As an avid (but distinctly amateur) photographer myself, I still get very frustrated with my SLR – why can’t my camera take the photos I see in my head? I am particularly inspired by photographers who make it look effortless and clearly have such a rapport with their subjects that the results seem totally natural and relaxed.
On this note, I’m going to start my regular PHOTO FRIDAY post with one such talented professional – Julie Comfort, founder of Comfort Studios wedding photography - a previous client of mine and an awesome lady. I first came across Julie’s work when she contacted me to do some branding for her site and soon realised we shared a mutual admiration. I was so impressed by her pictures that I wanted to get married all over again just so she could document the day. Ok, maybe another wedding would be a bit dramatic (and expensive!) but still…
Based in the beautiful Costa Rica, not only has she cornered the market on her home turf, but Julie travels all over the world photographing people and building her impressive wedding photography business. Luckily for Jackie Magpie, she agreed to take time out from her hectic schedule to answer a few questions. Thanks Julie!
Read the interview with Julie after the break here.
Have you always been a wedding photographer? What other jobs have you had?
Before becoming a wedding photographer three years ago I worked as a bartender, custom framer, photo retoucher, web designer, glassblower, office manager for a jewelry company, and for a while a display artist for new store openings of Urban Outfitters. But I was always making art and I always knew I would be an entrepreneur.
What drew you to Costa Rica to live?
Honestly, I wanted to be a beach bum.
Your focus is wedding photography – Do you have favourite brides?!
Ha, I probably shouldn’t say so, but yes. Having a personal connection with the couple always makes the experience of shooting their wedding more special for me and I’m blessed to count some brides among my closest friends. I’ve also had a few brides who just had amazing style, which makes for great pictures. But for me, the most important thing is having a connection. Warmth and personality go a long way.
So many of your photos seem very relaxed and intimate. How do you get your subjects’ trust and make them look so at-ease while being photographed?
Thank you for saying so. I really appreciate hearing that, because that’s my goal. Bad jokes are good ice breakers and get couples to laugh or smile naturally and in this case my social awkwardness is an asset because I’m the opposite of intimidating. I also give the couples something to do, like try to embarrass each other, so they’re not just standing there posing with fake smiles. But I’m probably giving myself too much credit. In general, once the ceremony is over, being relaxed and happy comes pretty naturally.
Does it ever go wrong?
Yes, though so far not spectacularly so. I’ve witnessed some disasters, but in every case the love and excitement of the day ended up overshadowing any calamity. In Central America you have to be prepared for some things to go wrong. I shot a beach ceremony in a torrential downpour, a wedding during a blackout, thwarted a raccoon from eating the wedding cake, and of course lots of vendors running late or not showing up. Nothing totally catastrophic, though.
Aside from weddings, what is your favourite subject to photograph?
Lately: portraits of people in their homes or studios, just hanging out together, being rather ordinary and normal. I like the idea of documenting the mundane with as much attention to detail as the spectacular (i.e. weddings). It is the day-to-day minutiae that really makes us who we are; the stuff we have collected, the ways we show affection to our loved ones, how we choose to spend our time. I also love to document my travels, in particular the little details that make a place different but are also sort of ordinary, like how their pay phones are designed, the typography on their Coke cans, or some weird street food you can only find in that particular city. Stuff like that.
What were the main highs and lows of setting up your own business?
Highs:
• Getting paid to do something I love and that never feels like work
• Having clients who are in the midst of the happiest times of their lives
• Being in control of my own destiny
• Not having a boss, making my own hours, and having a lot of control over how I spend my time (i.e. getting to be a beach bum)
• Lots of travel, which I love
Lows:
• The stress of being responsible for the success of the business, especially with several people relying on that
• The near impossibility of being able to shut out work. It’s way more than a full time job.
• Taxes and bookkeeping (yawn)
What are your hopes and plans for the future?
I haven’t really told anyone this yet, but I am starting a new photography brand which I hope to launch by the end of the year, focusing on a slightly edgier approach to weddings and portraits, as well as the day-in-the-life type shoots I mentioned earlier. I also want to get back to photographs as precious physical objects, not just digital assets. I’m shooting more film and focusing more on the deliverables, like prints and a custom designed and crafted book, as well as branching out into new, more diverse markets. I also want to dedicate more time to the pursuit of leisure; reading in hammocks, drinking from coconuts, and maybe some stand up paddle boarding when I’m feeling ambitious.
