Many couples get engaged between Christmas and Valentine’s Day. One of the first things brides-to-be start to do is investigate wedding vendors that can help them on their wedding day. As this busy engagement time is quickly approaching, I am pleased to introduce you to Jose Robertson of Sunmanco Photography & Art. I love his style and creativity. He makes taking your wedding pictures fun! I recently had the opportunity to interview Jose and I am pleased to share this conversation with you.

Hi Jose. I am so happy to share your story with my brides. Why don’t you start by telling them a little about yourself.
Hi Judy, thanks for asking. I am the proud father of two wonderful teenagers and the husband to the best person in the whole wide world. I’ve always had an interest in photography but it wasn’t until last decade, that I began a serious study of photography beginning with a photography course and earning a photography degree. I have also taken numerous workshops with the best wedding photographers and artists in the world. Now I am a published and international award-winning photographer.

How do you identify your primary photographic style?
That’s a great question, Judy. Most brides have trouble putting what they want into words, but they know what they want when they see images from other people’s weddings. I always suggest they look at my website where they will see that I have been classically trained and have incorporated modern elements into the classical style. So, I would say that my style is classically modern.

Please describe any special techniques you like to use.
I like to shoot from different angles. What this provides are images that are not your standard wedding package images. If you think about it, you usually only see wedding photographers standing up to take pictures. That provides for only one angle of an image. I like to shoot from the floor, above my head and at an angle so I can provide the bride with many wonderfully classically composed and interesting images of their special day capturing multiple points of view. Each wedding is different therefore each wedding album is different, too.

How does lighting figure into your technique?
Photography has often been described as “painting with light.” Light will make or break an image so, of course, lighting techniques are extremely important in producing savory wedding images. One of the benefits of my classical training is I understand how to play with light when creating an image. That’s one of the reasons why my brides always love the images I take of them.

Do you have a media preference? Digital vs. film?
I began shooting as a child with film cameras. In fact, my first camera was a Kodak Instamatic 100. However, as times progress so must the artist. I now shoot digital. It provides more options during post processing while at the same time using digital allows me to minimize the investment required by the bride.

How many photographers do you work with?
I am very capable of shooting an entire wedding by myself. However, I often bring my wife with me as a second shooter/assistant. She provides an additional angle so the bride has a greater variety of savory images from which to choose when she is designing her album. Plus, bringing my wife along allows us to spend time together and share the love that is a part of each and every wedding.

What kind of equipment do you typically use?
My wife and I both use digital professional quality cameras with professional lenses and multiple CF cards to ensure that we do not miss any special moment. We both have back-up cameras in case the primary camera fails. We would never go to an event with only one camera and lens as we know we only have one opportunity to capture the moment.

In what format are the initial proofs offered?
Proofs are offered in two ways. First all images are edited and processed and then they are placed on an online lab website for proofing (viewing) and ordering. Secondly the proofs are also printed in a 5×5 inch format and enclosed within a proof album.

Do you retain the copyright for the photos?
Yes, I retain the copyright of the images and will provide limited copyright permission to use images for Facebook or personal electronic use only. If a bride wants full copyright permission of the images, then I am happy to provide that for an additional fee.

Do you reserve the right to publish the photos?
Typically, I like to ask permission to use the images of the bride and groom on my blog or Facebook page. After all, isn’t it fun to come back from an event and you open up your Facebook page and see that you have been tagged in many pictures? My clients have reported back to me that they really enjoyed the extra thrill.

Will images be available for viewing on an online gallery?
Yes, images are uploaded to an online lab website, where brides, family, and friends can log into a password protected gallery. Once inside the gallery, gift prints may be ordered.

Is retouching available?
I always want a bride to look their best so we edit and process all images before a bride sees them. If specific additional retouching is requested, I can provide that as well. However, I have found additional retouching is very infrequently requested because I take the time up front to edit and process all the images before a bride ever sees them.

What kind of albums do you offer?
I have been designing wedding albums for several years and have tested quite a few album companies. I have found that the best album company for my brides is provided by Pictobooks which has a large range of high quality wedding albums to please any bride.

What is the best way for brides to contact you?
The best way for brides to contact me is to go to my website, www.Sunmanco.com and first view the images I have there. I also encourage brides to look at other photographers’ work and compare the quality and style to what I will offer.

Are there any parting thoughts you would like to share?
The bonus for the bride comes when they have a one on one consultation with me and they see how we consistently go above and beyond for the investment that the bride makes. I believe Julie and I offer one of the best values in wedding photography in Chester County. To reach me, brides may call me directly at 484-883-4477. I look forward to discussing how Julie and I will capture the wonderful memories of their special day.

Thank you Jose!
I am happy to recommend you to all brides looking for a photographer to capture the memories of their wedding day!

If you have used Sunmanco Photography & Art, I encourage you to post your comments below.