Addie and Derrick's vibrant, beautiful love filled Berkeley Fieldhouse wedding shared with Katie Harrison Photography

Katie Harrison Photography shares insights from capturing Addie and Derrick’s vibrant, beautiful love filled Berkeley Fieldhouse wedding.

What drove you to choose wedding photography as a specialty in your photography career?

When I started out in photography, I wanted to be involved in all kinds of art, like interior design, fashion, and food, but I quickly realized that I loved people most of all. I get to combine my background in art and design with a deep curiosity and empathy, and it’s the perfect combo for me. I love watching for the magic in people’s lives and giving it back to them in beautiful images.

I can’t believe I get to be invited into people’s most intimate moments, like weddings and growing families, to laugh and cry and get goosebumps alongside them. And I love knowing that these photos will be treasured for years to come. It’s been a wild ride that continues to evolve as weddings change! Couples feel so much more free to do their wedding their own way, so what motivates me now is my excitement for nontraditional weddings becoming more and more common.

You’ve talked about having a heartfelt, personal approach to capturing people’s memories. How did you work with this approach with Addie and Derrick?

We all know life can be really hard. We all have moments of doubt, regret, fear, and loss. Being invited into people’s stories and witnessing their intimate and emotional moments, I get to capture how much love surrounds us. I know from experience how much these images mean to us when life gets tough.

This was true for Addie and Derrick, who had originally booked their wedding for August 2020, but because of Covid, they rescheduled to 2022. They still had a tiny wedding up at their family cottage with just a few of their closest friends and family, live-streaming the ceremony to friends and family who couldn’t come. Despite the huge change in plans and all the confusion and fear in the world at that time, this small group of people was so present, loving and joyful.

Two years later, everyone was thrilled to finally be able to celebrate all together at Berkeley Fieldhouse. We could all feel that we were celebrating even more than Addie and Derrick’s love. There was so much joy because we could eat and drink and hug and laugh and cry and dance together again!

You photograph architecture and spaces beautifully – like the details of the home where Addie got ready, and the reception space. How do you cultivate this ability to find beauty in your surroundings?

I’m telling the whole story of the day so they can always remember how it felt. Every detail is part of creating that feeling, from the arch of a wooden doorway to the sun streaming through a kitchen window. It’s all about feeling. From the moment I see a detail that makes me feel something, I know I need to photograph it. It could be because it’s beautiful or meaningful or unique or weird. When you look back at the photos, you’ll feel like you’re there.

The groom’s getting ready album really stands out as artistic and innovative as you fully utilized all the aesthetic potential of the venue and really communicates Derrick and his groomsmen sense of style and personalities. What are some of the ways you achieved this so effectively?

I’m always down for getting ready photos to be whatever the couple wants them to be! I’m there to capture the feeling of anticipation and document the moments you’re having with your closest friends and family. It’s different every time! No matter what, I’m always looking for interesting angles, details and lighting so that I can artistically capture the moments that are already unfolding naturally. Berkeley Fieldhouse has so much to work with! This group knew they wanted photos in the treehouse, so after they quickly got dressed, we headed up there for drinks and inside jokes. It was super laid-back!

What were some of the benefits of having the wedding reception take place during natural sunlight and transitioning into nighttime from the perspective of creating your beautiful album?

I absolutely love capturing lighting as it changes throughout the day, especially as it shifts to night! Berkeley’s ambient lighting is gorgeous, so I love photographing the reception without flash. It captures the glow, the vibe, and the true feeling of what it was like to be there. There’s a special magic in that! But it’s always fun to mix in some flash photography for a party vibe, too!