5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Hire Me as Your Wedding Photographer

bride's mother inspecting collapsed wedding cake

What I am about to discuss below is a little reality check before we rush into initial wedding consultation. A handful of good reasons why you shouldn’t hire me as your wedding photographer.

Please do not feel offended if you fall into categories listed below. It’s just a set of personal opinions that I accumulated over the years while photographing weddings and observing wedding couples behavior.

I believe it is very important for both sides, couple and photographer, to have reasonable expectations for a wedding day.

Quickly hearing few of my thoughts below before contacting me, will prevent us from wasting limited time we all have.

Love you!

1. You expect your wedding day to be out of this world perfect fairy tale.

Your wedding day will be amazing. And one-of -a-kind. And magic.
But it won’t be fairy tale perfect. I can promise you that.

Maybe it will rain. Or your wedding cake will fall apart. Your dress will get dirty. Your spouse’s sibling might have a bit too much to drink and not make it to the reception. Your pet cat will go blind couple days before your wedding.

I witnessed all above. And more.

Having realistic expectations will help you to enjoy your day at its fullest.

If you can’t, I might not be the best choice for you.

Bride and groom dancing at the Hilltop Spring Green Wisconsin wedding

2. You’re looking for a wedding photographer just because your maid of honor told you to get one.

I am photographing weddings because I genuinely enjoy people, as well as all emotions, energy and drama of the wedding day. In other words, I love what I do.

But if you’re don’t appreciate photography and not excited about me being part of your wedding day, why have me there?

3. You will be handing me an extensive wedding photo checklist.

I get it. You just spent a lot of money on all the wedding details and décor and expect me to take lots of pictures of it all. But that would distract me from you most likely hiring me for- documentary wedding photography where I capture people in real moments.

And while sometimes I do snap some images of details/ venue, if I spot an interesting human interaction, I will abandon all my detail photography efforts without hesitation.

4. Picture of your wedding dress hanging in a willow tree near hotel’s parking lot is a must for you.

Sorry, but I am not your guy.

Same applies to you rings on a cactus plant. And your wedding shoes on a chimney in the hotel’s lobby. I might snap a casual picture of your wedding attire, but don’t expect anything more.

I specialize in capturing candid moments and interactions between people and all the loved ones that surround them that day. Not things.
When you’ll lose someone dear to you, what you want to remember: all the small beautiful moments with her/him or how beautiful your sparkly wedding shoes were?

5. You expect me to not to miss anything.

While I really would love to say I won’t miss a beat, I can only assure you that there will be moments that I will miss. I can’t be everywhere at the same time. And neither can two or three photographers (in case we decide you need more than one). And even if I am in a right spot at the right moment, I still can fuck up and miss it.

Same applies to capturing every wedding attendee. Please understand, that if I would set out to photograph every wedding guest, it would very quickly turn into a business headshot session.

Obviously, nobody wants that.

Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer


If the reasons why you shouldn’t hire me as your wedding photographer mentioned above doesn’t apply to you- hooray! , double hooray if you’re looking for a documentary wedding photographer for your upcoming wedding!

I would love to be part of your wild adventure!
Madison, Wisconsin based, but available to travel if needed.

wedding at The Hilltop in Spring Green, Wisconsin | Anna and Nick

bride and groom dancing at the Hilltop Spring Green wedding

It’s Anna’s and Nick’s wedding day. I just arrived to Hilltop wedding venue in Spring Green, Wisconsin. And get out of my air conditioned car at the bottom of the hill to snap couple opening images of the wedding signage. It’s really humid outside. As a result, my lens immediately is covered with condensation. I wait few minutes for my photo equipment to adjust to outside temperature. While doing so, I look around. Sun is nowhere to be seen, hiding behind the thick blanket of fast moving grey clouds. Immediately I can tell the storm is coming. And even though things are about to get rainy, I know it’s going to be an awesome wedding day at the Hilltop.

wedding sign the entrance to Hilltop, Spring Green
groom talking to his brother at Steampunk Manor in Spring Green, Wisconsin
Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer
documentary wedding photographer Madison, WI
Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer
bride’s mother and sister bustling wedding dress and smiling

Few things make Hilltop a an extraordinary wedding venue. First, is the location. Wedding venue located on the top of the hill within couple miles famous from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin. Therefore there’s no surprise that it has just a stunning views of Driftless Wisconsin, as Taliesin itself.

Second thing what makes this venue very special, is amount and diversity of the buildings property. Originally built as a camp for youth, property contains variety of different type buildings scattered over few acres and different elevations. Many former campers, “Hilltoppers”, well familiar with the beauty and special magic that Hilltop holds chose to be married at Hilltop long before Hilltop was formally made available for weddings.

rainy wedding day at the Hilltop venue in Spring Green, Wisconsin
rain dripping on the porch at the Hilltop in Spring Green

Sooner or later it is going to rain. It’s just a matter of time.

Rain starts shortly after I arrive and continues well into the getting ready part. An hour or so go by. I am scouting for first look location when I notice rain starting to slow down.

All of a sudden, just like it started, rain is gone.

bride and groom hugging during the first look in Hilltop venue in Spring Green, Wisconsin

There’s still an occasional rain droplet in the air when Anna steps outside the for the first look. Nick meets her near flower garden in between Ceremony on the Hill and the Terrace.

Shortly after the first look, wedding guests start show up. Everybody gathers on the top of the hill where wedding ceremony will be held under the enormous 100+ year old Catalpa tree.

Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer
Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer
wedding ceremony at the Hilltop, Spring Green, Wisconsin
wedding ceremony photography in Hilltop, Spring Green, Wisconsin
bride and groom walking away after the wedding ceremony in Hilltop, Spring Green

Ana’s and Nick’s wedding ceremony has everything wedding ceremony needs. It’s sweet and short. It has some tears and lots of smiles. It also is happening on the top of the world with stunning views of Driftless Wisconsin.

As soon as wedding ceremony is over, all wedding attendees and witnesses are asked to sign Quaker wedding certificate. I sign it as well.

Afterwards cocktails and hors d’oeuvre hour kick in. While everybody enjoys festivities, we snap few more bride’s and groom’s wedding portraits.

Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer
wedding guests walking to the dance building at Hilltop in Spring Green

After the dinner everyone walks to dance pavilion nearby.

It’s getting dimmer. Path to dance pavilion is illumined by tiki torches. Dance floor lights up and first dance kicks off real festivities.

Someone grabs a mic and is singing rap song. Crowd is going wild. Someone is passing wine bottle around the dancefloor.

Everybody’s having a good time.

After all, it’s all that matters.

bride and groom dancing at their wedding in Hilltop wedding venue in Spring Green, Wisconsin
Hilltop Spring Green wedding photography
Portrait of bride and groom at the Hilltop, Spring Green wedding
documentray Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer
family member signing a rap song at the Hilltop, Spring Green wedding
Wedding guests dancing at the Hilltop Spring Green wedding
Hilltop Spring Green wedding photographer
Hilltop Spring Green wedding venue at night

 See full gallery from Anna’s and Nick’s wedding in The Hilltop, Spring Green, Wisconsin >>HERE<<.


Thanks a bunch for making so far and reading Anna’s and Nick’s love story and checking out images from their The Hilltop, Spring Green, Wisconsin wedding!
If you’re planning your upcoming wedding and looking for documentary wedding photographer, shoot me a message! I would love to be part of your wild adventure! Madison, Wisconsin based, but available to travel if needed.

HILLTOP SPRING GREEN WEDDING VENDORS:

Ceremony /Reception:
The Hilltop
Men Getting Ready: Steampunk Manor
Catering: Rooted Spoon Culinary
Wedding Date:
July 20, 2019

about my wedding photography style and philosophy behind it

guests falling on the wet dance floor in Prevailing Winds lodge wedding

what’s my wedding photography style and philosophy behind it?

I talked in detail what are the most common wedding photography styles and what are their pros and cons in previous posts. This article will explain what is my photography style and will dig into I do things the way I do. I will also also include image examples from the wedding I’ve photographed in the past.

I specialize in a wedding photojournalism, also known as documentary wedding photography. During this style of wedding photography coverage, I do not control or manipulate the scenes that I am witnessing. I approach wedding day events without predefined judgment. I take whatever life throws at me and make wedding story out of it.

Below is some wedding photojournalism principles I follow and my reasoning behind them.

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I won’t tell you where to stand or what to do

Seriously, I won’t. If you’ll ask me for some guidance, I will definitely help you out. But I will do my best to not interrupt your wedding day thoughts and happenings in any way. It’s you day. I am there document it with my camera, not to be part of your memories.

wedding photographer philosophy: I won't touch or move things around while groom is getting ready with bride's picture dressed up in other room

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I won’t touch or move things around.

It’s pretty straightforward: if I do, I start creating my own story. It’s your day. It’s your story. No touching!

Maybe there is not story behind why this banana was left on the wows. But maybe there is. And I am fine with “maybe”. And if I am right, I just captured an image that will trigger your smile every time you see it. And if I am wrong, well, I’m wrong.

types of wedding photography-wedding photojournalism: banana fruit is laying on top of brides wedding vows

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I won’t create my version of your story.

Why should I? It’s your wedding day, it’s your story!

an example of wedding photojournalism: flower girls are very excited about bride and groom

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I won’t boss you around.

I will be there with you but I will stay quiet. I will observe and listen, but I won’t really talk unless asked to do so. I will let you experience and enjoy those intimate and genuine moments of your magic day.

wedding photography style: photojournalism. Gay couple standing on Madison Children’s Museum rooftop and enjoying private moment

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I will let you be true you.

Seriously. It’s YOUR wedding day ! You are surrounded by people who love you most. And you (hopefully) won’t be judged for who you are. So why pretend to be someone you are not? Be yourself, I’ve got your back!
Let’s have a fucking party like there’s no tomorrow!!!

wedding photography style: photojournalism. four adult people doing shots from shot ski______________

I hope you like my wedding photography style and wedding photojournalism is wedding photography style you are looking for. If you have any questions or interest in my services, do not hesitate shoot me a message via contact links below or check out commonly asked questions in my FAQ page. Give me a shout! I would love to be part your your wedding day!

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Bride and groom embracing in Wausau, WI downtown

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