Now that we got the boring stuff out of the way, thank you for reading so far. You’re probably looking for a person you can connect with, not a walking portfolio with a camera.
You’re unique. Just like everybody else. I, too, am unique among all the unique photographers who do things differently. :) I’ve been doing this for a long time – long enough to get good, but also long enough to go through all the stages. I loved photography as a hobby. When I was younger, I wanted to be a war photographer. I thought I was the luckiest man in the world when, for a while, I worked as a photojournalist. I enjoyed the adrenaline of photographing sports and protests. Loved the smell of tear gas in the morning. For a while, it felt like a calling, then like an identity, then a job, then like a way to pay the bills. I eventually dreaded it and got burned out. Now I’m trying to find my Ikigai. My main goal is to leave every event and gig I photograph knowing I did my best because my own performance is really the one thing I have control over. I collect vibes and I do it responsibly.
I believe your wedding day might not be the most important moment in your life. You might end up having kids (and the emotion of that will trump the wedding day). Or going your separate ways (nothing lasts forever). I do, however, believe that it’s important enough to you right here and now. Which makes it important to me.
I’m interested in you as humans and as a couple: what makes you tick, what are your quirks, what makes you strong together. I want to document you as you are, not as that voice inside your head that is not your own whispers you should be.
I focus on the moments, the fleeting gestures, the hugs, the emotions (positive or negative). I want to discover you as people. I care about you and your tribe more than I do about a dress, suit, shoes and table settings. If you’re searching for posed perfection, I might not be the right fit. It’s simply not how I see the world.
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[...] My photojournalism background allows me to document your day discreetly and unobtrusively. Photography, like any creative process, is about choices. Of the hundreds of little things that happen on a wedding day, I will show you some. The day will likely be a blur for your (especially if it’s your first time). I know that I have the power to shape how you remember that day. Which is why I collect vibes and do it responsibly.
The couples I worked best with know themselves. They know they’re not perfect and are not looking for perfection. They don’t take themselves too seriously. They’re ok with making funny faces in front of the camera. They’re ok with being boring because no-one is really boring and besides, boring is perfectly fine. They’re not models (it’s fine to be uncomfortable in front of a camera). They might want a small wedding with close friends because that’s what matters to them. Or they might have very high, but realistic, expectations that they communicate clearly. The smallest wedding I photographed had 15 guests. The biggest, more than 700 and lasted four days.
When I don’t photograph weddings, families or other assignments I’m an introvert and a nerd. I’m discovering the benefits of long walks and truly doing nothing. Being idle. I meditate, listen to podcasts or play video games. I was born in Communist Romania in the town where the 1989 revolution started (Timisoara) and I have vague memories of that. I’m a dog person, I have a bachelor's degree in History and a Master's in Public Administration, I lived in 5 different countries. I’m trying to switch from finding meaning in life to finding meaning in everyday things. I’m a community first responder and volunteer with the Bucharest Ambulance Service and I teach first aid courses (BLS/AED).
If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear in what ways YOU’RE unique. So…let’s talk!
ALL VIBES WELCOME 🏳️🌈