Wedding Photography: Nice things people said about me
These are a few e-mails (used with permission) from couples who've hired me.
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From: christine johnson <christineejohnson@hotmail.com>
To: bengarvin@gmail.com
Hi Ben,
I know that we have already told you how much we loved the pictures but I felt compelled to write you and tell you again what a great job you did. As a matter of fact, I have been working with the folks at Picturebook on Lake and Lyndale to put together an album and they were so impressed with your pictures! They really felt that you captured the emotion of the day and the photos were very organized and I agree completely! It was our good fortune to be able to have you there.
Take care,
Christine
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From: "Lucy Schaefer" <lucyschaefer@hotmail.com>
To: bengarvin@gmail.com
Subject: AWESOME!
Ben,
We just received the photos yesterday. They look absolutely amazing. You truely have a beautiful talent...I have showed numerous people that just couldn't believe picture could turn out that amazing! It was so funny, Tim and I watched the video the other night and we'd always see you in the background getting the best pictures, yet on the actual wedding day neither one of us remembered you! Tim kept asking, did you pose for that, or did ben ask you to do that? and I kept saying no, he must of taken it when I was't looking because I have no idea! Anyway, we were thoroughly impressed by you and thank you again. I have had a few people ask me about you, if you do weddings for your job, etc. Is it appropriate for me to lead them to your website? Just let me know!
Thanks,
LUcy
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Laura Yuen's (bittybug@gmail.com) review on theknot.com:
Ben is a master of documenting every wonderful detail of a couple's wedding -- especially moments of togetherness, laughter, and joy. That's how I remember my wedding, and Ben's photos remind me just how much fun I had with family and friends that day. He has a knack for shooting events as they unfold because that's what he does every day as a professional news photographer.
My husband and I knew we didn't want to spend hours on our wedding day posing for photos; those pictures generally seem staged and lifeless. Having said that, Ben took some of the most creative group wedding shots that I have ever seen. His idea to have our entire wedding party jump up in the air in front of the Weisman Art Museum produced images that still make us grin ear to ear.
Ben is also a genuinely nice guy and doesn't mind fading into the background on your big day. But once you get your photos back, you'll see why he is a rock star at his craft.
And the fact that he hands over all the digital images, unlike some photographers who charge for prints, made him a bargain in our eyes.
Finally, it's important to note that Ben is highly skilled. He has been named Minnesota Photographer of the Year, and his work has appeared in the New York Times. It was an honor to have him document our wedding.
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From: Sarah Mix <sarahmix@gmail.com>
To: bengarvin@gmail.com
Subject: hi again
Hi Ben – I was looking through our wedding photos the other day, reminiscing as we approach our second wedding anniversary. I just love the photos – you did such a terrific job capturing the spirit and the emotion of the day. I just can’t thank you enough. I thought I’d check out your website to see if you were still doing wedding photography and was so pleased to see that you are!
Take care –
Sarah (and Neil)
509 Old Sleigh Lane
Appleton, WI 54913
p: 920.738.4933
c: 920.915.0967
sarahmix@gmail.com
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From: hollisue99@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: pictures
To: bengarvin@gmail.com
Hi Ben,
WE LOVE THE PICS! thank you so much, you captured the entire night like a story. You have a wonderful gift. I will refer you to all my friends that will be getting married. I can't stop looking at them, we love them all. Thanks again, you did an unexplainable job
Holli Reichow
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From: Emily Bennett <emilybennett02@yahoo.com>
To: Ben Garvin <bengarvin@gmail.com
Subject: Re: photos
Ben,
Just a quick note that Dave and I are so happy with your pictures! They are everything we had hoped for and more. If you ever need a reference for potential clients feel free to encourage them to contact us. Thanks so much, it was a pleasure working with you and we wish you the best!
Sincerely,
Emily and Dave Beck
612-501-1175
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From: "Kate Nammacher" <knammacher@hotmail.com>
To: bengarvin@gmail.com
Subject: THANKS!
Ben,
You are the best! Thank you so much for the amazing pictures. I just picked them up today and they are beautiful. Thank you so much! Everyone loves that flower toss shot. Too good! It is ok to pass your name on to others in Minneapolis right?
Best of luck in all your future work.
Kate and Dean
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And lastly, here's a review from the weddingchannel.com from Chance Meyer:
It's clear from Ben's resume and portfolio that he's super talented. But when you hire him, you get more than talent. Ben is a true journalist. He is unobtrusive (I refer to him as a sniper because he seemed to get photos at our wedding when we had no idea he was present), which tends to make things more natural and less contrived, and skilled at recognizing and capturing those nuances and moments and details that define an evening. I tell people that I didn't know what my wedding was like until I saw Ben's pictures. My wife and I were looking for a journalistic approach. We did the obligatory posed shots (Ben worked quickly and efficiently so we could get all the combos of people we wanted without spending all day posing, and everyone loved working with him as he's a fun guy), but the photos we cherish most are when Ben caught us and our loved ones in attitudes most indicative of our and their personalities. He has an eye for that. Basically, his photos look like they belong more in Time than in a frame for sale at Target, meaning instead of awkward posing and cheese faces, they are active and natural and accurate to the true feeling of that moment. If you want an intelligent approach to the recordation of your wedding and are reluctant to hire someone because you don't want the typical Hallmark-ish wedding photographer faire, I strongly suggest you hire Ben. He's a journalist that does weddings as opposed to a wedding photographer. That being said, he listens very closely to what you want and makes it happen. My wife and I agree that hiring Ben was the best money we spent for our wedding. I've come to think of that expense not just as paying for our wedding photographer but as also buying gifts for all our family and friends, who have striking photos of themselves and their family that Ben took at our wedding hanging on their walls to enjoy forever.