In case you didn’t truly feel our excitement in yesterday’s Instagram post, let us share with you again just how pumped we are to be starting this blog mini-series! We are lucky enough to work with some of the best professionals in the business day in and day out. We like to think we show our vendors love with every wedding we send their way, but sometimes, it’s just not enough. To let our vendors know just how much we love them and how we couldn’t do what we do without them, we’ve come up with a way to shine the light on these incredibly talented artists (because let’s be honest, that’s the best word to describe these people).
We’re getting this mini-series underway by spotlighting Steve Berkenkemper from Birchfields, a wedding videographer, photographer, and musician. From the moment we met Steve, we knew we’d found true talent. His ability to capture raw beauty through the lens is unparalleled and is matched only by his incredibly sweet and humble outlook on his work. If you’re not as impressed as us by his video (don’t worry, you will be), check out his stunning photography or listen in on his original music. This guy seriously can do no wrong. Here’s what Steve had to say when we sat down with him.
Company Name:
Type of Work:
Photo and Video
Years in Business:
5-6
Location:
Winchester, VA
1. Tell us a little bit about your company.
Birchfields is a unique style of fine art media that encompasses videography, photography, and music. Birchfields aims to organically capture the stories of unions, of communities, and of all the life in between.
2. What sets you apart from other vendors within your line of work?
For everything I do, I aim to be authentic and original. I do my best to help the bride and groom feel comfortable, and I try to capture moments in a styled by timeless way. For photography, I love using medium format film cameras alongside digital. I feel film captures light in a unique way, and I want to appreciate the lost art of film photography. For Cinema, I write and record all of the music that’s used in the highlight reels. The music is unique to my work, and I don’t license it to any other wedding professionals.
3. What’s your favorite part about a wedding?
I love getting to start the day with the bride and groom, and capture the pre-wedding atmosphere. But more than that, I love helping the bride and groom get away from the rush of the day for their portraits. Getting to see the couple take a deep breath and take in the moment is essential to getting good portraits, and I love helping to facilitate that.
4. What is something you wish couples knew?
Setting aside extra time for photos in the right light is essential. It’s always a safe idea to get a few portraits earlier in the day – in case the weather doesn’t hold, but the photos I take near sunset will always look better. Pre-sunset gives great backlighting and lens flares, while post-sunset provides soft lighting with great color. Harsh afternoon lighting isn’t as forgiving.
5. Why do you think a couple should hire a planner?
I think wedding planners are absolutely essential for a picture perfect wedding. Even if you want to utilize a lot of DIY wedding ideas, a wedding planner will help make sure everything works seamlessly. Wedding planners have so much experience handling wedding day schedules, decorating, and dealing with unexpected issues. I think brides who hire a wedding planner tend to get more of their money’s worth all around. The schedule tends to work better for photos, decorations are executed seamlessly, and everything really falls into place.
We seriously can’t get enough of this guy. Not only is he a pleasure to work with, but his videos are ones we find ourselves revisiting time and time again. Check out his work done on our Assistant Planner’s wedding!
So there you have it! Our first Vendor Spotlight. Thank you Steve for your time and for always brightening our days with your incredible work!