ISPWP Memeber Spotlight - Sylvain Gardères - Gardères & Dohmen Photography

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

Like most of wedding photographers I started shooting weddings in my family, but I only chose to do my carrer with it when I met my associate.

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

I shot about 150 weddings... My experience helps me a lot now. I'm never tense, just excited by a wedding day. I'm focused on my job, always ready to shoot. There are no difficult circumstances anymore, just exciting surprises, because I know how to prepare such a day.

What are some of your favorite local venues?

I have the chance to live in a very beautiful place, near the Pyrénées and close to the Atlantic Ocean .We also have castles, vines, pines forests, sand, lakes, deserts... a lot of venues. My favorites ones are Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, the whole Basque coast actually...

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

A good wedding photographer makes beautiful picutres. A really good wedding photographer makes beautiful pictures and he's so nice ! He could be your friend...

But the perfect wedding photographer does not exist. You have to choose 2 photographers ! ;)

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

I really love the plurality of lights we can met during a wedding, hard, soft, natural or not... But the momentI prefer to shoot is a church ceremony. It's very chhallenging, the light can be very difficult, the moves are limited, but the moments to capture are so importants.

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

Don't worry for photos, enjoy your day, we'll make the job.

How important is it to hire an experienced wedding photographer?

There is a lot of good photographers, a friend or a cousin can be good photographers... but wedding photography is much more than you think... It's a lot of differents moments, differents lights, sometime it's slow and suddenly very active, it's a very very long day. To be focused on photography during such a long time needs to be experienced. Last summer, for a wedding in Basque country, I awoke at 4am on saturday and went to bed 24 hours later...

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

To have such a responsability, to work all day long, but to remain nice and relax for your clients. And always focused !

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

Yes we do ! We love shooting in Paris, in Provence and Spain. But what we prefer is discovering a new destination...

What do you do for fun when you're not shooting weddings

When I'm not working, I shoot my daughters, I go hiking in mountain or rock climbing.

I go to the movies. And, as much as I can, I play with my daughters...

How would you describe your style of photography?

We shoot moments, memories.

Our style can be defined by the words « wedding photojournalists », very matural, some « behind the scenes » shots, and sharing, love, eyes, tears and smiles.

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

We offer our personnality. Sweet, nice, funny. Friends for one day at least and often more...

What (or who) inspires you?

I'm very inspired by movies, my pictures are in 16/9 ratio, horizontal, always. And shot with wide angle lenses.

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

Do not expect anything. Let it be and shoot.

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

The biggest reason of my success is to work with a man who has the same expectations, the same ambitions, but with differents qualities and capacities. We make a great duo of wedding photographers.