I have known Vlad for almost half my life now, and if there is one person that I can credit with giving me the opportunity to become a photographer, it’s Vlad.
The first time I met him I was photographing a college basketball game for a photo class assignment. Because I was a student then, I didn’t have very good equipment, so Vlad – who worked for the city’s newspaper – let me borrow one of his lenses for the game. That story pretty much sums Vlad up – he is incredibly generous, even if he has never met you before.
After that first day, Vlad helped me learn how to see light and find unique angles with the goal to always come back from a newspaper assignment with a photograph our editors wouldn’t expect. We both eventually left the newspaper business to focus on weddings, and Vlad has since transitioned into video, becoming the most creative and exciting wedding filmmaker I have ever worked with. Check out Vlad’s best wedding videography.
Vlad and Rachel have been together for several years and have a beautiful daughter, Mira. Their wedding at La Posada was small – just family and a few friends – which fit perfectly with what is important to them. It was a day that I will always remember as one of my proudest because Erin and I finally got to pay Vlad back a little bit for all that he has given me the last 14 years.
Words by Ben