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ABOUT ERIN

Erin is an Ohio native and overachieving graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (she graduated a year early!), Erin is an expert storyteller; her sensitivity and intuitive eye will provide you with perspectives on your day that will make you laugh, cry, and remember all the best feelings you had on that day. Erin is also very calm amidst the occasional moments of wedding day panic and keeps things running smoothly. Fun fact about Erin - as creative as she is, she can also remember an astonishing number of names. It’s pretty standard for her to call out to over a dozen members of a family, naming them all correctly and rightfully blowing everyone’s minds. Erin’s background shooting film has given her a deep understanding of the aesthetic of writing with light in a subtle and timeless rather than a trending fashion. In her free time, Erin is also an incredible mother, sister, daughter, friend, and maker of many cool things like soaps, hand woven brooms, and prints in the darkroom she, herself built on her little slice of paradise in the hills of Escondido.

What is your inspiration?

The thing that inspires me most is truth. Do we know a true moment when we see it? The quest to capture those moments is a challenge, it is beautiful, and it cannot be recreated which inspires me to put my heart into each moment I am chosen to witness.

If not a photographer, what would you have been?

I believe there is a large crossover between the arts and the sciences so I imagine I would have made a pretty good doctor. But there was a good chance I would have ended up a ballerina if I had not chosen RISD.

What do you feel is the most challenging thing about photographing weddings?

At this point in my career, the challenge I face is finding ways to keep my creativity alive. You can easily fall into the rut of knowing which shots are good, safe, likable. But finding new ways to still take a risk creatively and try new things whether they fail or succeed can be a challenge.

If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why?

I would probably end up with my 35mm. I enjoy shooting wide angles to capture more cinematic, emotionally moving and contextual imagery but I would need the versatility of a lens that could function in scenarios where I can’t move too close to the subject. It would also be the 35mm because I prefer prime lenses (one length vs zoom) because they push my creativity by forcing me to move more. This creates opportunities I may have otherwise missed because I would have not changed my perspective.

How do you approach using artificial lighting?

I try to keep artificial lighting as low key and minimal as possible. I enjoy interesting, creative lighting but don’t want to overpower the day with the production of too much equipment. I asses each room and/or location for minimum needs to provide enough lighting

Where would be your dream destination wedding?

I go between Greece and Iceland. The light in Greece is amazing. The colors are rich and saturated. Plus being part Greek, I would love to visit the place of my ancestors. However, Iceland has some majestic landscapes and muted tones. It seems like it would be a great location for an intimate shoot with its isolated, romantic feeling it lends to the imagery.

How do you make the couple, bridal party etc… feel relaxed in front of your camera?

I have a great smile and an excellent disposition on life in general so for me, I like to have fun and be playful along the way. For groups, I find it works best to be chatty but keep everyone focused. When it comes time to be with the couple alone, it’s good to know when it’s appropriate to talk and interact vs when it’s time to take a step back and let the couple be in their moments together. It’s almost like a dance between myself and the couple. And I find that part to be the most interesting and enjoyable part of the day.

Have you ever had anything go wrong at a wedding and if so, how did you handle it?

In a perfect world everything would work perfectly every time. But it is not a perfect world! Working with equipment, we are often at the mercy of malfunctions. As a professional, I am always ready with a contingency plan. With the amount of gear and backup gear we have and bring to every shoot, this is rarely ever a problem that isn’t solved quickly using the additional equipment available.

What were you like in high school?

Pretty much the same as I am today but a little less confident in my skin - physically and emotionally. Which is probably like most awkward teenagers.

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?

I decided to try online dating (we hear so many success stories from our clients!) The first date stood me up. The second date told me the reason he was dating was because he was in love with his cousin and his family would frown upon it… I was quickly done with online dating.

"You’ve been given an elephant. You can’t give it away or sell it. What would you do with the elephant?"

Clearly I would ride it!

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