Photo Nejedlí: Our Magic is to Become Friends with Clients

Do you like photos on our new website Foreigners? Do you wonder who’s behind them? It‘s not only one person but a married couple; Pavla and Jindřich Nejedlí. They are wedding photographers, primarily. When you meet them you understand why their schedule is so busy. They are so nice you want to hire them immediately. It was Jindřich who answered our questions while sitting on the bench in a park since Pavla was running around trying to catch their small son.

Who first started to take pictures – you or Pavla?

It was me. A long time ago and just as a hobby. I bought my first film camera 10 years ago. I was using it for several years until I decided to get a digital one. I wanted to take pictures while traveling and it would be crazy with a film camera. I had never thought about being a professional photographer, though. Back then, I considered it impossible. I thought I would have to do corporate photos mainly, which I didn’t want to do.

When did it change?

At the time of our own wedding. We had to find our wedding photographer and we saw many good pictures but also bad ones. So we told ourselves; hey, we can do better. Let’s try. We realized it was amazing what these great photographers can do. There is a big potential even if many people do this job.

It must be hard to be good on the market.

It is. Today, everyone has a camera, and most people think that to be a wedding photographer is an easy job. So there is a huge number of people offering photos for a small price. But we believe it‘s about hard work, there is no shortcut to success on the market, only the hard work. For us, it took 2,5 years to become independent. In the beginning, we hoped for less than 5 years.

What‘s the magic?

I think being yourself. Do what you love to do and do it every time a hundred percent. People will appreciate that. We saw photographers working in a way „stand here and smile, click, done“. That’s not how we do it. We make connections with our customers. We meet them before the wedding several times to get to know them, so then, at the time of the actual wedding, it‘s almost like meeting friends. That could be our magic, I guess – to become friends.

You do pre-wedding photo shots almost every time. Why?

The couple will know what to expect. We show them some tricks, discuss their expectations. They have a chance to get to know us. It makes it much easier on the wedding day. After every wedding, we get feedback from our clients. And we were told that the wedding guests asked how long we have been friends with the engaged. So we aren‘t photographers who just sneak around.

Your calendar must be full. Especially during summer.

Yes, it is. The wedding season from May to October is usually booked much earlier than winter dates. Half of the season is booked by November of the previous year, the second until February. So summer is extremely busy for us, no free time. This year we had only 2 free weekends.

You have a little son. Is it difficult to manage your job with him?

His grandmother takes care of him when we are at the wedding. They stay home. It would be impossible to have him with us. We tried this year at our cousin’s wedding. It was much different. He was running all over the place. It was not easy to focus. Sometimes our customers tell us to bring him with us but we know it is not a good idea.

Is he a future photographer?

You know, one day he is becoming a guitar player, then a cook or our assistant photographer. So, let’s see.

Why is it better to have two photographers at the wedding?

It’s more fun!

For whom? You, the couple or the guests?

For everybody. We can capture more moments. We are two people there. I can be somewhere and my wife can be someplace else. In the morning we get separated. I am the bride‘s coverage and Pavla takes pictures of the groom and his family. So it‘s covered from both sides. It means more moments, more emotions and more occasions during the ceremony and in the afternoon, too. Also, each of us has a different way of shooting so the pics are different and it’s visible in the package of photos at the end. As a very practical issue, when anything screws up with a camera or lenses of one of us there is always the other one as a back-up. It’s important in moments you can’t repeat, for example, the first kiss, coming down the aisle, etc.

Why are you with a bride and your wife with a groom?

I expected this question. 🙂 Because at the beginning it was me who was shooting. And, understandably, it was more important to take pictures of the bride. Pavla was only my assistant for the first weddings. Then she said; hey, it’s boring to be just an assistant. So we bought another camera and we are enjoying that.

You don’t only do weddings, right?

Yes. We do portraits, we shoot families, couples, events, sometimes corporate projects. But we are mainly focused on weddings, especially during the peak season.

What’s your experience with taking pictures of foreigners?

It’s like working with Czechs. You just need to switch to English. We‘ve done it and we’ve always enjoyed it. Foreigners are usually more relaxed.

You did shooting for Foreigners.cz for our new website. How did it happen?

We know Andrea, the CEO. Her husband was my colleague and we took pictures of their wedding.

You live in Brno and your atelier is in Bílovice nad Svitavou. But you are moving.

Yes, we will live in the Valašsko region. We have a house there which is better for raising our son. We will work in Brno still, though, and keep our studio in Bílovice nad Svitavou. We just won’t be there all the time. Our client needs to send us an e-mail to set the date and the time of an appointment.

About Photo Nejedlí:

Pavla is 29 years old. She comes from Ústí nad Labem and she is an absolvent of the Division of Information and Library Studies at Masaryk University in Brno. Jindřich is from the Valašsko region, a village called Vlachovice. He graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical engineering at Brno University of Technology. The couple met in a Brno college bar and got married in June 2012. They started professional shooting at the beginning of 2013. They have a 1,5 years old son Ondřej. You can find more information about them on photonejedli.com/photonejedli.cz or visit Jindrich’s new wedding photography website www.jindrichnejedly.com.