The original interview and Digital Wedding Forum

This man knows how to stand out in a crowd. He is born of that rare breed

of wedding photographer who can put “Their Stamp” on everything they do!

MARK LUTZ – DWF

DWF – Let’s start off with a little bio, tell us a little bit about yourself.

GABRIEL - I started my creative career as a videographer. Back in the days, I was practicing a sport called “Bike Trials.” I made a movie called Method in the summer of 2004, filming riders across the country. Then when the movie started to sell, I made some money and purchased my first DSLR. This is where I started to get more and more interested in photography.

My first interest was in the Fashion industry, where I got contracts from clothing companies. This is where I learned about strobe techniques and started to focus on producing sharp advertising-quality pictures.

DWF – How did you become a photographer?

GABRIEL -Like a lot of photographers I guess, one friend called me 5 years ago and asked me “would you be my wedding photographer” I guess the interesting thing is that I started without looking at what other people were doing. I developed my own style from the very beginning, bringing some sense of humor to the pictures. It took me as much as 4 years to develop a portfolio that would be strong enough to convince my clients to go along with the all the crazy ideas I might have.

DWF- Who or what inspires you as an artist?

GABRIEL - I get more inspiration from fashion magazines like Vogue for example than I do from digital photography magazines. Also, there are very few photographers in Quebec City, so I had to seek inspiration from other countries via the web.

DWF- If we needed a photographer today why would we book you? What makes you unique?

GABRIEL -That is a hard question…

A lot of my client say that the time where they had the most fun at their wedding was the photo shoot with the B/G and the bridal party. I think I make people feel comfortable, allowing me to push them to their limits without going too far. I also always try to push my edgy humorous style further. I try to wed the technical, the emotional, the conceptual, and the humorous. It’s not an easy task. I get sweaty quite often! (haha)

DWF- If you had to pick a favorite “Tool of the Trade” what would it be? and why?

GABRIEL - I would trash my D3 anytime for my iPhone 3Gs  (and I would still be able to take pictures!)

Seriously, how many times did this thing save my butt to get directions, search for hotels, check back on e-mails that have important info (i.e. the mobile phone number of the third groomsman missing), SMS my girlfriend at dinner time, find new songs that rock the dance floor and show my portfolio on the spot.

DWF – How about some final words to live by?

GABRIEL - I don’t know if I will still be a wedding photographer in a few years, but I try to have as much fun as I can doing it for now.

Live your life