI, Wedding & Portrait Photography Conference & Expo, which will take place March 7 through 14 in Las Vegas. “This is a major event for ceremony photography” says Erica “a must for any professional in my field.”
Erica’s tour includes stops in San Diego, Los Angeles and New York, with dates for photo shoots and meetings with prestigious personalities involved in the wedding planning and wedding photography. Erica was a regular employee until a few years ago. Photography was a pleasant hobby during her travels and holidays, but then, as it happens to the lucky ones, came the light on the road to Damascus.
One day she was looking at the pictures taken at the wedding of a friend of hers, and was delighted by the sweetness and delicacy of the images. The photographer was Lelia Scarfiotti, who she had just glimpsed and known during the event. She realized that beyond the bias that accompanies the concept of wedding photography, there were a world and a stile to be discovered; non-traditional, non-tacky and corny, but rather original and delicate.
It takes a great courage to leave a secure job to pursue a passion, an enlightenment. What were the first discoveries you made in the wonderful world of ceremony photographers?
First of all, I must clarify a few things. Ceremony photography is a very peculiar market. On the one hand, we’re almost considered second-rate professionals: the world of photography doesn’t take us much into consideration. On the other hand, this job can provide you with a good income if you take it seriously and enjoy it. After deciding that I wanted ‘that thing,’ I realized that I would have become a Wedding Photographer and I discovered that even though we are a little snubbed sometimes, the category is way more cool than you think. There are many young guys around the world that are able to set trends, because they have that delicate eye and communication skills, you can breathe their zeal in the colors, glances and emotions that they capture in their photos.
Why does a photographer specialize in ceremony and wedding photography? What creative insights do those special moments provide?
Marriages include everything from attention to details, to emotions, zeal, delight, sentiment, excitement, enthusiasm, and even brawls. A wedding is a special moment where you can find all of those feelings in the expressions of the bride and groom, their relatives and guests, who are people of all ages, the elderly, children, adolescents. A wedding includes past, present and future altogether. The event background is taken care of in every detail, so you don’t even need to treat the set. You can experiment with different sectors, there is everything in this world: reportage, fashion, beauty, details; you can experiment with portraits, fairytale locations, or breathtaking landscapes. Everywhere you look there’s something to photograph! Using methods and tools that then will make your own style. Even the classic ‘pose’ can be completely revolutionized and can even amuse; it can be easy-going, or the concept of sweetness can even be reinvented, without being necessarily unnatural and tacky, but rather delicate and spontaneous. Nevertheless, “feeling” is the centerpiece of the day, one should have no difficulty in succeeding in the task, at least I don’t have any!
Press the button and take a picture: it’s very simple. But what makes the difference between an amateur, which of course we totally respect, and a professional ceremony photographer?
The difference between an amateur and a professional is indeed profession. A professional makes it a job, an amateur just a hobby. A professional is linked to the dynamics of the business itself: costs, revenues, investment, promotion, target customers, customer care, profit. Amateurs are related only to the passion for photography and so they don’t have to withstand market dynamics but simply do what they like, and just what they like. If you want to find the difference between a good photo and an ordinary photo instead, I think it depends on several factors: emotions, experience, and finally (and I say ‘finally’ in a loud voice, against what many state) technique. Emotion is given by the zeal that the subject you’re photographing is able to incite inside of you, experience helps you being prepared when you’re photographing something, and techniques allow you to develop different points of view and experiment with light, tools and perspectives.
Then comes the ceremony, whether in a church or at city hall, the rain of rice, lunch and party. Where are you in all this? How do you act? What are your feelings?
The special moments are for everyone and you have to capture them all! And they must be captured with a reportage approach, but non-invasive at the same time. The invasion of a scene somehow always determines subjectivity, but not even I can say I’m a ghost: I am there all the time, with this rather big camera in my hands, making the same noise all day long! It’s just impossible for me to be invisible. But you can be discreet! I always stand in front (not behind the priest or the marriage officiant if possible,) because actions must be captured in front of the camera.
When it comes to exchanging the rings, you are there to capture their hands and glances, when the guests throw the rice… you’re under the rice, bended on your knees, hoping not to be overwhelmed, on the arrival at the banquet location, you are already there waiting for them to come in, and so on … all the rest are stolen moments. Except for ‘poses’ of course, which may not necessarily last for hours, as only 10-15 minutes are sufficient. And then I even capture the background! Well yes! In those details is all the spouses’ work, which is a core element of the event organization. Some of them take care of the location in all details, some others are rather spartan, but it’s always been their choice, and this makes it an important visual part of their day. As well as their clothes, hairstyle, wedding favors, etc… and the more original and personal they are, the more capturing them is fun! Also group photos are not heresy if you can tear a healthy and pleasant laugh, to remove the plaster and embarrassment of the moment.
Why are you flying to the United States with such enthusiasm? What do you hope to find?
Everything that I haven’t found on the Web, which is by the way an incredible source of information, ideas, and opportunities towards professional development. However, the Web itself tells me that beyond the ocean there is a lot to learn, there are amazing characters who all have this great quality: they share everything, from how to shoot the best pictures, to how to promote a work, which mistakes must be avoided in our profession, such as trends, styles, and current models. Across the ocean, sharing is the seed of your job, collaboration is the key element, and debate is the first step towards improvement. WPPI is the best international event ever, and I really hope we can have it organized also in Europe soon. For now, I can only fly to Las Vegas, where I will meet photographers, suppliers, designers, make-up artists, wedding planners, bloggers, Djs, floral designers. It will be like a huge amusement park to me.
Erica Brenci, whose work as a professional ceremony photographer can be admired on her website Lesamisphoto, will fly to the U.S. with a promise. Keep us updated on her discoveries and experiences during her journey, tell us about the characters she meets and the opportunities that she will be able to catch.
So we expect you to keep us posted over the next few days Erica, we will be pleased to share your posts on Traveleurope Blog. Have a good trip!
About the Author
Daniela Hi, I am Daniela and I am passionate about creative languages - especially in advertising - voyages, wine&food and. .. shoes. I was born in Canada and now I live in Sicily, where I'm a travel and new trends writer and blogger, combining with this activity a strong devotion to the world of hotel hospitality. I also translate texts and websites in English and collaborate with several wineries being specialized in copywriting about wines and territories, interpreting and guided tours.
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