monica
hemenway
faq
FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOUR QUESTION ISN'T ANSWERED HERE.
what is your approach?
when shooting weddings I don't think anyone can be one thing, we have to be all the things. documentarian, family wrangler, candid street photographer, high fashion, macro, details...That's what I love about weddings. i try my best to be a fly on the wall when it is called for and when it is my time to take control, I do THAT TOO. i AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE TIME AND KEEPING ON TRACK. ALL VENDORS NEED TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THINGS TO RUN SMOOTHLY SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY. i would love nothing more than to monopolize all of your time but instead I work fast so you can get back to your day. i will direct you WITH FORMAL POSES AND GIVE YOU PROMPTS FOR MORE ARTISTIC, ROMANTIC IMAGES. THOSE ARE THE ONES YOU WILL CHERISH THE MOST. I show true love, connection and movement in my images.
When I first started out and was a second shooter, I worked with a few photographers that were super meticulous about posing and would devote a lot of time on composing one static image. I assumed I had to do that too. I couldn't! I work fast, I like movement and fluidity. I don't think you should waste that much time on one rigid photo, wedding days go by fast enough as it is. I will make adjustments with poses or if there is a clothing malfunction but that is not always my main focus. I like realness.
how many weddings have you shot?
i have NO IDEA! i GUESS i SHOULD'VE KEPT TRACK. I WOULD SAY IT IS MORE THAN 100 AND LESS THAN 200. i HAVE BEEN PHOTOGRAPHING WEDDINGS SINCE 2014 AND TAKING PHOTOS MOST OF MY LIFE.
WHAT IS THE GALLERY TURNAROUND TIME?
WEDDINGS TAKE 6 WEEKS OR LESS, SNEAK PEEK WITHIN 48 HOURS.
ALL OTHER SESSIONS ARE DELIVERED IN 2 WEEKS
DO YOU RECOMMEND A 2ND PHOTOGRAPHER?
IF THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT NEED TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED AND ARE SEPERATED BY A BIG DISTANCE THAN MAYBE CONSIDER IT. SECOND SHOOTERS ARE $200/HOUR MIN. 3 HOURS. I AM FINE WORKING ALONE, THAT BEING SAID I MAY HAVE JUST JINXED MYSELF.....
WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?
I mesh well with chill couples who know things don't always go as planned but their main goal is to celebrate their love and have fun with friends and family. bonus points if you are weirdos, dorks, neurodivergent, counter-culture, or artists! MY FAMILY HAS A SMALL BUSINESS AND I GREW UP IN THAT ENVIROMENT. WE ARE HELPERS NOT SALESPEOPLE. I go out of the way to make sure you are happy. i KNOW YOUR PHOTOS WILL BE CHERISHED NOT ONLY BY YOU BUT BY GENERATIONS TO COME. I HAVE MY GRANDPARENT'S WEDDING PHOTO ON MY WALL.
DESCRIBE YOUR EDITING STYLE
I CAN'T EXACTLY SAY I AM TRUE TO LIFE BEAUSE I SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME EDITING....THE CAMERA IS NOT THE SAME AS THE HUMAN EYe SO I TRY TO ADJUST. MODERN TERMS TRY TO FIT PHOTOGRAPHERS IN A BOX: LIGHT & AIRY, DARK & MOODY, DOCUMENTARY....IF IT'S OVERCAST I WILL REJOICE AND PLAY UP THE SHADOWS, IF IT'S SUNNY THEN IT'S GOING TO BE LIGHT AND AIRY. I AM NOT TRYING TO BATTLE NATURE. I AM ALSO NOT GOING TO Give you overly edited colors to match the trends of the day. I REMOVE RANDOM STUFF FROM THE BACKGROUND EVEN IF IT'S A PHOTO YOU WILL NEVER PUT IN AN ALBUM. STRAIGHT LINES ARE ANOTHER THING I STRIVE FOR! I love contrast and shadows, as well as, vivid colors.
WHAT THE HECK IS A FRESH 48?
THAT TERM REFERS TO A BABY BORN WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE PHOTOS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXACT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE IN THE nicu OR MOM HAD A C-section. IT TAKES PLACE IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM AND CAN INCORPORATE THE ROOM AND THE BASINETTE, SIBLINGS, PARENTS. BABIES CHANGE SO MUCH OVER THE COURSE OF EVEN 2 WEEKS. some parents want a record of these days, they are often a blur to them.
WHAT CREATIVE GENIUS CAN YOU MOST RELATE TO?
wELL, IF I HAVE TO COMPARE MYSELF TO SOMEONE, I'D SAY dAVID bYRNE. hE IS OLD AS HELL BUT STILL RELEVANT AND HIS AGE BRINGS EXPERIENCE. hE THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX BUT ISN'T TOTALLY OUT THERE.
WILL YOU CRY AT MY WEDDING?
IT'S NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. SPEECHES ARE A BIGGIE AND SO ARE THE DANCES. IF YOU DANCE WITH A PARENT TO "ISN'T SHE LOVELY" BY STEVIE WONDER OR "WILDFLOWERS" BY TOM PETTY THAN IT'S ALMOST GUARANTEEED.