Another insight into the ground rules for wedding photography from acclaimed San Francisco photographer Kevin Chin with whom I have worked on many weddings – and his photos are always fantastic! Elegant, capturing the atmosphere and the moment AND all the pretty details – a balanced approach to capturing a wedding, and always stunning!

“How did you get into photography? And, in particular, into WEDDING photography? What is it that fascinates you about it?“

Like many people, photography started as a hobby for me.  I was always the one taking photos on family vacations and gatherings.  I started taking photos of my friends for fun.  From there, people started to ask me to shoot their family portraits and weddings.  The rest is history.  Weddings are the most important day in a person’s life, and I feel privileged and honored to capture their special day.  Experiencing the joy and emotions of a wedding day is something that I never get tired of.

“What is your specific style and why?”

I would say I incorporate a mixture of many different styles when shooting a wedding.  You need to well-versed in many photography styles to capture all the different elements of a wedding.  I am very good at posing my couples to flatter their body characteristics and their style to make them look their best.  I’m also good at observing and capturing real candid moments throughout the day.  And, of course, I use my creative eye to capture all the pretty details of the wedding day that the couple has chosen, which include the wedding dress, flowers, decor, venue, etc.  I also take into account what style of photography my couple is looking for.  Some prefer candids and don’t like posing for photos, while others want beautiful posed portraits and want to look like a model.  I try to capture a good mixture of everything, but I’m happy to accommodate their preferences.

“How have you evolved as a photographer?”

I have been a professional photographer for over 30 years.  I have gone from shooting film to digital.  I have always strived to shoot in a classic style that will not look dated over time.  During the film days when there weren’t any previews of the photos you were shooting, with practice and experience, I developed a repertoire of poses and key shots that I knew would always work and that every couple would like.  These were the “safe shots” or “money shots” that I knew I had mastered and that I could rely on for every wedding.  When digital came around, I was able to experiment more because I could see a preview of the images as I was shooting.  This gave me the freedom to experiment more which, I feel, made me a more creative photographer.  I feel I offer the best of both worlds because I learned the fundamentals of photography with film and became even more creative with digital technology.

“How do you connect with couples?”

My couples tell me that they appreciate my calm demeanor and easygoing personality.  This is something that is appreciated on the wedding day because it helps the couple stay calm on their wedding day.

“What is the difference between an experienced professional photographer and laypeople shooting with their cellphone cameras?”

Wedding photography is the one category that couples should invest in wisely because when the wedding is over, all you have left are your wedding photos.  You want to make sure you invest in an experienced professional photographer that can capture all the different events of a wedding day.  As I mentioned before, a professional photographer should be experienced with capturing flattering portraits, candids that capture authentic moments, and beautiful detail and venue shots.

These different photography styles is what it takes to capture the true essence of the wedding day.  You may love the style of your photographer that you are about to choose, but make sure they are experienced on how a wedding day flows.  This is important because you want to make sure your photographer doesn’t miss any key moments such as the first kiss, the first dance, etc.  Once the moment is over, it’s over.  There are no second takes on a wedding day.

“Why is wedding photography expensive?”

You pay for what you get!

“Anything else you want to add?”

Whomever you pick as your photographer, you want to make sure you get along with that person because your photographer will be with starting with you putting on the dress until the last dance.  You want to make sure that you like this person and that you vibe with their personality.