All photos by Anée Atelier. Click on images for more info…

Interested in wedding photography, or simply looking for a photographer for your own wedding? The NK Bride team interviewed our dear friends Gina and Sheena, the photography duo from Anée Atelier to get an inside look at what makes a spectacular wedding photographer. This team of professionals brings new ideas to the table, and expresses an interest in the uniqueness of every couples wedding. Gina Esposito and Sheena Meekins are a well travelled team of friends that bring creativity, polished aesthetics, and professional attention to detail. We loved working with these incredibly talented powerhouses in the past and can’t wait to share their work with you. Their work has been featured in incredible wedding and fashion magazines, but most recently on WWD - the fashion bible!

Q: As a photography duo, what are some benefits to having two minds work on one project at the same time?

A: Having two full time photographers/business owners is the best case scenario. Not only are we able to work simultaneously, to ensure we have the most time to capture every moment, we also have developed an unspoken language that allows us to capture our couples in their truest form. Also, being a duo means that the couple knows we are both present during their day, photographing it together from start to finish. Whereas in other studios, consisting of one solo owner, 50% of a couples wedding day is often captured by an anonymous person, who the couple only meets on the day of their wedding. Aside from being a professional team, we play to our own individual strengths, balancing  each other, giving us the ability to really thrive in a wide variety of situations. 

Q: Most girls dream of working with their best friend, what is that experience like, is it hard to be work partners and friends?

A: It’s been an actual dream! Everyone is different, but for us, working together comes naturally. Our strengths work together well, and they compliment each others skillset. Being both savvy business women, as well as creative entrepreneurs, we are able to deliver the best results for our brand and our clients. We keep the stress and strain off of our friendship by keeping our work atmosphere light hearted. Working hard is important to us both, but we know that making work fun is essential. 

Q: Shooting together is a really unique approach, do you feel that doing this helps you to catch more intimate moments, or capture a greater shot?

A: Four eyes are always better than two. We both carry two cameras on our person at all times, one wide prime lens and one telephoto lens. This allows us to get the same moments captured in two different ways. By watching each other, we balance who is shooting a detail photo, while the other captures the larger moments. It is always rewarding when we put all the photos together and we have an expression shot of the couple from the same moment. Working in a team allows us to capture these unique moments and create memories that will last our clients a lifetime. 

Q: Is it challenging to have two photographers keep a consistent style, or do you both embrace your individual styles when you shoot?

A:This isn’t frequently a challenge for us. We gravitate towards the same aesthetic. The consistency is kept by the meticulous attention to detail that we both contribute in our post production work.Sheena’s fashion pedigree from her former career with Vogue and Teen Vogue, lend the editorial influence that’s seen through out our work. By having a core aesthetic, that’s central to our style, it creates a consistent foundation for our work; which is then tweaked and customized, specific to every couple, venue, and story that we tell. 

Q: When clients have a style that doesn’t match yours, what do you do to meet their expectations, or even surpass them? 

A: It’s not often that clients request a different aesthetic than what we typically produce, but when they do, we welcome the opportunity to step outside what's expected and play with different styles and expressions. We enjoy new challenges, and can accommodate all styles and ideas our couples may present to us. 

Q: Your website talks a lot about your focus on making good connections with your clients, what are some ways that you do this?

A: Quick, high quality communication is our main priority when we begin making connections with couples. We love getting to meet new people and different personalities. We spend a considerable amount of time in meetings or phone consults with new inquiries. It is important that our couples get a true feel for our personalities, and that we learn  their story as well. Taking the time to hear all about the people we work with is one of the most fascinating parts of the job for us. 

Q: The website also mentions abandoning your comfort zones. What are some ways you feel that you do this, and how does this benefit your end result? 

A: As a practice, discipline requires commitment to discomfort. Practicing this in both our personal and professional lives has become a key element in what makes us the photographers and business owners that we are. As entrepreneurs, we have to make sacrifices everyday. We don’t adhere to a typical 9-5 schedule, but  prefer the adventure of a more unconventional creatives life. We once decided to scuba dive in Iceland because we knew it would be an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it required a full summer of certifications and months of mental prep to do our first major dive in 35 degree water, while it was snowing. It’s important for us to be just as tenacious in our work lives, excited and ready to experience new things. Working with other cultures, religions, or anyone outside of our own particular demographics, allows us to learn and grow as creatives and individuals. 

Q: You’ve both traveled a lot, would you say that you both have a location you’ve visited that was a strong source of inspiration for your work? 
A: We’ve been inspired by many of our travels, but our top two are Paris and the West. Although these are very different regions,  they each inspire us on different levels. When we visit the Red Rocks in the West, or the dramatic mountain ranges, it fills us with an appreciation for nature and life that we carry out through our work. Our travels  in Paris, however, remind us of important history. We are always amazed by the architecture throughout Europe in general, specifically Paris, and the profound attention to detail that we strive for in our own work. 

Q: As far as inspiration goes, outside of travel what are your main inspirations as photographers? 

A: A lot of our inspiration comes from the original fashion photographers like Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. We are inspired by their process, and the way that they were pioneers of their time. We love experiencing new things, overcoming obstacles and making a way when someone says it can’t be done. These photographers were some of the first to shoot outside of the studio on location, in distant lands and difficult landscapes. They consistently pushed the boundaries of traditional photography and paved the way for us all. 

Q: What do you enjoy about wedding photography that sets it apart from other photography?
A: Wedding photography is a passion for us because of the personal experience that it creates. We don’t just view a wedding in the traditional sense of it being “the most important day of a couple’s life”,  but rather, we understand the unique and incredible gift of having everyone you love under one roof. Wedding photography allows us to capture the intimate, often undetected moments between the people you care most about. This gives our clients the opportunity to  view moments they may have otherwise missed amongst the sea of guests. A favorite for us is capturing loved ones in a way that lasts. We’ve worked with clients that had terminally ill family, and being able to capture significant images of love between them is a powerful way for us to  help honor their relationships. It is incredibly rewarding to know how valued our work is long after their day is over.

Q: Gina, as you started this business independently, did you ever intend on finding a partner to work with, or did this perfect pair happen naturally? Where there skills you felt you missed independently that Sheena was able to fill?

A: I never planned on having a business partner, however, it all happened so naturally and came at the most ideal time. We were both at a crossroads in our respective careers, and taking on a new adventure together was truly the perfect fit. Early on in our friendship, it became obvious that we would work well together.Sheena brought a completely new understanding of brand development and identity to the table. There are so many different faucets to running a successful business and we’re grateful to have each other to balance the weight of it all. 

Q: Sheena, your editorial past is impressive, how do you feel that influences your work? Do you feel that this style is shared by you and Gina?
A: Coming into the business, Gina already had a strong sense of style , but my experience helped translate that sensibility into our work and brand, as well. The approach I introduced to the brand, has not only elevated our vision as creatives, but also informed so much of what and how we choose to shoot; from weddings to editorials and beyond.  

Q: Anée Away is your travel assistance for destination weddings, what inspired you to make this service available through you?

A: We are pretty well travelled, and over the years, many of our clients often asked for advice in recommendations for their destination wedding and/or honeymoon. It was only natural for us to create Anée Away, after these requests became so common. It’s quite simple, as our couples fill out the contact form on our website and are connected to our travel curators, who can help plan their  destination wedding, or honeymoon. It seemed like a wonderful addition to aid our couples, who already have their plates full with dress shopping, guest lists and seating charts. The response has been overwhelmingly incredible.  

Q: Real brides often are worried about how they will look like in their real life wedding photos, do you have any tips and tricks for looking your best in wedding day photos?

A: As always, relax, and have fun. You will look your best when you feel like yourself. Of course, we provide helpful directives and suggestions throughout the day, like keeping your shoulders back, knowing your most flattering angles, making sure you’re hydrated and eating throughout the day to avoid fatigue, but we feel that the most beautiful photos are created when our couples are lost in each other. To help everyone feel comfortable and look great, we like to keep a fun and relaxed environment. Working with us should feel like time spent with old friends. The more we can make you forget that we’re “taking photos”, the more natural you’ll look and feel, ultimately resulted in your most flattering images. 

Q: So far Anée Atelier has created amazing work, what else can we expect to see for you in the future? Are there any big projects in the works? 
A: We recently finished  another large scale editorial,  complete with three models and beautiful floral installations, shot in-studio. We are so excited  to be releasing images from that shoot to our partners shortly. We produce anywhere from 2-3 editorials a year, as a way to express our creativity and cultivate new working relationships with designers, planners and other industry professionals. We’ll be gearing up for our next photoshoot in early 2020.  

For more information about the Anée Atelier team check out their website, and see the recent write up in WWD. 

Cover Photo credits: Anée Atelier