Old Friends, New Beginnings Captured by Silvana Di Franco [RF Wedding of the Week]

August 19, 2015

By Laura Brauer

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.

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All photos © Silvana Di Franco

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.

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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!”

©silvanadifranco_A_D_GR-083©silvanadifranco_A_D_GR-087©silvanadifranco_A_D_GR-056©silvanadifranco_A_D_GR-006©silvanadifranco_A_D_GR-103©silvanadifranco_A_D_FF-027She adds, “Of course, parents love their mantle shots so I always include a few portraits that are shot with a more traditional approach.”

©silvanadifranco_A_D_GR-078©silvanadifranco_-055©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-070©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-099On 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.”

©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-092©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-087©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-125©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-128©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-129©silvanadifranco_A_D_C-003©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-013©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-015©silvanadifranco_A_D_P_D-018©silvanadifranco_A_D_P_D-030©silvanadifranco_A_D_P_D-032©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-057©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-104©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-139©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-150©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-165©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-206©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-192©silvanadifranco_A_D_T_P-116Equipment: 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.