Digital Wedding Forum - Wedding photography's home on the web.

Location - Arizona
Business Name - Sergio Photographer
Years in Business - Almost 5 years
Number of Posts - 5,161
Website - www.sergiophotographer.com
Blog - www.sergiosblog.com
PM - Contact Sergio

DWF - Let's start off with a little bio, tell us a little bit about yourself.

SERGIO - I was born in northwestern Mexico in 1971. I went to college and graduated as an electrical engineer. One of the first jobs I held was as a technical director for a multimillion dollar night club in Mexico. This job was really cool and gave me the first chance to incorporate my love for technology with my artistic passion. One of my responsibilities was to create light shows combining lasers, robotic light systems and movable hanging trusses. I would come every night to the place to make “sure” everything was all right. At the time, I thought that I would never have a better job than that. I discovered I was wrong later on.

Years later I moved to the USA (first to L.A. then Tucson) and started working for a couple of companies that performed sound & light installations for night clubs all over the country and Mexico. After doing this for a little bit of time I decided that I wanted more challenges. I was hired at a small high-tech laser start-up company and moved my way up to operations manager. I did work for two other companies after that. Every place where I worked demanded everything of me. Working so many hours and so many weekends was making me feel that I had to do something else. I found my calling at my brother’s wedding in Mexico.

DWF - How did you become a wedding photographer?

SERGIO - In October 2003 I attended my brother's wedding in Mexico. He invited me to come with them to a day after shoot at the beach. I thought that it was going to be really boring and I was going to end up asleep in the car.

When we got there, I noticed that the photographer was wearing Bermuda shorts, sandals and a straw hat. He had some awesome digital DSLRs that I did not even know they existed. The guy was having a great time working with my brother and his wife. They were doing a TTD session plus a lot of other cool stuff. Right then and there I decided that I wanted to do that too. When I got back home I ordered my first camera, a Nikon D100. I bought a bunch of books to learn how to take pictures and I started browsing the internet for wedding photography.

While surfing the web, I found the WPJA, and the images I saw there, blew my mind. Then I joined the DWF and I almost had a heart attack when I discovered that so many of the photographers, that I started admiring, were also DWF members. Being able to interact with all these photographers on a direct, more personal, basis had a major impact on my new chosen career. All of the sudden, I had a beacon to follow.

After getting comfortable with the gear and having an idea (from reading) of how to shoot a wedding; I tried hard to find somebody that would let me shoot their wedding for free. Nobody came through. I distributed business cards to many bridal shop establishments and finally, one bride called me. And she was actually willing to pay me. That’s when I think I became a wedding photographer.

DWF- Who or what inspires you as an artist?

SERGIO - Nothing inspires me more than getting a check from a bride that hires me to photograph her wedding. Especially when she wants me to do “my thing”.
I have met so many great inspiring photographers on the DWF and have had the opportunity to meet so many of them at conventions and workshops.

DWF- If we were getting married why would we book you? What makes you unique?

SERGIO - I just came back from a B&G consultation. It never ceases to amaze me that anybody would want to pay me to photograph their wedding. All I know is that something that I do resonates with some brides, and they feel like I should be their photographer. I have never asked them why because I am afraid what the answer might be and I would start changing what I do. The day that brides stop wanting me, that will be the day that I will no longer be a wedding photographer.

DWF- If you had to pick a favorite "Tool of the Trade" what would it be? and why?

SERGIO - My favorite tool of the trade is my camera. Without it I could not do anything. Our art, along with video, is one of the most technologically driven ones. After all; buying and playing with new gear is a big reason why I became a wedding photographer.

DWF - Care to share your favorite photograph? and tell us a bit about it?

SERGIO - This picture is truly one of my favorites. I only have 2 prints on the walls on my office and this is one of them. I received a lot of compliments from this photo. This was taken in Cancun, after hurricane Wilma had destroyed most of the beaches. We decided to do the portrait session at a public beach. I was getting my camera ready, scouting the area and taking some images of the locals. The bride had started wandering away on her own. She was walking toward the beach where there were hundreds of locals enjoying the sun. It looked like she felt that she was the only woman in the world. All of the sudden the wind picked up her veil and I ran, at least 60 yds to get behind her. I got there just in time to snap 3 images. I initially hated the picture because it looked too commercial.
The shot was taken with a 17-55 lens and processed with Nik filters.

The reception is my favorite part of the wedding and my favorite event is the Hora. I like to get really close and I get my camera up in the air with the widest angle lens possible. Taken with on-camera bounced flash,

This wedding is very special to me. This was my most unconventional wedding at the moment. They were my first clients to ask me not to do any portraits. I think we took about 10 (including the formals). The day was full of activities and it was a pleasure to document it. This shot was taken during the ceremony with a 70-200 lens.

This photograph was taken a few weddings ago. I just love how relaxed the groom looks. Available window light and a 17-55 lens.

This is one of those situations that caught me completely off guard. Processionals are always the same, we get into a routine about them, and nothing different happens. But this time, the FOB got very emotional, held the bride's hand and did not let go all the way. Using the 17-55 again.

This is the other print I have on my wall. This groom was incredible; he was really into cooperating and helping me get good images. Smiling all the time, or goofing around making the "Magnum" face. On this shot I was very happy that I was able to capture his attention and get this look. I won a WPJA first place with this one; the bride told me that it was because of her awesome hand modeling skills. All available light and a 17-55.

I initially was not too happy about this image. When I first met my second shooter, she told me how much she liked this image. I looked at it again and I started to like it. I even use it on my business card. A lot of people think that this image illustrates a bride looking to her future outside that window. What really happened is that her MIL was approaching her house, unannounced, and she said "oh shit!" just as I was pressing the shutter.

This is the hand model from image 6. She was really great. All I did was push the shutter button.

I am very proud of this image because it was the result of some pre-ceremony time location scouting. I found this stairway and I just knew that I had to do something there. Available light.

I love this shot, because she, well, she looks really hot! I love how the bouquet plays with the lines on her dress. Taken with one flash to my right.

Groom's grandma. I love this shot because I have another one taken a second after this one where she is giving me the sweetest smile. I like this one better of course, but this illustrates how sometimes we can play a role on how people is perceived by how we pick the moments to press the shutter or to edit a wedding.

DWF - How about some final words to live by?

SERGIO - Do your “thing”! Do what you like and your images will reflect your passion and style. There are many brides with many different tastes. Your brides are out there and they will find your website through fate or Google.