Borrowed & Blue

Looking for your wedding photographer? You’ve come to the right place. Holly D Photography recently teamed up with Borrowed and Blue, a locally-focused online wedding resource, to give couples everything they need to know about our photography services.

 

Here’s our Q&A with Borrowed & Blue:

1. How did you first get into photography?

• I have always had a love for photography. Ever since I could remember I have always had a camera in my hand, you know the point and shoot disposable kind. No matter where I went I had one of those on me at all times, of course I am 100% better than I was when I had one of those. My senior year of high school is where it really began for me, I had a senior project and I chose to do photography. I practised, learned and research all the time. Comparing my work from the begin of the year to the end of the year I improved so much. At that moment I knew that I wanted to get a real camera but did not have the money. My parents purchased my first camera which was a Nikon D90 for my graduation/birthday presents for a few years (hehe). It was the best present I ever received and it really made a difference in my entire life. From that moment on I did not cease learning how to take photos and made it into my career.

 

2. What single photo sums up your aesthetic?

• Magical moments.

 

 

3. As a storyteller, what draws you to a particular subject?

• I love anticipating moments, I feel like I know when something is about to happen and a certain reaction is about to come out. Any emotional moment weather of joy or sadness.

 

 

4. What is your favorite moment to photograph at a wedding?

• My favorite moments to capture would have to be the happy ones, especially when they have no idea that I captured it. Those are the kind that make my smile behind the camera.

 

 

5. What makes or breaks a bridal shoot?

• What makes and breaks a great bridal shoot is nice lighting, a cooperative bride and enough time.

 

 

6. What are some of the most photogenic spots for San Francisco engagement shoots?

• I absolutely love the Golden Gate bridge, Bakers beach and China beach. I also really think that Potrero Hill is a very creative place to get more of the City in the background. There are so many spots that I just can’t choose one.

 

 

7. What about Wine Country engagement shoots?

• There is an infinite amount of locations in Wine Country for engagement shoots that I love. Just to name a few there is the Meritage Resort, Brix, Beringer Winery, Carneros Inn, and the list just keeps going.

 

 

8. What’s your favorite photograph you’ve ever taken?

• This is a hard one, I don’t know if I have a favorite. It continually changes as I capture more and more weddings. This is one that I really love at the Meritage Resort and Spa, right after their wedding we took these in the cave and I just love the lighting.

 

 

9. What’s your favorite wedding that you’ve shot?

• It would have to be Rhea & Jonathan’s located in Hiddenbrooke. It was the perfect day, perfect location, perfect lighting, beautiful couple, everything was perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

 

 

10. What’s your favorite out of all the San Francisco wedding venues to shoot at?

• This is such a hard one, I just don’t know where my favorite venue is there are just so many but if I did have to choose one I think it would have to be the Legion of Honor if it was a wedding. The pillars and the architecture is beautiful, I studied a little bit of architecture in college so I love when I get to photograph at these types of locations.

 

 

11. What about your favorite of all Napa wedding venues?

• My all time favorite Napa wedding venue would have to be the Meritage Resort and Spa. There is the beautiful cave, the gorgeous vineyards, and perfect property to have an amazing wedding.

 

 

12. Sonoma wedding venues?

• I LOVE the Gloria Ferrer location, so beautiful especially during the fall season.

 

 

13. What makes you different from other wedding photographers?

• What makes me really stand out from all of the other photographers is the way I capture photos. I am a very likable person and I get along with everyone so it makes my couples feel like they are having their photo taken by one of their friends, they feel relaxed and at ease so the photo comes out that way. I also think that the way I capture light and color is unique, I see that most photographers now days are going for an ethereal green tone soft type of light or the other extreme where it is dark and edgy. My work is very bright, warm, and cheerful which is exactly what a couple wants on their wedding day.

 

 

14. What’s the biggest mistake the couples make when choosing their photographer? 

• The biggest mistake that I see is that a couple chooses a photographer that is cheap with not a lot of experience. I have had several brides in the past that will come to me after their wedding and tell me how bad their wedding photos came out by their cheap photographer. A great example is my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding, I was a bridesmaid in the wedding and I was trying to get my sister-in-law to pay more money for a different photographer. She didn’t think that photography was that important for the wedding so she just wanted to pay a small amount for a photographer that does weddings every once and a while. She thought that she would have a least a few photos that she really likes and that is all that matters. Well she was definitely and highly wrong. When she received her photos back from her photographer they were green, blurry and just plain bad. She and I did not like not even one of them. I looked fat in all of those photos and I am not that big but the angles and poses were just all bad. She hated all of them and of course wanted me to retake her photos, she had to get her hair and make up done and put on her dress again. She only has the ones I took hanging up around her house. She is now my biggest advocate of letting people know how important a good wedding photographer is and promotes me wherever she goes. I like to tell people “You get what you pay for”.

 

 

15. What tips do you have for couples who have never been photographed before?

• If you are looking for a wedding photographer make sure to talk to your photographer before hand, which hopefully that photographer will be me. 🙂 Make sure that you are in love with the style of photography, if you did not know there are all kinds of different types of photography such as dark and edgy with harsh lighting, bright and warm like mine, or bad photography (hehe). You have to make sure that you are not just looking at your budget because this is a once and a lifetime event that will never happen again, you are spending money on the dress, the venue, the food, etc. but if you don’t have a good photographer how will you ever remember. Please check to make sure that you get along with your photographer and feel comfortable, if your not then it will come through the photos. I suggest doing research and not just letting your friend capture your most important day with their iPhone or expensive camera that they set on auto. 🙂

 

Inspired yet? Book your wedding photographer with Holly D Photography today. And thanks again to Borrowed & Blue for the Q&A!