One of the things I love best about my job is the wonderful people I get to meet from all over the world, as well as having the opportunity to see the talented work they create.
I met photographer Silvana Di Franco (of Fairfax, California) in 2009 when we both attended a wedding photography workshop by Elizabeth Messina at a stunning château in Poitiers, France. That’s also where Silvana and I met fellow wedding shooter Abby Liga (based in Orlando, Florida). We’ve all remained close over the last six years, and when Abby asked Silvana to shoot her wedding a few months ago, Silvana said “YES” without any hesitation.
The Tuscan-themed wedding of Abby and Danny took place at the Mission Inn in the village of Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.
Says Di Franco of her approach to weddings in general, “I mix a little bit of lifestyle shots and some photojournalism with a sprinkle of fine art. I feel that today’s wedding photographers have to have a balance of many styles. My approach is to maintain the right mix yet still remain me!”
She adds, “Of course, parents love their mantle shots so I always include a few portraits that are shot with a more traditional approach.”
On this day, Silvana says the light was just right almost all day long, a plus for sure as any wedding photographer can attest to. “I think creatively, I wanted to capture the tropical feel of the area, yet still maintain the bride’s Tuscan theme throughout,” she says. “Being able to photograph a colleague’s wedding was pretty special. I felt honored to be there. And I just love that we met in France at a photo workshop.”
Equipment: Silvana stuck with a Canon 5D Mark III for the course of the day, along with a Contax 645—which is, hey, what Elizabeth Messina herself swears by!
Last words: “Jillian Mitchell was kind enough to help me second-shoot this wedding,” Di Franco adds. “She’s pretty special.”
Check out more Weddings of the Week, and email Jacqueline Tobin with submissions.