Photographers Ann Carroll and Jen Cook make up Nashville, TN based photography studio The Photographix. With their creative approach that focuses on the personalities and emotions that surround a couples' wedding day, the stylish duo have made a living of capturing the intimate and emotional moments of a day through imagery. Describing their style as classic, natural and real, their photography embodies beautiful imagery with a vintage twist. Read on to learn more about Ann and Jen and what inspires the ladies behind the lenses at The Photographix.
The Photographix is based in Nashville, TN but are available for assignments worldwide. To contact The Photographix, visit their website or call 615.828.5100 or 615.519.5458.
Weddings Unveiled: Tell us a little bit about The Photographix.
Ann & Jen: Photographix consists of Ann Carroll and Jen Cook. We both graduated from Watkins Art & Design with Bachelor's in Fine Art Photography in Nashville, TN. We've been doing weddings for 6 years together and been photographing for probably 10 years total!
WU: How did you both become wedding photographers?
A&J: Ann and I both worked with wedding photographers while in school as assistants, but never really wanted to go that direction. When we graduated and were no longer assisting, we were asked to shoot a wedding. We said yes because we could use the money and we absolutely loved it! It's a lot different being the main photographer than just an assistant! After that wedding, I guess we did such a good job that our names started spreading like wild fire. After about a year and 8 or so weddings we decided to make this our full time job and Photographix was born :)
WU: Digital or film or both? Why?
A&J: Digital. We learned photography on film cameras and processing in the dark room, but were with wedding photographers during the turn from film to digital. While we know film VERY well, there's just something about knowing that your images are coming out how they should right there on the spot. So it's almost a calming factor really! It's also more convenient to just download on your computer, burn to a disc and be done than all the negatives and scanning in process. We do a lot of storybook albums and blogging/facebooking... it just makes more sense for us.
WU: Describe your wedding photography style.
A&J: We've come a long way since we started shooting weddings. I think we've finally found our true style which we like to describe as classic, real, natural, great photography with a vintage twist :) We don't do a lot of set up poses or anything too high fashion. We want our clients to be able to look back at their images in 20 years and still love them! Not think "hmm... what were we thinking here?!" We like for our couples to just be themselves in front of our cameras... and not act like they're someone they're not.
WU: Show us your favorite wedding image and tell us why it represents who you are as wedding photographers.
A&J: Yikes that's hard! We have so many but this is one of our faves :) This is the grooms grandparents who have been married for probably 60+ years. We love how they are dancing just like the bride and groom even after so long and look so happy! These are the moments we try and capture at every wedding. This is a photograph that when the bride and grooms grandchildren find one day, it's going to make them smile :)
WU: What inspires you? What inspires your photography?
A&J: Family. After a few losses of grandparents in the last few years, it really made us want to capture images for generations to come. It's very important for us now to make sure that we capture the emotions that surround a wedding day and not just the "list" you give to photographers that have every combination of every person in attendance :) Yes we think family portraits are important and we would want those too, but we also want you to FEEL the emotions every time you look at your photos.
WU: How do you keep your wedding photography fresh?
A&J: We shoot a lot of other things than just weddings. We shoot everything from kids, to boudoir, freelance for magazines, etc. I think this helps us keep our wedding photography fresh because we take ideas from other things we shoot and combine them into our wedding style. We also look at a lot of outside inspiration that you might not think would be good for weddings, but totally is! Clothing catalogs, commercials, movies, etc.
WU: What makes you different from other wedding photographers?
A&J: Ann and I really pat ourselves on the back when it comes to customer service and personality. We are VERY good at working with the "people" :) As you know, there are a lot of characters out there and we have worked with a lot of them! Not everyone that hires you for photography actually wants their picture made strange enough :) We pride ourselves on being able to work with every type of person. It's not always easy, but 9 out of 10 times, if someone was hard to work with, they always come back after and tell us what a good job we did and that we were so easy and laid back to work with. I think that really says a lot :)
WU: What would be your ideal wedding assignment?
A&J: We are dying to do an over the top Indian ceremony full with henna, sari's, and elephants!! Know anyone like that?? :)
WU: Tell us three things you can't live without.
A&J: Email (sad but true), our awesome supportive husbands (sappy... yes.. whatever get over it :) and kids, & The Real Housewives... yup... that's what I said :) (Ann) would like to insert the "Twilight Series" in place of Jen's "The Real Housewives"!
WU: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
A&J: Pull up your big girl panties and make something happen! NOTHING just falls in your lap. You are the only one that can change your destiny so you'd better stop sulking and GET ON WITH IT! (I think that was pretty good ;)
WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple?
A&J: Don't choose your photographer purely on price. This is your wedding day. It will last for 1 day but your photos will last forever. You need to hire a professional that you love, get a long with, and is in your price range. There are all kinds of professionals out there and you will find one that fits your needs. We can't tell you how many times we have a bridesmaid that is already married, come in with the bride and tell us how she skimped out on her wedding photography and regrets it. Just because someone has a big fancy camera, doesn't mean they know how to use it! Sure they may get a few lucky shots, but can they photograph your entire day under any lighting conditions, venue stipulations, etc, and deliver you an ENTIRE beautiful wedding day? There is a reason why photographers charge what they do. It's not just showing up, taking a few pictures, and delivering you a disc at the end. There are weeks and months that go into making sure that YOUR wedding photographs turn out amazing and you have memories that you can smile about. I would hate to think about about how I hated my wedding photographer/photos every time I looked at the happiest day of my life :)
The Photographix is based in Nashville, TN but are available for assignments worldwide. To contact The Photographix, visit their website or call 615.828.5100 or 615.519.5458.
Weddings Unveiled: Tell us a little bit about The Photographix.
Ann & Jen: Photographix consists of Ann Carroll and Jen Cook. We both graduated from Watkins Art & Design with Bachelor's in Fine Art Photography in Nashville, TN. We've been doing weddings for 6 years together and been photographing for probably 10 years total!
WU: How did you both become wedding photographers?
A&J: Ann and I both worked with wedding photographers while in school as assistants, but never really wanted to go that direction. When we graduated and were no longer assisting, we were asked to shoot a wedding. We said yes because we could use the money and we absolutely loved it! It's a lot different being the main photographer than just an assistant! After that wedding, I guess we did such a good job that our names started spreading like wild fire. After about a year and 8 or so weddings we decided to make this our full time job and Photographix was born :)
WU: Digital or film or both? Why?
A&J: Digital. We learned photography on film cameras and processing in the dark room, but were with wedding photographers during the turn from film to digital. While we know film VERY well, there's just something about knowing that your images are coming out how they should right there on the spot. So it's almost a calming factor really! It's also more convenient to just download on your computer, burn to a disc and be done than all the negatives and scanning in process. We do a lot of storybook albums and blogging/facebooking... it just makes more sense for us.
WU: Describe your wedding photography style.
A&J: We've come a long way since we started shooting weddings. I think we've finally found our true style which we like to describe as classic, real, natural, great photography with a vintage twist :) We don't do a lot of set up poses or anything too high fashion. We want our clients to be able to look back at their images in 20 years and still love them! Not think "hmm... what were we thinking here?!" We like for our couples to just be themselves in front of our cameras... and not act like they're someone they're not.
WU: Show us your favorite wedding image and tell us why it represents who you are as wedding photographers.
A&J: Yikes that's hard! We have so many but this is one of our faves :) This is the grooms grandparents who have been married for probably 60+ years. We love how they are dancing just like the bride and groom even after so long and look so happy! These are the moments we try and capture at every wedding. This is a photograph that when the bride and grooms grandchildren find one day, it's going to make them smile :)
WU: What inspires you? What inspires your photography?
A&J: Family. After a few losses of grandparents in the last few years, it really made us want to capture images for generations to come. It's very important for us now to make sure that we capture the emotions that surround a wedding day and not just the "list" you give to photographers that have every combination of every person in attendance :) Yes we think family portraits are important and we would want those too, but we also want you to FEEL the emotions every time you look at your photos.
WU: How do you keep your wedding photography fresh?
A&J: We shoot a lot of other things than just weddings. We shoot everything from kids, to boudoir, freelance for magazines, etc. I think this helps us keep our wedding photography fresh because we take ideas from other things we shoot and combine them into our wedding style. We also look at a lot of outside inspiration that you might not think would be good for weddings, but totally is! Clothing catalogs, commercials, movies, etc.
WU: What makes you different from other wedding photographers?
A&J: Ann and I really pat ourselves on the back when it comes to customer service and personality. We are VERY good at working with the "people" :) As you know, there are a lot of characters out there and we have worked with a lot of them! Not everyone that hires you for photography actually wants their picture made strange enough :) We pride ourselves on being able to work with every type of person. It's not always easy, but 9 out of 10 times, if someone was hard to work with, they always come back after and tell us what a good job we did and that we were so easy and laid back to work with. I think that really says a lot :)
WU: What would be your ideal wedding assignment?
A&J: We are dying to do an over the top Indian ceremony full with henna, sari's, and elephants!! Know anyone like that?? :)
WU: Tell us three things you can't live without.
A&J: Email (sad but true), our awesome supportive husbands (sappy... yes.. whatever get over it :) and kids, & The Real Housewives... yup... that's what I said :) (Ann) would like to insert the "Twilight Series" in place of Jen's "The Real Housewives"!
WU: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
A&J: Pull up your big girl panties and make something happen! NOTHING just falls in your lap. You are the only one that can change your destiny so you'd better stop sulking and GET ON WITH IT! (I think that was pretty good ;)
WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple?
A&J: Don't choose your photographer purely on price. This is your wedding day. It will last for 1 day but your photos will last forever. You need to hire a professional that you love, get a long with, and is in your price range. There are all kinds of professionals out there and you will find one that fits your needs. We can't tell you how many times we have a bridesmaid that is already married, come in with the bride and tell us how she skimped out on her wedding photography and regrets it. Just because someone has a big fancy camera, doesn't mean they know how to use it! Sure they may get a few lucky shots, but can they photograph your entire day under any lighting conditions, venue stipulations, etc, and deliver you an ENTIRE beautiful wedding day? There is a reason why photographers charge what they do. It's not just showing up, taking a few pictures, and delivering you a disc at the end. There are weeks and months that go into making sure that YOUR wedding photographs turn out amazing and you have memories that you can smile about. I would hate to think about about how I hated my wedding photographer/photos every time I looked at the happiest day of my life :)
