I just had lunch with Dana from Dana Romanoff Photography and wanted to share a little bit about her work and style. Dana is a true wedding photojournalist in that her background is doing photography journalism for entities such as the New York Times and Charlotte Observer. What she brings to wedding photography is an ability to truly capture the day through photographs that tell a story. I also wanted to share Dana’s Frequently Asked Questions page from her website because I think it provides a lot of insight into how you go about choosing a wedding photographer. See below for this information. Dana is currently offering a special of a 5% discount on any package for anyone that books a wedding with her by the end of 2009.
Dana Romanoff Photography :: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – I loved how Dana expresses herself and her work through this FAQ section on her blog.
Why hire a professional photographer? Because your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and you should spend the day enjoying the moment knowing that a professional photographer is documenting the memories and capturing the moments. Afterward, the photographs allow you to re-live the day and the moments that flashed by: the flower girl sucking her thumb during the ceremony or dad doing his own rendition of “krumping.” You will have these photographs to cherish for a lifetime and beyond: for you, your children and grandchildren to see.
Why not have a friend do the photography? Friends may offer to photograph for you and as kind and tempting as that offer may be, I can’t tell you how many stories of disappointment and disaster I’ve heard come from those situations with no pictures to show. I promise, you will not regret hiring a professional and dedicated photographer with whom you have a legal contract.
How is Dana Romanoff Photography different from other wedding photographers? I have been working in the field of photography since 1999. I am a master of my craft; I know my equipment, how to make a great photograph, how to work quickly and inconspicuously and am continually expanding my skill set. I enjoy documenting a select number of weddings each year: they are fun events, people are happy and look beautiful and I really enjoy getting to know the wedding couple. That means I take the time to get to know you and those close to you and am available every step of the way; from helping you select the best coverage for your wedding to putting the final details on your album. Because of all of the reasons above, my photographs look different from other wedding photographers. The photographs you will receive have an intimate quality and capture candid moments. When you look at the images you will feel as though you are there re-living the moment.
What is a Personal Documentary? Think National Public Radio storytelling combined with beautiful images. Think MTV Real World minus the catfights. Here’s how it happens: I interview the bride and groom as well as other close family and friends to construct a personal narrative of the two of you – Your Story – through audio. Your Story is mixed with music of your choice and natural sound that I gather on the wedding day. The photographs are edited in a documentary manner and synchronized with the audio. The result is a 10 minute documentary about the two of you that will make you laugh and cry, that you have for a lifetime to share with friends and family.
What are you doing to be a “green” photographer? I am making a conscious effort to reduce my carbon footprint. I drive a hybrid vehicle that gets over 2x the gas mileage of a regular car. Whenever possible I take public transport or bike to any meetings. I offset any carbon emissions from airline or destination weddings by donating to companies that support wind/solar/geothermal power and plant trees. The hardrives I use are “Green” requiring half the amount of power to run. The lights in my office are compact florescent bulbs. I use re-chargeable batteries to power my flashes and cameras. I aim to be a paperless office sending contracts and forms via email. I use all recycled office material where available and recycle these materials when I am done.
Anything else I should know about you? I am committed to making this world a better place in my own small way. I do pro bono documentary work to support progressive causes and help pay for the education of school children in a village in Ghana, West Africa.
For information on booking Dana Romanoff and for the answers to the rest of the FAQ, go to her website.
