Behind “Behind The Ceremony”

Once upon a time (well… a few months ago), at a ceremony far far away (somewhere in Central California), a curious photographer named Andrew had a vision.  His vision was for all the town’s prestigious professionals (the awesome wedding vendors that he has worked with) to build an amazing working relationship and a way for all the town’s people to see how awesome these other vendors truly are.   He sent for his friend, a handsome (Patrick put that) local photographer named Patrick to share his vision and to make it into a reality.  After many sunrises and sunsets (about a month or so) they created “Behind The Ceremony” a website designed to showcase all of the talented wedding vendors that they have been blessed to work with.   So now there is a place that brides and grooms can look beyond an advertisement and know that their ceremony will be in the best hands.

That’s our story in a nutshell, and before we post more interviews from other phenomenal vendors we would like to take some time to introduce ourselves.  So for this next post we asked each other a few questions for you guys to get to know us a little.  Plus if anyone out there has any questions, shoot them our way and we will answer them in future posts.

Why “Behind The Ceremony”?
Because “In Front of the Ceremony” didn’t sound good.  Just kidding.  We came up with “Behind The Ceremony” to reach out to those vendors that we’ve worked with and would highly recommend.  We are constantly meeting awesome vendors whom we would love to interview and this site is the perfect forum to showcase a behind the scenes perspective of the wedding industry.  Additionally, we have both gone to a number of seminars and workshops over the past several years and everyone seems to work better when they know both their clients and other vendors on a more personal level.  It’s all about building relationships and giving credit where it is due.  The vendors we interview for this site are on here because they are exceptional at what they do, and they really put their heart into it. (Patrick and Andrew)

How did you become a wedding photographer? (Patrick)
A few years ago, I went to a wedding and saw a slideshow that the wedding photographer made of the ceremony.  I immediately fell in love with photography and weddings.  That photographer, Cameron Ingalls, ended up becoming our wedding photographer and the inspiration for creating this site.  Cameron set up a site on the central coast called “The Wedding Standard” and I thought to myself, what an awesome idea to bring vendors together who share a common passion.

I love the emotions and the unity that weddings create.  I love the subtle expressions that friends and family make towards their son, daughter, friend or loved one that they’ve known all their lives as they make the next step in their life.

Who gave you your first camera? (Andrew)

The first real camera I ever had was an old 35mm Olympus OM-10 that my grandma had given to my dad.  When I started taking black and white photography as a teenager, he passed it down to me.  I love that camera.  It was built like a tank, and even though it was like 30 years old it worked like a champ!  It was really cool being able to use the same camera that both my dad and my grandma had learned on.

What motivates you? (Patrick)
My wife always leaves me a little cute notes in my camera bag telling me how proud she is of my accomplishments and how much she loves me.  I’m always surprised everytime I see it, but it puts a smile on my face and last throughout the day.

Have you had any support getting to where you are? (Andrew)

Oh yeah!  My wife Joslynn is my business partner and my best friend.  She has been a huge support for me, and has been there since I was taking photography courses in college and the only equipment we had was a computer and a cheap digital camera. Not to mention the moral and actual support that we have received from both our families.  We would not have been able to open the doors to our studio if it weren’t for them.

What is your favorite part of a wedding? (Patrick)
Ever since my daughter was born, 3 months ago, my absolute favorite part of a wedding is the father daughter dance.  I know it will be me up there someday and I’ll be ballin like no other.  I just hope she lets me help plan the wedding.

What do you love about your job the most? (Andrew)

There are two things that I absolutely love about what I do… First of all, I get to spend a lot of time with my family, because Joslynn and Makayla usually get to go on work trips with me.  The other thing I love about my job is all the amazing friends that I have met along the way.  I came to Bakersfield from the Central Coast and through what I do, I have become friends with clients, vendors, other photographers, and the list goes on.  I met with a couple a few months ago, they booked me for their wedding, and now the groom Alex and I workout together.  Joslynn and I have gone out for dinner or to the movies with clients who have become fast friends.  Patrick and I met through work, and from it Behind The Ceremony came to be.  You never know who you will meet or how they can impact your life.

How do you interact with the bride and groom during your shoots?(Patrick)
First of all, engagement shoots are included in all my packages because I love them.  It gives me the chance to get to know the bride and groom and for them to get to know me and my camera.  It is a very casual session where we are pretty much hanging out.  When the ceremony comes around, we are like old friends reuniting.  I hate posing people and I love capturing emotions the way they naturally come out.  I only pose people for group shots.   The rest of the time, we are hanging out and I am able to get pictures of natural reactions.

(Andrew) I totally agree with Patrick.  Engagement shoots are so fun to do, and you really get an opportunity to know your bride and groom on a much more personal level.  They learn how you work and really end up letting their guard down.  That’s when you get the good stuff!  I love getting a couple to interact with each other in a setting they would normally find comfortable.  A lot of times the key to getting the images that people really love, is just being able to relax and have fun.  Thats when everything happens naturally and you get those real emotions.

Any suggestions to brides and grooms when planning their wedding day? (Andrew)

If the photography is important to the bride and groom, then I would definitely suggest having the wedding at a time of day when the sunlight is soft and accentuates the detail and colors in your wedding.  The pros shoot after sunrise and before sunset for a reason.  The lighting is amazing at those times of day, and colors are insanely vibrant.  I would suggest staying away from the middle of the day when the sun is directly overhead, when everything becomes washed out and everyones faces are half in shadow.  The best thing to remember is that you only get one chance to have your wedding photos done, and you’ve invested so much into putting the whole event together and making it beautiful, so plan to get the most out of it.

What advice can you give a bride when choosing a photographer? (Patrick)
Don’t pick a photographer that has the best package.  Find a photographer that you can connect with—someone who genuinely cares about your day.  When you look at their work, don’t focus on the way they edit but rather, look at the way they capture your emotions. Remember that anyone one can take a picture; but not everyone can tell a story.  That’s why I love photography. I am thrilled by the fact that one day, twenty years from now, someone will look back at their pictures and relive every moment of it as if it were yesterday.

Contact Info:

Patrick Ang Photography …  408.781.2006

J Andrew Photography …  (661) 589-5878