Untamed Hearts Photo Co
I shot my first wedding over 11 years ago as an assistant to my mentor. At the time, I was the epitome of a newbie and wanting to learn anywhere I could! At this point, I was only new to digital photography and the world of weddings. Before that, I had been photographing everything that came my way on film and analog for several years prior, as my grandmother was a film portrait photographer. After years of being an associate, I started photographing weddings by myself as Morgan Pereira Photography, with a rebrand as Untamed Hearts Photo co, years ago and now have over 400 weddings under my belt!
In 2020, I decided to rebrand and transform my business into something I felt represented who I was and all of the couples truly hoped to capture.
Couples who are playful, intentional and out of the box.
the brand
key words & core values
key words:
+ intentional
+ intimate
+ joyful
+ stylish
+ adventurous
core values:
+ creating a carefree, trusting environment for every couple we work with to feel comfortable enough to let intimate moments happen.
+ in creating this environment, we also want to encourage all of our couples to be their most authentic self!
+ we do not judge. every choice made at a wedding or engagement session is entirely up to the couple. we can give guidance regarding clothing color choices, lighting, timing, etc but ultimately to each their own!
+ we are ADVENTUROUS. we will get dirty, sweaty, laugh, and go with the flow. this is one of my post important values because it represents who I am as a person!
welcome friend, i'm morgan!
behind the brand
In case we haven't met yet or you just want to get to know me a little better, here's a few facts about me!
1- I drink a lot of red bull.
2- I like to deadlift as much as I like to snack. I love snacks.
3- My ultimate life goal is to have a series in National Geographic.
4- I'm from wayyyy Upstate New York.
5- I'm a HUGE animal person. Dogs and cows, specifically! My family works with a foster in our area to save large breed puppies.
6- I played hockey for 15 years!
7- I have three super cute, super crazy toddlers.
8- I didn't go to a traditional elementary school so instead of learning basic science... I learned to sail!
9- I loveeeee movies.
10- I love the intimacy of black and white film.
some important requests...
+ I love a straight horizon and a cooler kelvin!
+ please try to expose as accurately as possible for post processing.
+ always shoot in RAW.
+ try not to cut off feet, hands, etc. unless it's an intentional crop.
+ however you choose to shoot, be consistent!
+ have fun, get creative and shoot opposite of me :-)
what to wear
I do not require all black unless it fits the theme and aesthetic of the couples wedding!
+ comfortable shoes, appropriate length/coverage dresses, jumpsuits, slacks, blouses, etc.
+ please avoid wearing jeans or t-shirts unless otherwise stated!
when to arrive
Please aim to arrive 15 minutes before your start time! We can chat a little bit about the day, hand off cards, or walk around the venue and just hype ourselves up for the day!
for the groom
safety shots, how to get creative, & what to avoid
GROOMS GETTING READY & SOLO PORTRAITS
Play off of the vibe and personality of the groom here. If he's looking to get a little silly, please throw in some fun shots. If he wants to be a little more tame, keep it to simple and classic.
Safety Shots:
+ Groom Details - sometimes they don't have a ton of these, that's fine! just add more portraits into the mix.
+ Everyone hanging out
+ A cheers
+ Portraits - Full body shot, half body shot, headshot. Groom smiling looking away, groom smiling looking at camera.
+ Getting Dressed - Buttoning cuffs, tying tie, putting on jacket, tying shoes, best man or fatherly figure helping groom put on jacket.
Creative shots
(groom solo & w/ groomsmen)
I absolutely love doing these and try to throw a few in to every gallery!
+ Grab a bottle of something and line all the guys up a few feet behind it. Yell GO and have them race towards it!
+ Group hug
+ IF THE GROOM IS COMFORTABLE WITH IT!!! Try for all the groomsmen throwing the groom in the air. Make sure he takes his jacket off.
+ Have all the guys throw on sunglasses and stagger them on stairs. Some squatting, some sitting, some standing and tell them it's time to make their mixtape cover.
+ Get creative! Try out any new prompts you've been wanting to try and have fun with it. After all the safety shots are taken, just have fun!!
Groomsmen portraits
Please make sure every pocket is empty of cell phones, vapes, keys, sunglasses, etc.
+ refer to the shot list for combinations. there should be a photo of each groomsmen with the groom and one large group shot.
+ make sure you take a combination of formal group photos and relaxed group photos.
first look
+ Aim to shoot opposite of your lead, try to get creative "out of the box" angles!
+ Focus on the bride - try to get over the shoulder shots & bride walking towards the groom
+ Once they have reached each other, step back and focus on the interactions between the bride and groom in the seconds after!
ceremony
+ start at the end of the aisle
+ grab a pulled back shot of the entire wedding ceremony (guests, view, arch, etc)
+ rotate with your lead! if your lead steps out of the center aisle then hop in there and if they are in the center aisle switch between the left and right sides.
+ when on the sides, focus on close up reactions of the bride and groom, bridal party and family members in the first row.
+ grab emotional reaction shots of the guests
+ after the ceremony, follow the bride and groom for candids as they walk towards their private moment location!
+ try to grab creative angles - shoot throughs are my FAVORITE!
+ stand next to your lead for the first kiss and grab whatever angle they aren't - ie, if the lead is horizontal then you go vertical.
+ if there is video and they are blocking the aisle from the first kiss, grab a creative side angle or squeeze in where you can!
reception
Family formals
I usually don't need help with family formals so you will jump right into cocktail hour. However, if the list is extensive or the family is uncooperative, I might ask for you to help me arrange everyone and then head to cocktail hour.
cocktail hour
right after the ceremony, jump over to the cocktail hour and photograph 10 minutes of guests mingling, 5 posed group shots, and all of the reception details.
please be very detail oriented when it comes to photographing the reception details.
some safety shots:
+ full room
+ close up of plates, table settings, florals, etc.
+ cake and desserts
+ gifts for guests
+ seating chart
bride & groom portraits
you will stick with me during bride and groom portraits!
not only does this allow for separate angles but it also allows you to gather creative shots, try out new ideas and gather portfolio images.
dancing
this is our time to HAVE FUN!
get creative, dance, and enjoy the wedding!!!
try out a mix of shutter drag, polaroids, etc!
speeches
during speeches, try to focus on guest reactions and shoot through images as well as creative angles of the speeches themselves.
behind the scenes
it seems silly, but in the age of social media, it's crucial! if you have time and are able to, please capture any behind the scenes video you can.
If I end up using any in reels, I will send you $20 :-)
some bts shot ideas:
+ venue videos
+ your lead photographing
+ details from the day
+ florals, desserts, foods
+ couples portraits & golden hour
+ pulled back during the ceremony
+ groom prep & groomsmen photos
film shooters
if you're shooting film for me, here's a few of my weird film nuances!
- please underexpose your film one stop.
- if you're using a roll per section of the day, just label it for me! usually I will have a sharpie on hand :-)
- you will not receive the negatives of your film photos, but I will send you all of the digitized versions.
- please be mindful of light leaks!
Backing up your images & usage
+ I ask that you please save all images from the wedding on a hard drive, cloud or SD card for at least 6 months. This is to ensure that if anything HORRIBLE were to happen, the second images are safe!
+ Once the gallery has been delivered, please feel free to use the images on social media, your website, wherever. I just ask you tag me and avoid tagging the clients, venue and/or other vendors.
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thank you so much!
i can't wait to work with you
for reading through this guide and for coming along with me to capture the rad wedding days of my couples! I am so excited to see the magic you create.