You should. Boston’s a great place to have a wedding.
My friend Julia should know — she is a wedding photographer recently featured on Boston Wedding Planner:
A Photographer’s Profile
Pictures of Feelings: Julia Zhogina of Boston
“Dear Julia,
I can’t take my eyes off the pictures…”
What makes Julia Zhogina one of the favorite wedding photographers in Boston is a sense of style balanced by a sense of humor and a journalistic timing.
The Classic
Taking sometimes upwards of a thousand snapshots before and during the ceremony and reception, Julia hits all of the major accents: putting the finishing touches on the bride, fixing the boutonnieres, the dainty circle of bridesmaids and the rowdy gang of groomsmen. Walking down the aisle, the vows, the kiss, the cake, the dance, the proud grandmother and the angelic flower girl. After all, we want to experience the classic wedding moments for ourselves and share them with friends.
The One-of-a-Kind
But she is also there for the peculiar, casual, intimate, and unrehearsed. A burst of laughter at the groom’s slip of the tongue. A thoughtful father holding an umbrella over the bride who got caught in the rain. An ecstatic ring bearer counting the money he has earned on the dance floor. Old friends catching up. Newlyweds taking in the moment. A tired guest dancing her last dance, high heels dangling from her hand over her partner’s shoulder.
Angle and Moment
Being there is not enough. Focusing the camera at just the right angle at the right moment makes the difference between capturing the whole story and letting a treasured memory slip away.
“I take a lot pictures and I delete a lot,” Julia confesses to the Boston Wedding Planner. The result is an almost cinematic sequence of high points from which Julia extracts the one that thrills the heart and captivates the eye for generations past and future. To grace the wall of your family room or your Facebook page – wherever you spend your best time.
Art and Science
Julia studied drawing, color, and composition at the prestigious Rabints Art School in Moscow. Later, when she enrolled in the New England School of Photography, painting, especially turn of the last century portraiture and landscapes (Korovin, Modigliani), influenced Julia’s artistic style.
Why photography? “It’s creativity and science,” she explains. The creative touch begins at the tripod, but it doesn’t stop there. For every hour of taking pictures, Julia spends another hour cutting and finishing her photos.
The Candid Shot
Julia is the is the master and the hopeless slave of the candid shot. Her quest for the essence of people and places has taken her to every part of the world. Whether roaming the Afghani countryside or stationing herself just outside the wedding cake at the Taj ballroom, she prefers that her subjects forget she is there.
However, a wedding is not without its posed photos. “It’s easy to photograph someone who is comfortable showing her feelings,” says Julia. But even when smiles freeze and shoulders tense, Julia has a way of bringing out the genuine character of the occasion. “I make small talk,” she says. “I ask questions. Often, I just ask them how they feel – and suddenly they are no longer camera-shy. Tears, laughter, tenderness, excitement – the picture comes alive!”
Being Part of the Family
What attracts Julia, an accomplished artist, to weddings and bar-mitzvahs? “I enjoy feeling like part of the family for a day,” she says. ‘There is always an older relative eager to share a story or two. People are in a sociable mood. It’s fun to get swept into the emotion.”
To prepare for the wedding, Julia asks questions about the families and learns the names of the wedding party. For starters, she learns who should (or shouldn’t) be in the same photo with whom. But also – where to put the accents. Do the bride and groom love to dance or do they both feel like they have two left feet? Do guests want to pose for portraits or do they prefer to be surprised?
“Something Old, Something New…”
Wedding is a traditional business – for the most part. Nonetheless, Boston Wedding Planner asked Julia if she noticed any changes or trends coming up in the ten years she has been photographing weddings.
Strapless dresses still rule the aisle, says Julia. But be careful that your dress has something to hold on to – she has seen more than one dress give new meaning to the words “blushing bride.”
Cupcakes started appearing at weddings and bat-mitzvahs in place of the Cake. (What is it with Boston and cupcakes?)
The newest décor trend? Lighting. Many floral shops now offer full event design including lighting. Lighting makes a great addition to the atmosphere of the room, according to Julia. And a life-saver for the after-dark photos.
Can’t afford the all-out event design? “Just be sure to hire a great DJ,” is Julia’s final piece of advice to Boston Wedding Planner. “There’s nothing like a dancing crowd to make a wedding feel like one.”
The Love Story
The perennial love story now comes in a twenty-first century flavor.
“I used to hear volumes about how the couple met,” says Julia. “Now half of the time it’s down to two words: on-line.”
But even if the Internet has “streamlined” the first meeting, what happens afterwards makes a unique and inspiring story.
Julia’s favorite wedding moments usually come with the toasts. Family and friends usually have great things to say about the bride and the groom and their feelings for each other. The emotion in the room can be overwhelming. She recalls a time when the groom got up to make a speech, looked at the bride, and then just said with an expression that defies transcription:
“I love you so much…”
Olga Taylor for Boston Wedding Planner
August 1, 2011
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