Mal: I like to step into a buzzing room, but anonymously
Nick: How do your ideal clients want to feel during their wedding day, and how does your presence contribute to that?’
Mal: Excited, giddy! I want my presence to not interfere.
Nick: What are the things your favorite couples care deeply about, and what are the traditional wedding elements they tend to skip?
Mal: They care most about their family; almost every time they tell me that, unprompted. They care least about... well really just anything staged, if I weren’t there, the event wouldn’t change at all.
Nick: When you look through your portfolio, which specific images make you feel most alive, and who are the people in them?’
Mal: A portrait of someone with a strong gaze, looking at me. The people in them are very alive in that moment. We’ve caught each other.
Nick: What draws a couple to unscripted documentary photography over curated or posed imagery?
Mal: Finding scripted photography to be awkward or embarrassing typically.
Nick: How do your ideal clients prefer to relive their memories—through quick digital shares, physical heirlooms, or private reflection?
Mal: They have goals to print, but likely have a busy life that takes them away from doing it anytime soon, but thats okay. Their photos are often as much for their families and friends as they are for themselves, they are making a memory and sharing with loved ones and it seems to be the priority which I love.
Mal: It depends, sometimes a collaborator, but usually just a friend; or trusted peer.
Nick: What does trust look like between you and a couple, and what allows them to completely let their guard down around your camera?
Mal: A perceptiveness, and sensitivity to, emotional needs, and not prioritizing myself or my photos over anyone else’s sense of comfort or ease.
Nick: What kind of communication style makes a couple feel completely understood by you from the very first inquiry?
Mal: I am quick to respond, and direct in my communication. I think i am such a vocally curious (and enthusiastic) person, so there is never any doubt about me wanting to know more and capture everything.
Nick: What makes it hard to for client’s to work with their ideal photographer lately?
Mal: Oof. There just being so much information and marketing out there... i think its harmful both in overwhelming couples to the point of them deciding against it all together, but its also causing this anxiety that forces couples to make decisions too early in their planning process, before they really know what they want or what they can/want to spend on photography. i wish there was more transparency in it all, but unfortunately i think most vendors find that listing pricing online always scars someone away as being too low to be taken seriously, or too high to be bothered with... so it’s all a bit of a mess, and my advice is to not get lost in it all if you can help it! have conversations, ask questions, take your time.
- What kind of energy do you want to step into on a wedding day—high-octane chaos, calm intimacy, or something in between? I love to step into a buzzing room... but anonymously!
- How do your ideal clients want to feel during their wedding day, and how does your presence contribute to that?
Excited, giddy! I want my presence to not interfere. - What are the things your favorite couples care deeply about, and what are the traditional wedding elements they tend to skip?
They care most about their family; almost every time they tell me that, unprompted. They care least about... well really just anything staged, if I weren’t there, the event wouldn’t change at all. - When you look through your portfolio, which specific images make you feel most alive, and who are the people in them?
A portrait of someone with a strong gaze, looking at me. The people in them are very alive in that moment. We’ve caught each other. - What draws a couple to unscripted documentary photography over curated or posed imagery?
Finding scripted photography to be awkward or embarrassing typically. - How much interaction do your clients want with you before the wedding day—do they want a collaborator, a fly-on-the-wall observer, or a trusted peer?Oh hmm... well it depends so much on the couple. Sometimes a collaborator, but most couples I work with tend to want to be hands off when it comes to photography. They are looking for someone they can trust and leave it to. So I suppose they want just a trusted peer... or a friend. really.
- How do you stay excited about shooting? Having my son changed a lot for me... it gave me the 10,000 hours.. and gave me the unique perspective of seeing which images I actually wanted to keep and print. I got to know my gear, and the light that each lens, camera, and film stock works best in.
- What does trust look like between you and a couple, and what allows them to completely let their guard down around your camera? A perceptiveness - and sensitivity to - emotional needs. I come from a volatile family, and it’s trained me to look for ways to ease tension... So it’s always important to me that my presences never detracts from their comfort or experience.
- What kind of communication style makes a couple feel completely understood by you from the very first inquiry?
Prior to the wedding, I am quick to respond, and direct in my communication. I think i am such a vocally curious (and enthusiastic) person, so there is never any doubt about me wanting to know more and capture everything. During the photographing of the event, I am very much along for the ride. - What else do you do creatively, or is it just photography? I a, a fan of the creative process. I am a writer, a reader, a gardener... All of these are essential for me to maintain balance and to keep my perspective balanced on that fine line between innovation and consistency. The more engaged I am with my creative process, the better the work is. It’s so important to keep it interesting, and to keep your creative muscle responsive. Every event is so different, my ability to respond to what is being offered to me is everything. I hope to never show up to an event reaady to slap some preset or formula on their memories.
- How do your ideal clients prefer to relive their memories—through quick digital shares, physical heirlooms, or private reflection? They have goals to print, but likely have a busy life that takes them away from doing it anytime soon, but thats okay. Their photos are often as much for their families and friends as they are for themselves, they are making a memory and sharing with loved ones and it seems to be the priority which I love.
- What makes it hard to for client’s to work with their ideal photographer lately? Oof. There just being so much information and marketing out there... I think its harmful both in overwhelming couples to the point of rushing a decision, or alternatively deciding against a wedding all together. my advice is to not get lost in it all if you can help it. take your time on decisions that are important to you, but learn to delegate which decisions aren’t as important to you.
- What gear do you shoot on? I alternate between film and digital. I shoot on Leica for both film and digital, with vintage lenses. This allows me to render light in a specific and intentional way, regardless of medium. My recommendation is to always mix the mediums, but for years I shot only film and only digital, so I’m comfortable with altering my normal balance when requested.