(photo via Benpancoast.com)
Ben shot one of my weddings in April and we had a wonderful time! Not only were the pictures great, but the couple absolutely loved working with him! Here is a little info on this Southwest Michigan native…
How would you describe your style?
Style is a tricky thing—lots of photographers love to say they are one thing or another, but I find it’s important to be versatile and willing to work with each bride to capture what is important to her. As far as a visual style goes, I gravitate towards clean, modern portraiture and candid documentary style moments. Currently, I’m enjoying playing with color in my images.
How did you get into photography?
I’ve always enjoyed photography as a hobby, but never really considered it a career option until I got a job working with a photographer shooting homes for magazines. Eventually I began working as a freelance photojournalist for newspapers, and went on to Columbia College in Chicago where I got my bachelor’s degree in photography with an emphasis in Photojournalism. After graduating, I found my skill set was a natural fit for wedding photography and have been enjoying shooting them ever since!
What is your favorite moment during a wedding? Do you have a favorite image to capture?
I love to shoot fun bridal portraits, but my favorite part of the day would have to be the preparations before the ceremony! The anticipation, nerves, the details—it’s just so much fun to be a part of the excitement as the day builds up to that life-changing moment when the bride and groom finally exchange vows!
What inspires your photography?
When I’m shooting a wedding I think the locations are really what inspire me. I love the challenge of coming up with surprising images in unexpected places. It’s easy to shoot something beautiful on a beach or in a vineyard, but what about the basement of the church where a bride is preparing? What about the alley behind the church, an underpass down the road, or the parking lot at the reception venue? I love finding a locations’ artistic potential and then pushing it to the limit!
What are you doing when you’re not snapping wedding pics?
When I’m not shooting pictures I’m working on my computer with the pictures I’ve already taken! One thing many people don’t realize is how much time photographers spend working on images after they have been taken. Even when an image is shot correctly it must be sorted, converted, backed up, prepped for printing, then you design the album. A typical wedding may only take 1 day to shoot, but that same wedding will require many, many days of work on the back end!
Thanks Ben! For more pictures of his weddings, information on booking and availability, visit Ben’s website and blog…And stay tuned later today for his photo feature!
