"Trash the Dress" Photographer Series: Richard Esposito

Just as many photographers have different takes on wedding day photography they also have differing views on the concept of "Trash the Dress". See what the concept of Trash the Dress means to Richard and check out some photos below! KM

How do you define the concept of Trash the Dress? What does it mean to you? What does it mean to the bride?
On the wedding day the bride is always so careful not to get her dress dirty. I find most of my clients don't know what to do with their dress after the wedding. They can preserve it, but I don't know many that do. Some of my clients put their dress on ebay or craigslist! But wait! Why not be photographed in the dress some more and have some fun with it? To me it means more "cool" photos that's thinking outside the box. To my clients, it means more "cool" photos that's thinking outside the box. We even do some non trash the dress photos just so they have more photos for their album.

How about the actual "trashing"? Is this getting down and dirty with paint or mud or is it just getting more into the moment, something you wouldn't attempt the day of your wedding?
It's a little of both. I've only had 1 client say to me "let's trash it". And we did with dirt and mud. Most people are opting for a "Mess the Dress" session where they want the cool photos, but still want to preserve the dress.

Why do you do it? Why do you think the bride does it?
I do it to take my mind out of the box. Some of the poses and ideas we come up with can translate to new ideas on the wedding day. Anytime you can take yourself out of the normal way of doing things, it helps fuel the creativity.

How do you approach the session? Do you provide the ideas or does the bride present her own ideas or in other words, what is your vision compared to the bride's vision?
What do you like to achieve during the session?
So far my brides have give me some ideas of what they want, then they ask me what ideas I have. We usually do both. My brides leave the vision up to me. I want to achieve creating an image that doesn't just say "you got your dress dirty." I want it to be a piece of art.

And we have the same questions for Boudoir...


How do you define the concept of Boudoir photos? What does it mean to you? What does it mean to the bride?
Some photographers go for sexy, steamy, or sensuous photos. You have to know where the line is and how far you can go before it's considered too much. I find most brides do them as a gift to their fiancé.

Why do you do it? Why do you think the bride does it?
We don't do them because we feel it doesn't fit our type of client. We don't want a prospective bride to be offended by images on our website, or have the idea that it's what we think about when we photograph them. I feel I have to think that because I am a male shooter. One of my clients asked if I did them and I told her I would be more than happy to, but that they would probably feel more comfortable having a female photographer do the shoot. They agreed and I referred them.

Richard Esposito
Phone: 203.676.3527
Website: www.photographer-re.com
Blog: www.photographer-re.info
Email: re@photographer-re.com
myKPW State and Budget: CT $80k+

Bridal Boudoir - Claris Photography

Gaining popularity among brides, Boudoir Photography is thought to be an intimate yet a fun and playful experience - but what is it really about? Liesl from Claris Photography shares with brides (and grooms) her thoughts around the Boudoir concept and what it means to her. LS

The idea of Boudoir Photography is as old as it is new. It's been around for a long time but recently has received much attention. As it relates to Wedding Photography, it is usually meant to be a photography session the bride participates in prior to the wedding and in turn gives the groom on the wedding day in the form of an album or prints. This session can be scheduled before or after the wedding but most of the time it is completed several months prior to allow time to order products (i.e. albums and enlargements). Once in a while, it is scheduled during the "getting ready" phase of the wedding day but this time of the day can be chaotic and it is not always ideal.

I have found it to be one of the most profound and amazing gifts a man could ever receive from his soon-to-be wife based on the comments I heard after the fact. It has drawn the attention of women of all ages and even couples as a gift to each other. (I have even had a client who was inspired to do this as a 25th wedding anniversary gift for her husband)

Because of the intimate nature of this type of photography, it is imperative that the client feels a good connection with her photographer. As a female photographer, I feel this factor helps to ease the tension and allows a stronger trust and comfort level during the session. When I am first contacted about doing a Boudoir session with a bride, I want to know what style of imagery would she like to produce for this session, At this point I ask for several samples of what she has in mind either torn from a magazine or sent online in an email. From these examples I will learn what the client had in mind and use my own creativity from there. I usually recommend the client to have a stylist to do hair and makeup prior to the session and then to stay during the shoot to work closely with me during outfit changes to freshen up and/or change the look for variety's sake. I work inside and outside, weather permitting, based on the client's comfort level to produce a range of images in various lighting situations in about a 2 hour time frame. It can be done at the client's home, a hotel, my studio, or any location of her choosing depending on the style of the imagery.

This photography session can sometimes take bravery and courage on the part of the bride-to-be but it is truly appreciated on the receiving end. To give the gift of oneself is intimate and one-of-a-kind. There is no way to compare this to any other. I have never heard any complaints from any groom-to-be EVER! It is worth the effort and time in every way and with careful planning and communication with the photographer is a very fun and adventurous experience.


Check out some of Liesl's Boudoir work below:

Claris Photography
Phone: 1.800.207.8256
Website: www.clarisphotography.com
Email: liesl@clarisphotography.com
myKPW State and Budget:

- MA, $50-80k and $80k+
- ME, $50-80k
- NH, $50-80k