Wedding photographers in Netherlands

—What should future newlyweds pay attention to when looking for a wedding photographer?

—Make sure you have a connection. That's the main thing to focus on. Never let your choice be made on pricing. That's the least important thing when choosing a photographer. You need to connect to make the best photo's and capture your emotion and love.

—How did you start working in the wedding photography field?

—At first I was in to motorsports and had the equipment for it. Until it got to much for me and my day job. That's when I decided to sell half of my stuff and go for my day job. After a couple of weeks I got a inquiry from a friend to do their wedding. From that time on I was hooked on weddings... It's such an addiction!

—What is there in your work that brings you joy?

—I love to meet new people! I am a social beast and have a strong need to connect with the people I meet. The guests, the bride and groom and everything that walks and talks.I love to be creative and seek new possibilities at venues or locations. Create a fantastic photo for my clients and of course also for myself.

—Do you like traveling?

—Yes I sure do! I have a lot of destination weddings this year and next year. I love travelling because it gives me the satisfaction of the unknown, adrenaline and new opportunities. What is more beautiful than capturing love and emotion at the most fantastic venues and places in the world.

—What are the key elements that make a photo attractive?

—First of all I think it has everything to do with the feeling you get when you first look a photo. If it gives me goose bumps it's cool in my opinion. I want it to be interesting and special. Emotion or awesome light or composition is what does it for me.

—What makes a photo valuable? What are the key features of a great photo?

—Background, background and more background... That is sometimes even more important that the foreground or the subject. It needs to be balanced. An unbalanced photo will make you think there's something missing even though the moment is precious.

—How do you deal with criticism?

—It's hard sometimes! But if the critiques are well based it's doable for me. I love a good critique because it helps me to be better and make my photography better.

—What is success to you? How can one measure it?

—My success is measured in the smiles and tears I get from my couples. When they call me and say I did the impossible. I made their day even more beautiful.

—What person in your life is your muse & source of inspiration?

—A lot of people! But most of all I think my wife, Ilona
She's my backbone, takes care of everything and stand behind and in front of me when needed.

—What makes wedding photography different from other photography genres?

—Everything! Social and camera skills are only half of the stuff you need. Actually it's everything! You need to master almost every type of photography. Fashion, light, speed, emotion, documentary etc etc.

—Do you look good in pictures?

—I don't think I'm photogenic :) I love having the camera in my hands and always want to hold my tummy in when photographed :)

—What details that usually pass unnoticed can a wedding photographer capture?

—Details, tears, connections between people and those real moments. It's so hard to anticipate all the time. You need to practice and walk a lot of miles to have those skills.

—Can you imagine what wedding photography will be like in future?

—That's a good one! I hope that all brides and grooms see the real value of a professional. And I hope future camera's have a iphone photo blocker built in :)

—Do you believe in the superstition that a photo replicates the soul of the pictured person?

—Yes I do.. You gotta love the person you shoot. That is one of the main goals I set when connecting to a couple.

—Are there tendencies in wedding photography?

—Like in fashion there's always something new. New gear, new post processing, new everything... I think it's important to make the trends not follow them.

—What is absolutely unacceptable when taking photos?

—Repeat the "first kiss" and those kinds of moments. It needs to be real for me. Not staged. I hate that!

—Give some advice to a wedding photographer who is a beginner.

—Stick to yourself and your ways. Love yourself and expect nothing at all! Do your own thing and never stop improving yourself.

—Whose works made an impact on you as a wedding photographer?

—Two Mann Studios, Chrisman Studios, David Murray, Tyler Wirken and the Foundation Workshops in Texas.

—Is there anything that worries you? What & why?

—Get caught in an accident and lose my eyes or a limb so it's almost impossible to shoot again....

—What mistake in your professional experience you treat as the biggest one?

—I mixed two couples up in my agenda. That resulted in being an hour late at a wedding.

—How do you improve your photography skills?

—Workshops, workshops, and workshops... All around the world if possible!

—What moment in your life you treat as the most significant one?

—The birth of my two kids... I never thought it would be this beautiful.

—If you have a chance to shoot a movie, what genre will you choose?

—Definitely a thriller! I love the story and the turns in the scripts.

—What would you prefer to change in the world?

—I would love to see more respect for each other and their opinions.

—When are you totally satisfied with the results of your work?

—When I feel my clients are going to love the job I did for them.

—How do you spend your leisure time?

—I like to play with my kids and I love to play NHL15 in my PS4

—What makes you continue shooting?

—It's so rewarding! That keeps me motivated. Try new things!

—Imagine that you can travel back in time. What would you do differently?

—Respect my parents more and spend more time with them.

—What cartoon, film or book character would you become if you had a chance?

—I think Daffy Duck... Crazy and a spit when I talk :)

—When traveling, what do you usually take with you & why?

—One of my Canon 5DMK3's of course... and a 35mm :)

—Where would you prefer to live?

—On a deserted island but then with WIFI :)

—Do you believe in life after wedding?

—Yes there is! I love my life even more!

—Is there anything in your work that you don't like or even hate?

—Hard to say.. really.. I don't know...

—What key message are you trying to convey with your pictures?

—Emotion, glamour, love.. All of that!

—Whom can you name as a person/people not deserving respect?

—Bullies and people who are jealous.

—What side of you do you never show to the public?

—When I'm sad and when I want to cry.

—The most troubling thing in life is:

—I need to sleep every night hahaha :)

—Imagine aliens come to our planet. You are the first human they meet. What would you tell them?

—Can I take a ride on your space ship?

—Life is great thanks to:

—Being free and do whatever I want.

—Is there life in the Universe?

—I don't care about that really..

—What would you alter in yourself if possible?

—I need to slow and shut up more.

—In your opinion, should your parents have been more or less strict to you as a child?

—No they did an excellent job!

—Do you shoot wedding photos only?

—Yes and engagement shoots..

—Do you make friends with ease?

—Yes I do.. And I love it!

—What are your plans for tomorrow?

—Drive my 1968 Mustang...

—Who would you choose to try taking photos with?

—Lanny & Erika Mann...

—What thing is the silliest one you've ever agreed to do?

—A new Born session :)

—What would you have preferred to learn before becoming a photographer?

—Back button Focus :)

—What would you prefer to change around you?

—Not in particular...

—What's better – when you are liked or are respected?

—Liked for sure..

—What devices that you own you regret you bought and why?

—Nothing really...

—Do you hate anyone or anything? Who or what?

—I love everyone!

—Is there anything in your work that you treat as prohibited "tricks"?

—No I don't...

—Cats or dogs?

—Dogs 4 sure!

—Can you specify whom would you love to shoot?

—Everyone!

—Whom can you name as people you respect and admire most?

—My wife!

—Do you believe in the traditional gender roles?

—No...

—Can you give a few tips for wedding photographers who are just starting out?

—Be confident, but don't want too much too fast. Take your time to educate and train yourself. Being a good photographer is hard. You don't become one in a year, but that's a trend I'm seeing. People doing a couple of workshops and styled shoots, and calling themselves a professional wedding photographer after that. Workshops and photoshoots are absolutely nothing like shooting a real wedding. So take the time to develop the skills that are needed for doing that.

—What will be the future of wedding photography?

—I think the future of wedding photography will be a further evolution of the direction it's going in right now. More journalistic stuff, more moments. But besides that: technical advances. Faster camera's, better low light capabilities, and other accessories like drones, light field cameras, and stuff like that, giving photographers even more tools to being creative.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—It sounds like a horrible cliché, but it's true: Every wedding is different. You never really know what's going to happen. Surprises can happen at every moment. Besides that, I think it's a great honor to be asked to create lifelong memories for the people that are getting married. 5, 10, 25 or even 50 years after they get married, people still remember who took their wedding photos. It's pretty wonderful that you can be an important part in people's lives.

—Where would you like to live?

—Tough question. I've always enjoyed living in the Netherlands, but lately, this feeling of joy has diminished quite a bit. Not because of the horrible weather, but mainly because of the political climate, the discontent of society, the tension. There's a lot going on, a lot of frustrations among a lot of people, causing the general atmosphere to be a lot less relaxed, in my opinion.

—Who or what do you hate?

—I hate it when people aren't real. Off course, everybody has skeletons in their closet. But too many people pretend to be something their not. Relating to that: I also really dislike how much we're being lied to. In advertising, in politics, in a lot of things. There's very little sincerity and authenticity left.

—What are the most important components of a good photo in your opinion?

—Above all, the photo has to have a certain impact. Wether that's an intense emotion, a good vibe, or just a spectaculair visual impact. After that comes the technical part. So a good lighting, composition, etcetera. But for me, the impact is the most important part, by far.

—How do you define success? How do you measure it?

—Success to me is finding a perfect balance by doing what you love, making a good living out of it, but also having time to live. Because even though I just love shooting weddings, I wouldn't want to shoot 60 weddings a year and have no personal time left.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—'Allowed' is a big word. I'm not the one to say what's allowed or not. However, I don't like to unnecessarily intervene in a wedding. With the exception of the posed shots, I don't like having to tell people what to do, where to stand or how to look.

—What influences the value of a photo? What are its elements?

—Not only is beauty in the eye of the beholder, but the same thing is true for value. A photograph that might not seem like much to a photographer or ti someone who wasn't there, can be the couple's favorite for many reasons. Never make assumptions.

—How did you get into wedding photography?

—In 2008, I was already doing amateur photography for a couple of year. To do something different for a change, I asked my uncle if I could photograph his wedding. It was his second marriage, they were not asking for a photographer, so there was little risk. I ended up liking it so much, that I decided to do it more.

—How do you handle criticism?

—I try to extract what people really mean with their comments. Some people have difficulties in finding the right words to give feedback, sometimes making them sound rude. But I always try to figure out what's the real message there.

—What is special in wedding photography?

—I love many aspects of it. I love the fact that people are in a good mood, they take the time to look good as well. People get married in beautiful venues, and you as a photographer gets to be a part of so many people's special day. That's amazing.

—What things that common people don't usually see can a wedding photographer notice?

—A good wedding photographer can see beauty in many things, and has a better eye for good light, and good compositions. And also: a photographer is aware of what's going on and can respond quickly when something happens.

—If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

—I would push myself more and especially sooner. It took about 5 years before I started taking myself and my photography really serious. But since I started doing that, I have improved so very much. I wish I'd done that sooner.

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Sometimes I worry about the future. What will happen if I don't get any more bookings? But I think that every professional thinks that way every now and then. On the other side, it helps me improve and stay on my toes.

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—I own both. Although I've always considered myself as more of a dog person, I can thoroughly enjoy the relaxed but also stubborn attitude of cats. They have a mind of their own, which I can relate to.

—What would you like to alter in the world?

—Total cliché, but peace. There's too much anger, aggression and frustration. Terrorism, war, mass shootings. Things that are making the world ill. I wish that the world would chill a bit more.

—What is the biggest mistake you have ever made at work?

—Not that many, luckily! I once accidentally switched from RAW to TIFF during a wedding. That was a pain in the ass. It cost me a lot more work to process the images, but the clients were happy.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Basically: The postprocessing. I have a horrible concentration when it comes to editing. I love editing my 50-75 favorites from a wedding, but after that, it gets hard for me to keep focused.

—What's the side of you that the public never sees?

—I think a lot of people see me as 'the funny guy'. However, I do have a very serious side. I'm a very contemplative person, and I can be fascinated by almost anything.

—Are there any trends in wedding photography?

—All the time. But me personally, I try to not let trend be the main thing in my photography. Trends are a nice touch, but I want my photography to be timeless.

—When are you completely satisfied with your work?

—When one of my own photographs really moves me. When I think: Wow, did I capture that? When it makes me feel proud that I've created these images.

—Are you fond of traveling?

—Yes, but with moderation though. I'd love to do 3-5 destination weddings a year. I don't think I'd enjoy doing 10, 15 or even more.

—Do you develop friendships easily?

—Quite easily. Although sometimes, at first I stay in the background a bit more. I like to evaluate people before I connect to them.

—Whose work has influenced you most as a wedding photographer?

—I've never been inspired by certain photographers. I like to look at individual photographs, and analyse what I like about them.

—Is there life after marriage?

—Certainly. When it's a good marriage, it enriches your life a lot. A bad marriage can bring you down by an equal amount though.

—If aliens come to the Earth and you are the first person they meet, what will you tell them?

—I'd love to tell them about planet Earth. And I'd love to hear where they're coming from, and also how they got here.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—I do mentoring with photographers who are amazing in the aspects of photography that are my weakest points.

—What do you want to say with your photographs?

—When looking at my photographs, I want people to feel what they felt when the moment was actually happening.

—What is the most impressive moment in your life?

—I can't name just a single one. There are thousands of great moments that are impressive in their own ways.

—When you're going to travel, what do you take with you and why?

—A small but versatile camera kit. Definitely some analog cameras. And off course, the traveling essentials.

—If you are called to shoot a movie, what genre will it be?

—Probably something artsy, even though I hate that term. I love movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel.

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—Getting great feedback from customers, and seeing myself grow and becoming a better photographer.

—What should be the criteria for a bride and a groom to choose their wedding photographer?

—1) Do you like the photographer's work? 2) Do you like the photographer? Simple as that.

—Who are your heroes?

—Everybody who believes in something, in themselves, and work hard to achieve that.

—What do you do in your spare time?

—Cooking, eating, movies, riding my oldtimer bike, and some an occasional cigar.

—What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

—I never thought that photography can be this exhausting! But in a good way.

—Do you take nothing but wedding photos?

—I do mainly weddings, but I also do portrait, newborn and boudoir sessions.

—Who do you want to take photos of?

—Kind, fun and creative people that I have a great chemistry with.

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—Not really. Except for stuff that's prohibited by law, off course.

—Is there anything around you that you would like to change?

—Yes, quite a few things. But that doesn't mean that I'm not happy!

—The most annoying thing in life is:

—Having to type VERY long interviews. Sorry, had to do it ;-)

—What would you like to change in yourself?

—I'd like to be more patient, and to be able to focus better.

—What about life on other planets?

—Nah. There's tons of places for me to explore on this one.

—Who do you have no respect for?

—People who are arrogant, and bring other people down.

—The best thing in life is:

—Love, good company, good food, sex and friendship.

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Liked by my clients, respected by my colleagues.

—What person can be the symbol of the 21st century in your opinion?

—I can't look into the future. Sorry ;-)

—Are you photogenic?

—No! I much rather be behind a camera.

—What's the stupidest thing you've ever agreed to do?

—In photography...or... ;-)

—Do you have a favorite joke? Tell us.

—I can't. It's too gross.

—Should your parents have been more or less strict?

—They have been perfect.

—Who would you like to shoot with?

—Too many to mention.

—Do you believe in the traditional roles for men and women?

—Absolutely not.

—Tomorrow I will go and do...

—shoot a wedding!

—Do you believe that you replicate the soul of the person you are shooting?

—I intend to!

—Is there anything that you wish you hadn't bought among the gadgets that you own? Why?

—Nope.