Two of our local wedding photographers made the top 10 list in American Photo Magazine. I've had the privilege to work with these two amazing photographers and I can tell you that I'm not at all surprised that they made the list. These two photographers might have different styles but what they have in common is that they love-love-love their art, they have amazing reputations but they are real humble about it, and they enjoy every minute of each wedding! It is nice to see them recognized for their passion. Congratulation Señor Ben & Dearest Gene!! I'm so proud of you!
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BEN CHRISMAN ::
Location: San Francisco Website: benchrisman.com
Ben Chrisman's offbeat style has attracted a clientele that is exactly like him -- young, successful, and a "little odd," he says. Early in his photographic career, Chrisman aspired to be a war photographer. That idea never worked out, and he grudgingly began thinking about shooting weddings. "I got into wedding photography not liking wedding photographers, thinking they were pretty lame," he says. "So I decided to do the opposite of everything they did. I only shoot what I would want to see myself." His dedication to photographing nuptials with a witty eye for detail (a groom taking a smoke break in a parking lot while his decked-out bride sits on a parking barrier) has attracted a steady stream of "charismatic, energetic" clients from all over the United States. "Sometimes I have to convince my clients to do the traditional portraits because I know their parents would get mad at me if I didn't take those shots," he says. Often, his connection with a bride and groom outlasts the wedding day. One couple he photographed ended up inviting him to their home for Thanksgiving years later. "I get to meet really interesting people on the happiest day of their lives," he says. "And they look fantastic."
:: GENE HIGA ::
Location: San Francisco
Website: genehiga.net
Gene Higa had been shooting weddings in the San Francisco Bay Area for several years when he realized that there was a niche in the field that nobody else was filling. "Photographers would say 'available for destination weddings' but no one was really doing it," he says. "No one was focusing on this kind of work in a major way." Higa quickly moved to fill the gap. "Every destination wedding we've done, it's been published," he says, as he rattles off the countries "hanging" on his office wall. Most recently, one of his photos was both featured on the cover and inside the Destination Weddings "World Wide Guide." His new focus has taken him to Mexico, Italy, India, the Philippines, Greece, Peru, Thailand, Spain, Barbados, and Jamaica -- "locations that no one else in our industry has," he says. Paradoxically, this focus on exotic locales has simultaneously raised Higa's "perceived value" in his base city, San Francisco, where he shoots about 30 weddings a year. Higa brings his own stylistic touches to the job, as well. Whereas most photographers take a plethora of shots of the blushing bride, Higa likes to focus on the groom. "I always try to get the cool groom shot. I try to work on the opposite of what everyone else is doing," he says. Higa's Website features a number of strong, solo portraits of grooms alongside his work motto, "Dare to be different." All promotion strategies aside, however, Higa is in the industry because he loves it. "I'm made for this business. I'm very sentimental, I love the art, the dresses; I love every aspect of it. I love the parties, I love the details, I love the client interaction," he says. "I found my calling."
Read the article about the Top 10 Wedding Photographer 2008.
Article and photographers profiles by Lindsay Sakraida
::
BEN CHRISMAN ::Location: San Francisco Website: benchrisman.com
Ben Chrisman's offbeat style has attracted a clientele that is exactly like him -- young, successful, and a "little odd," he says. Early in his photographic career, Chrisman aspired to be a war photographer. That idea never worked out, and he grudgingly began thinking about shooting weddings. "I got into wedding photography not liking wedding photographers, thinking they were pretty lame," he says. "So I decided to do the opposite of everything they did. I only shoot what I would want to see myself." His dedication to photographing nuptials with a witty eye for detail (a groom taking a smoke break in a parking lot while his decked-out bride sits on a parking barrier) has attracted a steady stream of "charismatic, energetic" clients from all over the United States. "Sometimes I have to convince my clients to do the traditional portraits because I know their parents would get mad at me if I didn't take those shots," he says. Often, his connection with a bride and groom outlasts the wedding day. One couple he photographed ended up inviting him to their home for Thanksgiving years later. "I get to meet really interesting people on the happiest day of their lives," he says. "And they look fantastic."
:: GENE HIGA ::Location: San Francisco
Website: genehiga.net
Gene Higa had been shooting weddings in the San Francisco Bay Area for several years when he realized that there was a niche in the field that nobody else was filling. "Photographers would say 'available for destination weddings' but no one was really doing it," he says. "No one was focusing on this kind of work in a major way." Higa quickly moved to fill the gap. "Every destination wedding we've done, it's been published," he says, as he rattles off the countries "hanging" on his office wall. Most recently, one of his photos was both featured on the cover and inside the Destination Weddings "World Wide Guide." His new focus has taken him to Mexico, Italy, India, the Philippines, Greece, Peru, Thailand, Spain, Barbados, and Jamaica -- "locations that no one else in our industry has," he says. Paradoxically, this focus on exotic locales has simultaneously raised Higa's "perceived value" in his base city, San Francisco, where he shoots about 30 weddings a year. Higa brings his own stylistic touches to the job, as well. Whereas most photographers take a plethora of shots of the blushing bride, Higa likes to focus on the groom. "I always try to get the cool groom shot. I try to work on the opposite of what everyone else is doing," he says. Higa's Website features a number of strong, solo portraits of grooms alongside his work motto, "Dare to be different." All promotion strategies aside, however, Higa is in the industry because he loves it. "I'm made for this business. I'm very sentimental, I love the art, the dresses; I love every aspect of it. I love the parties, I love the details, I love the client interaction," he says. "I found my calling."
Read the article about the Top 10 Wedding Photographer 2008.
Article and photographers profiles by Lindsay Sakraida
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