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Under the Spotlight – Konfral.com

I was lucky enough to meet Konrad Dziedzic aka Konfral a few weeks ago when he offered to come and shoot my with my lovely Restoration Cake cake which was made to celebrate the launch of the new look Rock n Roll Bride. Here's the man behind those shots...in his own words.

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Under the Spotlight – Nick Tucker Photography

Today I'm chatting to a photographer whose style is classically elegant with a fashion-led twist. Nick Tucker's unobtrusive ethos would be the perfect accompaniment to a really awesome and and Rock n Roll wedding and I just know he'd capture it in the way it truly deserves to be shown. I am a great believer that wedding photography should be beautiful and classic (as well as awesome of course!) It should echo the mood and feeling of the day and not dictate the the day in any way.

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Under the Spotlight – Lauren McGlynn Photography

Originally from Austin, Texas photographer Lauren McGlynn has just moved over to Aberdeen, Scotland. Oh you lucky lucky Scottish brides! Excited about her move to our side of the pond Lauren told me how much she is looking forward to living and exploring this side of the Atlantic and so is not only waving all travel fees for UK weddings booked in 2010 but will offer 20% off all her packages when you quote 'RocknRollBride' when you contact her. Take advantage of this fantastic offer by dropping Lauren an email right now!

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A Sunday Kind of Love – Lisa Devlin

I wanted to start this week's post with a huge thank you to every single one of you for your kind words and comments on my 'How to...not be a blogging pushover' post. To everyone that stuck up for me and shared your love and passion for my little website - well wow, I've literally been blown away. I decided to share this story with you today because I think it can only add further proof of my love of all my sponsors, of how they make my world go round and of my genuine feelings towards them (and theirs to me it would seem!) UK photographer Lisa Devlin has been a sponsor of Rock n Roll Bride for the past few months. Not only has this got her many a Rock n Roll wedding booking, but it has provided me with more eye candy to blog than I could ask for! With Lisa's approval I wanted to share this card I received in the post this week. She also send me a little bag of treats including a Tatty Devine necklace! She knows me so well!

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A Rock n Roll Night Out

I love meeting people. I love gossipping, chatting and planning new ideas and projects. About every 6 months I try to organise a little get together for a few people I know. They have been great so far for getting people together to not only meet for the first time but to put some time aside to catch up with old friends. The latest meet, last Tuesday was the most successful one yet! There was a huge turn out (considering last time there were about 5 of us!) and the whole night flew by way too quickly!

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Under the Spotlight – Toast of Leeds

I really really love doing my Under the Spotlight interviews as it's great to talk about the genius behind the lens for once. Today, I'm excited to share with you Shelly of Toast of Leeds - a fabulous photographer from - you guessed it - Leeds, who blew me away with her recent Punk Bride shoot. Enjoy! Who are you and what do you do? I’m Shelly Mantovani from Toast of Leeds. I shoot people. Where are you based and what cities/countries are you available to for work in? I’m based in Yorkshire but don’t let that put you off! I love to get on a plane or a train, it forces me to read books I keep buying and never get round to finishing.

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Under the Spotlight – JoAnne Dunn

Oh yeah baby, I am excited about this post! As I'm sure most of you will have seen and loved, I blogged this amazing punk-rock inspired shoot last week photographed my the amazing Italian photographer JoAnne Dunn. Not only am I the luckiest blogger in the whole of blog-land to have been able to share them with you (can you tell - I really really loved them!?) but JoAnne has also been lovely enough to let me interview her for your reading pleasure. OK enough gushing now, let's get on with the show... Who are you and what do you do? JoAnne Dunn – personal photographer and part time match maker Where are you based and what cities/countries are you available to for work in? The globe

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Under the Spotlight – Dylan McBurney

Who are you and what do you do? I'm Dylan McBurney and I'm a photographer. Where are you based and what cities/countries are you available to work in? I live in Carrickfergus just outside Belfast, Northern Ireland with my wife Caroline and daughter Corrina and I photograph weddings across Ireland, France and elsewhere in Europe. You’re the first person I’ve interviewed from Northern Ireland? What is the wedding industry like over there? Northern Ireland is a pretty cool place to get married. The people are renowned for their friendliness. That's what I love most about working here. Do you get to work with a lot of great clients? Fortunately the type of clients we attract are very much into photography and they can understand why my pictures look different to other people’s pictures. A lot of our clients have a relationship with the visual and creative arts - we seem to cover a lot of architects and musician’s weddings. How would you describe your photography? Unobtrusive, journalistic and moment-oriented. I shoot with my emotions - I like to capture the feeling between people and that’s generally not something you can pose or stage. Who/what are your biggest influences? Whose work do you really admire? Henri Cartier-Bresson for his sense of composition and timing. Garry Winogrand for his ability to make pictures out of the chaos of the street. And Joel Meyerowitz, again for his street pictures, but also for his fine art colour work of which I'm a big fan. Do you have an ethos to which you stand by in regards to your photography? I like photographs that tell stories. To do that, you have to be in the background, quietly observing and then reacting to what's happening in front of you. What about formal group photographs? My formals are quick to do and my clients appreciate that. I usually cover about six to seven groups if required - often in a session lasting less than fifteen minutes. Most of my coverage is documentary. At a wedding I'm a reactive soul and I see my role as one of documenting what's going on rather than trying to direct things. How many weddings do you average per year? I shoot about 40 weddings each year. What or who made you get into photography? Seeing Lance Mercer's black and white documentary pictures of the band Pearl Jam in the 1990's inspired me to pick up a camera. Great pictures of a great band! Did you go to school to study photography? Only a part time City and Guilds course at my local college. My tutor was great though - he was a big fan of Cartier-Bresson, Don McCullin and others. I’ve found that that grounding in social documentary photography has served me well. I learned a lot about photographic theory and black and white darkroom work. Apart from photography, what drives you? What are you passionate about? Are you able to bring this into your wedding photography? I'm completely in love with Caroline. We married in her hometown in Brittany, France in September, 2003. Every week when I photograph my client’s weddings I’m reminded of our own wedding that day - all of the friends and family gathered together, all of the emotions, joy and happiness. And I think of all the precious moments that came and went in the blink of an eye. Who or what are your perfect clients? My clients all seem to be really good at living in the moment. Fortunately that's what's important to them and to me also. What do you love about weddings? No two weddings are the same because the dynamics of the relationships are always unique and I just love that. What do you think makes a great Rock n Roll wedding? Didn't John Lennon say the essence of rock and roll was to 'be here now'? I've always thought that that was a great declaration for having a great wedding! What would you say your greatest achievement has been to date? Hands down - meeting Caroline and getting her to marry me. Any real Rock and Roll moments that you can share with us? Going to check out of our hotel room in Rotterdam last year Caroline and I actually bumped into all of the members of Pearl Jam in the corridor (who unknown to us, were also checking out of the very same hotel at the very same time!). We got to chat about their tour, their new album and managed to successfully invite them back to Belfast to play a show later this year - something I’m really looking forward to! How important is an awesome website to your business? It's the single most important part of any photography business. In my opinion it's your shop window. I'm amazed at how many photographers have such poor sites. How important is Photoshop to your final images? It's absolutely essential. Every single image out of the camera goes through Photoshop at some stage, although I don't do anything that I couldn't do in the darkroom.

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Under the Spotlight – Jeremy Harris

Not only am I loving sharing some truly fabulous photographers and vendors in this Under the Spotlight series, but I actually feel honoured that so many ass-kicking professionals want to share their work with me (and you!) Today's interviewee is Jeremy Harris, a authentically rad and totally rock n roll photographer based in New York. With a passion for music, tattoos and yoga (!) he is most certainly the perfect candidate for a spotlight feature on Rock n Roll Bride and I hope you love reading about him as much as I did interviewing him. Who are you and what do you do? Jeremy Harris. What do I do……hmmm, that's not an easy question to answer. I'm a photographer by trade, if that's what you mean, but I also an avid bicyclist, yoga enthusiast, artist. I enjoy cooking, a good bourbon, tattoos, live rock show in small clubs Where are you based and what cities/countries are you available to for work in? I am based in New York and am available to shoot anywhere. I have a valid passport and love to travel Who/what are your biggest influences? Whose work do you really admire? Anton Corbijn, Diane Arbus, Tom Waits, Mark E. Smith, Hunter S. Thompson, William Burroughs. I really admire the work of all the people who have tattooed me over the years. Now THAT's a real talent! How would you describe your style of photography? An edgy mix of editorial portraiture, fashion, photojournalism and lifestyle. I lean towards a classic and sometimes vintage look with a variety of b/w and color. I like appeal to a wide variety of clients, from the wacky tattooed couples to the couples who might be a little more conservative and traditional. Do you have an ethos to which you stand by in regards to your photography? Create the best images possible no matter what the conditions, or amount of money involved. Have as much fun as I can in the process. When I'm having fun, my clients have fun. What or who made you get into photography? How did you get into photographing weddings? I discovered a love for making photos in High School. It was a medium of expression that just felt right for me. At the time I was really inspired by the images I saw on the albums I was listening to. Anton Corbijn's images of Depeche Mode, Echo & The Bunnymen, and U2 had a profound effect on me and where a big inspiration. At the time I was living in DC and going to lots of shows: Fugazi, Jane's Addiction, Flat Duo Jets. I always had my camera with me. My love of rock photography expanded when I moved to San Francisco and emerged myself in the rock scene there. So many good bands! The Mummies, Zen Guerilla, The Holy Kiss, etc. I started making friends and became fairly well known in town for my work. I got into shooting weddings though friends and friends of friends. Before I knew it I had a strong body of work and was getting more and more requests. When I moved to NY last year I decided to expand my wedding business. You have a real passion for music and rock n roll. How, if at all, do you bring this into your wedding photography? Yes, I do. Shooting a wedding for me is like shooting a rock concert and band portrait session. Fast paced, exciting, and often spontaneous. I have to rely on my instinct, personality, and ability to direct to get the shots I want. As well as the willingness of my clients to try something fun. Who or what are your perfect clients? Well, I have yet to work with anyone who I didn't really like personally. I try to build relationships with my clients that either become friendships or continue on a business level. I guess the perfect clients are the ones who are super cool and easy to work with. They love to be photographed and take little if no direction to make the fun creative photos. What do you love about weddings? Well I gotta admit I'm a bit of a romantic sap. Hanging out with people who are in love and happy on such a special occasion is amazing. Also who doesn't love a party? Though I am working first and foremost, I do have a great deal of fun at weddings. What do you hate about weddings? Nothing, really. What do you think makes a great rock n roll wedding? A creative, fun couple, with a cool look, who wants do something unique with their big day. Tell me a little about your favourite wedding ever and why? Well so far it has to be Carrie and Brady's wedding at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco. They are friends of mine, so that was great, but the wedding itself was exactly how I would want MY wedding to be (which hasn't happened yet, btw). In a classic 1940's swing club, dressed to the nine's, surrounded by all my best friends and family. They had a great DJ that played a variety of garage rock, soul, r&b, and new wave, as well as a live band (also friends of theirs) who put on a amazing performance. Brady is musician himself (Black Cat Music) and is heavily tattooed. So there were lots of tattooists, and musicians there, which made for great photos. What would you say your greatest achievement has been to date? Staying alive and working as a freelance photographer If you could photograph anybody’s wedding whose would it be and why? I think shooting a REAL rock star wedding would be cool. What advice would you have for couple’s on the wedding photographer hunt? What is a sign of a good/bad wedding photographer? Rule one, find someone with EXPERIENCE. Everyone these days has a digital SLR and calls themselves a professional. Shooting weddings is not easy, and to get really great shots takes knowing what will happen in advance and being ready for it. It also takes a keen eye for light, and how to create good light if it's not available. Rule two, find someone who you really like as a person. If you can have a good time with the photographer over drinks at a bar, then you'll have a good time with them during the shoot. What role (if at all) have wedding blogs played in promoting you and your work so far? I find that blogs are the most cost effective way of reaching the type of people who I would like to work with. So many people use the internet these days and it's cool that there are so many different wedding blogs that cater to so many different types of people. Do you have any advice for budding photographers out there who want to get into weddings? Second shoot for a photographer who's work you admire. Build up some experience and hopefully a portfolio (I always let my seconds use their own photos) without having all the responsibility. What can we expect from you in 2010? Lot's of good stuff! I'm consistently shooting bands for Kerrang! Magazine in London, have a cover/feature in Bicycling Magazine coming out in April, and have a bunch of weddings booked for Spring and Summer. What are your goals and aspirations when it comes to your photography? My goals are to make a decent living doing what I enjoy for as long as I can, and to create work for myself that has nothing to do with my commercial aspirations. Thanks to Jeremy for taking the time to share his Rock n Roll photography with us. For more information about Jeremy Harris head over to his website. You can contact Jeremy by phone on 415-786-2027 or by email to jeremy@jeremyharris.com If you are a photographer or wedding vendor and are interested in being featured in a future ‘Under the Spotlight’ post then drop me an email for all the info.

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Under the Spotlight – Razvan Horeanga

Credit: Razvan Photography Today's Under the Spotlight victim is a guy I've been lucky enough to know (as in online-know) for a long time now. Razvan Horeanga first contacted me waaaay back sometime last year, when Rock n Roll Bride was merely a teeny tiny speck on the blogging map, and asked if I wanted to feature some of his gorgeous photography. Lucky for me (and you!) Razvan has never failed to share wonderful work with me and I'm really chuffed that I'm able to share a little bit more about him with you today. OK on with the show.... Who are you and what do you do? I am Razvan, a wedding photographer passionate about getting the most amazing pictures for my couples on their wedding day. I am very grateful that my passion became a big part of who I am. I havea very supportive wife and a cute cat. Where are you based and what cities/countries are you available to for work in? I am in Columbus, OH. I love to travel. I’ve been to a dozen of countries and I am up for any destination. Who/what are your biggest influences? Who do you really admire? I would lie if I would say I did not follow other wedding photographers’ work in the beginning. It’s good to see what others are doing, but I think too much influence limits the creative process. I prefer to find my influences in movies, documentaries. Sometime, I would find myself absorbed in some European movie. “Il postino” is a great movie, and it depicts love in such a poetic vision. What or who made you get into photography? I always liked to take pictures of almost everything. I started reading about photography, got into some photography internet groups, bought many books about photography and I would then take pictures applying what I’ve learned. Photographing people is just an extraordinary experience and totally different. How would you describe your photography? It’s about people. Beautiful people in love and their story. And I am photojournalist. I just let everything happen and I will capture it with my camera. What do you love about weddings? On a wedding day, you have to be aware of everything that is happening because there is no second chance as a photographer. I like to be under pressure and it’s rewarding to have your work appreciated by the couple, their families and their friends. I love to see everything that was envisioned by the couple for their wedding come together, see their happiness, the joy of their families and everything in between. I am there to make sure that the couple will never forget this experience by telling their story in pictures. What has been the highlight of your career as a wedding photographer so far? It never gets old: getting to see the look of happiness of the couple when I give them the pictures. What role have wedding blogs played in promoting you and your work so far? Kat, you’re doing an amazing job at keeping the couples connected to the reality of weddings by promoting photographers’ work and the work of other vendors. Wedding blogs are different from the traditional advertising and it’s great because you get to see the feedback in an instant. Do you have any advice for budding photographers out there who want to get into weddings? Just keep learning, make sure you know the inside and out of your camera before you start shooting a wedding, have backup equipment and know your light. What can we expect from you in 2010? You haven’t seen anything yet! All my couples are gorgeous and I have some pretty cool ideas and techniques I want to try out this year. Thanks to Razvan for taking the time to share his ass-kicking photography with us. For more information about Razvan Horeanga and to see even more examples of is brilliance, head over to his website. You can contact Razvan by phone on 347) 949-8155 or by email to hello@razvanphotography.com If you are a photographer or wedding vendor and are interested in being featured in a future ‘Under the Spotlight’ post then drop me an email for all the info.

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Under the Spotlight – CandySnaps Weddings

Who are you and what do you do? I’m Caroline Weiss, the photographer behind CandySnaps Weddings. I’m originally from Germany but have been living in the UK for the last 12 years I am a reportage wedding photographer, which means that I blend in unobtrusively and record a couples special day rather than direct it. I will take care of the mainly always required group shots too, but I won’t take my couples away for 2h for a photo session. I believe that there is no need for set up images and that the best pictures are always of the bride and groom enjoying themselves with their friends and family. It also means that they will look back at their photos and remember their special day how it really happened. I’m one of the few Scottish photographers who have been selected as member of the WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) Where are you based and what cities/countries are you available to for work in? I am based in Glasgow Scotland but am happy to travel anywhere in the UK and Europe, or in fact anywhere you will take me. Who/what are your biggest influences? Who do you really admire? Oh my…. There are sooooooooooo many wonderful photographers out there. One of my favourites has to be Robert Frank. I just love photographers who ‘play’ with photography. Black and White images always excite me – they just have such an amazing atmosphere about them and I always think that everyone looks like a film star in b/w. What or who made you get into photography? Photography and the idea that you can capture those precious moments has fascinated me for a long time. I think moving to London when I was 19 really inspired me to become a photographer. It’s such an amazing colourful and vivid place with so many different people… I worked as an assistant with a lovely photographer called Simon Denton who really inspired me to go and study photography and take my passion for photography further. What do you love about weddings? I love being part of a couple’s happiest day of their life… I LOVE a good party and I get really excited when you can just feel the love between two people and it’s my honour to capture this with my photography ( I always get a wee tear in my eye at every wedding ceremony and am the one who laughs the loudest at a good Best man speech)… It’s great meeting couples, who stick to fingers up to wedding traditions and just do their thing and have a really individual wedding not following any rules. I love the excitement on their faces when I show them their wedding photos, when I get a hug and tears of joy because they love my work so much. That is the thing I love most about my job making my clients happy! What do you hate about weddings? I wouldn’t say I hate anything about weddings, but I’m not particularly thrilled by very traditional weddings. Thankfully, I am not photographing many of them. Tell me a little about your favourite wedding ever and why? (include pix if you want) ARGH, I can’t decide,…. I think there might be 2 wedding so far that really stood out for me. One was a very small intimate affaire. The couple got married at the registry office and then went on to a wonderful restaurant. They are both really into their cycling so instead of having a wedding car, they cycled with a tandem from the registry office to the restaurant. Oh what fun. And it was a complete surprise. Their friends organized the tandem for them and decorated it with a cute ‘just married’ sign. The looks on their faces when they saw the tandem was just brilliant. The other wedding was much bigger and set in a family garden. It was a super hot day in May and the couple were just sooooo much fun to work with. Super relaxed. They held their speeches outside in the garden and it was just an amazing party with lots of wonderful people. The bride wore bright red heels and bounced on the trampoline with about 10 kids in her £3000 wedding gown. Very cool! What advice would you have for couple’s on the wedding photographer hunt? What is a sign of a good/bad wedding photographer? First thing to think about is what you want from your wedding photography, as there are many different styles available. Ask your venue if there is someone they would recommend or your friends who are already married might be raving about their photographer. If wedding photography is really important to you, make sure you book your photographer as far in advance as possible. The popular photographers get booked out a year or more in advance! When a company has more than one photographer make sure you meet and see the work of the person who will take your photos. I personally think that it is important that you like the person who photographs your wedding so you feel relaxed in front of their camera. A good photographer will show you samples of full day weddings they have shot so you get a feel what your photos will be like. I would also recommend that you don’t book your favourite photographer because they are over your budget. Your wedding photos will be what is left after the wedding. The photos will be your memories and that is priceless. And last but not least, trust your instincts! I always compare choosing your wedding photographer with choosing your new house - you often know as soon as you walk through the door that this is the one. What has been the highlight of your career as a wedding photographer so far? Having my work published in leading Scottish Bridal Magazines. Being selected as member of the prestigious WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) and collaborating with Scotland’s finest hair and make-up artists Leigh Ferguson and Ainslie Currie to offer my clients a complete hair, make-up and photography package for their special day. What role (if at all) have wedding blogs played in promoting you and your work so far? This is the first time that I’m promoting myself on a blog and I’m really excited about it as rocknroll bride is fantastic and being features will be a great way to make myself known to the kind of clients I like to attract. I’ve been looking everywhere for a blog like this in the UK and am thrilled that Kat likes my photography and is happy to have me on board! So all you lovely brides get in touch – I’d love to hear about your wedding plans. Do you have any advice for budding photographers out there who want to get into weddings? I would say to them that wedding photography is very different to studio based work. In the studio you are in control of everything. The lighting, the background etc. With wedding photography you get rain, bright sunshine, dark venues… You just have to adapt to whatever is thrown at you. But if you find the idea of that exciting rather than nervewrecking, give it a go. I am just utterly in love with photographing weddings and can only highly recommend it. Anything else you’d like to add or info about yourself that you’d like me to include? And other questions you would like to include? One thing I would like to mention are my beautifully handmade wedding albums. I don’t use storybook albums but am working with a Japanese bookbinder who lives in Munich who makes these to my clients specifications. There are lots of different colours (bookcloths) and patterns (Japanese paper) available and they are just so different to what other photographers offer. I will attach a few photos for you to choose from. I don’t really like the story book albums because I think they are a fashion trend and in 10 years time they look outdated and will fall apart. I wanted to give my clients something no one else has. A totally unique album for every totally unique wedding, that will last forever and can be handed down to their children and grandchildren. The albums also contain ‘real’ photographic prints, so the photos aren’t printed onto the page like they are in the story books. Please include a number of your favourite images that I can use in the post. There is no set amount and I will choose which ones I think will suit the post the most. Thanks for taking part! If you could also please include a photograph of yourself for use in the post that would be fantastic!

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Under the Spotlight – Jodie Chapman

Oh you lucky lucky things, I've got another amazing photographer to share with you again today - and it's yet another one from the UK. I have to say, hasn't the UK being storming it recently!? There us so much talent out there, I just wish I knew about all this lot when I was getting married! I've been lucky enough to feature Jodie Chapman's work on the blog before, and with features in national wedding magazines and all over Blog Land she is certainly one to watch. Who are you and what do you do? I’m Jodie Chapman and I’m a wedding and portrait photographer who strives to create beautiful and timeless imagery that will still look fantastic ten years from now. Where are you based and what cities/countries are

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Under the Spotlight – Shan’s Photography

Who are you and what do you do? I am Shan Fisher, a photographer. I specialise in wedding photography - I’m really passionate about photography and I absolutely love my job! I founded Shan's Photography in June 2007. Where are you based and what cities/countries are you available to work in? The beautiful Isle of Man is my base, central to the UK. Although I am a pretty new photographer, I have already had great experiences shooting a wedding in Germany and various parts of the UK. I'm happy to travel all over the country and abroad for photography work.

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