Elizabeth: Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Nancy and Edwin, a married couple who own the photography company, Edwin & Nancy Photography. The couple has been married for three years, and they are charming and fun. We agreed to meet at my home on Balboa Island and they were so sweet to my new dog, Sadie. They even took pictures of her! Edwin and Nancy give off a warm and welcoming vibe from the start, I can tell they always want to make things comfortable for their clients. To see more of their images and learn about their approach to wedding photography, I invite you to read on.
How did you two get started in photography?
Edwin: I shot my first event at age 18, for a quinceañera. It was really fun, but life took me away from the photography business. It was not until about 3-4 years ago that I took it up again. I am happy to say I have reunited with photography.
Nancy: I always liked art, and studied it in college. I had my first gallery opening at age 25. At first, it was hard to accept photography as an art form, but after meeting Edwin, he re-inspired me to the craft and now I love it.
Who inspires you?
Edwin: Joe Buissink, a local photographer based out of Beverly Hills and Wil Jax, out of Mississippi.
Nancy: I was an artist before before starting my journey into the art of photography. I am inspired by artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
How did you meet?
Edwin: We met on MySpace, where I ran across images of Nancy's artwork. I sent her a message expressing interest in her work, and a few months later we met up.
Tell me about your wedding and honeymoon.
Nancy: We had a Hawaiian themed wedding at a garden in Los Angeles.
Edwin: The biggest mistake we made was that we did not hire a professional photographer. If we could redo it, we would have hired a great photographer. In fact, we want to have a vow renewal for our five year anniversary, and want to fly in one of our favorite photographers.
What is the hardest thing about shooting weddings?
Edwin: The most difficult thing is the unpredictability of weddings, and sticking to a schedule. Sometimes things just happen, and its important to trust your photographer so he or she can guide you through it and make the best of it.
What is something many clients don't think about or ask about when looking for a photographer, but as an insider, you feel they should?
Edwin: It's been said before, but we'll say it again: it is critical for you connect with your photographer. That is how we experience it at the end of the day, that connection. Make sure you are working with someone you like.
Nancy: Lots of photographers have awesome portfolios, but they may not be what you are looking for in terms of personality. Keep searching for someone with the right personality fit and a great portfolio, and you cannot go wrong.
What is your style? Who is your ideal client?
Nancy: We focus on lifestyle photography. We want to share in your moment, be it a quinceañera, a wedding, or your first baby. As photographers, our mission is to be able to grasp that moment and snap it before its gone. Our ideal client is someone who trusts us and says, "Let's do something different" or "Let's just go for it!"
Tell me about your engagement sessions, why are they important?
Edwin: We want to get you in front of the camera before the actual wedding. During the engagement session, we are learning about you, what works for you, what does not. We try to make it fun--we bring a snack bag and have some laughs, so it's not all stiff poses.
