Maureen Del Vries,
Professional Photographer
Khaleesi (Senior Manager) of Precious Pics
Incredible woman
Hi! I'm Maureen!
I joined Precious Pics just when the pandemic started, so you could say in crazy times!
I went through all stages of exploring the company within, and am currently working as a Senior Manager.
While with Precious Pics, we refined the workflow, organization, and our Creative Team Performance. When I'm not busy, you can find me taking photos, investigating and learning a new way to grow as a photographer, hitting early-morning CrossFit work out or having a lazy day all cuddled up with my dog (you can see her in my photo, I think she's the cutest dog ever, but so does every dog owner with their own dog!).
We are soooo excited to introduce Ms. De Vries to you! Maureen is the lady of knowledge, beauty, kindness, art, and structure in our Precious Pics family. Featured on: 📸 Fearless Photographers 📸Worlds Best Wedding Photos
We'll be sharing the interview along with Maureen's TOP 10 WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHS SELECTION
done by PRECIOUS PICS shooters.
~ Maureen, what inspires you most in wedding photography?
My inspiration comes from several things… 1. The couple - each couple is unique and it's all about capturing their personality! 2. The venue and surroundings. 3. Other photographers. There isn't just 1 thing I can pin it down to, I truly enjoy how everything is linked together.
~Why Precious Pics?
There are several reasons actually! First, when booking you get the help of a Wedding Consultant. I cannot stress enough how useful this is! They are very honest when it comes to your timeline and will always advise if more time is needed or even if you have too much time. My suggestion? Take their advice! Remember that they do this every day and there is a reason why they share this with you. The worst thing that can happen on your wedding day is feeling stressed or rushed! It shows on your face and therefore it will show. The second reason is because of the backup team that is offered. Personally, I think the worst thing that can happen is to have your photographer cancel on you and having to look for a replacement just weeks before the wedding.
Too often couples reach out, truly upset and stressed, as their originally booked photographer had an accident, got pregnant (it´s a reality!), or in all honesty: got a better deal.😢 Having to look for a replacement yourself adds extra stress, often the photographers that you prefer are already booked and on top of that, it will likely cost you a lot more!
~ What are the most common mistakes in planning that affect the final product?
Unfortunately, this is something that happens at most weddings and it's time…
Too often do I see a couple with a timeline that is somewhat tight.
The reality of weddings is that no wedding ever runs according to the timeline.
Some have short delays, some have long delays starting from getting ready and to make up for the delays, other moments get cut short.
And it's a shame, as 9 out of 10 times, the time to take family photos or just photos of the newlyweds gets cut short, taking away that precious time that the photographer has to really get creative.
You'll still get great shots, but I can guarantee that you're missing out on some even more amazing photos.
~What trends should we expect in 2022 from wedding photography and videography?
With the trend on weddings still continuing with smaller weddings or even elopements, earthy colors are the trend and vintage design is up and coming, I think we will see this even in photography and videography.
A natural feel is what couples are looking for.
Nothing too over-edited, nothing too crazy when it comes to “filters” or color enhancement.
Romantic, intimate, and above anything else: candid!
Nothing should seem to be staged, that candid natural feel is the most important aspect couples are looking for.
~Where to find inspiration?
Many things set the tone:
- the style of your dress,
- your color palette,
- choice of flowers really does speak volumes about your style and inspiration.
Pinterest is a great source of inspiration and as you can pin it, it's easy to keep close and refer back to! 📌Maureen's Inspiration Pinterest Board 📌
Bridal magazines are great, but 9 out of 10 times you are looking at models, staged shoots, and not real weddings. And it's important to be real.
When looking at images, ask yourself: is this similar to my venue? Does this go with my color palette? Does this portray me?
Too often do we see references that are far from reality or that simply aren't in keeping with what you have planned for. And I get it - often a picture looks great because of the venue, or because of the dress or the beauty of the bride/couple, but to a certain extent you have to be objective and think: I love this picture, but why do I love it?
~ How to pick the best editing style for the wedding album? What’s the difference between editing and retouching?
Personally, I think some reference is always great, but you get booked because of what you show in your portfolio/website. You wouldn't book a photographer who specializes in dark and moody if you're looking for bright and airy photos and vice versa.
💡 "The best reference you
can give is the portfolio of photographers"
~
~ How to set a communication with photo & video vendors to get a fantastic result?
Personally, I like to get to know the couple's story.
How long have you been together? How did you meet? What was the proposal like? What's your favorite thing to do on a day off? What do you love about your partner? Photos and videos tell a story.
It's not about documenting what happens on the day. And guess what? Whilst you're talking about who you are as an individual and as a couple, what you do on a day off, etc - you'll probably find something that you and your photographer/videographer have in common.
🔮And this is where the magic happens. 🔮
Having something in common is such a great tool to relate to someone and therefore you'll feel much more comfortable. Of course, you should also talk about your Big Day, your hopes and expectations, your timeline, and other details that are important to you. But too often do we forget about the “human” side of communication.
~ How to feel comfortable in front of any shooter?
Hop on a call before your wedding day, do a Zoom meeting so you can actually see each other and get to know each other - it's the best thing you'll ever do!
Some moments during the getting ready or photo session might trigger something that you talked about during that call previous to the wedding day, making it so easy to pick up a conversation again and it will feel like your shooter was meant to be there. You don't want to be strangers!
~ Guidance vs Silent documenting?
Every shooter should give guidance to a certain extend.
What we see through the lens can only be seen by us, so it's up to us to move if the angle isn't quite right, but also give instructions such as:
~when to relax your shoulders, move your chin up a little, or just say something completely silly to get a laugh and catch a more natural moment~
Even the more “natural” photos during the photo session will have some guidance, which is only normal to get the best outcome.
And of course, there are other moments, such as during the ceremony and reception (think dances, speeches), where the shooter should blend into the background, so everyone can enjoy the moment.
~How to get the best deals with a limited budget?
Prioritize
This maybe sounds a little silly, but there is a reason. Let's say you are looking for both photo and video, but when looking for potential vendors, you notice that you´re not quite there when it comes to the budget.
You'll have two options: 1. Create a bigger budget (and let's be honest, this is not always that easy) 2. Prioritize. If you had to choose - what is more important?
🗝 Ask yourself: with what is available to me, do I prefer to have photography only and for my pictures to be amazing, or do I prefer to have both and have an average outcome?
In 10 years' time, you will no longer have your flowers, decor, or your venue. But you will have the photos and videos to look back on this amazing day. Create a budget that goes hand in hand with the importance of each item.
💐Check if any special offers are available for your date here💐
~If it was your wedding, how would you plan it?
I would pick my venue first! I think this sets the mood, you'll have an exact date and can really pin down other services from there. Then the dress (just because some can take a long time to arrive and you have to take into consideration alternations too!), followed by invitations and photo and video. I'm very organized so I would probably have a checklist, so I know what I've done, what I still need to do and probably have a huge spreadsheet with all information about vendors, pricing, etc. I'm one of those people who would have everything done well in advance, as I hate to deal with the last-minute stress of still looking for things!