As a wedding photographer, how do you deal with the potential body image issues brides sometimes have?

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Last year, Angela from New York's Milestone Images was just another offbeat bride planning her Chocolate-Themed Amusement Park Jewish-Pagan Handfasting. She recounts, “OBT members helped me brainstorm ideas, and we were this close to playing ‘Red Rover, Red Rover' with the wedding party in lieu of a traditional first dance on August 9th, 2008.”

angela-gaul-milestone-imagesAnd now here she is, back to show off her goods as a New York wedding photographer who travels up and down the East Coast. Here's a quick Q&A between me and Angela…

As a wedding photographer, how do you deal with the potential body image issues brides sometimes have?
There so much weight-related emotional fuckwittage surrounding wedding culture. Forget the images of emaciated cookie-cutter clone brides plastered across wedding magazines everywhere. I want to give a shout-out to my curvaceous, zaftig, Spanx-wearing sexy sistas. As the owner of a double chin myself, I pride myself on knowing the most flattering angles and stealth retouching skills for real women of every size. Real beauty, real people, really gorgeous photography.

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So, you've shot halloween weddings and what you called “the best little gay wedding West Virginia has ever seen.” You've shot lesbian weddings and straight weddings and everything in between. Do you have any other specialties?
In my family, “normal” is just a setting on the dryer. There were six people in wheelchairs at my wedding last August, and I am completely comfortable working with people who are differently-abled, who have mental retardation, who use speech protheses, or who are on the autism spectrum. I can hook up a BPAP machine (an assistive breathing device) and open a beer at the same time.In short, weddings are one time in your life when everyone who matters most to you gets together in one place. There should be gorgeous, inclusive photographs of *everyone* who matters the most.

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What kind of wedding photographer are you?
I'm not a dorky old guy in a dorky tux making dorky pictures of the best man pretending to drag the groom to the altar. I'm not a scary bitch on wheels who sees this as my only opportunity to be an “ARTISTE!” and yells at your friends and family. I mean, really. Why? Why are so many wedding photographers so mean?!? I consider this work to be an honor and a privilege.

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Are you into multi-tasking?
I've been know to tap dance on a tree stump while waiting for a missing father of the groom to be corralled out of cocktail hour, give posing instructions in Spanish and English, work with a Japanese interpreter, and stomp around wearing a poncho and galoshes with plastic held in place over my camera with a ponytail holder to shoot outdoor photos in a tropical storm. Never at the same time, though.

HA!


Thanks so much to Angela for taking the time to chat with me. If you want to spent some time checking out Angela's work with Milestone Images, definitely head over to her blog where you can see photos of all sorts of couples, including the offbeat, vegan foodie, role-playing, comic book lovin' couple who eloped but wanted a photo session in their wedding clothes all over Manhattan and Queens

Offbeat Discount:
10% off for Offbeat Brides from Milestone Images

Oh and if you're on the East Coast and hunting for a wedding photographer who truly, really, completely understands the needs of Offbeat Brides? Angela's offering 10% off to all Offbeat Brides. She says she's booking well into 2010 for weddings — so it's never to soon to call!

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Comments on As a wedding photographer, how do you deal with the potential body image issues brides sometimes have?

  1. I love how REAL this post is. As a result, we will be looking up Milestone Images.

  2. dude… SO RAD! I know this is a paid posting, but it totally made my day, and reminded me of some very important truths.
    go angela! 🙂

  3. Angela sounds like an awesome woman! Love her attitude. Damn I wish I had managed to find a photographer who can also tap dance 🙂

  4. The only thing I saw that I didn’t like? The fact that she’s not in the Detroit area! Damn, I wish I could find someone around here that isn’t appalled at all my OBB ideas!

  5. I’ve known Angie since high school, and everything you’re seeing here is 100% true to who she is. Not only is she an amazing talent, she’s also an awesome human being. And that’s not just lip service…she’s shooting my wedding next spring!

  6. Thank you OBB!! I saw this and got in touch with Angie and she’s going to be our wedding photographer in September. So excited!

    Oh and for anyone who looks at the availability and thinks their date is taken, double check with her, because I think many of the green squares aren’t actually booked for some reason.

  7. Angie is a friend of mine (she went to HS with my sisters) and she photographed our wedding… the bird-themed one in the photos with this article, actually! (She has also photographed my sisters' weddings and will be doing my brother's wedding this spring.) I love Angie, and I love her work! She makes the whole day feel so easy – you definitely NEED to book her because she will capture ALL of your perfect wedding moments in the most touching and beautiful way!

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