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SMP: As a photographer in the New York and Connecticut area, what are some of the newest photography trends you've been seeing in weddings this season?
CM: The trend we are seeing is that couples want new experiences when it comes to their photography. Albums and printed products aren’t going away any time soon. But, as a complement to print, couples are definitely seeking creative ways to share their story across all devices including desktops, mobile phones, and tablets or iPads.
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SMP: Tell us a little bit about the technology behind the Lytro ILLUM. How does this powerful tool work?
CM: The Lytro ILLUM is unique on every level both in how it captures moments, but also in the type of experiences it allows us to deliver. Without getting too technical, it captures light through a series of lenses and microlenses which in turn produces true 3D image data. This is the complete opposite of a traditional camera, which captures only the plane you choose in camera.
SMP: Why did you choose to use the Lytro ILLUM, along with your regular captures?
CM: We pride ourselves on going beyond just products, and focus on creating unique experiences for our clients that they can share with friends and family. We’ve always been proactive about new technology that allows us to be different from our competitors, and the Lytro ILLUM lets us create and share something that couples have never witnessed before.
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SMP: Can you tell us a little bit about the exclusive products you are able to create for your clients using the Lytro ILLUM?
CM: With the Lytro ILLUM the deliverable products expand immensely...
1. We can create shareable living picture galleries that allow couples to interact, and even curate, their wedding photographs by tapping around the image to refocus it.2. We can create 2D or 3D animations and video slideshows.
3. We can refocus a single image several times before going to print sometimes creating 34 different perspective views of the same moment.
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SMP: How has Lytro ILLUM changed the landscape of photography and how you approach each and every wedding you photograph?
CM: I think it’s changed the way we think about imaging and photography in general. As a natural extension, using the Lytro ILLUM organically makes you a better traditional photographer as well as a more creative one. Because the camera captures depth, you learn to pay attention to foreground, midground, and background in great detail. So, not only does it offer my clients new products, it also allows the photographer a new way to think and see differently – that can only be good for honing your skills regardless of the camera you pick up.
SMP: What's your favorite way to photograph weddings?
CM: I think weddings deserve the best of all worlds because they are as fashionable as they are meaningful and personal. We tend to focus on telling a real story, but we also know that everything looks better when the lighting is beautiful. The way we capture weddings is like a beautiful dance with our clients in which we remain unobtrusive and in flow when the moments call for it, but also offer a guiding hand when we know we should. Clients really appreciate that level of professionalism, and the fact that they can trust us to be omnipresent on many levels.
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So there you have it, loves. An inside look at the latest and greatest from a photographer that knows a thing or two about taking a pretty picture. To start your obsession NOW, visit Living Pictures from Lytro ILLUM camera for even more information. Thanks, again, Charles! We've enjoyed chatting! xo
Photography: Charles Maring
