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vendor reviews: photographers
Story: Wedding Worthy Spaces Banquet Rooms, Reception Halls & Wedding Locales
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Reviewing Emma Smallbone of barebonephoto
When The Ring met
Emma five years ago, it seemed obvious to us that it wouldn't take long before
she was winning awards, shooting across North America and accumulating her own
fan base within our local community. Emma Smallbone of
barebonephoto comes to your table with
Emma has an open personality that makes you feel like you could talk to her forever and she just 'gets it' - she understands where you're coming from. Yet it's her love for her work that makes you feel safe in the knowledge that she'll be there on your wedding day. "When I come home at the end of the day from shooting a wedding, I always have a moment where I can't believe this is my job. I can't imagine doing anything else."
Professionally speaking, it's Emma's approach to shooting that sets her apart from many photographers - almost all of her event photos are photojournalistic candid-style. She uses several different types of cameras at each wedding, easily shooting 1500 to 2000 at any one event and ultimately providing you with your choice of 150 5x7 proofs or a big box of all proofs (in print) that ultimately leaves you feeling like you could die trying to choose your favourites.
Making her mark Emma has made her mark on the industry by offering the 'alternative to traditional photography'. barebonephoto uses an editorial photojournalism style to capture real (not posed) candid pictures. She has earned recognition from a list of highly respected guilds and judging panels including the Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association and The Wedding Industry Awards (Wedding Bells Readers Choice Award - Canada-wide). Emma has been profiled in most of the local newspapers and her work can be seen in magazines across Canada and the U.S.
Specializing in fine art-photojournalism sets Emma apart in the photography industry. "I use all types of cameras and mediums to capture the artistic images that my clients seek. They want a piece of art for their wall and not a traditional portrait," says Emma. In fact, her work has been commissioned and purchased by commercial locations such as Charcoal Steakhouse. Emma's photojournalistic and fine art approach has earned her acceptance as a member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association. The WPJA represents the most discriminating talent around the world technically, creatively and visually. Qualified members hold industry-leading standards, skills and business integrity.
From cross-processed to 'Holga' Emma loves both black & white and color photography. She also uses a unique cross-process technique where she takes a shot with slide film, processes it as print film, and gets photos with funky vibrant colors. "Cross-processed photos give a surreal look that you can’t get any other way," Emma told us. This process is especially great for weddings with lots of colour.
That's not the end of it when it comes to funky though. Emma says, "I use all sorts of antique and toy cameras to get some great, unique, artsy shots." With her 'Holga' - a camera that Emma commonly refers to as her 'Toy Camera' - she says she can get a really soft focus that can cause a dreamy type of shot. "I also have a 1950's Ansco Shur Flash, an antique camera that gives you shots that look like they were taken a hundred years ago."
Location, location, location... Because every couple has a must-have list of photos to make sure they include everyone, Emma will still do the necessary group shots. She doesn't like to do this for any more than about half an hour. Emma says, "After a while, you can see that my clients' faces almost start to hurt from smiling so long and that they're not having fun anymore. I never like to get them to that point." She says that once the mood is ruined, it's difficult to get it back.
With barebonephoto, location shoots have never really been necessary because there are more than enough great moments to capture throughout the day without having to act any out. That said, for couples who do want locations, Emma's become a bit of a specialist in finding ones that are fun, authentic, and a blast to do. "We've done photos at Ballzacks Coffee Shop and in the city streets, anything that fits with the couple." Two of her latest adventures took her to a grocery store and a gelato shop. Basically, the idea is that it should be fun and invite laughs.
There is also Emma's home and studio which consist of twenty acres of wooded land, where she can take the bridal party for some great outdoor shots if the wedding is local.
Custom packages Because every wedding is unique, Emma creates custom packages for all of her clients. She has shot weddings from $2600 to ten thousand dollars. "The average bride will spend about $3100 on her photos. That includes six hours of coverage and a proof book." You get to decide on the coverage and what you want as a final product, with options such as a CD of images, proof books and albums.
When it comes to enlargements, barebonephoto offers unique options such as Fine Art and Canvas prints . All of you reprints can be custom framed by barebonephoto in their studio. For albums, barebonephoto uses the popular Asuka album line, but it's her more unique albums that are attracting the most interest lately. These albums, which are made of wood, metal, glass and of course leather, come from New Zealand. "They're the Bentley of albums, basically," says Emma. "One of them is 100% waterproof."
A second shooter at barebonephoto Emma recently welcome a second shooter to the company, Lisa Kwan. Lisa comes from a background in graphic design and has been shooting alongside Emma for the last year. "We think and shoot alike so much it's almost scary." Lisa plans to develop her photography skills within barebonephoto until the point where she's beginning to shoot weddings under the barebonephoto name on her own.
Same Day Photos Adding to barebonephoto's cool-factor is the fact that they offer 'same-day photo presentations'. Emma and Lisa take the images shot that morning and/or afternoon, throw them into a slideshow presentation, and play the memories of the day for guests (on a screen or laptop at the venue, depending on circumstances) throughout the dinner or cocktail hour.
Gift Registry The couples who come to barebonephoto consider photography to be a top priority for their wedding. For this reason, they're using the new barebonephoto Gift Registry idea to get more of the services, prints or albums that they might not ordinarily be able to afford. "Mom and Dad can buy an album for themselves and the couple. Guests can order prints. Anyone can order services toward the couple's photography." The registry is all online, it's easy to use, and Emma says it's been a hit ever since it was introduced in September 2007.
Meeting with barebone This thirty something talent works out of the open concept home she built with her husband. The home (and office) comes complete with a 30' by 50' studio where she meets with couples, does photo shoots, answers emails on her Mac, and lounges on her wildly over sized comfy couch that no person should ever have to get up from. It's like one big art and living space. When couples come to meet Emma here, they'll also view a DVD slideshow of images on the flat screen plasma. Above the TV hangs two of Emma's favourite, gigantic canvases. At the same time, you'll be served beverages and chocolate, which come from Emma's favourite Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company. Although she has a hard time saving the Chili-infused chocolate for her clients!
Emma is down-to-earth and plans to stay true to her candid style of photography, no matter how easy it would be to convert to something 'more mainstream'. When you visit her, you'll be looking at a wide variety of photos she has done, but most importantly, Emma will walk you through several full wedding days in photos, from start to finish. Emma says, "Anyone can show a few select amazing pictures from ten years of photographing weddings. I want couples to know that they are going to get some favourites, but also, every shot is great."
Inotherwords... "Dear Emma, For me the wedding was perfect. And for me the photographs you took were the poetry of that perfection. They are beautifully composed and elegant. They are artistic and documentary. They truly are the story of Dave and I on the day and I would not have changed a thing. Dave, my parents and I were so impressed with your professionalism on the day of the wedding. We always felt completely at ease and never posed or constrained. Someone asked me after if my face was sore for all the pictures - and I remember thinking - 'What pictures?' I could not have been more satisfied. Further, the way you organized and composed and even wrapped the photos to be delivered was touching and so appreciated - it is this attention to detail that comes out in your work. Your work on site (Graydon Hall Manor) and the product of that work could not have been better. I think the greatest compliment for me to give to you will be when I recommend your work to each friend and each family member who has an event, like a wedding, that needs documenting. Even as I write this, I am trying to think of the next time I can hire you! Choosing you to photograph the wedding was one of the best decisions I made. I look at the pictures now every week and show them off as much as I can without be too narcissistic! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I wish you so much success. Best wishes from London, (England)." - Jenn & Dave "We just wanted to thank you for the millionth time for doing such a great job on our wedding day. You were so easy to be around from the first time we met you... and during our wedding, no one noticed you were there, yet you captured every important detail and emotion of the day. You even did the impossible and made my camera-shy husband so comfortable that he started suggesting certain shots during the post-ceremony photo session! People are still raving about our photographs and my married friends who did not make photography a priority for their own weddings soon regretted it when they viewed our pictures. We will never regret the decision we made to hire you as our photographer. You are an incredible talent and your work speaks for itself. Thank you again for capturing our wedding memories perfectly." - Molly & Allan
- Jennifer Goulden, TheWeddingRing.ca * Prices are all approximate and are subject to change and verification by authorized staff and management of barebonephoto. |
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Emma will do just about anything to get the shot she sees in her head, including
climbing the top of a brick wall, equipped with what she calls "my Lara Croft
camera belt" around her hips, shooting her bride, groom and wedding party from
above [left].
Getting in
touch
calling six to
twelve months in advance, but welcomes all calls.
