Normally I’d interview one person at a time, but this couple works together in the business of life and love. I introduce two of DA’s finest wedding photographers; `achfoo and =MissAchfoo. I’ve featured their photographs in every volume of ‘The First Day of Forever’, so not it’s time to find out about the people behind the lens, and how they take their artistic vision from their head and turn it into what we see on DA today.

I’ve broken the interview into a 4x4 section. Four topics with four questions each. For each question you’ll get to see what both artists have to say. I hope that you enjoy this interview and maybe even learn something!

Personal Questions

How long have you been on DA, and how did you come across this website?

`achfoo- “Wow, a little over 5 years now. I used to follow a lot of creative 3d rendering work. You know, the fancy unintelligible pretty shapes you’d find on your desktop wallpaper.”

=MissAchfoo- “I’ve been on DA since 2004, and I only knew of it through Nate.”

How did you get into photography, and more specifically how did you get into the art of wedding photography?

`achfoo- “In December 2001, I received my “first” camera. (Those little spy cameras from when I was 6 don’t count!) I got the Nikon Coolpix 775 from my dad and it was a great beginner’s camera. Long story short, I fooled around for several years before I ever thought of photography as anything but a hobby. In 2003, after my film SLR had been dead for 6 months, I made the plunge and bought a Canon D60 DSLR off ebay. I was blown away by seeing a 3000x2000 image on my computer screen! Seriously, amazing stuff.

Fast forward to 2005 and I’m about to graduate college. Instead of finding a job as a web programmer, I ended up interning with a local wedding photographer. He needed some website help and was also looking for an assistant during weddings. Fast forward to late 2006, and I’ve helped all I could with him and now Jensey and I are on our way to having a successful business of our own. Fast forward to now, and well, Jensey and I couldn’t be happier with life.”

=MissAchfoo- “I’ve always been a huge admirer of photography, but it wasn’t until I picked up Nate’s D60 to help out during an engagement session that I really started becoming a photographer. As far as wedding photography, I got into it after Nate had been working with Brian Adams”

I realize that you two are going to be tying the knot soon, congratulations. I’ve been accused of thinking in photographs and missing moments in the now. On your wedding day, do you think you are going to be thinking about how the pictures are turning out, or will you be able to relax and enjoy the moment?

`achfoo- “I really really hope that we can just sit back and enjoy the day! Our photographer, Brian Adams, is actually the guy who I interned with out of college. So not only is he a good friend, but my style has been directly influenced by him….and I know that’ll reflect well on the wedding day.
Honestly, though, I know we’ll be thinking of a million extra shots throughout the day. Such a curse. ”

=MissAchfoo- “I honestly have no idea how I’ll be. I know Nate will be much more able to just enjoy the moment, but I’m afraid my OCD will kick in and I’ll constantly be asking “Did you get this? What about the programs? How do I look?,” etc.” “

When on a shoot together, how do you discuss ahead of time who shoots what, or do you just feel it out during the wedding? Do you ever have trouble working together, or is there a groove that you’ve created through time?

`achfoo- “A little of both, I think. We spend 98% of the day together, so there aren’t many times where we “split” the work or anything. It’s mostly a matter of discussing where we’ll be for key events; like the first dance or cake cutting, etc, and that’s usually moments before it happens. Other than specific events, we shoot the day in a very photojournalistic style. I hate using that term, but it’s true…we just shoot the day as it happens.

I love working with Jensey. She saves my butt more than she’ll ever admit! The most frustrating thing is when people (even the bride & groom on occasion) don’t realize that she’s the other half of Root Photography, and not just some assistant. And then sometimes, I get way too wrapped up in shooting and don’t pay Jensey the attention she deserves. But I like to think I’m getting better about that.”

=MissAchfoo- “No, we always just shoot. We’ll both be at the same place with two lenses, and we get two completely different viewpoints. It works out perfectly, because there are plenty of times we look back and go “I’m so glad you got the Dad’s reaction there!” when Nate was capturing something different altogether. I think if we were to designate who shoots what, it’d completely take away from our “groove.” Capturing what happens…What we see.

I love that we don’t split up during the day, because we’re able to enjoy it more, and fully capture every part of the day. There are certain aspects of working together that give us trouble every now and again, but as a whole, there’s no one else in this world that I could live and work with 24/7! We finally have a good work flow down with the two of us, and I’m mainly talking about post-processing. The parts of the business he handles I’d be horrible at, and my work ethic drives me to be better at different tasks. We really do have that whole Yin/Yang thing going on!”

Artistic Questions

What equipment do you use? How did you choose to work with this line of camera equipment and lighting?

`achfoo- “I started with the Canon D60 back in 2003 and have never regretted it. We now shoot with the 30D and 40D. We’ll see how Nikon fairs with the D300, but for a while now, Canon’s been the best when it comes to high-ISO noise control and image quality. And for weddings, we find ourselves constantly needing to shoot at ISO 800 or so.

For lighting, we use two 580EX and one 550EX flash. We often put the 550 on a light stand and set it to be triggered by the 580s. Creates some really cool side-lit reception shots. (And we recently acquired three PocketWizards so that we can be even more flexible and creative with our lighting.)

In terms of lenses, we own the 15 Fisheye, 50 1.4, 70-200 2.8L IS, and 28-135 3.5-56 (from the 40D.) Our next purchase will either be His & Her’s matching 5D mkIIs (someday!) or the 50 1.2L. Who knows!

And then for storage, we have 32GB of CF cards spread between 2gb and 4gb Ultra II or Extreme III Sandisk versions.”

=MissAchfoo- “I currently shoot with the Canon 30D… For now! I shoot with it because Nate upgraded, and I get the hand-me-downs!”

What equipment do you use for post processing?

`achfoo- “Software : ACDSee Pro 2 for file browsing & management, Photoshop CS2, and Adobe Bridge for image review and RAW editing.

Hardware between our 2 computers : Three 24” Gateway LCDs, 5gb ram, x2 4800 & 3800 … … approx 3.3tb of storage (Sorry, I’m a dork!)”

=MissAchfoo- “Adobe Bridge and Photoshop CS2!”

Do you use PS Actions? Are your actions self-made or purchased?

`achfoo- “First off, Jensey does most all of our editing. She’s pretty much amazing. She’ll review all the photos in Adobe Bridge, pick our “first edit”, white balance, exposure correct, and apply artistic effects all within the comfort of Bridge. (Since we shoot RAW, we can apply preset adjustments via ACR through a right click menu in Bridge.) Those edits include all sorts of custom tones and styles.

Once they’re processed into jpeg files, they’re (almost) all taken into Photoshop for an extra punch. We have a handful of Kevin Kubota’s actions, but once we found the power of RAW, we really don’t use many PS actions anymore. We have a custom Pop & Vignette action which, you guessed it, applies a basic pop to color & contrast as well as a subtle vignette. Jensey will also use Kubota’s awesome 'Digital Fill' action to paint in a bit of light where needed.”

=MissAchfoo- “Yes! A little of both… Nate did a lot of tweaking to purchased actions, and made a line of his own. Most of our ‘actions’ are in RAW, which Nate made entirely on his own! Yep, he’s amazing. (:”

Do you have any rituals to prepare yourself for a shoot?

`achfoo- “Waffles, lots of waffles!

Actually, not really. We like to have a good CD mix going while driving to the wedding and often a relaxing br/lunch before the day starts. Fun thought, but we don’t have much going on there. “

=MissAchfoo- “I wish we did! I always have to listen to upbeat music on the way to a wedding.. Lately it’s been the soundtrack to “Now and Then”, Jackson 5 to be exact. I like getting a Diet Coke before we start. Does that count?”

Business Questions

I realize that every place has different business regulations. But for you, when you decided to start your business, what actions did you have to take to make it a true business?

`achfoo- “Honestly, I still feel like we’re missing something! Simply put, I applied for a fictitious name from the state, became a sole proprietorship, and opened a business account with my bank. Blah blah blah. Don’t ask me any questions about this part because I don’t remember how it happened. ”

=MissAchfoo- “That’s all Nate!”

Have you had to overcome any obstacles in creating your label?

`achfoo- “Still searching for the perfect combination of logo and presentation. We struggle with a singular and consistent look, but I know we’re getting closer. All the big names we respect in this industry have a very distinct look. (Becker, David Day, Jessica Claire, The Image is Found, etc)”

=MissAchfoo- “We still are overcoming obstacles, as our label isn’t up to my standard yet. We are in the works of getting a logo designed, so that’s a huge step in the right direction. I think once we actually attain a physical studio and meeting place, I’ll be much happier with our branding. Until then, it’s really just the website and blog.”

What do you do to get business? Do you pay for advertising, or do you rely heavily on word of mouth?

`achfoo- “Google Adwords, ensuring we’re ranked well on search engines, and a huge helping of Word of Mouth. We just try to keep in our clients minds, let people know we’re available and we’re fun people. ”

=MissAchfoo- “It’s a healthy mix between Google and word of mouth.”

What benefits have you seen from having a professional website/photoblog?

`achfoo- “If you want to break into the higher markets of photography, having a professional website is pretty much required. A great portfolio is hard to appreciate if it’s presented like a 1999 geocitie’s home page.

Jensey keeps the blog updated with recent weddings and some personal stuff. To me, it’s key that we have it updated at least weekly…otherwise it looks like we’re not available and aren’t dedicated.”

=MissAchfoo- “HUGE benefits! I mean, your website is your only ‘storefront’ to the outside world. You need to be proud of it! As far as the blog, I always feel like no one reads it, but I love being on engagement shoots and having the couple ask about how our trip went, how our dog is, etc. It’s that little bit of personalization that really helps our clients get to know us a little more!”

About DeviantART

Do you think that wedding photography is an art form fit for the deviantART audience, or just a traditional repetitive business?

`achfoo- “I guess it depends… for the type of wedding work I personally love, yes, I think there’s a very receptive audience here! For those that think wedding photography is bland and repetitive, I hope some of the galleries here can change their mind. (And those news articles of yours help a lot too!)
I like that when I think about uploading to DA, I try to focus on the best and the most artistically inclined photos.”

=MissAchfoo- “Well, it depends on the wedding photography. I know that Nate’s work is incredible. I think I do a decent job to fill an album, but his work just blows me away. I love coming home and seeing what masterpiece he’s created during the day! He has such an incredible eye to see beauty in everything and everyone, and I fall in love with him all over again when I edit a wedding!”

Has DeviantART had an affect on your growth as an artist?

`achfoo- “Jensey’ll hit me for saying this, but “yes and no.” DA was instrumental for me when I first started. It was an incredible community that encouraged me to keep uploading, experimenting, and critiquing. More than anything, DA was a place that made it comfortable and easy to share.”

What artists on DA and off do you find inspiring?

=MissAchfoo- “My fiancé… I’m so blessed to live with someone who continues to push me to be the best I can be. As far as wedding photography goes, I’m really inspired by Jessica Claire and The Image is Found.”

If you could only choose three photos from your DA gallery to show a client, which three photos would you present? Why?

`achfoo-
“Our “Gone With the Wind” photo, as many people call it. I just love how epic this feels and I’d want clients to share in that feeling. We’ll probably be ordering a custom 40x80” canvas print to go over my desk. That’s how much we love it!”


“This isn’t the strongest of our wedding images, but I love how unique and sharp it is. To me, it represents two things. 1) The benefit of having two photographers. Jensey was capturing the important reactions of their faces and the guests, while I was able to goof off on the side. 2) It’s just plain unique and different. I want people to remember that!”


“From the same wedding as above, I love this shot because it oozes romance. Even though there are at least 20 people in the shot, it still feels very personal and calm. Like a moment frozen in time, or something equally wonderful and cheesy. And that’s kind of how I want people to remember our style…capturing those insanely fleeting and busy moments in a beautiful way.“

=MissAchfoo- “Honestly, I’m super self conscious about tons of things in my life, but my work ranks up there! I hate showing people what I’ve captured when they know it’s mine.. That’s why I love that our clients don’t know who took what! I dread uploading to DA, because I feel like no one will like what I post.

With that said… I’d send them to Nate’s gallery! (:”

Well since she didn’t pick three, I’m going to go ahead and feature three from her gallery that I love!



Thank you both for taking the time to share so much about your work. I know that every business takes time and patience and lots of hard work, and I’m so glad that both of you are able to work together capturing such wonderful moments in people’s lives!

And now for some wedding features!

DA Wedding Thumb Feature:

..::For Kicks and Giggles::..