Joel & Justyna | Wedding Photographer Interview
Lensel: Joel and Justyna, thanks so much for sitting down with us today! You two are LEGENDS and have built an immense reputation in the wedding world with your unique perspective. Can you give us an inside look into what inspires both your art and your business? And what are few background facts/secrets that led you into the world of wedding photography?
J&J: For us, there are two big sources of inspiration.
The first is simply our taste or our vision; what we see in our wedding galleries is a reflection on how we see the world; life, wonder, beauty, music, passion, poetry, stolen glances, beautiful moments, splendor…. Life is already so magnificent & tragic; heartbreaking & beautiful that there’s really no need to embellish or over-direct… our eyes are directed by our hearts. I (Justyna) spent my 20s working as a stylist and art director. From those experiences bleeds and blends my version of wedding photography; a sort of subconscious osmosis. The second source of inspiration is our couples. We don’t force them into a certain “type” or “vibe”. We spend time with them, listen to their ideas, observe how they are together and with their families, and allow that - coupled with our particular vision - to lead the way.
As far as some background on us and what led us to wedding photography... Joel assisted his father, Michael, who actually photographed HRH Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 2010. Joel also worked in Paris in the 2000’s as a fashion model for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Paul Smith, and Christian Dior. He has been photographed for Harper’s Bazaar by Karl Lagerfeld, and l’Uomo Vogue by Steven Klein, to name a few. It’s given him a unique perspective on both sides of the camera!
Justyna is a fashion historian who’s been collecting vintage couture for over 20 years and has an innate understanding of textiles, gowns, and accessories. She’s always ahead of the curve when it comes to trends and personal style. She has a degree in art-history and pushes the boundaries of photography through intentional experimentation and exploration of various digital and analog formats and processes.
Lensel: With so many wedding photographers in the world... In your own words, what makes YOU two stand out?
J&J: That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? We’ve been asked this a few times, so we’ve had a little time to think about it. The answer is twofold; our collective experience and our lighthearted approach. Because of Justyna’s formal education in art history, her professional experience working as an art director, and Joel’s experience collaborating with top fashion designers and photographers from his experience as a model, as well as his experience growing up with parents who ran a successful studio, we approach wedding photography from a perspective that’s relevant and unique. We have an intimate understanding of what it’s like to, truly, be on both sides of the camera.
The second part of our answer to what sets us apart is our lighthearted approach. We know that might not be able to exclusively claim this ethos, but we’ve been complimented many times about how our presence at a wedding hadn’t just been for the photos we make, but for the calming, positive energy we bring to the day. We have a section in our Insta stories where we post (names redacted) the letters we receive from our couples. A thread that ties these letters together is a theme of our constant, positive energy.
Lensel: Let's talk some key moments that got you to where you are in the wedding industry today.
J&J: Finding our community was a big help
The friendships we’ve made locally and abroad have been everything to us. The world wants you to believe that it’s ‘dog eat dog’ and rampant individualism out there, but it really isn’t. We wouldn’t be where we are if it wasn’t for our friends and peers in this amazing industry. We opened our studio at the same year as a local venue did (Le Belvedere), and we were so fortunate to photograph many weddings there. It allowed us a certain amount of stability and enabled us to branch out without worrying so much about bookings coming in. We built trust with them, the local planners, and our mutual clients. By doing so, we all built a very symbiotic relationship and (I hope) we all benefited from these relationships. As we expanded, we met so many amazing photographers from across the world who encouraged us to keep going. We’re so grateful for them and their encouragement.
Lensel: Do you have a favourite piece of camera gear?
J&J: My (Justyna) favourite combo is my Contax645 + 80mm. Though I’m quite partial to my little Olympus 35 + 50mm 1.8 as well. I photograph the majority of the day on those two, until the light really dips and I have to switch to Fuji digital or add flash.
When I (Joel) switched from Canon to Fujifilm, yes I lost some of my full-frame auto-focus capability and that beautiful bokeh (and detail), but I gained a lot more in colour quality and weight reduction. The weight reduction (because the camera and lenses are smaller) allow me to be more fluid when shooting a long day. The weight / size factor helps when travelling too, because we can fit more lenses and cameras into our carry-on baggage.
Lensel: Can you tell us a bit about your recent rebrand? Why do you think branding is important for wedding photographers?
J&J: Wedding photographers might ask of themselves the question, “If you don’t invest in yourself, should your couples invest in you?” A brand is so much more than a logo, but that’s the visual representation - a summary - of an ethos. Your ethos. It’s symbolic of what you are about, and it gives your potential clients insight about what to expect and where your values lie.
Because we’re fans of the art movements Vienna Secession / Art Nouveau, and because our previous logo was also of this era, and because the style is unique amongst more contemporary branding, we felt comfortable staying with the genre. It was important for us to have our logo(s) hand-drawn , which they are. A subtle nod to the beauty in imperfections, and the slower, intentional processes of the artisans of the era.
"Composers of Memories: like an assortment of musical notes on a sheet of paper, an intentional arrangement can compose an unforgettable melody, song, and / or album. "
The analogy we use here rang true for the spontaneity of live jazz as well, where the countless hours of practice by instrumentalists allows for the fluidity of improvisations, adapting to changing rhythms and measures in real time. We do something similar, only with our cameras.
Lensel: Working in weddings at a high level means you might have to do things differently. What is one thing you always talk about with your couples before the big day?
J&J: “Don’t do anything for the camera. Be present and the photos will come”. And we mean it. There’s no point in ruining a perfect candid moment with over directing or telling a couple to do something that’s beyond their comfort level. We’ll find it the moments. We want our couples to know that they are enough - perfect exactly as they are. There’s already so much pressure from social media and in the wedding industry to out-cool the next wedding that it puts so much pressure on a day that should, at its core, be about the union of two people - and their families - coming together.
Joel and Justyna, thank you both for sitting down with us and sharing about your unique and wonderful wedding work. We love that you bring something fresh and unique to the wedding industry!
If you would like to follow along you can find their work at their (very new, very cool) website here, as well as their Instagram here.
All Images by Joel and Justyna.