Getting to know the couple, I always ask about their dreams – such as which places are on their bucket list, what their favourite three songs are – one song is not enough, and if they could buy any car, which one it would be. I want my couples to feel like they’re in their own dream world when I photograph them; and the best thing is, besides the radiant happiness that I get to capture, my couples also have the most fun conjuring up their best life scenarios together…”
Angie Mandl, Photographer
Viennese-born Angie Mandl is a fine art and editorial photographer who has lived in five countries with her family and is now settled in Los Angeles. Angie works on projects across the USA, from California to New York, as well as in other destinations upon client request. As a travel enthusiast, she loves to explore different locations and capture beautiful images, wherever she may be. In this discussion, we will examine the importance of rapport between the photographer and the couple, Angie’s favourite venues, and how she transforms challenging situations into positive outcomes…
C&B: “Angie, what inspired you to pursue a career in wedding photography, and how has your personal style evolved over the years?”
AM: “I have a background in documentary and fashion photography and am known for my jewellery captures, some of which have been featured in magazines. High jewellery campaigns often include staged weddings, and I found that talking to my models on set about their love stories was truly inspiring and just so much fun! After capturing my first wedding in a beautiful country club, ‘the romantic’ in me was captivated by the experience. My personal style is heavily influenced by my love for film – I learned to shoot on film, and while I now capture almost everything digitally, I shoot exclusively on LEICA cameras and lenses, known for their superior quality and the famous ‘Leica Look’ – timeless, classic images that capture the light like nothing else…”
C&B: “It’s incredible how these small encounters can evolve into a full-blown career within a certain sector! From all your projects, can you share a memorable wedding moment that left a lasting impression on you, and why it resonated with you?”
C&B: “A moment I’ll never forget is my first bride getting ready for her big day – she was putting on her shoes and was sharing all her concerns with me while I captured her – would she get her heel caught in her long veil? Would her makeup smudge? Would she forget her vows? I put the camera down for a moment, and took her hands to tell her that everything would be alright, that the most important thing to remember is that her soon-to-be-husband loves her and all her guests are there to cheer the two of them on. And that she looked absolutely beautiful. The photos we captured the moments after our conversation are still amongst my absolute favourite ones ever…”
C&B: “Yes, so often photographers and those closest to the bride have to inadvertently act as counsellors on her big day! When it comes to the couples, how do you approach creating a comfortable atmosphere during their photo sessions?”
AM: “I’m a good listener and have been around the block a few times; nothing much rattles me. Having been happily married myself for over twenty years, I find that my experience helps to calm everyone’s nerves. I’m also a yoga and meditation teacher, and, last but not least, I’ve posed many models over the years. Oftentimes, I find that asking about the things my couples are passionate about helps them relax quickly, leading to a beautiful conversation not only between us but also between the couple and my camera…”
As an added bonus, I round off my galleries with a couple of fine art shots of the venue – captured in a way that makes them perfect for large, framed prints. The idea came to me after my first couple had one of my captures of their country club printed and framed for their home. It hangs in their living room and always reminds them of their big day, while being a timeless interior piece…”
Angie Mandl, Photographer
C&B: “Creating the vibe at a wedding is truly a team effort – how do you go about capturing the ambience and creating everlasting moments?”
AM: “My focus is first and foremost on my couple and their guests – the people they chose to spend their big day with. I’ve been very lucky that the wedding planners, florists, cake artists, and rental companies involved in my weddings have all done an amazing job of creating something truly unique. I walk in every time with the same curiosity and love for detail: I want to capture the couple in all the magic they have dreamed of and which their team has made come true, so that when they look back at their photos years later, they can still smell the flowers and taste the cake…”
My favourite wedding venue in California is, hands down, Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez – it makes you feel like you walked straight into a Tuscan dream!”
Angie Mandl, Photographer
C&B: “On the subject of locations, California is known for its beautiful photographic backdrops; which are your personal favourites around Los Angeles for engagement or wedding shoots, and what makes them special?”
AM: “My favourite locations have much to do with my personal style of photography: editorial, glamorous, fine art. Places that provide backdrops complementing my style are my absolute favourites to shoot, such as The Beverly Hills Hotel and the surrounding palm tree-lined streets, which serve as the perfect backdrop for an iconic convertible car photo; The Georgian in Santa Monica, which is also in proximity to the pier; and the Greystone Mansion, known for its beautiful historical vibe…”
C&B: “As you’ve already demonstrated, photographers have to have so many qualities besides being technically brilliant; can you describe a challenge you faced during a wedding shoot and how you creatively overcame it?”
AM: “Yes – it very rarely rains in Southern California, so while I am usually very prepared for weather challenges when working in New York or Europe, I have to admit that, until recently, I did not account for bad weather here in SoCal. So when we were rained out at Sunstone Winery, I was taken by surprise. While the magnificent team ran around, the planner rearranged everything from outdoors to inside within the hour, I remembered two things: rain makes for beautiful reflections, and my LEICA cameras are weather resistant. The sandstone of the villa added the right amount of warmth to counterbalance grey skies, and the photos are amongst my favourite wedding captures ever!”
C&B: “That’s an incredible story – we’re so happy the photographs turned out well! Keeping the aforementioned challenges in mind, what advice would you give to couples when planning their wedding photography to ensure they get the most out of their experience?”
AM: “First and foremost, have fun – don’t worry about the dress getting dirty when running through the fields, it can be cleaned and spots can be edited out of pictures. Besides the planned shot list of the day, it is magical to cover some of the little fun moments couples share on their big day – the ones that aren’t planned. And: less is more! I can’t say this enough – while it seems capturing every single moment from all angles is the thing to do, it leaves the couple with a gallery so large, they won’t know what to put into their wedding album, and more importantly, it is quite intrusive to have cameras flashing at all moments from all sides. Prepare a curated shot list together with your photographer, ask what they might add – if they are experienced, they will know! Also plan for a few moments without the camera as well. There is space for both and you will end up with a highly curated gallery of images that are all magazine-worthy, instead of having to go through hundreds of images to find the ‘darling’ shots…”
CONTACT: http://www.angiemandlweddings.com
