Rebekah and Ben are the husband and wife team behind the spectacular imagery of West Palm Beach, FL based Kallima Photography. Describing themselves as storytellers, their photography does exactly that. Letting their clients be the authors of the day, Rebekah and Ben document the day as it unfolds capturing every moment creating a cohesive wedding story with imagery filled with emotion and that tugs at your heart. Read on to learn more about Rebekah "Bek" and Ben and the inspiration behind the lenses of Kallima Photography.
Kallima Photography is based in West Palm Beach, FL but are available for assignments worldwide. To contact Kallima Photography, visit their website here or call 850.980.1274.
Weddings Unveiled: Tell us a little bit about Kallima Photography.
Bek: When I was neck deep in getting my Event Planning degree at FSU, I realized that one day I wanted to have a family and be home with my kids. Everything was high stress and fast paced and lots of hours. I'd been toying with photography and cameras and shoots for years, and knew I loved it AND had a bit of a knack for seeing & capturing emotion in people. Once I realized I could make a living doing something I loved? I fell in love and never looked back. After shooting a few weddings on my own, I asked my husband Ben to come along. He ended up having a blast and has become an artist right along with me. We shoot every wedding together as a team:)
WU: How did you become a wedding photographer?
Bek: My dear friend Tracy called me and said, "I told my friend Courtney you shot weddings. She wants to hire you." Well, I didn't shoot weddings...up to this point I'd only photographed couples and families. I was mad at Tracy and terrified for her friend to call me. She did, she hired me...and I loved every nerve-wracking stress inducing moment of that first wedding. Marriage and love has always been something that I crave and desire to see people fall into. It's sacred and messy and beautiful and heart-wrenching, and I love being able to photograph how it all begins.
Ben: Bek brought me along.
WU: Digital or film or both? Why?
Bek: My husband Ben and I shoot digital, but Ben is getting into film something fierce. It is romantic and beautiful, and challenging. He loves a challenge! I love to shoot digital for the immediate gratification, and the freedom it gives me to shoot as much and as fast as I want.
Ben: I'll be honest and say that I'm torn. I love the instant gratification of digital, and cameras are so good now that there is really no excuse for a poorly exposed image. But, I love the look of film. I love the complication of film backs, I love the way it slows me down and makes me think more about the image. So, I'll probably continue on in both worlds.
WU: Describe your wedding photography style.
Bek: The whole "style" category has always cracked us up. I think tons of people have the same "style" and shoot very similarly. I was talking with some amazing clients of mine at an engagement shoot the other day, and I told them this. Look, if we can capture emotion, moments, intimacies, whispers that evoke laughter, smiles that are genuine and melt your heart....then it doesn't matter to us what you're wearing or doing or where we are....to us, photography is all about what you're saying to the next generation. I always try to think about this portrait of my bride being on her grand-daughters nightstand one day. What would I want her to see? We love photography and images that cause you to feel something.
Ben: Rebekah and I completely agree here. we really want to tell the story of a wedding. There are so many small moments throughout the course of the day that would be forgotten without photography. Those are the images that will last and bring back the greatest memories.
WU: Show us your favorite wedding image and tell us why it represents who you are as wedding photographers.
Ben: I loved this image as soon as i took it. It reminds me of a painting. this is the brides brother reading over his notes for his speech later on. It's a moment that no one would remember, but now it sums up a part of the day to me.
Bek: The main thing I always strive to show through a picture is interaction. Jodi and Luke are one of our favorite couples, simply because they were in love despite who was around. I love the way she's looking at him here.
WU: What inspires you?
Bek and Ben: Every day life. Our son Josiah and our daughter Darby! How other people see and view and capture the world. God's creation. People's idiosyncrasies. Travel. Movies!
WU: What inspires your photography?
Bek: Our couples. Every one of them are different....everyone has a different story. Every one of them are unique in how they interact with each other.
Ben: Images are all about the people in them. Every wedding has a feel, and every couple as well. You have to take inspiration from that.
WU: How do you keep your wedding photography fresh?
Bek: Always be moving and always think outside of what you see right off hand. Lots of times it's not whats happening with their faces....but with their hands. We try to keep everything we do as unique as if this was the first wedding we've ever seen.
Ben: I think it's tough. I have to really think about what I'm going to do to grow during this wedding. It's easy to sit back and take the same shots that you always have, but you have to challenge yourself to improve.
WU: Do you do non-wedding photography work? If so, how does it influence your wedding photography?
Bek: Ben is a video producer at our church, so he is always learning and coming home with ideas we put into place with our business. I love to shoot my kids. It requires patience and for me to be FAST (they are 2 years old and 8 months!), so it's a challenge to get amazing images and for that I'm grateful. It is a constant reminder at weddings to be patient and wait for the moment, and to always be looking.
Ben: Yes, I'm in the video world now as well as photography. It's teaching me a lot. I always felt that lighting was one of my strong suits in photography, and video has improved that. I think I'm composing images a little differently now. Photography is still my first love, but I'm starting to appreciate the storytelling strength of video.
WU: What makes you different from other wedding photographers?
Bek: Our main goal with our couples and our weddings is to make a connection and make everything about THEM; Leave the wedding having created friendships. If we connect with you, you'll connect with each other and our cameras naturally....and your images will be amazing. We love to do life with people, and to capture stories unfolding. We are not your 'show up, do our job, eat some cake and peace out photographers. We want to know you. We want to be able to breathe your love story through our lenses. We know these pictures will be around for the rest of your life, and we take that responsibility on with severity...knowing how sacred they will be to you. We do what we do because we love our couples and because marriage is something we are very passionate about.
Ben: Rebekah is spot on. We are there to support our couples however we can. Yes we are there to do photography, but I've sewn lots of buttons back on to dress shirts.
WU: What would be your ideal wedding assignment?
Bek: We love to shoot in natural light and be outdoors. The pictures are beautiful, nothing replaces the sun! We love backyard weddings. Couples that put their whole LIFE into the details of their wedding day. Couples who care about the uniqueness of what they wear. Couples who are close to their families. Friends who are there for what they can give, not what they can get. Weddings that are focused on the bride and groom.
Ben: Italy. Tuscan villa. Enough said.
WU: Tell us three things you can't live without.
Bek: my Saviour, STARBUCKS, and my community here in West Palm Beach!
Ben: God, Family, Starbucks.
WU: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Bek: Be yourself .
Ben: God first, others second, I'm third. Thanks Kanakuk.
WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple?
Bek: Make your wedding a reflection of you, and don't get caught up in the tradition. Tradition is constantly being changed and modified. If you love Chick-fil-A and your wedding is in your parents backyard? Get Chick-fil-A. Wear those cowboy boots you never take off in the winter. Skip the bouquet toss if you hate the cliche. Make your wedding an event that SCREAMS the two of you and never look back.
Ben: Take the time to do it right. I'm a big fan of classic style, mixed in with some new stuff. Tie bars, awesome shoes, etc. Don't go rent a tux from a big box-get a nice suit you'll wear again and again. This is your day....be comfortable...but be intentional.
Kallima Photography is based in West Palm Beach, FL but are available for assignments worldwide. To contact Kallima Photography, visit their website here or call 850.980.1274.
Weddings Unveiled: Tell us a little bit about Kallima Photography.
Bek: When I was neck deep in getting my Event Planning degree at FSU, I realized that one day I wanted to have a family and be home with my kids. Everything was high stress and fast paced and lots of hours. I'd been toying with photography and cameras and shoots for years, and knew I loved it AND had a bit of a knack for seeing & capturing emotion in people. Once I realized I could make a living doing something I loved? I fell in love and never looked back. After shooting a few weddings on my own, I asked my husband Ben to come along. He ended up having a blast and has become an artist right along with me. We shoot every wedding together as a team:)
WU: How did you become a wedding photographer?
Bek: My dear friend Tracy called me and said, "I told my friend Courtney you shot weddings. She wants to hire you." Well, I didn't shoot weddings...up to this point I'd only photographed couples and families. I was mad at Tracy and terrified for her friend to call me. She did, she hired me...and I loved every nerve-wracking stress inducing moment of that first wedding. Marriage and love has always been something that I crave and desire to see people fall into. It's sacred and messy and beautiful and heart-wrenching, and I love being able to photograph how it all begins.
Ben: Bek brought me along.
WU: Digital or film or both? Why?
Bek: My husband Ben and I shoot digital, but Ben is getting into film something fierce. It is romantic and beautiful, and challenging. He loves a challenge! I love to shoot digital for the immediate gratification, and the freedom it gives me to shoot as much and as fast as I want.
Ben: I'll be honest and say that I'm torn. I love the instant gratification of digital, and cameras are so good now that there is really no excuse for a poorly exposed image. But, I love the look of film. I love the complication of film backs, I love the way it slows me down and makes me think more about the image. So, I'll probably continue on in both worlds.
WU: Describe your wedding photography style.
Bek: The whole "style" category has always cracked us up. I think tons of people have the same "style" and shoot very similarly. I was talking with some amazing clients of mine at an engagement shoot the other day, and I told them this. Look, if we can capture emotion, moments, intimacies, whispers that evoke laughter, smiles that are genuine and melt your heart....then it doesn't matter to us what you're wearing or doing or where we are....to us, photography is all about what you're saying to the next generation. I always try to think about this portrait of my bride being on her grand-daughters nightstand one day. What would I want her to see? We love photography and images that cause you to feel something.
Ben: Rebekah and I completely agree here. we really want to tell the story of a wedding. There are so many small moments throughout the course of the day that would be forgotten without photography. Those are the images that will last and bring back the greatest memories.
WU: Show us your favorite wedding image and tell us why it represents who you are as wedding photographers.
Ben: I loved this image as soon as i took it. It reminds me of a painting. this is the brides brother reading over his notes for his speech later on. It's a moment that no one would remember, but now it sums up a part of the day to me.
Bek: The main thing I always strive to show through a picture is interaction. Jodi and Luke are one of our favorite couples, simply because they were in love despite who was around. I love the way she's looking at him here.
WU: What inspires you?
Bek and Ben: Every day life. Our son Josiah and our daughter Darby! How other people see and view and capture the world. God's creation. People's idiosyncrasies. Travel. Movies!
WU: What inspires your photography?
Bek: Our couples. Every one of them are different....everyone has a different story. Every one of them are unique in how they interact with each other.
Ben: Images are all about the people in them. Every wedding has a feel, and every couple as well. You have to take inspiration from that.
WU: How do you keep your wedding photography fresh?
Bek: Always be moving and always think outside of what you see right off hand. Lots of times it's not whats happening with their faces....but with their hands. We try to keep everything we do as unique as if this was the first wedding we've ever seen.
Ben: I think it's tough. I have to really think about what I'm going to do to grow during this wedding. It's easy to sit back and take the same shots that you always have, but you have to challenge yourself to improve.
WU: Do you do non-wedding photography work? If so, how does it influence your wedding photography?
Bek: Ben is a video producer at our church, so he is always learning and coming home with ideas we put into place with our business. I love to shoot my kids. It requires patience and for me to be FAST (they are 2 years old and 8 months!), so it's a challenge to get amazing images and for that I'm grateful. It is a constant reminder at weddings to be patient and wait for the moment, and to always be looking.
Ben: Yes, I'm in the video world now as well as photography. It's teaching me a lot. I always felt that lighting was one of my strong suits in photography, and video has improved that. I think I'm composing images a little differently now. Photography is still my first love, but I'm starting to appreciate the storytelling strength of video.
WU: What makes you different from other wedding photographers?
Bek: Our main goal with our couples and our weddings is to make a connection and make everything about THEM; Leave the wedding having created friendships. If we connect with you, you'll connect with each other and our cameras naturally....and your images will be amazing. We love to do life with people, and to capture stories unfolding. We are not your 'show up, do our job, eat some cake and peace out photographers. We want to know you. We want to be able to breathe your love story through our lenses. We know these pictures will be around for the rest of your life, and we take that responsibility on with severity...knowing how sacred they will be to you. We do what we do because we love our couples and because marriage is something we are very passionate about.
Ben: Rebekah is spot on. We are there to support our couples however we can. Yes we are there to do photography, but I've sewn lots of buttons back on to dress shirts.
WU: What would be your ideal wedding assignment?
Bek: We love to shoot in natural light and be outdoors. The pictures are beautiful, nothing replaces the sun! We love backyard weddings. Couples that put their whole LIFE into the details of their wedding day. Couples who care about the uniqueness of what they wear. Couples who are close to their families. Friends who are there for what they can give, not what they can get. Weddings that are focused on the bride and groom.
Ben: Italy. Tuscan villa. Enough said.
WU: Tell us three things you can't live without.
Bek: my Saviour, STARBUCKS, and my community here in West Palm Beach!
Ben: God, Family, Starbucks.
WU: What is the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Bek: Be yourself .
Ben: God first, others second, I'm third. Thanks Kanakuk.
WU: What is the best advice you can give to an engaged couple?
Bek: Make your wedding a reflection of you, and don't get caught up in the tradition. Tradition is constantly being changed and modified. If you love Chick-fil-A and your wedding is in your parents backyard? Get Chick-fil-A. Wear those cowboy boots you never take off in the winter. Skip the bouquet toss if you hate the cliche. Make your wedding an event that SCREAMS the two of you and never look back.
Ben: Take the time to do it right. I'm a big fan of classic style, mixed in with some new stuff. Tie bars, awesome shoes, etc. Don't go rent a tux from a big box-get a nice suit you'll wear again and again. This is your day....be comfortable...but be intentional.
