This will be a long one, everyone!

Hello, I’m Lindsay, and I am the owner of Luxe By Lindsay Photography. I’d like to get to know you! But first, I’d like for you to get to know me. Of course, if we work together, you’ll get to know me on a professional and personal level, but I want you to know who I am and why I do what I do.

Here’s Some Background Info!

I grew up in different parts of Metro New York. I became interested in photography in high school, after my sister took her first photography class. Yes, that’s right – my interest began with my sister. I saw that she was photographing what interested her, no matter the content. She had an outlet to express herself creatively, and I loved that and wanted that outlet, too. I jumped aboard the photography elective class train as soon as I had the chance.

I absolutely fell in love. Although it wasn’t THAT long ago, photography class involved learning with 35mm film cameras. We were taught to understand the camera and exposure perfectly, taking photos based on lessons in composition or content (to develop our creative vision) on film, and then developing the black and white negatives and prints in the darkroom. I stuck with it through college. Even though in school we weren’t taught about how to make a career in photography or art, I knew it was the only thing I’d ever want to do.

After college, I went to further my knowledge of photography and business, and that is where my interest in weddings began. I worked as an assistant as soon as I finished my studies. I gained firsthand experience of how wedding days play out, how the photographer interacts with everyone involved, and also how they use their expertise to create beautiful images. From there, I became a second photographer and photo editor. I also started to take on my first few weddings for my own business. I began to appreciate that although some of the weddings took place at the same locations, each one was different in its own right. All couples are unique, and they each bring pieces of themselves to share with their families and friends.

Living in New York City, you get to see and work with a wide variety of people, especially on their wedding day. Not everyone wants a traditional wedding, though whatever the type of wedding, they’re all heartwarming and amazing.  You work with a variety of people – from different backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles, and walks of life. I loved working with and for all different types of people, learning about them all along the way. I have definitely broadened my view of everything, and gained an appreciation for diversity, and even a heightened appreciation for love, joy, and celebration. I love that lately I’m noticing that more and more couples (and people in general) are so open to authenticity – being true to yourself is something I believe in SO, SO much, and it is very important for me to convey that in the photos I make. This is why I “tell your story.” I’m not just photographing everything as it happens, I’m photographing a piece of you and your lives together. It truly drives and amazes me every day.

Now that my husband and I moved to Charleston, I’m so excited to meet even more wonderful couples that trust me to capture their memories. This move has given me an opportunity to travel to provide these memories to couples all along the east coast, and perhaps even further in the years to come! I absolutely love living and working here so far. I’m so excited to see what this new adventure brings!

My Style and How I Work.

It’s important to delve into this topic a bit. When you hire a professional in any field, you want to make sure that they have the knowledge and experience necessary to complete the task at hand. In creative fields, the knowledge and expertise may be the same or similar from person to person, but getting from point A to point B may be a different story. The resulting product may also differ greatly from pro to pro.

There are many ways to photograph (and edit) a wedding. If the photographer is a professional and has the technical ability and creative eye for it, there really isn’t a wrong way. What matters most is the client’s vision and their perception of the end result. Some photographers are very conventional and straightforward – yes they’ll photograph the important parts of the day and capture moments for you, but your portraits, for instance, may be posed traditionally. They may put you in poses and have you smile at the camera a lot. They may tell you what to do or where to stand during certain events of the day, and help stage the wedding. Others may be pure photojournalists – a fly on the wall, if you will – staying at a distance for most of the day, capturing the events of the day as it flows naturally, and not interfering in any way. Others may be a hybrid of the two, while others may be something else completely.

I like to say that I’m a blend of a photojournalist, classic photographer, and artist. Though I do not want to stage the day and tell you what to do and when, I will pose and guide your portraits. However, I also want to capture your essence and the moments that occur throughout your wedding day. I am NOT a fly on the wall – I don’t leave everyone to their own devices – even if you have a planner or coordinator present, you will need direction at least once during the day. I also love to keep things fun, fresh, and modern. I like to use different techniques, and keep the creative juices flowing. To do this, there may be a new lighting technique I’ve recently mastered, different compositional elements, or even incorporating the environment into the photos in new ways.

After the wedding day, your photographer will edit the photos to attain the final result. There are editing styles that are trendy right now, and also some that are timeless classics. There are also styles that are complete works of art and imagination.

When I think about editing photos for the final result, I think about how I saw the moment when I took the photo and how the photos will be viewed for a lifetime. Although some trendy styles and ways of editing are gorgeous, they may begin to look dated a few years down the road. I strive for a true to life edit, where the colors and lighting are how I’ve seen them on the wedding day. If I’m going for something creative, I may do that with the lighting I have on me, or how the natural light is affecting the setting, or something else I can do with my camera and lighting equipment alone. Again, I strive for authenticity. I do edit certain photos in black and white, as sometimes black and white brings out emotion in certain photos. I always provide the color version of these photos, as well.

So, that is pretty much my shooting and editing style! The main takeaway from this is, again, authenticity. I want to portray you as the people you are. I want to showcase the love you and your other half have for each other, and the love you both have for your friends and family. I also want to capture the awesome time everyone is having while celebrating YOU.

My Upcoming Posts

Besides sharing photos with you, I want to be able to share my knowledge, so that planning for your engagement session, wedding day, portrait session, or any other type of photographic endeavor becomes less stressful. I hope these posts leave you feeling less stressed, more insightful, and spark some creative ideas. Most of all, I hope they speak to you, and that you enjoy them!