Who am I? I’m Wil Reiner. I’m a photographer specializing in Wedding photography and Portrait photography. I also do Commercial work. I’ve been a full-time photographer since 2010.
Maybe by revealing a little bit about my process and also my personal life, it will help you understand where I’m coming from and, perhaps it will help you to take the first steps towards hiring me.
Growing up, I really didn’t know what I wanted to be. I knew for sure that I didn’t want to work a 9 to 5 desk job. I wanted to do something fun and creative, and I wanted a fun job that offered some flexibility. I went to school and studied art, and graduated with a degree in graphic design. I had a design job for a couple years before moving on to photography. I’m fortunate to say that after a couple years of experimentation, I’ve kind of figured out at least what works for me.
Each year, I typically photograph about 35 weddings, while mixing in portrait and commercial photography assignments. When I’m not busy with wedding photography season, you can find me spending time with my wonderful family. I love spending my Sunday afternoons watching the Eagles with my parents and siblings, and I’m known as the ‘fun uncle’ who turns every holiday into a nerf battle with my nieces and nephews. I also have a few hobbies that I indulge in; playing my electric guitar, reading, fitness, gardening, cooking, drawing, traveling around the world, and last but not least, surfing.
I love being a photographer, and it’s super fun. I get to witness and document couples on their most important day, their wedding day. I am also very happy with this job as it offers me the freedom to travel around the world and have amazing experiences during the winter months, when it isn’t wedding season back at home.
My goal is for my photography clients to feel very comfortable when working with me. Many clients always say ‘I really do not like getting my picture taken, and it feels awkward’. BUT with a few tricks up my sleeve, most of my clients end up forgetting that they are getting their picture taken and we end up with tons of stunning, candid feeling portraits.
I want my work to appear unscripted, candid and natural. I love capturing all the emotions— the joy, the laughter, and even the tears. I believe that a good wedding photo collection consists of beautiful portraits, all of the details of the day, and all of the candid moments… while also being aware of the fundamentals of photography; interesting and dramatic composition, finding beautiful and flattering ‘Rembrandt lighting’, and using color to lead the viewer’s eye around the image. I could go on to talk about images and their relation to ideas (semiotics) but nah, let’s keep our feet on the ground. At the end of the day I’m a photographer, a service provider, not a rocket scientist.
I photograph weddings and events by myself or with a well-seasoned second photographer, and I never use an ‘associate’ photographer to photograph events under my name or under my portfolio. When you hire me to photograph a wedding based on my portfolio and over a decade of experience, you can be assured that you are getting me at my very best, and not someone else showing up and filling in for me on your wedding day.
Today, my photography style is inspired by the fundamentals that I learned while studying art back in college; creating interesting compositions using flattering lighting and a love of rich color. I like to make images that feel natural, and unposed while also standing out from a technical perspective. I’m adamant about using the very best tools for the job; a top of the line Canon R5 full-frame camera, combined with professional level L-series prime lenses, which arguably have the best color rendition and auto focus compared to other brands or lenses. I’m also really into using off-camera lighting in a variety of ways, and that style has been integral to my approach since I got into photography. For a wedding, I aim to create a collection of images that feature the best of both worlds; naturally lit ‘light and airy’ photos, combined with images with that fashion flair created with the use of dramatic lighting, and also a hybrid of both styles.
My philosophy is to stay humble and always remember that success would not have been possible without my amazing clients. I really hope that you like what you see.
