Tarragona, Spain Wedding Photographer | Raimon Crescenti | An ISPWP Member Spotlight

Raimon Crescenti Bio:

I’m a photographer with many years of experience in wedding and studio photography. I shot my first wedding at age 16 (now I am 52) so I’ve been in over a thousand weddings of all types, but it’s still thrilling to me to see a bride and groom on their big day. During all these years I tried to always be on the cutting edge of technology and knowledge, I like being well prepared to always offer my best.

How did you get your start and why did you chose wedding photography as a career?

My father was a photographer, in my childhood I liked to come into his black and white lab and watch the images magically appeared on blank paper. Then I became interested and became his assistant, and after 16 years my father sent me to cover my first wedding with a Nikkormat FT2 a day that I had to cover two events, that was my baptism of fire. Since then I’ve never stopped doing wedding and studio photography.

How has your extensive experience in wedding photography helped you in difficult circumstances on a wedding day?

Having been in hundreds of weddings gives you a background that makes you know how to react and improvise in any unexpected situation. Sometimes I have to tie neckties, pick the bouquet from the florist, take the couple in my car, etc. As a photographer I have had to switch to my second camera when rain disabled my main camera, or other times I had to find something handy to use as a light reflector. In every wedding something always happens that requires imagination and know-how to be able to react quickly. Experience is a big help.

Tell us about some of the more unique weddings you’ve shot.

I remember one quite some years ago in a village called La Fatarella in Tarragona. The Baroque church was quite old and during the ceremony a fierce storm started with lightning and thunder, one of the bolts hit the top of the church just above the couple, the priest and myself. The thunder was deafening! It broke off some chunks of plaster from the dome where we all were and fortunately nobody was injured, but after the scare in the dark we had to continue the wedding in the church foyer. Surely everyone who was there will remember that wedding.

What are some of your favorite local venues?

I love weddings in castles and old houses and places with history. I would never get tired of shooting in the Templar castle of Miravet, or Tamarit Castle by the sea, where I’ll be in just three weeks. We were also a few days in London for a post-wedding meeting and had a great time and the couple enjoyed themselves a great deal.

What advice would you give a bride who is looking for a wedding photographer?

Today the supply of good photographers has grown around the world, I would recommend that they view the work of several professionals and they chose the one that best fits your expectations in style, way of working, and of course price. But price should not be the most important factor. Who remembers the price when you get great pictures that you can boast about and be proud of your entire life?

What’s your favorite part of the wedding day to photograph??

The truth is that I have a great time throughout all stages of the wedding. Each moment has special magic, the groom getting ready in his room, the excited bride with her parents, the highlights of the formal ceremony. The outdoor shots are usually the most relaxed and the reception is when I can have fun shooting photos of the guests and the bride and groom with their friends. What I like best are the pictures of the bride alone and the party.

What kinds of weddings do you love to photograph?

I like informal weddings, where there is no strict etiquette where you can sometimes feel inhibited by protocol and formality. Luckily most weddings are not so, and I can move freely about the venue. I think that outdoor weddings, beaches, and gardens are easier to photograph and the people are also more open and fun at this type of wedding.

What are your top tips for brides to help them get great photos on their wedding day?

Be yourself, do not wear a dress if it’s not your style, or go to extreme styles with your hair if you have never done it before. I often see brides more concerned about her dress than what is happening at the wedding, or brides almost unrecognizable with hair that is not a good style for them. I would say to try to feel comfortable with all the accessories that come with being a bride, be yourself and be true to your style, the photographs will be forever and you will appreciate them later if you and your guests are relaxed and happy.

How important is it to hire an experienced wedding photographer?

An experienced photographer knows how to move at all times to anticipate the key photos, knows how to work with people on a happy but stressful day, can solve unforeseen situations that surely will be presented, and of course has experience in getting good pictures under any conditions or locations. An inexperienced photographer can ruin not only the day of the wedding, but the memory of it for a long time.

What do you find is the biggest challenge in wedding photography?

The biggest challenge for me is not to stagnate, to be every day in the wake of what is going on in the world of wedding photography and adapt to new trends. That is my challenge, try to be every day better photographer and a better person.

Do you do destination weddings? If so, what are your favorite destinations?

I offer destination weddings, and for that I had to learn English because it is the universal language in this work, and am ready to go anywhere in the world if you hire me, that’s not going to be a problem since I love to travel. Of course, I have photographed weddings all over my country (Spain), and lately we’ve traveled to London for a TTD session.

What do you do for fun when you’re not shooting weddings??

Take more pictures ….. really, even with my small Leica or one of my old film cameras. I am also a collector of old cameras and I’m always looking for future candidates for the shelves of my small collection. I like being with my family and do some traveling when I can.

How would you describe your style of photography?

I try to make a personal style, natural and spontaneous, not too many poses, and am currently experimenting with HDR photographs that are not too exaggerated and I like it the result.

What do you offer to clients that is unique? What is your Unique Selling Proposition?

We have an album format that our clients like very much, it measures 10×20 inches and my clients especially like the cover material called Vitro, which provides a surface like a glaze, very bright and pleasant. We also offer miniature albums for parents or family members which are an exact copy of the original but smaller.

Do you offer albums?If so, describe the albums you offer and why you think it’s important to provide albums.

Yes, all our work is delivered in bound albums of different sizes and prices. I do not like to deliver digital files only because I like having control of my pictures, I know when and why I took a picture. If it escapes from my hands then no one else can know the artistic intent or the context for which I had taken the picture. Of course clients see the work before the album binding and can give their opinion or request any changes, but I think it is the photographer or graphic designer who must create the final product of the photographic work.

How would you describe the current state of the wedding photography industry, and where do you think wedding photography is headed in the years to come?

In Spain the number of marriages has declined dramatically in recent years and the global crisis has prompted many couples to decide not to take photographs of their wedding or they try to save money by trusting a relative or friend to take the pictures for free. Hopefully the situation will change soon, as many professionals are having to close their business. As for the future, we are in a world of constant change, what is fashionable today may be obsolete tomorrow, so highlight the importance of staying current on all aspects.

What (or who) inspires you?

It inspires me to see many many pictures, I see very good work from people who are not professionals but they have a great passion for photography. I am also inspired by films and works of art, but the ultimate inspiration is when I deliver a wedding to a client in a timely fashion and they tell me they love their photos.

Have you found any products, services, or seminars that have made a difference to your photography or your business??

Yes, although for many years I have been attending workshops and seminars with other professionals in the last year I think my work changed a lot because I found Photographers Forum, a forum dedicated to Spanish speaking photographers. That led me to attend the 1st Convention of the Forum held in Madrid last year where I saw the great masters of wedding photography such as Jerry Ghionis, Fer Juaristi, Sergio Photographer and other great professionals. Thanks to them I asked about getting admitted to the ISPWP. Also a couple of months ago I had the opportunity to attend a seminar with Joe Buissink in Barcelona and was amazed by his work. Next year I will try to attend the WPPI convention in Las Vegas.

What’s the best photography-related advice you’ve been given?

My start in digital photography was difficult, I was not too knowledgeable about computers, but I was advised to choose Apple to work on my photos. I was very pleased with this advice and I work today with eight Apple computers and have never had any serious problems. Of course I always try to take the advice of the great Jerry Ghionis: “If you want to be a good photographer, try to be a better person every day. ”

What would you say was the biggest reason for your success?

I think to be honest, always give more than is expected, and always keep in mind the customer’s needs.

Do you follow any photography or business blogs that you would recommend?

Of those who I’ve seen to date the one who has impressed me most was Jerry Ghionis, it is amazing what he does with the available light in any room or how he can create light in his pictures with a laptop screen. I call him the MacGyver of wedding photography, with brilliant results every time. I also like the style and composition of Fer Juaristi, Vinicius Matos’ sensitivity, the elegance in the photos of Daniel Aguilar, and spontaneity in the work of Joe Buissink, which has always challenged me to find “moment between the moments.”

What future plans do you have for your business for the next year??

We have remodeled our studio recently, we’ll be finishing the last details and we will try to have more online presence and attend conventions with renowned photographers to acquire new knowledge.

What is the biggest challenge facing wedding photographers today?

Apart from the economic crisis, which we hope will end soon, as I said before you have to try to keep abreast of everything related to our profession, excel in each new assignment, and work hard to have the customer always on our side.