Why choose San Francisco Bay Area Wedding Photographer Heather Elizabeth?

Let’s be honest, the San Francisco Bay area photographer market right now is loaded with wedding photographers. 1 out of 10 people will probably tell you that they are a wedding photographer. While most of these wedding photographers may have some raw, beautiful talent at a very appealing price, it’s important to remember that there is a whole lot more to your photographer than pretty pictures.

So why should you choose me as your wedding photographer? How am I different from the endless sea of photographers out there?

MY PHILOSOPHY

“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.” – Annie Leibovitz 

I read this quote years ago and it always resonated with me. In fact it resonated so much that it made me re-think how I approach weddings and portraits. No longer was I just concerned with pretty light and composition, but the connection as well. The photographs you see on my site are from not shutting the door to friendship with these people. Through connection I am able to let them fully let their walls down, and help them trust me to document their wedding day. Authenticity is what makes a portrait. It is the single most important thing, and as a photographer who is a mixture of Artistic, editorial and photo journalistic styles I believe that if I didn’t have this key component I wouldn’t be able to deliver the images that I do.

At the end of the day I am an artist who is in love with creating beautiful things. Beautiful things with a personal meaning. Honest, beautiful things.

A STYLE THAT AVOIDS TRENDS

Trends come and go. And while sometimes it is great to have the latest trend in your fashion or hairstyle… your wedding photos should always stay relevant. Remember when your parents had soft focus on all of their wedding images? And I am sure you remember when it was the hip thing to turn the whole image black and white with just one thing in color. In the movie Sin City that was awesome… your wedding photos however, not so much!

I pride myself on having a timeless style. I keep to a very simple style of post processing to make your images not feel dated when you are looking through your images 20 years from now wishing you hadn’t had all of your photographs with a “hip” filter. Your photographs are meant to tell the story of the two of you, not what was hip in the photography community at the time. Your wedding album will be a collection of storytelling images that will stand the test of time.

YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

I’ll be honest, it’s hard to not be tempted by the cheaper options out there because they do have that pretty back lit work on their website. The reality of the situation is that digital cameras are easy to get a hold of. Presets are available. People can hit one click and get a decent photo. There is no denying that.

That is fine for a quick family shoot. It’s fine for some controlled pretty headshots. But this is your wedding day. Your photographer gets one shot at this.

I have been privileged to photograph over 150 weddings since I started my career. I have lived, breathed, and experienced every kind of wedding you can imagine. A random downpour of rain what wasn’t scheduled on your wedding day? I’ve dealt with it and I created stunning images. What happens when your schedule gets completely messed up and you are down to a very limited time for portraits? We make it happen, shuffle things around, and we make it work.

Your wedding day should be a joy. You should be living in the moment with your heart beating from excitement. As a professional photographer with extensive wedding experience I take on the stress of making the day go smoothly. The chaos is something I am familiar with, know how to deal with, and can make magic happen with my camera despite anything that might go wrong. I have photographed bride and grooms that are terrified of the camera, but with my coaching and their experience with me are able to let loose in front of the camera and be amazed at how they look in their final galleries. I have helped my couples deal with their difficult family members so that they can really take a breather. From my years of experience in front of the camera from modeling, as well as behind the camera since I was 17, I can fully tell you “It’s not my first Rodeo, I got this”.

Know what else is awesome about being an experienced wedding photographer? I’ve been grinding out this gift since I was 17 years old. That means if you get married in a ballroom, I know how to use artificial lighting to still make dynamic images. That means if you get married in the Winter when the sun is down by 4:30pm that we still have potential for beautiful images. My studio and editorial background have prepared me for every lighting situation that I might be stuck with on a wedding day.

I AM WILLING TO BE SLIGHTLY CRAZY FOR THE RIGHT SHOT

At least I am honest about it, right? I think it takes a little bit of crazy to be a great artist. I wear cowboy boots and all black with my hair up because I generally know at some point of a shoot I will be inspired to crawl in mud, climb up a very questionable rock, hang off the side of a building, or hang out of a car going 30MPH to catch a classic Chevy Belair drive across the San Francisco Bay Bridge. My clients love about how I can get incredibly passionate about what I am photographing and even sometimes do a little dance of excitement. Passion creates the greatest art.

(No Heathers were harmed in the taking of any of these photos, but her hair might have gotten completely trashed.)

I’M PART OF AN ARTISTIC COMMUNITY

Being an experienced San Francisco Bay Area Wedding photographer doesn’t happen overnight. It also doesn’t happen solo. It happens because I am so close to a community of incredible talent that really helps each other.  I learn from these artists. I get advice from these artists. These incredible talents come and second shoot for me and I can trust them in case of an emergency. It goes right back to them – I will be there for them. I’ve covered weddings for sick photographers, I’ve been able to refer my couples to other incredible vendors to help them with their big day. It’s an honor to be able to help new photographers who have heard of me and want advice on how to better their craft.

I am so blessed so say that I have some really talented friends in the industry. I am also blessed to say we all have each other’s backs. I really have a long Christmas card list, is what I am saying.

I NEVER STOP LEARNING

Every year trends change, technology changes, new methods come out. Or perhaps there’s just methods I haven’t learned yet. Part of my service to my couples is truly being able to deliver when I say I have the experience and knowledge to take on any wedding. Hours, dollars, and dedication go into workshops, classes, and books to better myself as a photographer and business woman.  There is never enough knowledge. I will never be done learning, and it is that acceptance that truly makes the best artists. We are always evolving and always striving for better.

At the end of the day, you have gone through your life and it has brought you here to this moment. Both of your lives have their stories that have intertwined and brought you to this place of dedicating yourselves to each other. This moment doesn’t happen multiple times. Photography doesn’t get put in the closet after the big day. Photography doesn’t wash out of your hair in the shower. Photography doesn’t go in the washing machine with the wedding china. Your wedding photography album will be in the hands of your children so that they can be a part of your story. It’s there for you when you want to ring each other’s necks and you can look at the images and be reminded of why you came together in the first place.

Photography isn’t just an item on your wedding day. It’s an investment that you will truly treasure more and more as each year passes. Pick a quality photographer, because you deserve to have your story be told.