Sunday 31 May 2015

Started In The Bathroom Now We Here...

Tessa and Andy's gorgeous Ojai wedding. Photo by STUDIO 1208

Tessa and Andy. Damn, these people are fucking awesome! I am still laughing about the title of this post because it is so accurate, and clever (+1 to me), that I literally can't even (-1 to me). This wedding was fantastic - the location, the people, the content - all authentic and beyond beautiful. Watching Tessa and Andy together was joyful and they really do compliment each other so much. This is love guys, and it is so much fun. May your adventures together be many, and hopefully we can be a part of another one soon!

To view it, just type studio 1208


xx
Maria

Thursday 28 May 2015

Started From The Bottom, Now We Here...

STUDIO 1208 Nick Bentley Maria Bentley Jackson Bentley

Wow. Finally! When we started this business just over 4 years ago, things moved pretty fast. Of course we strived even then to design both ourselves and our website to be exactly how we wanted, but you know how it is - some things simply start as place holders and never really move on. With all the travel, weddings and editing, it's very hard to run the business side and keep on top of everything! So, we could not be more excited that we finally have a website to be proud of - one that we feel really showcases our work, and more, who we are as people and artists. Just as we invest completely in the people we work with, we want people who choose us to invest in who we are as people, and eventually, friends.

We have photographed and filmed so many people over these four years, and the most amazing part to us, is that we truly have made life long friends doing it. 90% of our brides and grooms have been involved in our personal lives since their weddings, with most of those being people we would go on holiday with, or have over for a long weekend. It is awesome. Is it because we choose who we work with carefully? Is is because we attract a certain type? Is it because we are creepy? Who knows what one thing led to this, but I would like to think that it has a lot to do with the way we work, and the way we invest in our clients and all of their people. We genuinely care about them, and it truly makes a difference.

The other thing to be hugely excited about today is the debut of our new promo film for 2015. We held onto this to show alongside our new website, as we felt like it really needed that double whammy, and deserved it. Nick did an amazing job showing our work life over the first 3 years of STUDIO 1208, and we are excited for everyone to get a little glimpse into what our job looks like most of the time. It is exciting, and different, and challenging, and fun, and downright insane most of the time, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Ask anyone that knows us, or has worked with us - they'll tell you that this film IS STUDIO 1208.



A huge thank you to all of our clients for putting the trust in us to tell their stories and to seeing value in what we do, to their friends and families for welcoming us into the inner circle and treating us like one of the gang, to our families for giving us the gifts of support and belief in our talents when we were just dreaming STUDIO 1208 up, to Jackson, our son, for being the best globe-trotting sidekick anyone could ask for, to the many incredibly talented suppliers we have made magic with and trust our methods and ideas, to our über talented (and saintly patient) graphic designer, Nathan Walczak for our newly designed logo and incredible re-brand, and to British Airways for always getting us there in one piece and relatively on time. It takes a village, and we are so grateful.

Please have a look at our new site, tell a friend, and let us know what you think! Nick designed this site, and absolutely smashed it. Thank God one of us had these skills!

xx
Maria

Saturday 23 May 2015

That Is Home...

First, I want to shout out one of our former grooms for bringing these two amazing people into our lives...Jeremy Seney, you are the best - thank you for bullying Wally into watching your wedding film the first time you ever met (and countless others)!

Sunny and Wally are so awesome, and our love for them runs deep. They are people that you want to be around, they are just electric, and we just can't get enough of them. Their story starts by chance, as so many do, but it isn't often that your future husband actually walks in your front door... I'm pretty sure that when Wally went to see that apartment, he didn't realize he was already home.

Their story, their venue, their people, their dog - it's all awesome. I am so proud to call them friends, and so excited to share their wedding film trailer with all of you today! And I'm pretty sure you will all die when you see their venue...I meeeeaaaannnnnnn....!

xx
Maria

Friday 15 May 2015

I Feel Your Heartbeat Just Like Mine....

Tessa and Andy's gorgeous Ojai wedding photo by STUDIO 1208



Love really does happen when you least expect it. Tessa and Andy were not looking for it, in fact almost the opposite! But... a sneaky stolen kiss in a bathroom on New Years Eve changed the course of both their lives, throwing two very different people, on contrasting paths, together forever. The funny thing is, the more they both (Tessa) refused the relationship in the early days, the stronger it actually grew. Looking at them now, it is impossible to think of them apart.

They had a simply beautiful wedding in magical Ojai, which despite being pretty close to LA, was such a wonderful departure. It took these two and their awesome group out of the flashing lights of LA (and NYC), and created a wonderful authentic destination vibe.

Surrounded by their closest friends and family from all over the world, they started their new journey together and under the stars threw all kinds of shapes on the dance floor, including one guest's front slide that is probably the greatest dance move EVER seen. No, really... it is one of legendary proportions!

Check out their trailer, and see for yourself!

Nx

Wednesday 13 May 2015

#WINNING...

So, a few months ago, we entered into an annual photo contest that photo community leader, Shoot and Share was putting on. What is rad about this contest is that it is voted on by other photographers without sharing who took the photos, which means you win on actual merit - not popularity (not that there is anything wrong with being popular, but I don't like having to ask people to vote for me - I will, but I don't love it).

It is worldwide, and it is huge.

Anyway, you could submit up to 40 images over 21 categories...

Out of 110,928 images submitted, 23,153,465 votes cast, and 73,883 photographers represented, WE WON FIRST PLACE in the "That Just Happened" category with one of my favourite images EVER!
Shoot and Share contest winner "that just happened" category by STUDIO 1208

How's THAT for a photobomb?! This guys was next level he DGAF, and as I was shooting, he just walked right in - so I kept shooting, obvs! It is my fave moment, and I am so excited that it made people laugh the same way it made all of us laugh on the day - and still.

We also placed 7th in the "Wedding Party" category with this image of the beautiful Gabby and her girls jumping and dancing on the couch
Shoot and Share contest winner "wedding party" category by STUDIO 1208


And 13th out of 13,701 images with our iconic image of Bryan and Kim in the "Bride and Groom" category
Shoot and Share contest winner "bride and groom" category by STUDIO 1208

Sincere thanks to everyone who voted, all my rad clients, and to Shoot and Share! Still don't know who won the grand prize, but if it's us, we will let you all know!
xx
M