VENDOR SHOWCASE: Simon Reid Photography
It's always an honour to be able to get to know wedding vendors on both a personal and professional level, and this week on our Vendor Showcase we're featuring Simon Reid, who is not only both an amazing photographer but was one of our 2017 grooms!
Tell us a little about yourself!
Hi! My name is Simon. When we aren’t traveling, my wife Shannon and I call Charlottetown home. Although I spend a lot of my time thinking about taking pictures and weddings, I also love playing board games, paddle boarding, camping, and making things out of wood!
How long have you been photographing weddings?
I have been photographing weddings for 7 years now, which seems crazy! I have no clue where the time has gone.
What inspired you to begin photographing weddings?
I remember repeatedly saying that I would never ever want to shoot a wedding. Now that I look back though, I know that I was crazy ever to think that. Like a lot of people, my first wedding was for a friend. They had seen some pictures that I had been posting online and asked me if I would be able to do some for their wedding. After weeks of research and preparing myself for everything that could happen, I shot their day and loved every moment of it! After that I was hooked and have never looked back!
What is your favourite part of the wedding day?
My favourite part of a wedding day is the couple portraits. Besides the fact that this makes for the best pictures, this tends to be one of the first moments on a day that the couple is able to take a breath of fresh air and just enjoy being married. They are always so in love and I often hear them whispering about how excited they are that this day has finally come!
What is the most unique wedding you've ever photographed?
I really love when my couples make add a unique twist onto their wedding day. Whether this be having a scheduled break midday to grab a Guinness, having superhero themed decorations at their reception, or stopping their DJ part way through the dance to enjoy some fiddle music, it really is special when a couple makes their wedding their own. The most unique wedding I have shot was a super intimate reception a couple years back. Everyone sat at two large tables family style and it was a really great atmosphere. We felt like one big family enjoying an amazing meal together!
Describe your photography style:
I would describe my style as a photojournalistic approach to photography. What I mean by this is that I try to stay as quiet as I can during a wedding day capturing the special interactions that are going on and often overlooked. With that being said, I still direct my couples when needed and make sure they are in the best posing and light for pictures but try to make them feel comfortable and candid in front of my camera. My goal is for a couple to view their wedding pictures and be able to relive the whole story of their wedding day over and over again!
Are you available to travel for weddings?
Of course! I love to travel and take every chance to do so!
Aside from weddings, what is your next favourite type of shoot?
I absolutely love shooting weddings, but if I had to pick a second favourite genre of photography it would have to be humanitarian photography. Like a lot of wedding photographers my summers are absolutely crazy, but once the winter rolls around there isn’t the same number of people getting married. A couple of years ago I combined my love of traveling with a heart of giving back to start donating my time to nonprofit organizations around the world. Each winter I try to do a few trips and have been lucky enough to travel to seven different countries in the last couple years! I love meeting amazing people all over the world and getting to share their stories back home!
Photo provided by Simon Reid Photography
Photo provided by Simon Reid Photography
Photo provided by Simon Reid Photography
Photo provided by Simon Reid Photography
Photo provided by Simon Reid Photography
Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us Simon! If you haven't looked at Simon's work, definitely check him out! He donates 10% of his revenue to helping to build homes in Haiti which is an amazing thing to be able to support.
Until next time,
xox KLF