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Next up on the docket is GEM Photo Co. from Fort Wayne, Indiana, owned and operated by Vilma Deckena. But you’ll see through this post that her company is truly a family affair and her whole family works in the business with her. Vilma shared with us a recent engagement session that we fell in love with! Read on as she tells us all about it!
From Vilma:
The session features Jordan & Jake in Carmel, Indiana. They are getting married in April of 2018 in Fishers, Indiana. They got engaged on New Year’s Eve on Ft. Myers beach! Jordan contacted from a referral from her college friend Anne (who is a 2017 bride). I get 96% of my clients from referrals.
I met Jordan once and never met Jake until the engagement session. Every time I go into a session I spend an hour or so looking at inspiration from photographers I admire and just get in the zone.
I always start my sessions by doing your traditional “grandma pose” to get a feel for my clients! I banter and chat with my clients to get true laughter and joy. You may say I have a potty mouth at times and get kinda interesting conversations at times.
With this session, I found out really quick that Jake loves to have fun, is up for anything, and loves affection and to show it to Jordan! WIN!!!!! I always talk during my sessions and ask tons of questions. I play off of my clients and if they want to jump swing from a pole or go down a railing, well HECK YES!!!Let’s Play!
Jordan and Jake picked their location in the Carmel area. I normally let my clients pick first and if they do not want to or have no clue, I will step in and go off their outfits. I have never been to this location–I love new locations!! I have sensory overload and my eyes just go everywhere, my mind does not stop!
I love movement, I love real reactions, I put my clients into a pose or situation, not for that certain pose but to get a reaction from it! It’s all about how my clients fall into eachother, how they act with each other, and how they play with eachother! Having fun is big with me!
When it comes to editing, believe it or not I am a Bridge + Photoshop girl!! YES I STILL AM! I have yet to switch to Lightroom! I know OMG!!!! I am super fast with Photoshop and Bridge, so right now lightroom is a learning curve and I am sooooo slow with it! Eventually, when I have time I will get into Lightroom! I use Mastin presets but with my own tweak on it to give it the “GEM” look!
A little FYI on GEM Photography: I have been doing this for 10 years! GEM is my kids, Gabi – Emily – Michael
And I am a family business! I dont think there are many like us! Gabi is my oldest at 22 and has been shooting since she was 16. Emily is 18 and my middle child. She is going to nursing school but with a love for video and has worked on some weddings with us with simple fun videos clients have loved. Michael is 13 and as of now has shot 3 weddings!!! He is picking it up faster than Gabi did and is doing a great job! Derick is my husband and started coming to weddings because I had neck surgery 3 years ago. He has been amazing and a big, big asset to the GEM team! So there are many weddings that all five of us go to and my clients love that it is a family affair! They become our family!! ☺
I just do what I love and what I see and I am just me. ☺
You can find GEM Photo Co. on Instagram, Facebook, and their website! Thanks so much, Deckena family!!