They say someone’s wedding day is one of the happiest day of a person’s life, and so finding just the right person to capture these happy moments is a story of its own. Enter Farina Marie Deutschmann. A seasoned wedding photographer and fellow Girl Boss, who has found her mission and her business on capturing these very special wedding moments.
Farina captures extraordinary wedding moments in some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations with her business, Farina-Marie Wedding Photography. Getting up close and personal with the bride and groom in order to take some truly breathtaking wedding photographs. We caught up with Farina and talked about how ‘little photoshoots with friends’ became a fully fledged photography business, the challenges she had to overcome along the way, and the unexpected freedom of starting all over again.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, what made you fall in love with photography?
I never really thought about going into photography, it just evolved naturally. When I went to school I enjoyed creating fun memories with my friends and we often used to have little photoshoots together. It quickly turned into a profession. What I love most about my job is getting to know so many inspiring people around the globe, getting to know their story, their strengths and their weaknesses. I love to uplift my clients with what’s already inside of them. Shooting with me doesn’t mean that you’re going to a service provider and come back with nice photos. Shooting with me leaves you with a whole new shooting experience, more self-esteem, new ideas and inspiration, at least, that’s what most of my clients say. I think it’s because I really like to get to know the people that I work with.
Why did you decide to focus on weddings?
This also evolved naturally. In fact, when I first started my own business, I never wanted to be a wedding photographer. I started out as a fashion photographer and even worked as an editor for one of the most renowned German lifestyle magazines. But when you own a camera, at some point somebody will come to you and ask if you could photograph their wedding. So I gave it a try and guess what? I really liked it! What I enjoyed the most was to be able to work with happy people. People who are full of love and who really appreciate your work. This was quite different in the fashion industry.
What are some of your favourite wedding destinations?
There are so many beautiful destinations all over the world. I think what’s most important is that the couples who are getting married have a special connection to the place. I am absolutely in love with Mallorca and Cape Town, but my favourite wedding destinations are the ones that have a personal story.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an entrepreneur so far?
This is a good question and I really had to think about this for a bit, as I founded my first business about 10 years ago, while I was still studying. I think the biggest challenge that I had to face happened last year, when my business partner and I decided to go separate ways. We had worked together for more than 5 years. We had created a brand that was well known, and we managed to get bookings all over the world. All of the sudden I had to start all over again, from nothing. I had to come up with a new name, a new brand, new strategies, and a new website (which I will be launching soon) to name a few things. At the same time I decided to move to London and it felt like I was losing ground underneath my feet. But I knew I had done it before, which gave me some security. I knew how to build a brand, I knew how to get my name out there, and I just had to do it again — maybe even better than before.
What do you think goes into capturing the perfect wedding photograph?
There is something about the word ‘perfect’ that doesn’t sit right with me. I think it’s easy to create a perfectly staged photo with perfect styling, the perfect background, and the perfect lighting. I don’t think this is my aim as a wedding photographer. For me, the aim is to create a documentary of an extraordinarily special occasion, highlighting all of the incredible moments, to keep the happy memories alive and easily within reach. I always imagine myself in the role of the bridal couple, looking at the photos a few years later and telling my kids about that day. My aim is to be able to make those memories as special as possible. I do this by making a personal connection with the bride and the groom, as well as their guests. Through this, I start to form an idea of the wedding’s ‘character,’ I get a feel for the flow of the wedding and this lets me know where to be and when to get the right shots.
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