Meet the Photographers from Derek Hough’s Cowl Shoot

After we tapped Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert to be the cover stars for our latest digital drawback, we knew we might have favored to enlist photographers who might be uniquely geared as much as seize their love story. In the end, the record-breaking expert dancer and his fiancée’s relationship spans a decade, and we felt strongly that one different husband-and-wife group might be best-suited to visually inform their story. With that in ideas, we enlisted Amy Gayeski and Stuart Bunton, the married couple who runs Amy and Stuart Photographs, to make the shoot—and Hough and Erbert’s distinctive dynamic—come to life. With virtually 30 years of experience photographing weddings collectively, Gayeski and Bunton utilized their very personal expert and marital expertise to make these nonetheless pictures of the long run newlyweds actually really feel alive.

The Los Angeles-based photographers first crossed paths on their first day of college at a pictures school in Santa Barbara, the place they immediately hit it off. Not solely did the two bond over their mutual affinity for capturing moments on digital digicam, nevertheless as well as they detected a pure compatibility. After collaborating with one another in school, Gayeski and Bunton decided to start their careers side by side after graduation. They every began working inside the industrial, fashion, portraiture, and film sectors, which then develop into taking footage their very personal industrial initiatives.

As a result of the duo fell in love with the wedding world and the ingenious freedom it provided them after documenting their first one at school, they decided to {{photograph}} totally different {{couples}}’ specific days as a side gig. “As our experience grew whereas taking footage commercial-type work, we realized that our hearts had been in weddings, and we made a conscious shift in focus,” the couple shares. After working behind the lens collectively for almost a decade, Gayeski and Bunton turned enterprise companions and life companions in 2006. All through that milestone yr, the pair tied the knot and launched their very personal pictures enterprise, Amy and Stuart Photographs.

Just about 20 years later, Gayeski and Bunton credit score rating the assistance they supply one another—plus their pure reward—because the muse of their worthwhile enterprise and the gasoline that runs it. “There could also be power in partnership, and we temper each other very effectively,” the duo expresses. The pair has mastered the art work of residing and dealing collectively partially on account of they actually really feel cosy voicing their imaginative and prescient, which creates a safe ambiance for his or her craft to thrive. “Neither one among us is shy to speak up if we actually really feel that the alternative is approaching one factor from the flawed angle,” they discover. This mutual respect and understanding trickles into their dwelling lives as properly. Furthermore, Gayeski and Bunton divide and conquer totally different business-related duties, so neither affiliate assumes nearly all of the responsibility. Whereas Bunton takes on client interactions and edits pictures, Gayeski runs the enterprise and objects collectively the albums. As a result of it’s simple to get slowed down inside the particulars, the photographs group typically flexes their aggressive sides by treating every shoot like a recreation. “We always declare a winner after every wedding ceremony ceremony,” they giggle. “This has always helped us preserve pushing our work forward and retains it really pleasing.”

Developing their enterprise from scratch and dealing within the course of an ordinary goal is what motivates them to excel. Every time they shoot a wedding, they function to create timeless pictures which will resonate with every present and future generations. Although Gayeski and Bunton scout the venue earlier to the event to go looking out among the finest lighting and {photograph} locations, they let the couple info the images that they take. “We actually really feel strongly about not turning a wedding proper right into a photoshoot,” they make clear. “We cherish these little shocking and imperfect moments and don’t want to direct an extreme quantity of besides it’s utterly wanted. Our job is to doc what is going on beautifully considerably than organising ‘moments.’”

The husband-and-wife duo had been able to apply that exact same method whereas photographing our cowl stars. Sooner than the shoot, they toured the positioning, so they could conceptualize a plan of movement and acquire the suitable gear. In its place of following a set agenda as quickly because the day acquired right here, Gayeski and Bunton let the matters’ love for one another info each snapshot. “Their passion for each other was clear from the first physique,” they remark. “When attainable, we merely permit them to be them. We cherished the quieter moments with Hayley and Derek, nevertheless capturing them shifting collectively was undeniably spectacular.”

Not solely do Gayeski and Bunton have a few years of experience as colleagues and romantic companions, nevertheless they’ve moreover collaborated on their very personal nuptials. To them, planning a wedding is a bunch effort that strengthens your relationship. “You be taught to listen to and possibly yield to an opinion that you can be not basically share,” they level out. For individuals who’re inside the thick of mapping out your giant day alongside along with your vital totally different, the photographers recommend acknowledging your future associate’s perspective and tuning out the alternative noise. “Decide what’s de facto very important to you, nevertheless be ready to compromise,” they advise. “Weddings could also be tough when navigating all people’s needs. Most importantly, stick collectively and make it your wedding ceremony ceremony.”