{ Your LOCAL DC Wedding Resource }HomeAboutContactDIY ContestVendor Directory
Honeymoon & Destination WeddingsWedding Cakes & SweetsWedding CateringWedding Event RentalsWedding FashionWedding FlowersWedding Invitations & Paper DesignWedding JewelryWedding MusicWedding OfficiantsWedding PhotographersWedding PlanningWedding Unique ServicesWedding VenuesWedding VideographersRSS FEEDCategoriesBride's Best Friend DC Wedding Features
Miscellaneous Deals & Steals
Budget Saavy Bride Do-it-Yourself Wedding Fashion
Ariana's Picks 2010 05/12 Sarah Fletcher PhotographyBy katiemac0 comFiled in: Bride's Best Friend, DC Wedding FeaturesSarah Fletcher Photography
This Sunday we get to meet the wonderful and very talented Sarah Fletcher of Sarah Fletcher. She is located in Bethesda, Maryland and she strives to take the highest quality image that captures the heart and soul of the subject and day.
Katie-What drew you to photography?
Sarah-I first fell in love with photography in my high school dark room. I was fortunate enough to have great, excited teachers who passed on their passion for creativity and the fine art.
I love photography because it serves as a medium that I can capture the essence of someone when I met them. It can be raw and real but best of all– it grows better with time. If I take a brides portrait, and they want to look right away and critique themselves [they all do!], my new phrase I tell them? Wait 5 years and you will love it.
K-How did you become involved with wedding photography?
S-Weddings are fabulous (details, dresses, delicious food, flowers, family)! I love everything to do with weddings and romance.
I first considered event planning, but after my closest friends got married, and I couldn’t put down my camera—even when I was a maid of honor–I realized I was lucky that I knew what I wanted to do and I should embrace it– give it 100%. My favorite photographer, Jasmine Star, spoke recently at a DC seminar for photographers and she said: “Better to fail at something you love, than to succeed at something you hate” and I have adopted this as my mantra.
K-What’s your favorite aspect of a wedding?
S-Immediately following the ceremony, when I can grab the newlyweds and take a few shots of them as hubby and wife, two lives intertwining and the moment they will never forget. The bride and groom just glow with happiness and are calm and content. Even if we have only a few minutes before they head to their cocktail hour or more formal photos with the bridal party, tender moments are always present.
K-What kind of camera(s) do you shoot with?
S-It’s guaranteed I am the one of the only photographers who has BOTH Nikon & Canon gear… hear me out before you laugh… because yes, I have two of everything! DSLR’s, flashes, lenses, etc!
Until May of this year, I shot only my Nikon D700… yet I was torn with all the amazing things I had been hearing about a Canon lens (the f/2.8 24mm-70mm) which sadly, Nikon didn’t make… so I bought the new Canon 5D Mark II, so I could shoot with that lens…. it is INCREDIBLE and I would venture to say I will never go back.
K-Where do you find inspiration for your pictures?
S-Blogs, Jasmine Star, National Geographic (this probably sounds unusual, but the level of photojournalism is unmatched), but above all? People.
K-Do you have a signature shot?
S-No, but I am trying to perfect the ‘faux candid’ –as I like to term it— which is when I set up everything in the frame and then have the couple slowly move or look at each other or laugh… while that might not qualify as a strict candid, I find natural emotion and intimacy within the setup that comes candidly. My first love is portraiture, so I am drawn to faces, eyes and interactions between people.
K-What questions should brides ask when interviewing with wedding photographers?
S-Everything. You should feel completely comfortable communicating with your photographer and the person that will absolutely be with you every minute on your special day. If you can’t ask him/her ‘Do you feel comfortable shooting my bridal party of 16?’ while interviewing, then good luck trying to figure how he/she will react when your father-in-law forgets his tux and shows up 1 hour and a half late (this happened to me on a huge wedding I did), messing up the entire timeline your photographer had scheduled. Ask if their style of shooting is upfront and if they arrange the shots, or if they prefer to hang back in the sidelines and let the wedding day unfold naturally. There are benefits to both, but it’s good to know–besides their style of photographs– how they actually physically take them.
K-What are some fun poses or props couples can use to incorporate their personality into their photos?
S-A portrait is a reflection of a person; that being said, I recommend that brides can bring anything they love: maybe hobby-related items such as fresh flowers, an old camera, a vintage bicycle, an instrument or wear what holds special meaning to them; a grandmother’s emerald ring, the scarf they were wearing when they got engaged, etc. I constantly ask brides if they feel comfortable in a pose, because their uncertainty can often be detected in a shot.
K-I always recommend my bride’s to have a list of must have shots to give to their photog. Do you have any recommended shots?
S-Aside from family formals, I usually throw the list to the wind and shoot as I see it. I make sure to cover all the traditional shots, but I look for images that reflect the feeling of the day and those special moments in between the set-up shots.
K-What are some upcoming trends in wedding photography?
S-Fantastic brightly colored wedding heels for the bride to wear under her gown, or having a favorite pair dyed to match the wedding accent color. Also,very modern albums with a lot of negative space and large pictures. This probably isn’t cutting edge trendy, but I know that my mother’s wedding had neither and that was 29 years ago (her anniversary is today, so I thought that an appropriate example).
K-Where are some your favorite local settings to shoot for engagement (or day) pictures?
S-Georgetown, hands down. (Blues Alley, the canal, the store fronts, cobbled stone roads; I could shoot every single session in Georgetown and still discover new spots!) The only downside is parking…
K-What is your advice for a bride in order to get the most out of her wedding pictures?
S-Be specific about what you want, after all, it is YOUR special day!
K-How can brides contact you to set up an appointment?
web: http://www.sarahfletcherphoto.com/
blog: www,sarahfletcherphoto.squarespace.com
cell: 202 503 4742
email: sarah@sarahfletcherphoto.com
facebook: sarah fletcher photography
No comments:
Post a Comment