Photo Opportunity

She’s been the most sought-after wedding photographer in the Twin Cities for nearly twenty years. She is among the pioneers of photojournalistic portrait photography in Minnesota. And she branded a documentary approach to wedding images—the composition, the subject matter, the light, the can’t-quite-put-your-finger-on-it artfulness—that has set the bar for local photographers.

But Hilary Bullock never intended to be a wedding photographer. In 1988 she was pursuing a BFA at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design when someone called the school looking for a student photographer to take some informal shots at an intimate Minneapolis wedding. “I decided to do it,” Bullock recalls. “I was terrified. There was so much pressure.”

Turns out, Bullock had nothing to be afraid of. In fact, she had stumbled upon her sweet spot. “It was one of those ‘a-ha’ moments,” she says. “I felt like I saw myself in the images. They were a reflection of my point of view. And I loved the client relationship.”

Now, more than 800 weddings later, Bullock is putting down the camera and pursuing another creative passion—landscape and garden design. “I didn’t want to become a burnt-out sixty-year-old wedding photographer,” she says. “Designing gardens is a different channel for my creative energy. I’ve spent twenty years responding to the moment. With landscape design, I can step back and reflect. It’s just the right time for a change.”

Before she officially swapped photos for flowers, Bullock sat down with Weddings to share the ten top tips she’s gleaned after two decades at the forefront of the Twin Cities wedding scene.

1 | Muse on desired moments. Think carefully about the images you want to walk away with. What are the most important moments and who are the most important people? Write down your top twenty and share those with your photographer.

2 | Key words. Give your photographer four words that describe what you envision for your wedding—intimate, fun, casual, elegant, sophisticated, warm—to help him or her convey the feel and tone of the day in the photographs.

3 | Night light. Having an evening reception? Visit your reception venue at night. Large spaces with really tall ceilings can get really dark, so the background of your candid photos will be dark. Have lots of candles on the tables to create warmth.

4 | Three gown essentials. Your gown needs to fit well, make you feel beautiful, and be comfortable. If you’re uncomfortable in your gown for whatever reason, it will come through in the photographs.

5 | The best do? An up-do. Long hair is generally worn better up, unless you have lustrous, curly hair that will hold its form.

6 | Makeup essentials. The right makeup is incredibly important. The keys are a great foundation, mascara and maybe a few false eyelashes, and a good lip stick that’s close to your natural lip color. Once you go to black-and-white or sepia images, dark lips and nail polish start to look black.

7 | Happy feet. If your feet are uncomfortable, it’s hard to be happy. If you’re having outdoor photos taken, bring a spare pair of shoes that you won’t fret about getting dirty.

8 | Don’t rule out the rehearsal dinner. Consider hiring a photographer to capture candids at the rehearsal dinner, where the feel can be wonderfully family focused and relaxed.

9 | Location, location, location. A couple of Hilary’s favorite locations are long the river in downtown Minneapolis by the new Federal Reserve Building and the Stone Arch Bridge. The Lake Harriet Rose Garden is always good, but can be crowded. Ask your photographer about outdoor locations. What you think would look good might not be that great.

10 | Trust is a must. For the best candid shots, you need to have a photographer you can trust. You should be able to forget about your photographer and trust that he or she is capturing the best moments.

Hilary Bullock no longer photographs weddings. Connect with her at hilarybullock.com for her garden and design work.