Dreaming of a summer wedding
I must admit it took me a long time to understand what this shoot was really about. I had it on my mind for quite a while, actually ever since I started shooting on film the pictures became more and more visually concrete. The asthetic quality of analog film, combined with the colors of nature and traditional Austrian Tracht was something that seemed like a perfect match in my head. But that is not the whole story.
I dream a lot, in pictures and mostly in feelings. I've always been a daydreamer, I can drift into another world and an imagined identity easily. This was confusing when I grew up, as a teenager especially - because waking up from my daydreams they never seemed to have a lot in common with reality. Growing up for me had and probably still has a lot to do with differentiating between dreams and reality. I've gotten to know myself better and I've gotten used to it, but it wasn't until I started out with photography, when I finally found a productive way of dealing with the pictures and daydreams in my head. I did try many things, from acting to making jewellery, from drawing to writing - but neither did outstanding talented find me nor did I feel home in those artistic disciplines.
This is why I love what I do, I need photography as a creative outlet. It's the language, that I want to explore.
So this is what it comes down to: This shoot really is about me and how I see the world. I look at these images, the mood, the vibe, the aesthetic and I can see what I saw in my head. I am proud of that. I am. But what I really love about them the most was something that I didn't expect, maybe it just didn't cross my mind because of the massive amount of work I had to put into planning and preparing it. I love these images so dearly, because I love those people. These are my friends and family, who took the time to dress up, to come the way and be a part of this - for me. I took their portraits to make it up to them, but exactly those pictures are the ones that became the most important to me.
The preparations for this must have been a lot like for a real wedding: You have a vision of it, plan it for a long time, you decide where, and who and what to eat, you hope and beg for good wheather. And that the ones who are dear to you will come. And they do - they make their way from near & far, they dress up and celebrate with YOU. It took me a while to overcome the staged photo fear, but when I started to take portraits of the guests I got such an amazing feedback from my clients. Nonetheless it took me maybe until this shoot, to realize this for myself: It's really about the people. And I'm not saying there isn't a lot more to it and that there are many special moments & details very much worth capturing on such a day. But I will never again forget about the people, the family & friends who make this day and more than just this day - your life - a celebration. And I write this from the bottom of my heart: Your wedding surely is one of those very best occasions to make that unforgetable!
This wasn't exactly a minor project to put together: It involved a total of more than 30 people to make it happen and more than that - make it so very special! Very blessed to have had on board for this: Jeannette Rene Conrad and her team of Prime Moments for planning, coordination & styling; the unbelievable Kunstgärtnerei Doll in charge of florals, Katharina Wolf & her family as the best hosts and most amazing caterers with LandArt Catering, Herz & Co for devoting their talent to creating an amazing stationery suite, Tostmann Trachten for styling our bride & groom so delicately and timeless, Coiffeur Sturmayr for hair & make-up, Thomas Koppler & Santiago Boceta for the unbelievably gorgeous making-of video, my dearest Franzi, for assisting & being on my side all day and my pals over at Carmencita Film Lab, who worked their magic developing and scanning these! And of course a very special thank you goes to my family and friends, who came and celebrated this vision with me. You are unbelievably fabulous and I am the luckiest one to have you!
