Destination wedding photo and film team Jules & Björn Schneider live at Lake of Constance in Friedrichshafen Germany. Here we discuss with Jules how she started out in the business and the fulfilment she gets from her work, travels and family life…
I’ve been taking photos all my life; as the daughter of two photographers with their own studios, I was practically born into it. From an early age, I fell in love with the creative possibilities of photography and also with the silence afterwards when I’d develop my photos in the darkroom…”
The Tailors Photography
C&B: “Having had parents who were photographers means you probably started learning about that world from when you were tiny – fabulous career inspiration! How did you start out professionally, and when did you start photographing weddings?”
JT: “Yes, I accompanied my parents with my camera from an early age; I’ve also been following other really great photographers for many years and taking inspiration from them. I’m always trying to develop myself further. I photographed my first wedding over 20 years ago, was regionally successful with ‘Dark & Moody’ for 10 years, and have also photographed internationally. We now have two fixed members on our team and also two freelancers…”
C&B: “What sets your service apart from others working in a similar area of photography?”
JT: “That’s a tough question! I think my USP is simply my nature; it doesn’t take me long to create a personal rapport between my clients and myself. I always take an honest and genuine interest in their lives, their culture, and their interests and show this beyond the wedding day itself. An important ‘plus point’ is that I also speak English very well, in addition to other languages. I’m simply me – uncomplicated, wonderfully crazy, and I love to laugh!”
C&B: “We know your work takes you around the world – which is your favourite location?”
JT: “That would be Lake Como! We’re listed as preferred photographers at Villa del Balbianello, Villa d’Este and at Grand Hotel Tremezzo. The Tailors are known very well at all three and are always welcome to photograph in their grounds…”
We photograph many weddings on Lake Como, and we work at other locations around Europe – from to Provence to Mallorca and across the pond to the USA. In October, for example, we’ll be in Seattle…”
The Tailors Photography
C&B: “What is your biggest challenge when on a project? Is it the travel of the weather or other vendors?”
JT: “Well, for me, it’s mostly the people who are involved in these projects; I’m a person who is very punctual and I place great value on reliability and attentiveness so I expect the same from the people we work with…”
C&B: “Agreed! Punctuality is a sign of respect and consideration – particularly as weddings have strict timelines… do you generally find your work stressful? How do you relax?
JT: “Not at all; I LOVE my work. It’s my passion. However, for total relaxation, I love the mountains and hiking and can relax there just as easily as when I’m by the sea – just listening to the sound of the waves is the ultimate relaxation for me!”
C&B: “Do you collaborate with any other teams within the luxury lifestyle business?”
JT: “Yes, I’m currently working with ‘The Modern Bride’ in Australia – they’re simply an unbelievably great team of content creators. By the way, I love that kind of thing. Of course, many photographers see this profile of business as being competition, but not me. I think it’s so great what they produce and can realise in an incredibly short time…”
“Plus, this summer we launched a project in Mallorca with a colleague – who’s a wedding speaker – where we offered a 3-day workshop in which, apart from target group analysis, branding, and market analysis, the focus was also, and above all, on people and their mindset…”
C&B: “That sounds like it was a very valuable project to initiate. Talking of collaborations, who would you most like to work with? What would be your ‘dream job’?”
JT: “I would love to work with wedding planners direct; when we rebranded in 2021, we gave ourselves a new name, and completely changed our editing. I never thought it would be so difficult to photograph big weddings. In Germany, most weddings are done without a planner, and since we specialise in weddings abroad, especially for clients from the USA, England, Australia, and Asia, it is very difficult to find your place. So, that’s something I’d like to do!”
I believe in life that it’s not so important what we hope to represent socially or business wise; the only thing that truly matters is who we actually are inside and the shadow we cast. I want to be a role model; I do carefully consider my actions, and I ask myself which of them I’d want to have put on display in the museum of my life at the end.”
The Tailors Photography
C&B: “Taking into consideration all your amazing projects over the years, what would you say is your biggest accomplishment, to date?”
JT: “Good question! For me personally, simply being content; I love my life, my husband, and my children. We lead a very harmonious and balanced life, and that’s something I’m very proud of…”
WEBSITE: http://www.thetailorsphotography.com
