Just when I think things are going to become a bit settled and I can blog a lot…a million things just happen and I’m back to where I was last week!  So i’ve been meaning to start a new segment in my blog called ‘Spotlight’..this is where I would like to feature my favourite vendors as well as some of my favourite photographers and I’m honoured to introduce you guys to Kevin Swan of Swan Wedding Photography (www.swanweddingphotography.com). I’ve been following Kevin’s work for a while and recently had the pleasure to sit and have a chat with him on all things photography. I hope you enjoy his answers as much as I did.

Until next time!

1. How did you get in to Photography and specifically Wedding Photography?

I was introduced to photography by a co-worker at Nortel years ago.
He was an avid photographer, and took our team out to Gatineau Park to
introduce us to the basics of photography as a team-building activity.
I loved it, and continued learning more and more on my own.
Eventually, after trying my hand at taking photos at weddings of some
friends and family, I decided to take the next step and launch myself
as a serious wedding photographer.

2. How long have you been shooting Weddings?

I began taking amateur photos at friends' and relatives' weddings
about 9 years ago, then joined up with a local wedding photographer in
2007 as a second-shooter. 2010 will be my third year shooting
weddings professionally, on my own.


3. How did you develop your style? What influenced your style?

I tend to favour a clean, faithful photographic style. I like to keep
my subjects as sharp as possible, and I shy away from an overprocessed
look or using a lot of filter effects that I feel will quickly become
dated. My style was influenced by studying the work of many other
established professionals, and I found myself gravitating toward a few
photographers whose styles I really liked.

4. Any funny stories from your time shooting weddings?

It never ceases to amaze me how small children are able to sleep
through the loudest parties! At more than one wedding reception, I've
seen infants in strollers, sound asleep while people are doing the
Macarena and singing along at the top of their lungs!

5. What equipment are you using now? What are your favorite lenses?

I shoot with a pair of Nikon D300 cameras, with the battery grip. I
stick with genuine Nikon equipment - all my lenses and flashes are
Nikon. My favorite lens is easily the 17-55 f/2.8. The focal length
range is perfect for event photography, and the fast aperture and
pro-grade glass consistently deliver sharp, distortion-free photos. I
also love the 50 f/1.4, but working with such a shallow depth of field
is not very forgiving. You really have to be paying attention to your
focal point to get the most out of that lens. Finally, I also love
Nikon's 10.5 f/2.8 fisheye. I rarely deliver more than 1 or 2 photos
taken with this lens to the clients, because the effect quickly gets
gimmicky, but when used sparingly and artistically, it can really set
your photos apart from those of the couple's other guests.

6. Any advice you would give to someone getting in to Wedding Photography right now.

I think wedding photography is more about people than it is about
photography. Digital photography has really lowered the barrier to
entry to the field, so the key to success is your personality, and how
you deal with your clients. You have to be personable, outgoing, and
flexible. Set yourself apart from your competition. You have to be
good at several different skills in order to be successful -
specifically the photography itself, post-production in Photoshop
and/or Lightroom, album design, and general business skills, like
dealing with suppliers and having a good system to keep yourself
organized.






7. How do you feel about Photographers helping other photographers?

I think when photographers work together to improve each others' work,
everybody wins. The photographers grow their skill set, and the
clients end up with superior photos. It's important for new
photographers to be able to bring something to the partnership, so
both parties are able to feel good about joining forces and working
together.