A great photograph to me is not one that achieves the requirements to submit to a magazine or one that fits "my style" or my branding. A great photograph is one that captures a moment of time and hopefully helps tell a story. I strive to capture those "real" moments that pass all to quickly. A photo session should be fun and be about who you are, not how I want to pose you. The best compliments I receive is when I truly capture a glimpse of ones personality.
I love people. I love talking to strangers on the street, just as much as a deep and intimate conversation with an old friend. I grew up on this beautiful Island called Salt Spring and after attending photography school and travelling for 10 years decided to make it my full time home. I am married to the love of my life and our baby girl was born last December 2016.
Educated and fully inspired I have been working professionally for over 14 years.
I just can't wait to see what this wedding season will bring!
Being a Photographer Today
Today being a photographer means wearing many hats. We play the major rolls of onsite photographer as well as back at the office processing lab. I use to be nervous shooting weddings on film not because I didn't know how to make a proper exposure but because I had to pass off the film to a lab and trust that their chemicals were all balanced so the negatives came out developed to perfection. People think now a days in a digital world its way cheaper to be a photographer but in actuality it is most definitely not. The photographers before me bought a great camera and got to use it for life. Yes they had to buy the film but the client would pay for it. Today I constantly have to update my gear. New cameras, computers, software, external hard drives, camera cards, keep up with whats new and maintain a good work flow for the very large amount of photos I now take. However I am not complaining because I love buying new gear! but there is a very good reason why wedding photography cost's what it does. I don't look at what others are charging, I charge what I feel I need so I can serve with quality over quantity.
Editing Style
I don't feel ownership over the images I take. I believe that if someone hires me to capture their day then the photos are theirs and I am here to make them the best possible. I love feedback and I am all about working with you to capture everything how you imagine. We have so many choices these days in terms of editing style and although I have my preference I am more then happy to work with you to create your own. I really strive to photograph the way I want them to be so the editing is more about feeling and making the images cohesive together for your wedding album. I started my photography career shooting film and spending hours in the darkroom so I do tend to lean towards making photos look "real" like they would on film. I am not super into really edited images or super over exposed so I have my limits. I want the photos to hold their quality as they are shared and passed on to everyone you love for years and years to come.
Editing Time
The night of and or the next two days after a wedding I start the initial process of uploading and the first culling. I also take this time to choose a few images from the day that I can share with you right away! I want you to have your images as fast as possible but giving me enough time and space to really create a beautiful collection. If I sat down at the computer and just went at it, I would fill a full week of work. For the sake of quality I take space and have a really good time when I edit. I don't however believe that leaving months and months helps me in anyway. I like getting at the day while I am still excited and remember all those amazing bits that made it unique. 3 weeks seems to be the perfect amount of time it takes me to follow through with all my steps at ease. Its also great to get your wedding photos just within a month of the big day so you can share with those who are far away and couldn't make it.
Family + Personal Session's start at $350 + gst
1 hour of Photography at location of choice
25-30 edited images ready to print
Wedding packages range from $1800-$3600
Its my mission to produce the highest quality images during your session. To capture all the moments you might not have the time to see and to make everything flow as easy as possible. For the 2019 + 2020 season's I have limited booking space so I am able to produce the final images within just a few weeks window without being rushed.
*For all my sessions I do not include all the unedited photos. If you have a strong desire for the raw images there will be an extra charge for a proper storage device, transferring the files and delivery.
Email me for my full welcome PDF billie@billiewoods.com