One of our interns got the chance to interview photographer and videographer Javier Reyes for us so we could give you all the inside look at his company, JR16 Creatives. Javier prides himself on providing brides and grooms with a unique, personalized experience as he captures breathtaking moments on their special days. A Southeastern University grad, Reyes has been providing wedding photography and videography services for just over a year and currently has weddings booked through May of 2019.
Reyes sets up multiple meetings with his clients prior to their weddings so that he can break the ice, get to know them as a couple, determine their style and go over their vision. One of the first things Reyes asks when meeting with new clients is what they love about each other so that he can better relate to each individual.
Heading into a wedding day, Reyes is most excited to see the bride and groom after the ceremony and the difference between their pre-marriage jitters and post-ceremony joy.
Another essential component is the couple’s must-haves, as some individuals prefer to have more photographs taken during the ceremony over the reception and vice-versa. Reyes tries to capture exactly what the couple requests rather than decide for them.
Reyes believes one of the best ways to capture a couple’s style is through the through the editing process and filters that give photos different moods; he tries to keep some very traditional, while giving winter weddings a more vintage look and feel. In the videography, Reyes sometimes uses the bride and groom’s family members as well as very thought out music to make the video more tailored and really tell the couple’s story.
Reyes understands that couples have varying budgets for their big day. His rates range from $1600 for six hours to $4000 for a full day, but he is open to working with his clients to figure out a rate that works for everyone. For larger weddings, Reyes oversees the whole project but typically brings along two photographers and two videographers to ensure they capture every special moment.
After the wedding, Reyes’ clients can expect to receive their entire photo package within 30 days. This 30 day contract gives Reyes an extreme edge in the industry as many photographers take 2-3 months to provide the entire edited photography and videography. He not only has a quick turnaround time but also sends out a premium, beautiful wedding box, a memory card with digital copies of every edited photograph and even a hard drive with every unedited photo from the wedding day.
As his business has seen tremendous growth over the past year, Reyes has had the chance to travel all across the country from Indiana to Missouri to photograph couples’ weddings. After getting married himself last summer, Reyes looks forward to continue creating lasting memories for others.
