Guest Blogger: Kevin Chin

I'm very excited to introduce our guest blogger--Kevin Chin of Kevin Chin Photography. Kevin can definitely be considered a veteran in the wedding photography business. He is known for his classic and timeless style, ensuring that you will never get tired of looking at your wedding pictures! His calm, easy going personality makes him a perfect fit with all types of clients and his artistic eye is just amazing! Some of his best wedding photos are taking from the most interesting angles, and some are just pure classic works of art.

Kevin has been fortunate enough to be hired to shoot at many fabulous places outside of his hometown in San Francisco. Just recently, he shot in both New York and Paris! Here is Kevin, sharing a bit of his insight on photography for destination weddings.

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As a destination wedding and portrait photographer, I feel I have the best job in the world! I love all of my weddings and adore all of the couples that I get to photograph but it’s the destination weddings that I enjoy the most. Aside from the obvious perks of getting to visit and photograph new places, I really cherish the friendships and bonds that I develop with the couple and their families. Everyone is on vacation so people seem to be in a happy and festive mood. I usually arrive at the destination at least one day prior to the wedding to photograph the rehearsal dinner and I usually stay a few days after the wedding to be able to enjoy the location. We all become great friends because we are usually staying at the same hotel and eating at the same restaurants. I even end up taking the same sightseeing tours as the couple and their family and friends. I think this friendship and rapport that we develop helps me capture better pictures. I am no longer just the photographer, I am their friend and they feel comfortable enough to be themselves around me.

For couples who are having destination weddings, I highly recommend you bring as many of your hometown vendors with you as you can. First of all, it’s much harder to pick a vendor at a destination if you are unfamiliar them. At least with your hometown vendors, you know what to expect from them. It is also much easier to work with your hometown vendors before the wedding in terms of planning and meetings. And as a photographer, it’s much easier to work with you photographer after the wedding to help design your album and select photos when they are in your hometown.

I have been fortunate enough to photograph weddings in the Philippines, Italy, Thailand, Avignon, Lima, and Paris.

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Kevin will be one of our returning professors at The Wedding University for engaged couples, which will take place at the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley on January 31, 2010. He will teach couples a lot of great tips on choosing their photographer, and the different things that should be considered when selecting photoshoot locations, family portraits, etc. There will be lots to learn to help couples make the best decisions for themselves!

All images above by Kevin Chin