Original subtitles

Let's briefly talk about first looks.

We're going to keep it short because it's

not something we do very often with our

weddings.

So first looks, the reason we don't do

them very often is because we've realized that

a lot of clients request them in order

to have more time for photography.

Right, so they they want more time for

portraits or they want more time for bridal

party or family formals and so they do

this first look in the middle of the

day.

And you'll see later on in the course

when we talk about how we educate our

clients is that we would much prefer to

have 20 minutes in good light as opposed

to two or three hours in mid daylight

for portraits.

So not very often are our clients doing

this for for photo time.

Right, yeah and I would say that you

know if they want to do that that's

great and we will encourage it like if

they want to have that special intimate moment

between just the two of them before the

ceremony that's great but if they're only doing

it for us or to make time for

photography then I wouldn't say we discourage it

but we just let them know you know.

We don't want them doing it for that

reason alone you know because the flip side

of it is there is something you know

quite special about that moment when when they

come down the aisle and see each other

for the first time that day and we

wouldn't want to take anything away from that

simply to make time for our photography right.

Yeah but like the rest of our approach

it is what it is right if the

client wants to do a first look we

document that if they don't want to do

a first look we document that we let

the story play out however they want it

to play out in their minds.

So when we do so with that in

mind we're not really directing a first look

okay we're not saying okay you're gonna stand

here and you're gonna stand there and I'm

gonna flash here and then you're gonna turn

around right when I say so.

We give them as little direction as possible

right we do all we do is we

pick a location yeah we pick a location

and we don't pour a lot of creative

energy into the location at all we don't

want to be doing any fancy lighting the

first look for us is all about the

moment it's all about them seeing each other

for the first time it's not about our

fancy lighting it's not about fancy camera techniques

so we want to pick an easy place

to shoot a place that's gonna lend itself

well to just documenting the moments and documenting

the layers.

And easy means easy light for one which

means uniform light predictable light okay so usually

if it's outdoors we're looking for open shading

right so uniform lighting same for same for

indoors right as long as we know that

wherever they have their moment whichever direction they're

facing wherever we have to be with our

cameras we're going to get predictable exposures right

because the last thing we want them to

think about as they're having that moment is

oh which way should I be facing to

be in the right position that the photographer

asked me to be in so so basically

the only coaching that we do and this

is usually on me because it's generally if

they are doing a first look is is

the groom and myself have gone to the

location we've decided okay this is where it's

going to happen uh you stand here ish

or did you have or did you have

something in mind did you guys already have

right yeah if unless they have a specific

location right then we'll try to make that

work but otherwise you know this is the

spot um and the only coaching I'll give

them is give them is listen I'll sort

of nudge you or tap you on the

shoulder I'll let you know when you know

when she's uh you know 10 meters away

right and then you guys have your moment

forget about us entirely it's all you you

guys soak it up and we'll do our

thing in the background okay and we really

go out of our way when they're having

that moment not to step in not just

like like even if it feels a little

awkward just let it ride out because it's

going to go through a few different waves

sometimes it'll start out really unemotional and it

might get more emotional or sometimes the opposite

is true but we don't we always feel

this rush in we always feel this pressure

as photographers to rush in and tell them

what to do next just let it ride

out give it a good when you think

it's fizzled and it's done give it another

20 seconds and then step in and generally

what we do for lenses is um what

do we do for lenses medium big lenses

yeah I usually have about a 50 too

wide because then we have to get too

close and then we're in each other's shots

yeah so a 50 or an 85 and

we'll you know Eric and I'll kind of

dance with each other to try to you

know get the moments but stay each other

stay out of each other's shots as best

we can that being said um this is

the last thing we are often in each

other's shots and so are the videographers and

that's okay yeah because that we're part of

the story the videographers are part of the

story when when else does a couple have

a videographer following them around for the whole

day on their wedding day so I think

it's okay to include some context in that

regard as well so that's our general strategy

for first looks and how we approach it