Contemporary Swiss Wedding Photographer

with Roman from www.traumfoto.ch

There doesn’t seem to be any shortage of wedding photographers on the market, yet a few are well-booked regardless of their above-market pricing. Roman, an international wedding photographer based in Switzerland explains why his clients choose him.

Why do brides choose you as a photographer?

Brides who choose me think I am the best for their wedding. They look for unposed, candid photography which few photographers really offer, regardless of what they say. Combine this with high technical quality of the images and you have my unique style of photography and this is what my brides are looking for. I also offer beautiful wedding albums which no one else offers. The bride also gets all the images on DVD which she can use as she wishes. Images from the engagement sessions often get used on the invitation and those of the wedding on thank-you cards.

Which type of people book you?

Discerning clients who want the best. I have people who know their way around art, artists, photographers. People who see and appreciate the difference. Also high profile clients and celebrities who like my discretion and quiet manner of photography. They want great images but not from a photographer prancing all over demanding attention for his snapshots. But also a lot of ordinary people book me, not to say that anyone is anything but unique, but people who just want to splurge a little for their special day. Compare this to cars: You can get from A to B with both a KIA and a BMW. While the KIA is fine for everyday use, you might want to use something special for your wedding.

You can try me out with an engagement session. This is included in every 6+ hour package. I have couples wanting my engagement sessions without getting married as well. It’s a great gift idea for a birthday or Valentine’s day.

Where do you work and how can you be booked?

I work in Switzerland because I am based here. But you can book me worldwide by just picking up the travel expenses. I have lots of international clients, the UK, USA, the EU, and the Far East. Speaking English is an asset and I can do all the paperwork in English as well. Booking is simple. Use my website to drop me a message or just call to confirm availability. Then either book outright or try one of my engagement sessions. Since I work by myself, I can only be booked once for a given date. The earlier you firmly book, the more probable it will be that I’m free. I have a lot of requests a year or more before the wedding date.

How many hours are you at the wedding?

This totally depends on the bride. The minimum on Saturdays is 6 hours because I believe this time is necessary to tell the story of the day. Often I’m booked for unlimited time, which starts early morning with the bride and groom getting ready and ends late at night when the last guests leave the celebrations. Such a day produces thousands of images which look great in a beautiful album.

How do you shoot?

I shoot in digital, which allows much more flexibility than film, quicker response, higher quality and cheaper. I use several cameras and lenses. I shoot in colour because a wedding has so many gorgeous colours which beg to be captured. I do convert a few images to monochrome but am wary of mass-conversions. A black-and-white image looks artsier to many people than an equivalent colour image so it’s easy to mask poor images through black-and-white conversions. I shoot a lot and do a lot of details. I do not direct people around except a bit for the group formals and stay out of people’s faces for shots. I work fast and am nimble, but in a measured manner. I reduce flash usage whenever possible to both not attract attention and produce a more pleasing image through available lighting. Many churches do not allow flash anyway.

How do you recommend a couple choose their photographer?

They should like the photographer’s image style; they should like the photographer’s personality and also be able to afford him.

How can a couple prepare for their photography?

Not at all. Just appear. For an engagement session, wearing attractive clothes which suit your personality is a plus but not a must. Schedule about an hour for the engagement session and the couple’s portrait at the wedding. And don’t forget the kiss at the ceremony. Some officiants don’t tell the couple when to kiss, so they forget and in the end there are no images of the kiss.