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| Wedding Photographer James Pate |
James Pate's contact information will be available at the bottom on the interview. Enjoy!
1. How did you get into wedding photography?
In a way, wedding photography came about quite by accident; however, it has also been a natural progression of time spent at crafting my art. I always had a love of photography, but I put the passion aside in my 20’s to focus on my own marriage, family and career. After suffering a fairly significant leg injury in 1998; I started investigating water sports as a means of rehabilitation. It was this series of events that led me back to my camera. I join a volunteer group of scuba divers GLUE (Great Lake Underwater Explorers). Since they already had their video needs covered, I took up my camera and restarted my photographic journey in the dark cold waters of the Great Lakes, recording underwater surveys of our ship faring heritage. In 2002, while attended a family wedding in San Francisco, I got the opportunity to see a truly professional photographer at work. His name was Sherman Chu and I was immediately captivated by his methods and manner. It was in this experience that I knew beyond any doubt that I wanted to shoot weddings. Sherman had set a very high standard that I continue to meter myself by to this day.
2. How long have you been a professional wedding photographer?
This can be a somewhat subjective question. There are some folks with the opinion that if you are getting paid then you are a professional. I don’t subscribe to this line of thinking. I shot my first wedding in 2003. I did a pretty good job but I was also lacking in so much knowledge and experience. I did not consider myself a professional level photographer. Again it was Sherman Chu that continually came to mind. His performance was my yard-stick and in honest self-appraisal I was not there yet. By 2008, I was beginning to achieve results that met with my aspirations and expectations. I was now comfortable enough with my work to call myself a professional photographer. So, although I shot my first wedding in 2003, I have only considered myself a professional wedding photographer for the last 2 years (since 2008).
I am self taught in photography. It has been an iterative process of shoot, process, review and critique. This is what I love so much about my photography. It is a never ending journey in developing, refining and crafting my imagery. It is a personal passion and challenge.
4. Do you do specialise in other areas of photography other than weddings?
I would not consider my other photography endeavours as specializations. I have a great passion for portraiture, fine art, underwater and event photography too. Each has its own nuances; however each one is based on a set of first principles. For me it is all about light and how well I am able to manipulate it. Every day the light is different which makes each shoot unique and each photograph individual in itself.
Most of the initial inquiries are 12- 14 months prior to their wedding date. I would say a majority book 6-12 months out. We do our best to accommodate last minute bookings but it is dependant on our availability.
6. What cities and towns do you service?
Primarily, I shoot throughout the Toronto GTA and the Niagara region. I am happy to travel further when the opportunity presents itself.
7. Have you won any awards for your wedding photography?
I have not won any awards at this time as I have yet to participate in any of the regional contests. However, I have been considering entering a few competitions for the 2011 season. I am a member of a number of professional organizations and they encourage competition participation. I am actually a little more interested in having a wedding or two published in a wedding blog or magazine.
8. Do you have any reviews you would like to share from your previous clients?
I do have a couple of review posted online. They are posted on my pricing page and linked back to the original postings on Wedding Wire and Google.
What our clients are saying about us.
energy_17: Amazing Guy and great listener! James has an incredible eye for candid shots you would never think of…He was explaining all that would happen at our wedding, and I explained I was more into candid shots than formal poses and he made awesome suggestions as well. He spent over 3 hours my first consultation (I had a lot of questions) going over how he uses lighting, scenery etc to capture the perfect shot. I was so amazed I told my fiancé all about it and we booked him ASAP! Not only did we get a great deal for WHOLE DAY photography but he took great care in ensuring my fiancé and I were happy with his work. I absolutely recommend James Pate for ANY occasion and I will be using his services in the future!
Lani: James Pate is an excellent photographer. He was our photographer not only on our wedding day but also at our children’s christening. He is very artistic and very creative in many ways. He is also a great nature photographer. We love his work that we ended up buying some of his artwork, framed them, and hang on our bedrooms. It’s a pleasure knowing him. He loves what he does and delivers it perfectly.
My wife, Eva is sure they have me confused with someone else. LOL
9. Do you have any advice for couples looking to book a wedding photographer? (Anything they might want to keep in mind when searching for one)
The most important advice I can offer is to not shop solely on price. It can be a challenge to find a photographer that is a good fit for you and your wedding vision. Understandably, budget can be a determining factor in selecting your wedding photographer. However, I caution against shopping on price alone. Pricing can range from $500 to $15000 or more dollars, with lots of options in between. The variation in pricing is immense and somewhat overwhelming. Instead of shopping on price alone, I recommend shopping on value. Value can appear to be an abstract concept. However this is well suited when searching for your photographer. Each professional has her/his own creative eye and their work tends to have an individual and unique flavour; both of which are somewhat abstract to quantify. So thinking of the value that best meets your needs is probably a good way to approach your search. That being said, the concept of value raises a few of questions. 1. What is value? 2. How do you quantify the value that you seek? 3. How do to shop for that value? I think value is simply a balance of quality, service and price. Therefore:
VALUE = Quality of Photography + Quality of Service + Price
1. Quality of photography: Simply search for imagery that fits your vision. There’s no need to get too technical; either what you are looking at feels right or it doesn’t. It is as simple as that. Do you like what you see and you would like a similar style of photography on your wedding day?
2. Quality of Service: There are a few factors to consider here but again it does not have to become complicated. Make an initial inquiry to the photographer and gauge their first response. Ask a few secondary questions and see if they are personable and prompt in their replies? Photographers do get very busy at certain times of the year. Therefore, how prompt and personable she/he responds to inquiries can be a great gauge on how much value the photographer places on quality of service and how they will act under a little pressure. This should also provide you with some insight into the photographer’s personality. Do you get along well with her/him? This is especially important if you are planning a full wedding, as the photographer will be the one person that you will spend most of your day with. Quality photography is an intimate experience and requires a certain level of trust and understanding. Do you click with your photographer? Do you trust her/him to create the most flattering photography of your wedding day?
3. Price: Again try not to complicate the issue. Does the prospective photographer fit your budget? Judge the photographer by their work first and by the price second. Be cautious with lower priced photographers but don’t dismiss them completely. There is some wonderful new talent entering the market and you may have found that new diamond in the rough, just as they step out on their own. Do make sure they have quality imagery in all kinds of lighting situations. A skilled photographer delivers no matter what the lighting conditions and that is what you are investing in, when you hire a professional. Likewise, don’t assume that you have found the best photographers because they are the most expensive. Chances are, that you have indeed, found the most wonderful, established and in demand photographers in your area. However, ensure that they are the best fit for your needs. Make sure that they are of value to you personally.
10. Besides wedding photography, what is your greatest passion(s) in life?
My family is my greatest passion. A close second would be waking up early to head down to the lake and capture the sunrise. I would start every day this way if I had the time.
Interested in contacting Toronto/GTA/Niagara Region Wedding Photographer James Pate?
Website
416-452-2606
