Jānis Ratnieks is a wedding photographer who has succeeded in what many dream of - to be a sought-after expert in his field not only in Latvia, but all over the world. For seven years now, Jānis has been traveling all over the world to capture luxury weddings. Jānis calls little Riga his home, and the metropolis London his workplace. He flies so often that he tends to fall asleep before the plane takes off, but most of all is picked up by his best friend, wife and business partner – Inese. It is she who processes and retouches the pictures taken by Jānis before they end up in the hands of the happy couple. One sunny day, I meet Jānis and Ines right here in Riga, where Inese and their daughter Olīvija live permanently during the winter season and are waiting for their Jānis home from the next flight.
Jānis himself says that the camera bag on his shoulder and the door behind which stands the next couple, whose wedding he is entrusted to capture, gives him the feeling of home.
He is sure that this is where he belongs - between the worried bride, the smell of nail polish and the fumes of hairspray. And regardless of whether it will be a small hippie wedding in a barn, a grand wedding in one of the French castles or a wedding just for the two of you on an exotic island - Jānis will do everything (impossible) to take pictures that he could be proud of. He is a perfectionist who is sure that he can always do better.
I will start with a completely banal question, but how did you manage to become a sought-after tandem from small Latvia all over the world?
Jānis: It is difficult for me to compare my work with anything. I think everyone does what they like and obviously people have appreciated what we do. I'm happy with what's been done, but I certainly don't feel like I've accomplished anything remarkable.
The fruits of my work cannot be evaluated in awards, but in the emotions of the bride and groom.
Of course, there has been purposeful action in all of this. The first step was when one evening we deliberately made our website in English. When we focused on the luxury wedding market in 2009, we knew what we were going for and why.
Inese: But it must be said that we ourselves do not feel that we are more special or more accomplished, on the contrary - we think that we could do better. We are very down-to-earth people and feel that we could do more and better.
If it was a conscious choice, then why wedding photography?
Jānis: Banal, but I really like to photograph beautiful things.
In photography, the reality of the fairy tale is important to me - the kind where you can see the energy between these two people.
In addition, wedding photography is also a challenging job and I can say that because I have tried almost all areas of photography. Wedding photography combines reportage, portraits, art, fashion and even sports, which is why the photographer must have this sixth sense , the ability to see a good shot even before it is taken. I am present at every wedding I participate in - I remember and relive my wedding with Ines over and over again. Before my daughter was born, I photographed as many as 87 weddings a year, which means that I remember my promise to my wife 87 times. After Olivia was born, priorities changed and now average 40 weddings a year.
However, you have gotten to know both the Latvian and the global wedding industry market - what distinguishes them from each other?
Jānis: This year I will photograph only one wedding in Latvia, last year there was none, so it is definitely not a large part of our audience proportionally, but what I have observed - the Latvian wedding photographer market has grown in quality. If we talk about the world market, for example, in Asia, photography is much more important than in the West. How much time, for example, a Hong Konger devotes to a wedding photo is unfathomable to a Westerner. I've had couples travel to Paris, London and at least two other places for a photo shoot before their wedding day, getting dressed up and wearing their wedding dresses everywhere. Westerners will find it incomprehensible, but the Chinese, both women and men, are much more open to photography.
You have photographed weddings here in Europe, Asia, Mexico, Africa and more, experienced many manifestations of cultures and traditions - after everything you have seen, could anything else surprise you?
Inese: Yeah, we haven't been to a nudist wedding yet (laughs) . Our friend, a French photographer, has been present at such an event. It goes without saying that the photographer must also arrive properly - that is, naked - at such a wedding.
Jānis: But if we talk about weddings where I have been present, I always have to conclude how different brides are. There are those who are very easy to get along with, but there are also those who are difficult, and understanding the soul of this complex person is also a big enough challenge for a photographer, but only in this way can you get good photos. It should be expected that there will be people who will not open up anyway, for example a Japanese man - he may not even smile or kiss the bride at his wedding. As long as we don't understand it, it seems completely normal to the Japanese themselves - not to smile even once. As people, Latvians are similar to the Japanese - in their down-to-earthness. I, too, am a very balanced person in my own way, it certainly cannot be compared to the expressiveness of Jewish or African weddings.
There are wedding photographers who believe that women are more successful in this profession because of their natural ability to understand the bride. Jānis, as a man, how do you feel about the whole wedding event?
Jānis: I have to say frankly – I feel like a fish in water. Of the whole wedding day, I like the morning of the bride's preparation the best - make-up . It is a time of special peace. Usually, out of 3,000 wedding photos, at least 600 will be from the morning of getting ready. I will disagree that women are better wedding photographers. I am also not saying that they are worse, but I will not agree with such a statement. In addition, Ines and I are a successful tandem - when processing the photos, she will see things that I would probably never see - she will know where something should be touched up, where, on the contrary, should be highlighted so that the bride feels truly satisfied when she receives the photos.
You already mentioned that you are a good tandem - both in life and at work. Another success story in your case ?
Jānis: At work, our responsibilities are quite separate - I take photos, she processes. When Inese is doing her work, I do not interfere in any way because I know that she is many times more talented than me in that matter. Inese is very demanding both of herself and of me. She is quite critical of her work, but this is undoubtedly a plus for the quality of our work.
Inese: Yes, that's true, because I'm sure you can always do better. Self-criticism is necessary for me - especially because I have mostly learned how to process photos by myself. At one time, when I was still working, it was Jānis who initiated me to leave work and start processing his photos.
You had a small wedding yourself. Now, if you had the chance to get married again, would you change anything about them?
Inese: Definitely not. If only a dress, because it would no longer be in fashion. (smiles). We had a small wedding, we got married on St. John's church and we didn't hold big parties. If we were to get married now, we wouldn't change it - we wouldn't beat the size of the wedding that Jānis photographed. (laughs).
Jāni, what has been the grandest wedding you have been to?
Jānis: Singles were held for a month in several countries of the world - starting with bachelor parties lasting several days to wedding celebrations in several countries. However, it must be said that every wedding is grand in its own way because of its unique traditions. For example, when orthodox Jews get married, almost all weddings, including the ceremony itself, are held separately for women and men. The father of the bride and the groom sign the contract, where the bride herself is not present at all. On the other hand, in Mexico, the word YES is confirmed with fingerprints. I've been to weddings where the ceremony starts several hours after the scheduled time because the bride has chosen a hairstyle so complicated that the hairdressers can't fix it.
You have been present at so many weddings - is it easy to understand who your target audience is?
Jānis: Yes, it is completely clear to us.
Our main audience is demanding brides - those who know what they want. They are looking for a wedding photographer according to their requirements and will not take the first one whose pictures seem somewhat acceptable.
Our client is a demanding client and I hope we can satisfy these requirements.
40 weddings a year, flying from one country to another, different cultures, traditions, global competition - what is the most difficult thing in a photographer's work?
Jānis: I am sometimes disturbed by the slowness of my own thought. A Latvian already automatically has an inferiority complex, and this modesty and inability to accept praise sometimes bothers me as well. However, one of the hardest things is being away from family due to the many trips.
Inese: The biggest challenge for me is to arrange for Jānis to be home alone on his wedding anniversary. (smiles). We got married in an active wedding season and Jānis has to photograph a wedding almost every year on our date, but there are always opportunities - I get on the plane and go with Jānis to be together that day.
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