Photography infused with Compassion, Creativity, and competence!
I have worked in the wedding industry for nine years, both running my own business and working on the teams of other leading photographers in the area. During this time I have built solid industry knowledge and a strong network of wedding professionals whom I can recommend and have worked with over the years. I carry a Los Angeles business license and a General Liability and Personal Property Insurance policy, which most venues require of vendors.
My working style is comprehensive:
Administratively, I am responsive, communicative, and proactive - my clients feel taken care of and are never left wondering when they are going to be receiving galleries, or when we should meet to review their wedding day details and timeline. I respond to your emails promptly and won't leave you hanging!
Creatively, I work closely with you to determine the types of photos you aim to receive and your priorities for experiencing your wedding day; this guides how I create them. I can blend the various styles you will see and read about: Traditional, editorial, documentary, candid, etc.
Post Production involves culling through your photos and determining the best images to include in your final gallery. I believe in quality over quantity, but I have set minimum image counts for each wedding package to ensure you receive plenty of great photos. My editing style is true-to-color with some warmth. Based on your aesthetic, I can make adjustments to include more or less black and white, no grain or some grain for a vintage feel, etc. We discuss this ahead of time. Ultimately, my goal is to represent you and your wedding day authentically. I create an edit that influences the entire gallery and make adjustments to each image individually to ensure they all look great.
FAQ
Pricing statement
I price competitively with other photographers in my area and tend to hold pricing steady for at least two years at a time. I typically run a wedding special from Black Friday until New Years Eve. I also offer booking incentives to repeat clients.
What education & training do you have?
My BFA minor is in photography and I have taken other college level courses as well. I've been mentored by other industry professionals and invest in workshops to hone my craft.
What is your photography style?
I like to blend a few styles of photography! I like to direct my clients with movement based prompts for a candid and documentary quality and also help them with posing to achieve an editorial and traditional feel. I think ending up with a collection of images that has balance to them is the goal for me, where the photos feel alive and also frame-worthy.
What is your editing process like?
I like a true-to-color edit with some warmth or California glow to it. I personally like a filmy quality to my photos, but I do work with the client on how crisp or grainy they would like their images to be. I always add in some black and white edits in the galleries, because they feel classic!
Do you use AI?
I do utilize an AI culling software and always double check its work - this program saves me weeks of work per year and allows me more time to spend manually editing your photos and providing great service. I have a photographic memory and know if I did intentional blur for some images or asked a client to close their eyes, the photos that it eliminates are mostly unusable.
Whre are you based & Do you travel for Weddings?
I reside in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, but founded my business while living in Ventura County. I find that I work most in Los Angeles, Ventura County, and Santa Barbara. My wedding packages include travel within the state of California. I am happy to travel further for additional fees depending on the location. I also have bucket-list locations and venues I am interested in working, and am open to discounting my rates for those opportunities.
DEI Statement
At Captured by Emily C. Petrie, my work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to be seen, respected, and celebrated. I proudly welcome all identities, bodies, backgrounds, and love stories. I believe inclusivity is an action, not just a statement, and I am committed to creating a space where people feel safe, represented, and free to be unapologetically themselves. Everyone deserves to exist, to be seen, and to have their story told.
Describe a recent project you are fond of.
I am in a phase of scouting all of California's most beautiful parks through my love of camping! I love having an arsenal of ideas and locations to recommend to clients.
My best Advice for couples.
Be as present as possible and enjoy this time in your life! Hire a coordinator. Investing in professionals with experience is always worth the splurge - you get what you pay for. Weddings are not a copy/paste event - be yourselves and plan your day around your essence as a couple!
if I could re-do my wedding what would I change?
I wouldn't be scared to be more unique and quirky. Small wedding party or no wedding party. Quadruple check that our DJ had the correct version/cut of our first dance song. Hold hands more & stick together with my wife during more of our reception.
Can we keep our photos private from social media?
Yes! Please communicate your wishes ahead of time.
I do like to share photos of all clients who feel comfortable with it to show the range of diversity of my clients, because representation matters!
What makes you different?
I feel like my dovetailed background with photography and event planning makes me very strong in my work and a great collaborator with clients and the other vendors on their team. I am also very attuned to others emotions and let my compassion and understanding help guide how I work with many different people. Artistically, I grew up observing my dad on film sets and I am a strong director and see a photo session or wedding shoot in a cinematic way - even though the photos are still, the subjects and what is happening is very much alive and in movement.
