The Pinckards
New York’s Back Yard was created to celebrate the other half of The Empire State. We prefer tall trees over tall buildings and rushing rivers over rush hour. NYBY is a place to celebrate local business, local views and local love! In our “From Behind the Camera” series, we will be highlighting some amazing local photographers and seeing what art and Upstate mean to them.
This week we had the honor of talking with The Pinckards, a dynamic duo who will stop at nothing for the perfect shot, mountains and all!
We are Dan + Laura Pinckard, and our brand name is “The Pinckards.” We’re wedding and elopement photographers in the Adirondacks, with a primary focus on small, intimate weddings.
We live in Schroon Lake, NY, but we serve all areas of upstate including Saratoga, Warren, and Essex Counties. We primarily work in the region between Lake George and Lake Placid, but we’re always available to travel!
What brings you to Upstate New York?
Laura was born in Schroon Lake but grew up overseas in the Czech Republic. Dan was born and raised in Chicago, and we met when we both went to Bible college in Upstate NY.
What is your favorite place to visit in Upstate?
Our favorite places in the Adirondacks are Indian Head in Keene and Cascade Mountain in Lake Placid. The views are unparalleled, and we love to get out and explore when we’re not shooting elopements.
What is your absolute favorite food / bar / coffee spot in Upstate NY?
Our favorite bar is Top of the Park (https://www.topofthepark.bar/ ) in Lake Placid, because it’s small and intimate (so you don’t feel overwhelmed when you visit). They also have SUPER creative drinks that they make specifically for you based on how you answer a few questions.
Our favorite coffee shop is definitely Old Mountain Coffee CO in Keene Valley, NY (https://www.oldmountaincoffee.com/). We go there anytime we have an elopement in that area, and we always recommend them to our clients! Every cup of coffee we’ve had there has been a 10/10, and their food is always amazing.
What inspired your interest in photography?
Laura was interested in photography since she was a little kid, but it really became a passion when Dan bought her a DSLR camera when we were dating. We became wedding/elopement photographers because, when we got married a few years ago, we made the mistake of not hiring a professional photographer for our wedding, and we were so disappointed when we received low quality photos from our wedding (and only 107 photos!). We also wish that we had eloped instead of having a large traditional wedding, which is why we’re super passionate about doing super intimate weddings and elopements. We want to help other couples avoid our mistakes!
What are you favorite elements of life to shoot?
We mainly shoot elopements, because we love that they are 100% about our couples and NOT about what other people want them to do. We provide a photographer (Laura) as well as an officiant (Dan) for our elopement clients. We do accept a handful of large traditional weddings each year, but we prioritize elopements and small intimate weddings.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
We love meeting new people and giving them the wedding photos that they’ve always dreamed of! We also hike often with our clients, which is something that we really love.
Do you draw any inspiration from pop culture that helps with creativity like a favorite book or movie?
Our inspiration usually comes from the nature around us at elopements! We love incorporating mountains, waterfalls, stars and other views into our clients’ portraits.
What’s your favorite type of environment to shoot in?
Our elopements are usually calm, intimate, and adventurous which is definitely our favorite environment to shoot in. Because there aren’t 200+ people watching the bride and groom (like traditional weddings), everything is a lot more laid back! For example, we sometimes will sit with our clients for an hour to just talk and have a glass of wine on top of a mountain!
If you could think of one song that encapsulates your style of photography what would it be?
Probably anything that’s an indie song.
What advice would you give anyone who is interested in getting into photography?
Our advice to those just starting out would be to offer free shoots to build your portfolio. Shoot for free the kind of sessions you want to get paid to shoot in the future (but at the same time, don’t sell yourself short once you have some experience!). Also, you never want to stop practicing! Even if you think there is nothing left to learn, you’re wrong.
Visit them online or follow them to see all their amazing work and to learn more:
Website:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thepinckards
Facebook Page: