Wedding Photographer Hamburg Kirill Brusilovsky Photodesign shoots a wedding at Syllberg Hamburg, Germany, Germany

Tell us a little about yourself??

I was born in Moscow is a family of an artist and moved to Germany in my youth. I have started my career initially as a designer in visual communication about two decades ago. I have been photographing since childhood and remember well the feeling of a darkroom and developing films and prints by myself – at that time it was just fun and I did not think that I will become a professional photographer.

In Russia the photo films one could buy were miserable, with ugly, desaturated colors. Kodak film with its lively and crispy colors was something one could only dream of. I guess, that's why I am not on a vintage trip, which is so popular nowadays – I like vivid, lively colors.

I am married and have a beautiful daughter Xenia, who is a sunshine of my life.

How do you think or would like people to describe you?

I am an extrovert, curious person, who likes to ask many questions. I guess some like it and some don't :) I guess, judging on how often I talk about my wedding photography work, many might describe me as a freak.

Tell us a little bit about the wedding day?

Helen and Crispin live in Australia, but since Crispin's origin is German, they have decided to have a ceremony in Hamburg. It was quite a small wedding, because most of the guests came from abroad, yet it was quite luxurious, with the ceremony and reception in a very beautiful Hotel called Suellberg. Staged portraits were important for the couple, especially for the bride, so we have planned quite a bit of time for that between the ceremony and the reception. Besides making photos around the hotel, we have also captured the docklands, which is a typical scenery of Hamburg.

How did you get into wedding photography?

I’ve got married in 2006. At that time I knew little about weddings, so I have decided to visit a few friends' weddings just to get an idea. I have already been professionally photographing at that time, so I have decided to take a camera with me. Since very beginning I haven joyed photographing on a wedding a lot, so the idea of doing it seriously came quite quick. Actually, my wife had it first :)

How long have you been a wedding photographer?

I became a wedding photographer 2006.

Can you share how you've made your wedding photography business a success? Any mistakes you made along the way?

As I have started photographing weddings, my primary reason was fun, not business. It was a great enhancement to my work as a designer. I have put together a simple website without any expectations and soon came the first inquiries.

Few years later, after I have decided to make wedding photography a main focus of my business, the market has changed radically, requiring more and more effort to stand out of the crowd. I guess, nowadays no wedding photography business can survive without proper marketing, meaning making thoughts about their specific profile, style, niche and ways to get heard and seen.
I am doing my own thing, but looking around, studying my market, contact and exchange with many outstanding colleagues has surely helped me to get where I am now.

What do you think a bride or groom should be looking for and not looking for in terms of wedding photography packages?

Many not as good photographers bloat their packages with loads of stuff, like various prints in different sizes and promise big amount of pictures, suggesting that with them the client would get more for the money.

Couples should remember that it is mostly great pictures they are paying for, not by the quantity but by the quality. 'Great pictures' is, of course, very subjective, so the couples have to take a closer look at the portfolio and make sure if the like the particular style and can imagine themselves photographed this way.

I also think that a contact to the photographer – if not personal, then over a video conference – is very important, to make sure that “the connection” is there.

How do you advertise yourself and what for you has really worked?

The Internet offers numerous ways to get ones work seen. The best advertisement is, however, word of mouth by the happy clients.

Why do you think people hire you?

I hope, because they like how I see things. Several clients have told me that they appreciate that I pay much attention to details – so I guess perfectionism pays out. (Surely, I am not perfect! I just mean the way of thinking and an effort to get perfect).

How many weddings do you average per year?

Varies between 20 and 30

Whose wedding would you love to shoot?

Never thought about it this way. I love shooting every single wedding.

If you were asked to shoot a destination wedding, where would you hope it would be?

I would love to travel as far as possible for an authentic traditional wedding, for example an Indian or Chinese.

What equipment do you have for a typical wedding day?

I must admit, I like to carry quite a lot of equipment with me just in case.

Most of the time I work with two Canon 5d Mk III bodies, several radio controlled flashes and mostly following lenses: 16-35/2,8 L, 70-200/2,8 L and 85/1,2 L, but also carry a 45 mm TS-E, Fish Eye and 50/1,4 Sigma Art with me, which I use time to time.

What is the most challenging thing about a wedding.