"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou
Hi, I'm Paul.
I consider it an incredible honor to be a part of one of the most important days of your life. My heart is to take great care of every person I work with. I am a fine art photographer based in Atlanta Georgia. Every time just like the last, it's always a huge privilege when couples trust my eye and sensitivity to tell the story of their day. It is my hope that my work connects with couples who seek authenticity, honesty and artfulness.
FAQ
Talk a bit about the importance of carrying the weight of a couple’s family history.
It is simply this. I try to imagine that in 30 years, the daughter of that bride I shot last Saturday will be curious to know what life was like on the day their parents got married, perhaps because she will be getting married that day.
What inspires you?
Watching people perform under pressure, with grace. My daughter. A groom who can actually dance. A father of the bride who actually says what he has wanted to say for 27 years to his daughter.
What is a wedding day to you?
I always find weddings to be so fascinating. Its complexity is full of subtle heartfelt expressions, intimate layers of emotions, inspirational life stories and interactions happening all at once. It is a job that requires all my senses to be awake in order to fully engage the moments and create rich and meaningful photographs for my clients. I consider weddings too important a subject to treat lightly. Above all, it’s about the relationships and capturing the feeling of your day in photographs that you will take with you for the rest of your life. I photographed my very first wedding in 2010 and that exceptional feeling of joy has been resonant at every wedding since.
How important is the wedding photographer at the wedding?
The wedding photographer is one of the most important people to be with you on your wedding day. The rapport and trust a photographer builds with you is the key that opens up the unprompted moments that will become a portrait you absolutely love. There’s no formula, no pose – it’s all about trust.
How do you use storytelling throughout the wedding day?
I always encourage couples to think about their photos in the long term. In 20 years, it won’t be the place settings they remember, but the spontaneous and intimate moments, which are what I try to capture throughout the day. What is important is what the wedding felt like rather than what it looked like. Hiring vendors that you want to be with and trusting them to do their jobs is one of the best pieces of advice I can give to tell your wedding story best.
Do you take engagement photos?
Absolutely. In fact, an engagement session is one of the biggest recommendations we want you to consider when hiring your wedding photographer. Besides getting amazing images of the two of you, the engagement session is more important than that. This is the time to start building the relationship with your photographer, learn about the process, become comfortable in front of the camera and with your photographer, and know what to expect for your wedding day. Having an engagement session yields superior wedding day images.
Do you have a shot list?
I like to call it more of a wish list. The photos you really want are the ones you cannot plan. I call them “sophisticated snapshots.” That’s my goal. That’s what I look for all day long. Split second mementos you’ll look at everyday. And what I’ve learned is that these photos don’t live on a shot list. When the day is right, all the in between moments of your day is what you’ll remember to tell your story.
Why do you use film?
In literal terms, digital is all about technology and film is all about chemistry. My style is real and honest, while aesthetically natural and elegant. Film has a depth and density in the final image that is both beautiful and soulful–it is hard to describe but is unique only to film. Besides that magical quality of exposing an image on a negative and waiting for it to be developed into a tangible photograph, it possesses even more magic in the way it renders light. Simply, film creates the images I love.
What is a photograph to you?
This is my hope for my photographs: joyful, authentic and honest. Photographs that voices the feeling of the whole day – one to be remembered.