OF BREAKING TRADITIONS AND DEFYING STEREOTYPES
Off-kilter Studio You are in for a ride.
“Offbeat, unusual, non-invasive, joyful, feminist,” this is how Sandra Dans describes her style as a photographer.
Wedding traditions can be strict and conventional, but every now and then, couples tend to spice it up by bringing their personalities together to make the occasion more fun and memorable.
“I’m interested in celebrating relationships that break norms, defy conventions, flout tradition, or that worry your grandmother unless your grandma is super cool ,” Sandra says in an email interview.
Weddings are customized to fit a narrative—from the color scheme to the playlist, and down to the food and souvenirs. And with photographers like Sandra Dans, couples won’t have a hard time looking for someone to share the same ideas with.
“I want to collaborate with couples who are experimental, who might want to try unusual styles of portraiture, or do something completely unheard of during their ceremony.”
She recalls witnessing a maid of honor walk down the aisle with a lightsaber instead of the traditional bouquet.
“I love that stuff, and I want these weirdos to know there’s someone out there that gets it, and wants to celebrate with them.”
But shifting from cookie-cutter photographs can sometimes become awkward.
“My first step is always to make sure the couple know what they are in for—it’s important to set expectations at that first meeting.”
To feel “supported and safe in the hands of the photographer” is he most important aspect of building a relationship with your client.
“For engagements, usually couples who approach me already have some idea of what they want. They just need someone with the technical skill to execute their vision.”
From art direction to finding the best location, to lighting setups and props, Sandra is the photographer you need to bring your dream wedding photos to life.
“I am in my best element if the couple is looking for something different and new, I get really excited and worked up!”
For weddings, the approach is a bit different. While engagement shoots get more art direction, the big day gets less of it.
“For weddings, I consider myself as an observer…i prefer to let people interact on their own, or just do what they were going to do without me there. I avoid interfering with the event, and I tell my team to try to be invisible.”
As for Sandra, while aesthetics and stories are inseparable, storytelling is and should be the priority, and couples who have an out-of-theordinary narrative are her favorite people.
“My most recent shoot was incredibly on-brand for me,” she happily recalls. “The couple was super into Dungeons and Dragons , a tabletop role-playing game We did a D&d-themed engagement shoot for them a couple of months ago, and it was a whole production: we had a storyboard, costumes, props. When they got married, their wedding was also peppered with all sorts of little geeky references.”
Talking about how it was sort of destiny’s work that she met this couple, Sandra exclaims that they were the type of people that she enjoys working with. So if you’re into out-of-the-box wedding photos that tell unique stories, then you’ll definitely hit it off with Off-kilter.