Stephen Bobb Photography
One of our favorite photographers, Stephen Bobb recently launched his own business and we couldn’t be more smitten. Today Stephen shares his secrets to getting the photos you really want from your wedding:
How did you get your start as a photographer?
I wasn’t someone who grew up with a camera in my hand. While I had always appreciated photography, it wasn’t until my late 20s that I started seriously studying it. I had been working in a DC nonprofit job for eight years when I felt the itch to do something more creative. On a whim, I enrolled in the Professional Program at the Washington School of Photography.
Upon graduating in 2004, I assisted a few friends with weddings and discovered that I really enjoyed documenting couples and families celebrate such a happy occasion! Looking to take my wedding photography to the next level, I sought out more experienced photographers whose work I really admired. To my great fortune, I received a reply from Jennifer Domenick. Her beautiful images and story-telling approach really spoke to me. I assisted and shot alongside her for two years, learning the ins and outs of documentary wedding photography. In 2007, Jennifer formed Love Life Images and I became the lead associate.
This past November, I ventured out on my own and launched a new website for Stephen Bobb Photography, showcasing my favorite joyful wedding images, as well as sortable images from some of my favorite wedding venues in DC, MD and VA.
What is your favorite part about shooting weddings?
Every couple planning a wedding has heard the line about how fast the day will go. But it’s true. Weddings are often a blur of activities and excitement. One of my favorite things about being a wedding photographer is acting as a second set of eyes for my couples, and showing them things that they might have missed in the whirlwind. Of course, a wedding is primarily about the couple, but there are so many little stories going on all around them. Maybe it’s a proud smile on the face of a parent watching the first dance, or a flower girl watching in wonder as the bride puts on the wedding dress. Those little moments are so fleeting, but they are important pieces to the story of the wedding. I’m always watching for those moments.
That, and wedding cake.
Do you have a particular style?
My tagline is ‘Joyful Wedding Photography’ because I believe photos that capture the feeling of the day will never go out of style. My goal is for couples to look back on their wedding photos years later and remember what it felt like on their wedding day, not just how everything looked. I approach most of the day with a documentary approach, letting the events unfold naturally, quietly observing and waiting to capture authentic emotions.
Even my couple portraits have a natural feel. I prefer to set up couples in picturesque locations and let them interact with each other. I’ll offer gentle guidance if needed, but inevitably they start laughing and smiling because they are focusing on each other and not the guy with the camera. Meanwhile, I’m snapping away the whole time getting their natural reactions!
While I approach most of the day with an eye towards those real moments, I also shoot the important group photos and the details that couples choose to personalize their wedding. So much time and effort goes into a wedding, and I want to document it all for my couples and everyone who has a hand in bringing it all together!
Do you have any advice for brides who are selecting a photographer?
Couples should get a sense of their own priorities and style first. How much time do they want to devote to shooting portraits? Do they want images that are classic and romantic, edgy and fashion-forward, or something else altogether? Are they drawn to black and white photos, or do they enjoy vibrant color? Is it more important to have great portraits and detail shots, or photos that candidly reflect the events of the day? These are not necessarily either/or questions, but just a few ways to compare wedding photographers and styles. All approaches are valid, and there is a photographer out there for everyone.
Of course everyone has a budget but couples should try to work with the photographer whose images they really love and connect with, even if it means shifting budget priorities or holding off on some products that can be purchased at a later date, such as albums. Most items in the overall budget are for the wedding day only, but wedding photography is a lifetime investment. Your wedding photos will help form your memories of the day, and they will be passed down through family generations. In the years to come, you won’t regret spending a little more to have images you truly love.
In your opinion, what is the most important moment to capture on camera?
It would be tough to pinpoint a single moment. It will be different for each couple. For my typical couple, they want to know that the moments and people important to them will be documented honestly and creatively, and that their photos will reflect the love and joy they felt on their wedding day.
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