PhotosByFeist: Wedding portfolio
What you get
• Entire coverage. I cover your ENTIRE wedding, regardless of length. Unless you have a two day wedding—in that case, we need to talk.
• Bonus Big Day coverage. I will arrive up to two hours before the ceremony to photograph the nervous energy and priceless “getting ready” moments at either the bride’s or groom’s house.
• Peace of mind. I have an equally-capable back-up photographer on standby if I am sick or otherwise cannot cover your wedding.
• I attend the rehearsal. I will attend the rehearsal, because I care about your photos and want to see the venue beforehand.
• Free pre-event couple photos. When we meet to discuss things surrounding your day, we’ll snap a few shots of the two of you. An informal sitting, at no charge.
• Digital Proofs in 7 days. I provide you online digital proofs seven days after your wedding free of charge.
• Outstanding value. I am not the cheapest, because the service I offer is extraordinary. You will be glad you chose me, because I earn every dollar!
Prices (PDF format)
When you hire me to photograph your wedding, you get a lot more than meets the eye. You get professional service, multiple photo opportunities, consultations, and unlimited coverage of your event. I am not the cheapest photographer out there, so if you’re focused on price alone, I am not your photographer. I charge a fair price, then consistently over deliver and exceed your expectations of quality, attention, and energy. I offer excellent VALUE for the money you spend, and I deliver high quality products at the end.
Preparing
We meet. We talk. We take impromptu portraits along the way, like this one (right), and symbolic ones like the one below (this couple was engaged at Christmastime). You tell me what photos you like as a couple, show me samples, and explain to me how you'd like the photos of your day to be; what things matter most to you. We get to know each other, we talk and develop comfort. I will be one less thing to worry about on your big day!
Getting Ready
My day starts LONG before your big event. I will cover your entire day, start to finish, at no additional charge.
ABOVE: Two bridesmaids doing their makeup. Shots like this—creatively involving mirrors—are my specialty. Who says a picture always has to be head-on? They’re so boring!
BELOW: The happy bride and her dog. The bride walks this country street to the neighbor’s house, who is a hair stylist. She playfully glances at her dog, who returns he glance. The family dog, who’s been by her side since she was a preteen, accompanies her to her appointment on this day. The dog in the photo, sadly, has passed. Moments like these are priceless; they are why you hire me.
LEFT: A grandmother prepares the decorations surrounding the cake. Her home will soon host her grandson's wedding and reception, and she's nervously preparing every detail. I purposely did not use a flash; the natural light captured the mood more effectively.
ABOVE, LEFT: This photo was intended to be a documentation of this young flower girl's face, not so much her hairdo. I thought it was more important for this moment to include her face in focus here, not the hair. Don’t fret, thought, if you think it should be the hair--later on, I took plenty of other pictures of this beautiful hair style and this stunning flower girl.
ABOVE, RIGHT: Spontaneous goofy moments like these are ones I hope to catch at every wedding. Here, the father of the bride and the bride’s sister have a little fun with Dad.
ABOVE, LEFT: Notice everything. Roving the halls where the bride’s group was prepping for the wedding, I stop to notice the bride’s veil hanging on a bedpost in the guest bedroom.
ABOVE, RIGHT: An impromptu portrait. The wedding was in October, and of course mums were in full bloom. I had the bride pick one, and asked her to simply hold it. In five minutes’ time, she ran the gamut of emotions, from contemplative, to happy, to plain goofy. Her childhood home is in the background (not an accident). The flower represents the season (again, not an accident).
ABOVE: I spied this notebook, where the bride had laid the flower from her photo shoot on her sister’s rough draft of her speech at the reception that evening.
The Event
Here's what it's all about: your big day.
ABOVE: The bridesmaids pose for a photo outside the family home prior to boarding the van for transport to the church. Yes, the group is off-center on purpose because its more photographically interesting, but there are two very important other reasons this is the case: 1) the family home in the background, and 2) the aspect ratio of my camera makes it such that to print certain common sizes, a significant portion must be trimmed from the left or right. I account for this when taking pictures.
LEFT: Here’s that flower girl from earlier. I took this photo concentrating on the detail of her dress and the hair style. Recall earlier I emphasized capturing her face in the mirror. I just wanted to reassure you that although I am a guy, I am in tune to details like this!
BELOW: During the ceremony, I am constantly in tune to what’s happening in the pews, especially what's happening with the parents of the bride and groom. Mothers occasionally shed tears, and I watch for that moment. I caught this mother of the groom shedding such a tear. It was a little dark in the pews, but the essence of the photo is there.
ABOVE: The little videographer. Children are precious guests, because they grow like weeds and documenting how little they were shows how time has passed. This young guy is now over six feet tall, a testament to how shots like this are worth so many memories.
LEFT: I got down low to get this shot. It’s not uncommon to see me crawl, lay, lean, or otherwise contort myself to pursue a unique angle. Don’t worry—I’m insured!
BELOW: Their first moments as husband and wife. The bride and groom exit the church, whitewashed from guests’ flashes. My style is photojournalistic—I like shots like this because they capture moments. Here, it’s that moment of being blinded by their relatives’ and friends’ cameras’ flashes.
ABOVE, LEFT: The bride said she was tired of smiling, so I asked her to show me how she felt. I love spontaneous displays of goofiness; sure, the day’s formal, but this is all about having FUN!
ABOVE, RIGHT: Kids, kids, kids! They’re some of the most special guests at any wedding. I try to catch their natural smiles (or other emotion, but let’s hope it’s smiles).
BELOW, LEFT: Guests signing the guestbook at a reception. I try to catch your day from every angle possible, taking photos of everyone and everything. I much prefer natural photos of people than the ones where everyone looks and says “smile!” That’s part of my photojournalistic approach to event coverage.
ABOVE, RIGHT: This little one practiced her dance routine for months prior to the wedding. She took to the stage, and entertained all the guests at the reception.
LEFT: A young guest eyes a relative she hasn’t seen in a long time across the room and a smile of joy comes across her face.
BELOW, LEFT: A father places a soft kiss on his daughter’s cheek.
BELOW, RIGHT: A father walks his daughter down the aisle.
ABOVE, LEFT: I get down to their level to take portraits of kids. Mr. Cheeks here will be a hearbreaker one day.
ABOVE, RIGHT: A Maid of Honor carries a bride’s train down a flight of stairs.
ABOVE: Here’s a nice example of my creative eye. The night before their wedding, I was with this couple in the lobby of the hotel, and when they thought I wasn’t paying attention, I caught this tender moment in the reflection of the mirror on the wall.
LEFT: I wandered into a tiny room behind the altar before the wedding, and found a nervous groom awaiting his big moment.
BELOW: The couple was captured forever in a joyous, playful moment.
ABOVE: This feisty bride insisted on driving herself to the wedding. Her mom is in the back seat, and you can clearly see her smiling face at larger sizes
LEFT: A mother tears up as her son’s bride marches down the aisle.
BELOW: When I spied the loft during the rehearsal, I arranged to have access to it for a few minutes during the ceremony. I was up there with the choir for some unforgettable shots from a truly unique angle.
BELOW, LEFT: I love this shot, which captures a wife’s glance at her husband-to-be during the ceremony.
BELOW, RIGHT: I’m constantly on the lookout for spontaneous bursts of character and neat moments. Moments when true colors shine, and real expressions flourish. I rarely pose shots, electing for natural captures instead. I love the expression on the bride’s face.
LEFT: A first kiss from the rafters. I was still up high for the first kiss, and thought this was a unique twist to a classic shot. It offers more context, more surrounding ambiance, and has a great feeling to it.
BELOW: An angelic kiss. The angelic ambiance of the intense backlight really adds drama to this photo.
BELOW, LEFT: So many people are involved in planning your wedding, and so many people have a place in the big day. Let’s face it: will you really remember what your cake looked like? Probably not. That is why photos like this are so important.
BELOW, RIGHT: I love natural expressions of joy, laughter, and precious moments.
ABOVE: A bride shares a few moments with her friends before the wedding.
BELOW: This wedding was both symbolic and historic. It took place in the groom’s grandparent’s home, a home that’s been part of the family for many generations.
ABOVE: This shot of the bride is among my favorite, because the men’s silhouettes frame her face. Her soon-to-be husband is the face on the left.
BELOW, LEFT: A new couple marches down the aisle of the groom’s family’s classic vintage home.
BELOW, RIGHT: A grandfather proposes a toast to the bride and groom, who are centered in the background of the photo.
The Details
Will you remember the little things that made your day special and unique? Will you recall the candles comemorating family present in spirit, the table settings, or the venue itself? Probably not, but that's where I come in. My responsibility is to capture those details, some of which you may not even notice on your big day!
Prices (PDF format)