The Wistful World of Miana Jun Photography

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06 Jan The Wistful World of Miana Jun Photography

Posted at 18:23h in Bride, Bridesmaid, Eco-Wedding, Eco-Wedding Featured, Groom by Laura Frecon

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Hi Miana, Welcome to Verte Luxe. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and the story behind Miana Jun Photo.

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Thank you!

My photo background is in dance photography and dance filmmaking. When I decided to give wedding photography a try I worked under an experienced wedding photographer for a few years to see if this work was the right direction for me. I ended up falling in love with the story telling that unravels on a wedding day. I also fell in love the with the ability to create a diverse range of photographs throughout the course of a day. From working on beauty portraits, to capturing fashion inspired still lives of gorgeous gowns, shoes and rings to then capturing candids of fleeting emotions. This happens all in one day! I love moving from one creative moment to the next and making quick decisions on how to make interesting photographs. miana-jun-photography-bride-and-groom

As I continued exploring the wedding work, my vision grew to create a small boutique wedding company that was more holistic and personalized. I wanted to create work and a product in a way that was true and authentic to me and to the couple. My style is photojournalistic, editorial and nature inspired. My custom-wedding albums are designed by me and are produced by a trusting company that offers a lifetime warranty on their product. Eco-friendly albums are available on request.

Please tell us your photographic style and why you love photographing weddings.

Love is a beautiful thing to try to capture and a bewitching energy to create with. I love being a part of an event that involves everyone coming together to celebrate the love between two people. My photographic style is a mix of photojournalism with an artistic, editorial sensibility. When I show up at a wedding its like a switch turns on and I get a little possessed! I want to capture everything and miss nothing, which is humanly impossible. But a challenge. I love responding to everything I see with my camera while both documenting it and telling a visual story as I see it. Every wedding there is an opportunity to create photographs that are both magical and unique. I love the challenge and gift of ‘seeing’ in every circumstance. I also love that weddings often feel like mini photo adventures.

Your images capture the natural elements of a wedding and outdoor surroundings flawlessly. Tell us why you like to use outdoor, natural elements when photographing a wedding.

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Thank you! I have always felt pulled to the natural world. And it has always been a part of my photography work since I picked up the camera. I feel most at home being with nature and photographing nature. Nature is where beauty and inspiration comes from for me. It is where I ask the most questions and where images and ideas become most alive. Nature continues to my biggest teacher. I love the way it speaks through me, to me and with my subjects. It is natural for me to want to use what inspires me with my wedding clients. So much is happening at once in the natural world. I think that is why it always feels so amazing to stand with the forest. When we stand with nature, we also stand in the midst of a harmonious and beautiful chaos.

Enlighten us about your use of natural light in your photography and why it is so important to use natural lighting.

I prefer working with natural light because its magical! I love the way it feels. I love how it changes throughout the day, from shadow to bright sunlight to the subtle shifts of cloud diffusion. Being somewhat of a purist I love seeing light that is naturally there and working with it. Don’t get me wrong though, I will use artificial light to fill in when I really need to or if it will help a photo look more interesting. But, I love catching those moments where light naturally grazes a moving moment. When I have the opportunity to catch moments like this, it is like catching the impossible. As American photographer Minor White once said, “Spirit always stands still long enough for the photographer it has chosen.”

Can you give our couples advice on how to have a natural and authentic photography session that captures the true essence of the couple?

miana-jun-photography-bride-and-groom A natural and authentic photography session begins with chemistry. First there is the chemistry between the couple. This is where everything begins and is the most important ingredient to great photography work. Then there is the relationship and comfort levels that the photographer and the couple have with one another. All of this chemistry will often dictate how well a shoot moves. The more the couple can forget about the photographer and enjoy the moment and embrace each other and this exciting time in their life, the better the photographs will be. A good director can foster moments to happen between a couple so trusting the photographer is also a big factor. Breathing is another big one. I often catch my clients holding their breathe when I work with them so remembering to breathe, relax and forget about the photographer is important. Anything that can fascilitate a relaxed atmosphere will benefit the photoshoot. Beautiful and inspiring locations are key.

How do you best like to work with your clients? You are so good at capturing candid moments, how do you go about achieving this with your couples?

in-love-couple-wedding-photos-pennsylvania-wedding-photographer-miana-jun Chemistry is everything. The chemistry between the couple, between myself and the couple and the chemistry between the space surrounding them. In general I like for my clients to be more with each other then with me. Being in front of the camera is uncomfortable for most people. 90% of my clients tell me that they are not camera friendly and I tell them that most everyone on my website tells me the same thing. It’s sometimes work to get those moments that are more natural. I usually come into my shoots with pretty strong visions so directing is easy and myclients are usually pretty open to trying my ideas. The more open my clients are in the momentum of a photoshoot, the more we can create beautiful work together.

In between my wedding work I keep myself busy with a handful of collaborative dance projects that are nature based and inspired. The artistic dance film I worked with choreographer Dale Andree as cinematographer and co-director titled Home will screen in the Florida focus program of Screen Dance Miami at The Perez Art Museum on Jan 20th 2018. In March of 2018 I will be presenting a collection of photographs from the collaborative dance, photo and video project titled Intimacy with Disappearance at The Natural History Institute in Prescott, Arizona.

I have also been collaborating as wedding-photography-miana-jun-invitation photographer with breast cancer survivor Rebecca Pine on The Breast and the Sea Project. The Breast and the Sea is a written and photographic compilation highlighting the strength and beauty of those who have been personally affected by breast cancer.