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Sarah Huton Photography plays on natural light and flexible styles Reviewing Sarah and Matt Huton of Sarah Huton Photography
Almost nothing is off limits at Sarah Huton Photography - in fact, the less ordinary you're willing to go, the better. Sarah Huton, a PPO qualified photographer, uses a flexible approach to shooting, offering a mix of contemporary, fashion and candid memories. She also has her husband, Matt Huton, with her for every shoot so you get two great photographers to ensure no moment goes uncaptured. Sarah says she and Matt adapt their services and style to the personality and dreams of each of the brides and grooms that come to see them. "It's not necessarily about photography style as much as it is about doing whatever we can to put the bride and groom at ease in front of the camera. If they're having fun or feeling truly romantic in front of the camera, then the photos will be great. We do whatever we can to get each couple and their bridal party 'in the zone' and then the rest is history."
Sarah Huton has seven years of photography experience, a Diploma in Photography and a sidekick with an equally laid back personality that's easy to feel comfortable with. Let us explain...
Personally speaking... Sarah Huton Photography is made up of husband-wife team Sarah and Matt Huton who are both Principle Photographers. They can shoot separately, but say that clients usually get both of them for their shoots. For both Sarah and Matt, shooting weddings is a full time focus and a full-time job - a job they never seem to get bored of as each one offers something fun and different. Sarah and Matt told The Ring that they particularly enjoy being a part of different cultural ceremonies, "It's neat to see the heritage and culture of couples and how they blend it with their Canadian culture."
Sarah is a graduate of the Fanshawe College Photography Program (2003) and is LPPO (Licentiate Professional Photographers of Ontario) qualified. She has been working under her own company name of Sarah Huton Photography for four years, and has years of experience working weddings before that. Matt Huton's background is rooted in video/movie work and in the darkroom side of photography. Matt also finds himself handling a lot of the business end of things.
Even though Sarah Huton started her business off without an advertising budget, relying entirely on word of mouth referrals, it doesn't appear she's had any trouble finding weddings to photograph. In 2006, her company took on approximately twenty weddings, with another twenty already booked for the following season. Since then, weddings have only continued to grow in numbers, with more than half of the events taking place out of town. "We love to travel to cover a wedding," explained Sarah, who in the past year, has shot weddings in the GTA, London, Walkerton, Long Point, Fergus, Stratford, and of course the K-W, Cambridge and Guelph areas. She adds that they never charge for gas or kilometres. "What's a tank of gas compared to seeing and shooting in a new space?"
In fact, since Sarah and Matt have noticed that more and more brides are looking for new photo shoot locations that haven't been overshot by photographers, they say that they're willing and able to help you with suggestions - and love when couples do something out of the ordinary.
Two's company When your wedding day arrives, it will always be Sarah and Matt who shoot it. They don't employ other secondary shooters. "The only way to guarantee that both shooters will deliver great shots is if we do it ourselves."
At weddings, both Sarah and Matt shoot in order to capture every moment, and Matt has also been known to crack a joke here and there to help put the bride and groom at ease. Matt is usually the one to cover a lot of the as-they-happen shots. "I'm more likely to be the one who sneaks up on the couple or guests to catch a great moment, often when they least expect it," he grinned. That said, Sarah admits that she loves shooting as much candid as she can, when she's not covering the must-haves and details, which is her first priority for the day.
Tom and Jessica McKnight had Sarah and Matt shoot their engagement photos and December 2008 wedding photos. They told us that they felt very comfortable with them, and every time they could feel their smiles going fake, Matt would make a joke to make them laugh. "They pay attention to the smallest details in every picture to ensure the best results... They are very creative and get all the shots you want plus a bunch of fun poses that they recommend. Sarah and Matt have a great artistic eye for different shots."
The most common comment that Sarah and Matt say they hear from guests at weddings they shoot is about how fun, loose and relaxed they both make the whole process. This is so because they both like to make friends, not just with the couple, but with the family as well.
Gloria Bakker, who hired Sarah and Matt for her engagement shoot and October 2008 wedding photos, would agree with this notion. She told The Ring, "Sarah takes the time to get to know you and your partner prior to the big day, therefore shooting shots that all are comfortable with." She added that both Sarah and Matt made every shot fun for everyone. "They were fun, personal and captured every moment of our special day."
"We often end up being surrogate wedding planners for our couples," admitted Sarah. "In fact, Matt's a total pro at putting on a boutonniere now... He is probably asked for help with that at 90% of our weddings!"
Freestyling it... Sarah describes her overall approach as contemporary but freestyle. She prefers to use as much natural light as possible, whenever possible, and if you let her get creative and fun with shoots, she's in her glory. That said, Sarah is happy to adapt her own style to that of her brides and grooms. This means that Sarah aims to shoot your day the way you want her to, particularly when it comes to style and posing. "It's their day. I'm there for them."
Such was the case for Rosalind Muzzell who had Sarah photograph her September 2008 wedding. "I liked that I could give Sarah and Matt ideas of what I wanted but that also gave them ideas that I liked but had not thought of." She added that Sarah and Matt had great angles for pictures that were very creative, yet timeless, and gave her pictures an extra edge that she loved.
Melanie Eagles loved her engagement and August 2008 wedding photos by Sarah Huton so much that she has since recommended Sarah to several of her friends. Melanie described Sarah's style as traditional with an urban flair. "Everyone looks so good in the photos. My favourite memory of the experience is the advice they gave us to relax and the jokes they made to get us to smile."
For their September 15, 2007 wedding, Laura and Denis Zikovic hired Sarah and Matt with a tall order. "Being a web/graphic designer myself, I wanted my wedding photos to be works of art unto themselves. I wanted to be sure that my trained artistic eye wasn't going to forever look at the final shots with an underlying criticism... I was drawn to the beauty, movement, life and rhythm in their work. They met and exceeded my expectations, offering outstanding quality and artistic expression. I was confident (without any reservations) that my day was being beautifully captured on film, which gave me permission to let loose and have an awesome time... I knew I was in capable hands." And Laura and Denis told us that what they liked best was "The unique angles, sharpness and clarity of their shots, attention to balance and composition. I also really appreciate the mix of posed style photos with photojournalistic styles (shot by both Sarah and Matt). It really helps illustrate how the day unfolded."
Sarah recognizes that what's most important to many brides is a photographer who has the ability to see and catch those moments that can not be missed. "The kiss from the teary-eyed father who just gave his daughter away in marriage... Moments like that don't happen twice. With Matt and I working together, we double the chances that we'll capture the moment." The two also agree that no wedding should be the same, which is why it's easy to stay inspired and keep things fresh when it comes to photography. "When we head out for the next wedding, we ask ourselves (and each other) what we can do differently that day."
Sarah and Matt's approach and search for new ideas was one reason why Rhonda Reid loved their photography. "I also love the variety of photos they take. It isn't the same poses or ideas over and over again." Rhonda told us that her experience with Sarah and Matt for her engagement photo shoot, June 2008 wedding day and post-wedding Trash the Dress session was great from day one. "At meetings Sarah was so organized and helpful. She was easy to reach and great with helping me with the final details for the types of shots I wanted for the day of the wedding."
At the end of the day, with multiple approaches and shooters, Sarah says that couples walk away with a lot to choose from for their album. "They should have a really good mix of photos and memories."
What to expect: Before the wedding day When you meet with Sarah Huton Photography, it will be at a restaurant or your home. "We find couples really appreciate that we're willing to come to them... They're more comfortable that way, and since 99% of our shoots are on location anyways, we're used to traveling with our gear." Throughout the rest of the photography planning process, most correspondence is by email, but also by phone and in person, depending on the bride, groom and circumstances.
About a month before the wedding, you'll meet with Sarah (and sometimes Matt as well) to go over key shots, solidify locations and discuss any last minute details. Because each couple has their own idea of what they expect in a photographer, Sarah makes sure to determine this ahead of time. By building a relationship with her couples, she is able to recognize what they expect in her. "Some people want to be told what to do, where to look, how to pose..." she admitted. "But some don't. It's all a part of getting to know your clients and playing the part they expect from you on their wedding day."
Nancy and George Jupp loved how laid back and enjoyable Sarah and Matt made their September 2008 wedding photo shoot. "All we had to do was smile. Sarah took care of everything else," said Nancy. "They came to our home to show us samples, followed up with phone calls to make sure they got what we wanted and really had our best interests at heart."
What to expect: A wedding day in the life... Sarah Huton Photography starts your wedding day when you do. That may mean eight in the morning at the hair salon or one in the afternoon at the church. Your coverage is entirely up to you, depending on the package you choose - and even the 'Basic Package' includes the full day up to your reception. If you'd like, there may be times when they can split up to cover two locations at the same time, such as the groom's house and bride's house simultaneously.
Sarah and Matt take a unique approach to the formals and location shoots. To make sure that family and the wedding party are free to enjoy the day, they shoot formals at the ceremony first, then let the family go on (to the cocktail hour, etc.) while they do the wedding party. Then, before getting into romantic or fun poses with the bride and groom, the wedding party is let go to unwind before the reception starts. This minimizes a lot of waiting around by your bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Sarah Huton Photography also makes sure to do a lot of 'macro shooting', meaning that they take as many detail shots of your wedding favours, place settings, décor, cake, etc. as possible. "We give the couple everything and then they can decide which of the details they'd like to print."
There is no real limit to the number of locations you take photos at. The only limitation is your own schedule, which Sarah tries to keep to so that you aren't constantly looking at your watch. Sarah and Matt prefer to stay for the entire evening, shooting some of the best moments at the reception - guests laughing, mingling, ring bearers dancing to YMCA... "We don't really have a set deadline to shooting hours. We often stay until anywhere as late as eleven, twelve, even one am..."
What to expect: After the wedding day... After the wedding day, you'll meet with Sarah and Matt to get your proofs and choose what you'd like to see in your coffee table book or leather album. A link to your online galleries will be sent to you and then, if you like, to your family and guests so that they can see photos as well. Images can also be purchased through the galleries at the same time.
Tom and Jessica told us that after their wedding, Sarah and Matt were very quick to get their pictures to them. In fact, they also went the extra mile for Tom and Jessica. "We live a few hours from Sarah and Matt and they still insisted on delivering the pictures in person to see if we were happy with the results. That meant a lot," Jessica told us. "We loved the small details they included in our picture package like cards to hand out to our friends and family to view our wedding pictures online, a beautiful DVD case and DVD, and an awesome leather case with our picture in it for our wedding negatives disc. Everything was so professional, from the beginning right to the end."
Packagesprices&prints Sarah makes sure that potential clients know she has no hidden fees. "My prices are straightforward, not based on hours, and there are no hidden fees." Sarah and Matt don't push their services on anyone. They invite couples to look at various photographers and to choose the photographer who seems to be the best fit for them. "Having the trust of your bride and groom is so important. They have to spend the entire day with us."
"Sarah's prices were very competitive and she offered exactly what we were looking for within our budget," Gloria told us, who had an all day package (from nine am to eleven pm) with engagement pictures in her particular package.
Packages at Sarah Huton start at $1699.99 with the Basic Coverage. Despite the name, this package isn't really that basic. It includes full day coverage up to your reception with no hourly fees. It also includes a proof DVD with all of your photos from the day, online gallery of wedding proofs, complimentary access cards for your wedding guests, six 8x10 enlargements and one 5x7 print for each member of the bridal party.
Their most popular
package is the
Complete Coverage. It offers more proofs and extras, plus full resolution retouched digital negatives,
an engagement portrait session,
among other things. The biggest selling factor of this
package is that it includes having Sarah and Matt for the entire reception.
They'll be able to catch all the great moments of the evening. Let's face
Melanie told us that when she was searching for a wedding photographer, she found it hard to find a photographer who offered full day coverage, but then she found Sarah and Matt. "They were there when we were getting ready until our midnight buffet table."
More from Sarah and Matt... If you'd like to meet with Sarah and Matt Huton, you can set up an appointment by calling them at 519-591-6206. They are also reachable by email at sarah@shutonphoto.com, or online at www.shutonphoto.com.
- The Staff at TheWeddingRing.ca * Prices are all approximate and are subject to change and verification by authorized staff and management of Sarah Huton Photography. |
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