Blaine + Bethany Photography on wedding photography

A: We strive to make only the highest quality images throughout the entire wedding day. Of course, there is always the all important

“hero shots” of the couple in love with a big scenic background, but we believe photos of the other elements of the day (toasts, dancing, etc.) can be just as beautiful in different ways and we strive to show that in our images. We’re always seeking the best light for portraits and much prefer natural light to using bulky lighting equipment that just slows things down. Our editing style is to keep the images naturally beautiful. The fashion and bridal trends will no doubt change and get outdated as the years pass by, but we strive to keep our image style timeless.

Q: Describe your working style.

A: It’s incredibly important to us that you enjoy your day to the fullest, especially the time spent in front of our cameras.

We approach each wedding in a relaxed, lighthearted manner, making people feel at ease while being photographed so they

can enjoy themselves. Our goal is to be unobtrusive and a very natural element of the day. Nothing should ever feel forced or uncomfortable. We won’t settle for anything less than every couple walking away with jaw-dropping images full of life, emotion and joy to remember all those beautiful moments on the best day of their life. We’re incredibly passionate about photography, love what we do, and take pride in our work. We give every wedding all we can offer. Sometimes that means lying on the ground or climbing a tree for the better angle, staying extra time to get that unbelievable starry night sky image, or spending extra hours on the editing to make the images that much better.

Q: Do you work as a team? Do you have other assistants?

A: Blaine is our primary photographer and the one who communicates, meets, and plans everything with our clients. Bethany is available as a second photographer add-on for any of our clients who wish to have her as well. We definitely communicate with our clients about their needs and offer experienced advice if we think they’d be better served with one or two photographers. Although Bethany isn’t shooting at every wedding, she plays a huge role behind the scenes as well with editing and album designs. We do have assistants available at any time, but the need to call on them is quite rare.

Q: What should I look for in a wedding photographer?

A: First, you should love the portfolio of your photographer before you even meet him/her. Their collection of work should make you feel something inside, stir your emotions in a way that you just want to keep on staring at their images because it will be you in those images soon, and it’ll be even better! Equally as important, you need to connect with your photographer and enjoy their personality. They will spend almost every moment with you on one of the most important days of your life. If they make you feel uncomfortable or awkward, it will show in the images. If they make you smile, feel good and natural, that will also show in the images. The personality of your photographer and them being able to mesh with all sorts of different types of people is HUGE.

Q: How long after my wedding will it take to get the images back?

A: In these days of exciting and unlimited amounts of information available instantly at your fingertips, we always try to share some preview photos with our clients the same week as their wedding, which are great for social media sharing! For the final edit, being punctual is important to us but also it isn’t to be rushed, possibly sacrificing quality. More often than not we have the final edit of images ready for download within three weeks of the wedding, but never longer than six weeks.

Q: What’s the most important advice you give to couples about their wedding photography?

A: Being in the industry, we hear horror stories about bad wedding photography experiences all too often. The stories make us cringe and we’d never wish those experiences on anyone. You’ve only got one shot at it; un-fortunately the day can never be re-created. If having gorgeous photography of your wedding is a priority to you, then do your research and carefully select your photographer. Meet with your photographer; ask the venue and other local vendors about their honest experiences with them. Ask to see the photographer’s complete wedding edits and inspect them to see if they carry a quality throughout all the images and not just the photographer’s handful of favorites. Anyone with a digital camera can shoot a few weddings, throw up a website and Facebook page with some pretty pictures, and call themselves a professional. Ask how many weddings they shoot per year, and if it’s a full-time career or just a side job. Remember that wedding photography is art created in just a moment’s notice. There’s little if any time to set up images and control every aspect of the situations at hand. Someone with experience can anticipate events unfolding and shoot the moments with beautiful compositions and creativity — with the technical aspects coming as second nature.