Hey friends! I’m so glad you’re here. I cannot wait to share the brand film that showcases me, destination wedding photographer, Francesca Dominique. For this film, we designed a stunning editorial session on a sailboat in the harbor of New York City. It was such a dream to work with incredible vendors such as Go Sailing NYC, Beauty By Madeline Eleanor for hair and makeup, Vibe Haus for Cinema, Bella Belle Shoes, and Theia Couture for attire. Take a look below to learn more about my heart behind this brand film, how I created the vision for its artistry, the styling and ultimately, why I hope you find inspiration in its work. 

Enjoy! 

Why did you decide to create a film for your brand? 

Truthfully, in the beginning of 2020, a friend of mine was offering brand films as she transitioned from being a wedding videographer to a brand videographer and I took her up on it. I always felt it was important for prospective clients to feel what is possible by working together. And what better way, than to show them first hand, the kind of experience our partnership creates. 

Fast forward through COVID, and life, and all the craziness that comes from an international pandemic, and it wasn’t able to happen until this year. Natalie of Vibe Haus followed up with me in May to see if I was still interested in planning a film for my brand. Having thought that ship had sailed (pun totally intended, lol) I started thinking. 

Honestly, I’m so grateful that we never got to create the brand film in 2020. My business was just starting out, and I think I would’ve played small. Out of fear and lack of experience, I think my film would’ve fallen short from the art I love to make.

Chatting with Natalie of Vibe Haus in May, I quickly came to realize that she was giving me an incredible opportunity to create an invitation for prospective clients and welcome them into the experience they’ll find with my company.

How did you come up with the vision for your brand film? 

This was actually quite easy for me. From the age of 16, I envisioned myself as a destination wedding photographer, producing images for couples in love and creating art that moves them. Since traveling in 2020 was on hold, in 2021 I took a workshop in Italy hosted by AMV Retreats and dipped my toes into the world of destination weddings. Since then, I’ve traveled all through California, Washington D.C., Savannah, the Hamptons, and I’m going to be in Greece next month. For the first time in awhile, I’m back to feeling like a destination wedding photographer.

With this brand film, I wanted to emulate a love that was both captivatingly bold and held feelings of yearning romance. I wanted to showcase a relationship that is both soft, yet fearless, like so many of the couples and relationships I have the honor of documenting. I wanted to create a setting that inspired international and destination photography and what better place than in the harbor of New York City – where anything is possible. With this atmosphere, my goal was to create a film that parallels the work I love to create and share it as an invitation for inspiration for future couples and clients to show them that they, too, can have an adventurous and joy-filled session.

After some deliberation, I knew that a session on a sailboat could capture all of the feelings I was trying to convey in my session; fascinating adventure, the notion of travel and the experience of what is possible when you book my services as a destination wedding photographer.

In turn, I wanted to showcase the work that I do and represent myself as an expert in my craft and intuitive to the nuances of love and marriage. I believe that it is not the photographer who makes a love look remarkable, but it is a great photographer that captures the essence of an already remarkable love.

How did you select the styling for this session and brand film? 

As I’ve shared before, I wanted to reflect a relationship among a couple that is both captivatingly bold yet filled with a yearning romance and a soft love. All of the decisions surrounding the shoot centered back to that idea. 

So, for Jared, I chose to put a modern twist on a classic suit with a mismatched jacket and pants combination. The light blue of his jacket played thoughtfully with the blue of harbor water and added to the coastal affair. With a nod to an upscale yet casual ensemble, he wore lighter pants that are perfect for an outing on a boat or an elopement to his true love. 

For Tess, I wanted to get her dress just right. It was important to me that the dress embody movement and showcase the sea breeze flowing through it. But I also wanted it to have a statement or a “wow” factor. With the open back, I feel like we achieved both elegance and seduction in a high fashion and contemporary way. I am so grateful for my relationship with the folks at Theia Couture to assist me in finding the effortlessly perfect dress for this session. 

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Madeline Eleanor; an expert hair and makeup artist and dear friend of mine. She has the unique ability to capture the essence of a person and heighten their already beautiful qualities for photography and videography. I have had the pleasure of working with Madeline many times and it is always an inspiring and exceptional experience.

Did you do anything differently when photographing this session to bring your vision to life? 

Throughout the planning of this session, I felt myself discovering the destination wedding photographer I’ve always set out to be: intentional, purposeful, free-thinking and adventurous. As the planning came together and we got on the boat, I wanted to use those same ideas to craft the images that would go along with the film. 

You’ll find that some of the images in the gallery are slightly blurred. I chose to do this to elicit an emotional experience when viewing the gallery. I feel that it showcases the movement of the boat as well as the feeling of falling in love. I also wanted to ensure I capture tons of details of the boat and the surrounding area. From the sails, to the wheel and all of the ropes; it was important to me to document the setting to showcase the place and time of the session. And finally, I loved challenging myself to document a variety of individual images of Jared and Tess. I found that capturing moments from their attire and of them by themselves, helped to tell the story of a captivatingly bold and yearning love. 

What final note do you have to say about this brand film? 

I feel that we are often trying to make ourselves smaller, to make others feel more comfortable, to think “No, I shouldn’t or I couldn’t do that.” But gosh, I am so tired of that narrative. Everyone experiences struggle with comparison and the heartbreaking experience when inspiration turns into comparison. But with this film and this gallery of images, I wanted to showcase where I am now as a destination wedding photographer and where I am aiming to go. I didn’t want to look outside of myself and into the world of comparison to learn what I “should” or “shouldn’t” be doing. 

So, I hope this gallery inspires you. I hope it encourages you to dream your own dreams. I hope it reenergizes you as it did me, to stop playing small. This film is for the big love that can’t be confined and connecting with a destination wedding photographer who will support you the entire way. 

“I believe that it is not the photographer who makes a love look remarkable, but it is a great photographer that captures the essence of an already remarkable love.“

Francesca Dominique

Thank you so much for tuning in! If you’re interested in working together, please reach out to me here!