We are thrilled to interview yet another of Outdoorphoto’s talented clients, Janco and Carlien, the power couple behind JCclick. Although they love all kinds of photography, JCclick says that there’s nothing quite like the vibe you get at a wedding – every single person is happy to be part of the special event and it is simply addictive. This duo shares with us their inspiration and takes us through the top 10 photographs to capture at every wedding.

Photograph of the bridal couple sharing a kiss

Inspired by fashion, wildlife & landscapes

Janco and Carlien are passionate about taking photos and try to incorporate different styles and genres into their wedding photography. Inspired by a love of fashion, they direct clients in ways that enhance textiles and textures. Like weddings, wildlife photography is about capturing moments that can’t be recreated. You have to be in the right spot and anticipate the perfect moment before it has happened. Their love of landscape photography leaves them yearning for exceptional backdrops with the bride and groom walking by, enjoying the view, and creating a timeless moment.

Wedding photograph of the couple laying in the grass with pretty purple flowers growing

Getting noticed as a wedding photographer

You might be asking yourself how to build your own portfolio and secure clients? Well, Janco and Carlien say that the best way to learn is by learning from the best. So, email a bunch of photographers in the industry and find out if you could second shoot for them. Then, ask the photographer if you may use the images you photographed for building your portfolio.

They also suggest that you arrange styled shoots. Not only will you gain experience from these shoots, but you will be able to showcase your photography style to your clients. If you can’t find a model, be your own! Janco and Carlien did the cutest selfie couple shoot, which perfectly displays their ability, style and love of letting nature take a front-row seat in their work.

Wedding photograph of the couple with a beautiful landscape in the background

Working hard

JCclick, like all professional photographers, says that this line of work is incredibly tough! You’re not just a photographer; you’re an editor, marketing and financial manager. And if that’s not enough, the competition is hectic, as new photographers with beautiful work seem to enter the industry every day. “Don’t lose hope” they urge; instead, use those photographers to inspire you to be better and remember that “every single person you meet at a wedding is a possible client, so always be friendly and love what you do”.

Wedding photograph of the couple with a beautiful landscape in the background

Working out wedding photography packages

JCclick warns that when starting out your photography business, working out a pricing structure can be one of the most difficult parts. How do you ask someone to pay for your artwork? Easy! Simply remember that you need to pay the bills if you want to continue doing what you love. Secondly, ask yourself what your gear is worth if you had to hire it for a shoot?

With this advice in mind:

  • think about every item of gear you would use for a wedding and calculate its worth
  • add rental costs
  • remember to calculate the cost of having a second shooter (which is recommended)
  • put a price on your experience (be realistic)
  • add the time you are going to spend editing and the cost of the packaging used to hand over client photographs

These factors all add up and very quickly you may find that you have underquoted your clients, for which you will pay the price.

Photograph of a bride with her bouquet of flowers on her wedding day

10 key moments to capture at every wedding

I asked JCclick to compile a list of the 10 MUST-HAVE photographs that capture those special, once-in-a-lifetime memories on the big day:

  1. Details of both the bride and groom (their shoes, rings, etc.)
  2. Bridal portraits, including a full front and back shot of the dress and a beautiful headshot
  3. Portraits of the groom and his preparations
  4. Décor at the reception and on the tables
  5. The moment in the church where the bride walks in with her father
  6. The groom’s expression when he sees his bride walking down the aisle and their first kiss
  7. Bridal party images and couple shoot
  8. The just-wed couple walking into the reception and cutting the cake
  9. Guests laughing/crying during the speeches, keeping in mind that the guests are just as important as the couple
  10. The married couple’s first dance
Photograph of the bridal party - all holding candy floss in front of their faces

A look into JCclick’s gear bag

Janco and Carlien try keeping things fresh and inspired by using different lenses every now and then, made easy by Outdoorphoto’s Rental Department, but you will always find the following photographic equipment in their bags:

Cameras: 

Lenses:

  • The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 II IS lens
    Perfect for capturing those stunning, in-the-moment photographs. It also compresses the image for beautiful non-distorted portrait images of the bride and groom.
  • The Canon 50mm f/1.2 L lens
    This nifty-fifty is perfect for boudoir and is their absolute favourite lens. It also comes in handy when you need extra light for those wedding day photographs.
  • The Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 II & Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 lenses
    This is the ideal lens to capture breathtaking wide-angle shots of the bride and groom walking hand-in-hand with a beautiful landscape as backdrop.
  • The Canon 100mm f/2.8 L lens
    This lens ensures that you get those all-important detailed décor shots.
  • The Canon 24-105mm f/4 L lens
    This lens is a good all-rounder and comes in handy if you know you might have to quickly zoom in or out to get that perfect shot.

Other gear:

  • The Canon 600EX II-RT Flash & Gary Fong Flash Diffuser
    This combination of flash and diffuser provides beautifully even-lit photographs and has changed the way JCclick photographs receptions.
Photograph of the bridal couple with horses in the background

Postproduction workflow & presets

The first time they run through the wedding images, they make the RAW file look pretty by working on basic sharpening, contrast, curves and noise settings. Thereafter, they will work their magic by applying presets, and after trying out many different presets, they will (where necessary) adjust photograph presets as every wedding is different from the next.

Photograph of the bride with her vail draped around her head and shoulders

Finding your own style

To create their iconic style, JCclick followed a simple recipe that you can follow too: Find photographers whose work inspire you (makes your heart skip a beat) and then compare your work to theirs. Ask yourself “why do you like their work?”. Then, after working hard to create something you really like, and with some inspiration, you will find a style that suits your personality.

Photograph of the bridal couple in the moment

2017 & beyond

JCclick is always looking for new projects – in 2016, they started an online store that has surpassed all expectations! They also recently added motion picture to their repertoire. Their year is just about fully booked and in-between shooting, editing and marketing, they plan to travel as much as they can in the hopes of becoming internationally recognised wedding photographers.

The brains behind JCclick are bound to go places. They know who they are, where they come from and exactly where they want to go…

Keep tabs on their progress by following them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Wedding photograph with Nguni cattle forming part of the photo
Whimsical photograph of a bridal couple
Photograph of the bridal couple with a beautiful sunset in the background
Photograph of a couple popping the champagne
Photograph of a couple dancing
Beautiful black and white photograph of the bride and groom
Portrait photograph of a bride
Photograph of the bridal couple
Portrait photograph of a bride
Photograph of a bride