Q&A with byLumiere

Wedding photography, film and aerial footage with byLumiere

We love catching up with our friends in the wedding industry and seeing what inspires them. We spent some time chatting with Kate and Brent from byLumiere, specialists in photography, film and aerial footage, to find out more about what they do.

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  1. What sets byLumiere apart from others?

We offer a rare combination of a couple who shoot all three disciplines of photographic stillscinematic films and aerial footage.   As a creative team we work completely in sync with each other and with our clients, providing a single approach to shooting and directing, light and location and of course the final results that are crafted with the same style and finish.

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  1. Aerial footage is quite new to weddings, what actually is it and what does it offer couples for their wedding?

Aerial footage is photographs or film taken from the air. Historically if you wanted a bird’s eye view on a location it was necessary to put a photographer or cinematographer into a plane or a helicopter at great expense.  Since the evolution of drone technology, it has become a lot more achievable to record footage from the air in a cost-effective and creative way.  For those couples who choose a beautiful location for their wedding, aerial footage offers a totally different perspective and unique view of their celebration.

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  1. Where in the world have you captured your most amazing wedding to date and what made it such a wonderful wedding to shoot?

In February this year, we shot a number of celebrations for a family at the Four Seasons resort in Seychelles.  As you can imagine, the island of Mahe is a stunning location – both from the ground and from the air.   What made it so special was how few people were present and how intimate and full of love the events were.  This experience resulted in Brent and I deciding to also have a very small destination wedding when we got engaged ourselves in July.

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  1. Why should couples book aerial footage?

It provides a wonderful sense of the scale of a location and it is lovely to be able to show all of the different areas dedicated to wedding celebrations in one image or film clip.  We try to get a great variety of imagery from very pulled back ‘big’ location shots to using the drone with the bride and groom or for the main wedding group.  It really adds a third dimension to both your photography and film of the event.

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  1. What trends do you predict for wedding photo and film in 2018?

Wedding Photography is evolving at a slower pace to wedding films – the most important thing is that couples should now be able to find exactly the right photographer for them – whether that is classic or quirky.  In contrast, wedding films are definitely in a period of creative growth with a few filmmakers offering a much more interesting and contemporary approach – both in terms of the content which is more about the highlights of the event and the style which is cinematic and artistic.   Without a doubt, we believe that more couples will want aerial stills and footage – drone work is being used more and more creatively in television programmes and opening credits and so it makes sense for it to cross over into high-end wedding events.

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  1. What are the biggest challenges a wedding photographer and filmmaker face at a wedding?

The biggest challenge by far is light – often we have to deal with too much or too little and it is essential that teams go to weddings prepared to deal with all extremes.   In addition to difficult lighting, the weather is always unpredictable, so we need to be able to make beautiful memories in all conditions as well as manage the emotions and expectations of our couples on such an important occasion.   It might surprise people to know that there can often be tension between photographers and filmmakers if they are from different companies and that is why it is always a much smoother experience for everyone when one team are responsible for shooting both.

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  1. With so much choice for couples, how can they decide what sort of style video and photography is going to suit them and their wedding?

It can be very difficult for creatives to label themselves but it does help couples understand what their style is when described as traditional, classic, reportage, contemporary etc.  Most creatives will try and explain their approach and what matters to them on their websites so it is really worth taking the time to read their words as well as look at their work to see if it is aligned to how you see your wedding and the mood and aesthetic of what you want to create.  If you are interested in both photography and a film of your wedding it can be difficult to find separate teams that will deliver similar creative results and you really do want your film to be like watching your photographs come to life.   Our clients often comment on how they love our films and photography is exactly the same style. We describe our style as ‘fine art storytelling’ because what matters to us is the ability to capture natural emotion and human connection in a stylish and creative way.  We are committed to delivering a product that is genuine, beautiful and artistic – work that stands out but also stands the test of time.

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  1. If you could photograph anyone, who would it be and why?

This is a really difficult question but if we had to choose one person it would have been Audrey Hepburn.   She was utterly divine, creatively unique and as a film and fashion icon she is often described as a modern muse with enduring appeal.  All qualities and attributes that we want byLumiere to represent.

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  1. What are your golden tips to help couples relax in front of the camera?

We always talk to our couples before their wedding about what we need to ensure we capture genuine emotion and moments.  Most importantly, it is teamwork because the couple needs to put as much energy into the imagery as we do. Brent and I are engaged and we have learnt that showing our clients how to express love to each other really helps put them at ease. The 2 most important things that cameras are looking for are touch and expression and so we encourage our couples to show their love by truly holding each other (not posing) and being in the moment. We find that couples really enjoy a little time away from everyone to savour each other and actually connect as newlyweds.

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  1. What makes a 5-star wedding photographer?

Experience is essential because weddings are probably one of the most challenging shooting conditions for photographers and filmmakers.  However, clients should not need to worry about any technical or logistical difficulties – a top team should always remain calm, collected and ready to improvise at any moment.  They should be unobtrusive but able to direct where necessary.  Most importantly you should be able to totally trust them with the important role of memory makers so that you can enjoy your day, safe in the knowledge that you will be able to relive it again in the future and for years to come.

www.bylumiere.co.uk

Email us at [email protected]

Call us – Kate: 07725 233247 – Brent: 07437 754773