BEAUTY
THE DAYDREAMER STUDIOS
In this issue, we feature four beautiful real brides, and four amazing makeup teams who made each bride’s dream beauty makeover come true.
There is a preconceived notion that weddings must be dreamy: something out of a fairy tale. Possibly because it’s a milestone that many have lived in their imaginations for so long. But Debbie Palapus of The Daydreamer Studios has made a career out of transforming daydreams into living stories.
“My only goal when I started shooting on my own was to capture the most authentic photographs. I was being influenced and surrounded by established people, with a good mindset, a proper demeanor, “she recalls. It was in 2015 that Debbie decided to set sail and move forward with her business. Today, working alongside Debbie are masters of the craft: senior photographers Janine Fabian and Christian Barrio.
In the saturated market of wedding photographers, it was going to be a bumpy road, building a name for herself. Which is why Debbie adjusted her approach to make The Daydreamer Studios into what it is today. If you manage to stumble upon some of their work, you’d feel almost an otherworldly sensation of watching a couple’s story unfold in a third person’s perspective. Rooted in the realm of romance, The Daydreamer Studios manages to capture a living, breathing story and tell it in stills. Their dreamy, ethereal shots creating a sense of movement and life.
See, for The Daydreamer Studios, it isn’t simply about their vision, it is the story of the couples they work with. Debbie shares: “I write down all my thoughts at late evenings, then I’ll chat randomly with my brides for a good purpose. I’d share what I imagine and they’d share stories that would amazingly, really help me picture out what their engagement and wedding should be like.”
Being an established business for four years, and having two additional years of shooting experience under her belt, Debbie has been observant of the different trends for wedding photography.
But she believes personal style can be an advantage over trends that come and go.
If anything, The Daydreamer Studios’ unique style has earned them their growing list of clients. Once they delve into the stories of their clients during pre-shoot meetings, they eventually see how their shoots will pan out.
“Our style is divided into two categories: The Hopes, and the Reveries. [The Hopes are] light and airy, whereas Reveries [are] dark and moody. While The Hopes is for people who are lighthearted and wanderers, The Reveries is for people who are into solitude, wild thinkers,” Debbie explains.
Truly, The Daydreamer Studios has captured some of the most beautiful stories: tracing steps with clients at the historic streets of Escolta; seeking great heights with an adventurous couple in Sagada; and flying off to Japan to produce cinematic shoots. While others would tell people to snap out of their daydreams, The Daydreamer Studios shows that these same daydreams can work to our advantage. Especially when the stories captured all take place in the real world.