Olivia and Dan

It is fitting that a wedding photography team whose work is heavily influenced by cinema would say that their favorite part of the day to photograph is the couple getting ready. “The anticipation, the nerves, the start of the story…. It’s always such an emotional time and we just love setting that scene,” say Olivia Ruggeri and Dan Blatchford.

Italian films of the ‘80s and ‘90s—”nostalgic tales of love and life”—are a particular influence from Ruggeri’s youth, and helped the couple develop their storytelling approach to weddings. They often use chiaroscuro to add a theatrical touch to their images. It took them a while, however, to apply that cinema inspiration to their work.

“We’ve learnt to know what to look for, and go after it, which is key when you need to execute your vision under pressure and short time frames,” they explain. Once they figured out what they were after, they were able to find it in situations they faced. And they emphasize their openness to constantly learn and grow. They analyze each wedding to think about what they can improve. “It feeds our creativity and improves our craft.”

Check out the official announcement of this year’s 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography, along with the editors’ observations on the list of 2020.