Paul Michael Cooper Photography
Capturing meaningful moments and stunning portraits to create art that couples can cherish forever.
My primary goal for my clients is simple: provide an absolutely incredible client experience from start to finish. It’s my mission to elevate your wedding experience, not dump extra stress onto your plate during what should be the happiest day of your life. Therefore, I consider it essential to get to know you and hear about your vision for your day to ensure that your wedding images are authentic to you, your story, your energy, and your emotion.
I provide communication and guidance to my clients from beginning to end, providing you with a first-rate experience that transcends just taking pretty pictures. The day you book with me, I’m all in for making your wedding day the best it can be. I’ll give you tips and tricks for making your wedding day a smooth and enjoyable one, while still capturing all the important moments. On the day of your wedding, you can count on me to be unobtrusive in the intimate and real moments, yet present in guiding you while we create timeless portraits.
In addition to your digital files, I custom design an Album for every single one of my couples, creating a unique layout that displays the most precious memories from your wedding day. My goal is to create an heirloom that tells the whole story of your day, not just a mere “picture book.” I then work with you one-on-one to finalize the finished layout of the Album.
PMC Photography strives to guide you through your day smoothly and naturally to create images authentic to you and your story. From standout impact portraits to raw emotional moments, trust that your most important memories won’t be missed.
Skills
Lightroom / Natural Light / Off Camera Flash / Photojournalism / Photoshop
FAQs
What inspired you to become a wedding photographer?
As I wrapped up my BFA in Film Production, I found myself becoming less and less enchanted with the Hollywood scene. Still feeling most at home with a camera in my hands, I felt a bit lost, wondering what I’d pursue next. Eventually, a friend invited me to shadow them as they captured a wedding day. I immediately fell in love with wedding photography and decided I had to make this my career. I quit my soul-sucking “day job” as an A/V Technician and dove head-first into wedding photography, taking a risk on myself and my art in a way I never had before. Since then, I haven’t looked back, and I bring that same passion to all the work I do.
How would you describe your photography style?
With my photography, I promise a healthy balance between standout, impact portraits and authentic, emotional moments. My goal is to address the problem: How do I get amazing photos while still feeling present on this very special day? On the day of your wedding, you can count on me to be unobtrusive in the intimate and real moments, yet present in guiding you while we create timeless portraits. I excel at creating dramatic and cinematic portraits while also capturing the candid and real moments that make the day what it is.
How do you ensure that your clients feel comfortable and relaxed during the photo shoot?
My clients always comment on how comfortable and at ease I make them feel while we take photographs. I believe this comes from two main experiences I bring to the table:
1) My years of experience and education have informed me with lots of tips and tricks to make my couples look their best. When working with me, you’ll never have to ask, “What do I do with my hands?” My clients can trust that I’m paying attention to the details and that I won’t settle for an average portrait.
2) Photographing people is SO much fun for me! And I think I show that with the energy I bring to each session and wedding day. While many images in my portfolio could be described as dramatic or moody, behind the scenes, my clients and I are laughing, cracking jokes, and bonding over shared experiences. Most of my sessions end with us chatting it up and my clients telling me how fun the session was and how they can’t wait to see the images.
How do you ensure that you capture all of the important moments on the wedding day?
I’m definitely not a backseat photographer. For 98% of my couples, this is their first time getting married. And a vast majority of my clients have never had professional photos taken of them. I, therefore, take the initiative of becoming the trusted advisor for my clients. I use my experience to inform and provide insight to my clients, and to guide them in creating a stress-free wedding experience. From the start, I aim to learn about my couples’ vision, and then I work with them to make that vision a reality.
My experience has given me a lot of insight on how most wedding activities will run, even in cultural and religious celebrations. I then take that experience to work closely with my couples (and their planners, if they have one) to create a detailed timeline (that I share with other vendors too) to ensure that all of the important moments will be captured, and they can rest easy trusting in that.
