Coffee Talk with Seattle wedding photographer,
Bradley Hanson
It doesn't take long to see that Bradley Hanson's photography does more than capture moments during a wedding, it also communicates in a universal language that talks to every visitor viewing his on-line portfolio...true art! This month we had the pleasure of talking with Bradley, owner and photographer at www.hansonphotography.com, over a hot cup of coffee.
WC: How did you get started in photography?
BH: When I was about 10, my mom gave me a Voigtlander camera from
Germany. I took the usual terrible photos that everyone takes as
a child.
I was fascinated by the process of recording information onto film,
though,
and tried to find things to photograph as I got older. I was the
yearbook photographer
at my high school, but I was still taking boring photographs because
I approached it too casually. It wasn't until I was about 19 that
I really got hooked, though. I had a friend who was going to RIT
(Rochester Institute
of Technology in NY), and he showed me how to develop film and
make black and white prints. Once I saw a print appearing in the
developer,
photography
has been my passion. He and I had similar taste, and he got me
into infrared film and push processing, and we both tried to make
surreal,
other-worldly
images. While not all of them were successful (some of them are
still in
my portfolio), it got me on my current path. Now, I never leave
home without at least one camera. I see photographs in everything!
WC: What motivated you to devote a majority of your talent and energy
to wedding photography?
BH: Wedding photography allows me to shoot as a photojournalist,
but also as a portrait photographer. I also have incredible fun
at weddings, as
it's the most exciting day in the couple's life. It's like going
to a great party, and getting countless opportunities to get the
kind of photographs
that I love to take; the ones that unfold in front of me that will
never occur again. I take the same care to make beautiful photographs
with weddings
as I do when I'm taking landscapes.
WC: You describe yourself as a 'Stylized Photojournalist', how is
that different from wedding photojournalism and/or traditional
photography?
BH: Personally, my favorite photographs are usually the ones captured
without the knowledge of the subject. Making a beautiful photograph
out of existing
conditions is the most satisfying to me. The degree of difficulty
is proportional to the degree of satisfaction. Being able to pull
something
beautiful out
of a situation as it exists is a great skill, and one that improves
with experience. As a result, I take great pride in showing the
couple things
that they were not able to appreciate in the emotional whirlwind
of the day. I take the approach that photographs are "made",
not just taken. The way a photographer's intuition, experience and
vision come
together makes the difference between a snapshot and a classic photograph
that will
cherished for generations.
On the other hand, I've found that you can't simply rely on everyone
to be in an ideal situation for a great portrait, and one of the
reasons that
wedding photography is so fun for me is that I get to be a photojournalist
and a portrait photographer. I spend as little time as possible
with posed shots, but I think some are necessary to deliver a truly
beautiful album.
I like to shoot the couple interacting naturally, but also take
the time to shoot controlled portraits of the couple, the family,
and the attendants.
Prior to the wedding, we will have decided what shots are important
to the couple, so they can relax and enjoy their wedding!
I use the phrase "stylized photojournalist" because it more accurately
reflects my approach to weddings. I try to make the best photograph possible
under a variety of circumstances. Most of the time, it's capturing things
as they happen without interfering, which is true photojournalism. Ideally,
the subject is not aware of your presence, and then you have a true candid
moment in time. I find that there must be very few people interested in
what's commonly referred to as "traditional" wedding photography.
In fact, I never meet them as they don't seek my services! But I
find that people are trying to get away from the type of wedding
photography
they
remember from their parent's albums, where everything is posed and
everyone looks scared and stiff! I can't imagine there are too many
couples who
still want shots in their album of their faces in a diffused, heart-shaped
cutout or with their disembodied heads floating above the chapel.
I look at wedding photography with immense respect. A good photograph
is a good photograph, regardless of where it's taken. My goal is
to show the
couple beautiful photographs that capture the spirit of the day,
and make sense in a storytelling context when in an album layout
that we design.
How many kinds of photography have that kind of permanence? These
photographs will likely be shown to the couple's children their
children. I want anything
with my name on it to be the best it can be.
WC: Do you incorporate traditional (posed) photography in your couples'
wedding albums??
BH: I do. I think an album missing great portraits is incomplete, and you
can't count on getting great portraits just following the couple around
all day, not to mention the usual expectation of shooting family shots,
some of which can contain over 20 people! If you leave these to chance,
odds are that someone is blinking or in a less than ideal position. I prefer
to take the time required to get great portraits in a somewhat controlled
situation, then move on to documenting the rest of the event without interfering
at all.
WC: Based on your portfolio, you seem to be a huge fan of black-and-white
photography. It seems that black-and-white wedding photography
has become the latest trend. Why do you think it has gained so
much popularity within
the last few years?
BH: Personally, while I shoot both color and b&w and most weddings,
I have always preferred black and white, not only for it's classic look,
but also because it was black and white photography that was my first darkroom
experience, and what really hooked me on photography in the first place.
I love the abstraction of not seeing color, and my eye sees things in terms
of tonality rather than color. As far as b&w being a trend, I think
this is more a perspective of the wedding magazines. Ever since photography's
origins, black and white photography has had a strong following, and the
vast majority of "fine art" photography has always been
black and white. Part of the reason that color took center stage
for a while
is that it was new. I can imagine that color was very exciting at
first, just as it was with the movies and television, because it
was something
different, and black and white was seen as a limitation, not an abstraction.
Color film is now better than ever, but it's still not as good as
black and white for low light, and the shadow detail tends to get
noisy in
some situations. I think black and white has returned to prominence
in part
because of the demand for realism in wedding photography, which has
led to the evolution of wedding photography from stiff posed shots
to the
more current preference of shooting it documentary style. If clients
want a
classic photojournalism look, black and white not only suits the
style nicely, but also prevents the wedding from appearing dated.
I've shot
black and white weddings that could have occurred in any era, but
you can spot
a color wedding from the 70s in a minute!
WC: Do you have any advice for couples in search for a wedding photographer?
BH: What's often forgotten is the role of the photographer's personality
during the day. A wedding photographer that is going to be with
you all day, capturing some very intimate moments from what is usually
the most
important and emotional day of a person's life better have the
type
of personality that blends or enhances your own. If you and your
photographer "click" (no
pun intended), you'll get infinitely better shots than if your photographer
is pushy, rude or obnoxious, or who's personality rubs you the wrong
way. My goal is to get to know each couple, which allows me to get
better shots
and a clearer idea of what they are really looking for in the first
place.
Look also to see a large volume of work. If you only get to see a
few prints, either in person or online, chances are you may be getting
someone who's
just starting out.
I'd also ask the photographer if they provide albums and help with
the layout. We give all of our clients albums with prints, unless
they choose
not to receive them. Photographers have access to album manufacturers
that don't sell their products to local shops, and the quality
of these albums
is substantially higher. Some photographers only provide proofs
and negatives, which can be overwhelming to many couples, and also
places the burden of
creating their album by ordering their own prints and assembling
their own album. An experienced wedding photographer can often
visualize a completed
album far easier than most clients, and that will ultimately provide
greater satisfaction to that client, in addition to saving them
time and hassle.
I've found that high-end clients want a nice album that tells the
wedding day story, not just a box of proofs.
WC: You are based in Seattle Washington. Do you photograph outside
of Seattle?
BH:Absolutely. I've done weddings all over Washington, some in BC,
some in San Francisco, one in Minneapolis, one in Hawaii, and even
one in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
We have small travel fees that apply outside of a 1 hour radius
of Seattle, but out of state weddings often just pay for minimal
travel
costs.
You can learn more about Bradley by visiting his web site www.hansonphotography.com
Read other interviews at the Club Cafe.