interview with catarina zimbarra

so, i had a whole different post to start the day with (yes, i did write start the day with), but after all the mess with the internet cable, which left me with no internet for a couple of days… mr laptop is making me a very nervous girl… more than i would like to be on a sunny tuesday! here i was writing you all about this weekend… the photo session i did, the results of that photo session, but nay… no way it will cooperate in order for me to share beautiful things with you… no, much better to slow things down since 10am. ok, breathe miss twiggs, breathe! all these nerves will get you wrinkles, those ugly ones! ok, so you will read about the whole weekend story later, because now i have something else to share! last week, we had {portrait photography} sessions with three amazing photographers, {arlyne vanhook}, {christine pobke} & also {christina greve}. this week, i would like to share with you a different topic… wedding photography. is it that important?

of course my answer is a strong yes. though many couples try to save their money on many things, photography should not be one of those things. this is one huge day, and though it might be sometimes more special for the ladies… we all know that grooms also have a vanity side, and they will be happy to look good on that day. i know that mr twiggs loves when i take good-looking pictures of him (hi, mr twiggs!). i have invited a few wedding photographers and today we shall have {catarina zimbarra}. catarina is a wedding photographer in portugal, she was a guest here {before} and i had to invite her once again, to talk about her work.

hello, how are you catarina? thank you so much for being here today… it is such an honor for me! so, i asked you to be a guest because you are quite a reference in portrait photography, can you describe your path until now? 
i always loved photography. always photographed things, places, urban details and feelings that moved me. people wasn’t “my thing”. until i started one day on a friend’s wedding. i captured moments that nobody else could see and i had the pleasure to photograph moments of love, happiness, true details with such a different style and approach to wedding photography. so i started after a few nice compliments and a good dose of ambition and passion. working in photography as a graphic designer is one thing but working with wedding photography is another thing. for me it became a passion and a commitment i do with love and it just makes me grow as a photographer. i can’t tell you how lucky i’m to have the ability of creating a genuine feeling through my lens… to document life!

why do you chose to be a wedding photographer?
to be a photographer was a decision that was not taken very seriously at the beginning. it was an idea that came out after thinking carefully about the gaps on the market and to work on something i would love to do.  of course it took me a lot of my time to consider all this specially because there was one thing i  knew: it would be a hard work.  but i like to be challenged and that was one of the things that made me want to be a people’s photographer. another issue  was the lack of creativity on the majority of the wedding photographers. i had the urge to offer my vision and creativity. and so, i decided to start with all my strength, unique style and heart.

what do you consider to be the secrets for a beautiful and charming wedding day, concerning the photography part?
i don’t think there  are any special  secrets. i dont have any. the love between the bride and groom is my strongest inspiration. my work is based on true moments, real people and unique emotions. the secret is documenting life itself, love and feelings.

what inspires you to make your work, what drives you to create the images you create?
i think my answer is above. however there’s something that makes me create beautiful and unique images and that’s my constant will to be good, to be ever better then the last time, to challenge myself knowing that i’m always growing as a photographer.

the most beautiful place to host a wedding is…
it’s difficult to name one but i must say sintra, portugal.  it’s always perfect and romantic.

now, talking about a more technical point of view, tell me… what equipment do you use?
i only use canon. 4 canon bodies with several lens.

what do you carry in your bag for wedding sessions?
for all the weddings i carry one canon 5d, one canon 7d, 16-35mm 2.8f, 85mm 1.8f, 50mm 1.4f, 135mm 2f. also a continuous light, a flash and lots of memory cards.

what do you consider to be a challenge on a wedding day and how do you face that challenge?
the major challenge i find is regarding great expectations. all my clients expect the best of me and for me each wedding is a unique and special day. i don’t want to give them just a good work. i want to offer them the best, so they could look at their photos and they say “wow! you captured our day perfectly and you exceed our expectations”. and i’m glad to say i hear this a lot!! the other aspect in a wedding day that is a challenge is the particular moment that last for seconds and you need to capture it with its beauty, realness and emotions. i can anticipate moments and that’s my speciality. i never ask for poses, or nothing that is not real or true. for me, love, seconds of light and hidden smiles are the beautiful things to capture. difficult yes. Rewarding definitely.

so, are you getting married? are you married already? what are your thoughts on wedding photography? and for the photographers, what do you think about this topic? would you do this? i would like to do it one day in the future… it is indeed a huge responsibility to be in charge of a wedding’s photography. there is no doing it again, going up the aisle one more time, dance the first dance again… and this is such a special day for everyone present, mainly for the bride & groom, if you have a professional sense of being, you know you have to deliver only your best, the best you can do… you need to exceed your own expectations. thank you so much catarina, for being here once again! it was lovely to have you and to know a bit more of what happens behind the cameras… i will be back (hopefully) for more!

images: courtesy of catarina zimbarra