![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/X-STORY-ANDRE-HELLER-WEDDINGS-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto 2023 \u00a9 Andr\u00e9 Heller | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/200 sec at F2.8, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cRegarding weddings, I started as a videographer, working for another photographer. Some years later, when a friend and I decided to launch our own photo business, we needed a stills specialist because we were both making videos. Having a long background in photography, I decided to take this half of the business on, and never went back to video again. Almost ten years later, here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Andr\u00e9\u2019s images are no typical wedding scenes. Where many opt for grand, monochromatic splendour, he chooses colour, connection and documentarian intrigue. The creation process is, as ever, all about channelling strong intent through capable tools.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s something fascinating in life\u2019s colours, and it\u2019s just the way I see the world,\u201d Andr\u00e9 muses. \u201cI\u2019m a cheerful person, so maybe my use of colour is a reflection of myself. Beyond that, I don\u2019t have a willingness to create moments. I want to document them exactly as they are. Everyone who has ever used a Fujifilm camera knows they\u2019re the king of colour science.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andr\u00e9\u2019s broader settings are kept simple for one reason. His camera choice, too, is all about maximising image quality, rather than a suite of specs.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto 2023 \u00a9 Andr\u00e9 Heller<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cOn wedding days, it\u2019s important to stay focused on everything happening and find the best way to tell the story of the day,\u201d he explains. \u201cI don\u2019t like to be distracted by settings. Most of the time my camera is in aperture priority, so I only have to control one function. Focusing is handled by face or eye detection.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t believe there\u2019s space to be a manual-only purist in this genre. Instead, I would say, get a great camera you can rely on. Mine does most of the heavy lifting for me. That\u2019s perfect because it gives me time to focus on other things.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost recently, I\u2019ve been using FUJIFILM X-H2<\/a>,\u201d the creative continues. \u201cFrom the first time I laid eyes on the file that comes from the 40-megapixel sensor, I was sold. The amount of detail you get is incredible. It almost feels like a little medium format camera. What you see through the viewfinder or LCD is what you get, and I\u2019ve become very confident in its abilities. The autofocus has become so refined that it nails almost every frame \u2013 even in fast-paced conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n So, with mental capacity freed up, where does Andr\u00e9\u2019s attention lie? One glance at his images is telling. Light, composition and emotion are recurring themes. In this image maker\u2019s experience, all that\u2019s required to document them beautifully is mindfulness.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery photographer is searching for spots with the best light,\u201d he comments. \u201cFor composition, I\u2019m a huge fan of leading lines and negative space. Also, I\u2019m always looking for the best reactions from the couple or guests. That\u2019s what will give you the greatest image.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I learnt early was to always photograph without a camera. Walking down the street, I view what\u2019s around me and imagine where I could place a couple to create an interesting frame. When you do this on a daily basis at weddings, it comes to you naturally. Most of the day, people don\u2019t carry a camera, but you can still view life as a photo opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Photo 2023 \u00a9 Andr\u00e9 Heller | FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR, 1\/250 sec at F4, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Of course, having a couple or group within your scene poses a new challenge. It\u2019s perfectly possible to become a skilled director, but true to his observational approach, Andr\u00e9 relies on individuals to do what comes naturally.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t like a lot of poses. Most of the time, I simply pick a nice surrounding to put my couple, then let them interact. If I tell them anything, it\u2019s to talk with each other or have fun together. While that happens, I\u2019m moving around waiting for the perfect moment to press the shutter,\u201d he reveals.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important not to interfere much on the wedding day. You can tell a couple where to stand, but you can\u2019t tell them how to feel. In the beginning, it\u2019s normal for people to be a little awkward when you\u2019re not telling them exactly what to do, but when they loosen up a little, things start to flow. I normally say that my job is to document emotions, not create them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Photo 2023 \u00a9 Andr\u00e9 Heller | FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR, 1\/250 sec at F1.4, ISO 250<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Andr\u00e9 believes, in his line of work, that subject matter transcends all else. There can be a desire to portray a moment with an elaborate aesthetic, but compared to the moment itself, visuals are the figurative icing on the cake.<\/p>\n \u201cEmotion is the most important thing,\u201d he expresses. \u201cWhen the father of the bride sees his daughter for the first time, the expression he makes will translate into a great photo, even without any other exceptional element going on.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s a final unique aspect to Andr\u00e9\u2019s work \u2013 and that\u2019s perspective. Unlike most, who pick out marital moments from afar, he immerses himself in the celebrations.<\/p>\n \u201cThe lens I use the most is FUJINON XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR<\/a>. I know it\u2019s not a common focal length for the wedding industry, but I\u2019m a huge fan. Whatever the venue, I never feel cramped. Then during the wedding day, it almost feels like I\u2019m part of the action and not a spectator.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n