My Wedding Photography Approach

My Distinct Approach to Wedding Photography is capturing your most precious memories

"When it comes to wedding photography money is not what motivates us. Our passion for romance, raw emotion and delicate moments filled with joy and happiness are our sole motivation."

When I created Couture Bridal Photography, my intention was to approach wedding photography from a personal desire to capture raw emotion and tell wedding day love stories. As a wedding photographer based in Fort Lauderdale, I still approach each and every wedding as a completely new experience both for the couple and myself.

I never photograph any wedding with any preconceived photos in mind, nor do I ever employ a list of must have photos unless the couples requests them. My role is to observe, anticipate and capture the emotion, details and passion that sets your wedding from anyone else.

This is your wedding day, your story and it will be filled with moments that can never be repeated or recreated even if you could go back in time.

Wedding Photographer? Me?

There was never a time in my life where I would imagine, I would be a wedding photographer. It was a chance moment that would lead me to my passion of photographing weddings. After the experience of shooting my first wedding for a friend and seeing what I had created, I decided this is what I was meant to do.

I had spent years of my life, over 30 years photographing everything as a hobby. I had learned the ins and outs of photography beginning with film. Once I saw the results of using everything I had learned and practiced as a hobbyist, I knew I had to create something absolute special. I began to research wedding photography and photographers specializing weddings around the world.

I learned much about Wedding Photography here and abroad!

I discovered a very stylish type of wedding photography used across Europe and Asia, that was candid , yet extremely editorial (Magazine) with posing that was fashion forward yet natural. I spent 2007 learning by reading and attending wedding photography workshops to learn from these European masters of wedding photography.

I attended several photography workshops by Jerry Ghionis, Yervant and American Roberto Valenzuela. I read their books, I attended conferences, workshops and online learning while shooting small weddings with super low budgets to master these techniques. Yes, there was a time, I advertised on Craigslist and would shoot a wedding for 10 hours for $600.00. This was the only way I could book weddings with little experience, low expectations and master techniques that would later lay the foundation for my own style of wedding photography.

Starting a Wedding Photography Business!

It was mid 2008 and I decided I was going to launch my own photography studio. I wanted to provide wedding photography experience that would be different from everyone else in Fort Lauderdale. I wanted to create a style and an approach to bridal photography that brides and grooms would feel as if they were commissioning an artist vs. someone to snap a million photos.

I wanted my couples to be very much involved in the creative process yet be unintrusive and allow them to be the stars of their wedding day without distraction. I also wanted to create the most spectacular wedding portrait photography they'd ever seen.

My wedding photography style was created around candid wedding photography (Wedding Photojournalism), yet guided to create epic fashion forward editorial portraits that couples would feel excited and become emotional over.

I wanted couples to not just see the images I deliver to them, I want them to feel what they felt at the very moment I took their photo.

I knew from attending multiple weddings and tagging along with other wedding photographers, that they were clicking for dollars wedding after wedding. Picture A in room A with bride B and groom C with pose D. Just being self programed to take specific photos at specific times at specific venues wasn't what I wanted to do.

Naming My Wedding Photography Business

I named my photography business Couture Bridal Photography! Why Couture? Many people often ask me. I wanted my bridal photography to be fashion forward and it was highly influenced by European wedding photographers. I also didn't want to use the word "Wedding".

I wanted to be seen as an artist that uses a camera to tell a story with carefully captured , curated and edited images with a unique style of retouching.

Couture Bridal Photography was officially launched in 2008. My advantage was I was still a full-time Firefighter/Paramedic and I could pick and choose weddings.

I never undertook a wedding because of financial needs. To this day as a retired Firefighter/Paramedic Lieutenant, I draw a pension and photograph weddings because I love it, I have a passion for it and the people that hire me for their weddings love my style of photography.

My Approach to Photographing Weddings

My approach to photographing a wedding is to guide you through all the moments I can. To be encouraging as someone you'll be spending the most time with before, during and after your wedding. My role is also to anticipate that the special moments that will take place on your wedding day. Document the emotion you're experiencing, capture the interaction between you and your family and create the most spectacular wedding portraits when I have you for a few moments to myself.

I hope you choose me as your wedding photographer. If you would like to speak to me, click here!