Iceland Photoshoot: Behind the Scenes

Bound by the infinite beauty of nature, MTH Photographers takes us on an adventure to Iceland for Varti & Mikhail's pre-wedding photoshoot! We had the pleasure of speaking with photographer, Mher Hagopian, who shared his experience with destination photoshoots, a behind the scenes video, and all the details about the endless planning of this breathtaking Iceland photoshoot. Here is what he had to say: 

Q: First, why did you start doing destination photoshoots?

Mher: There is only a certain amount of locations in the Los Angeles area that one can photograph. At the same time, we have so many photographers in the market that we all naturally end up using the  same locations over and over again. Accordingly, my vision is to always do something unique, whether it is for my business, my clients, or myself, which is why I began doing destination photoshoots!

Q: What was your favorite part of this photoshoot?

Mher: My favorite part of this photoshoot was the location - Iceland! Our destination was a true beauty! Each location we visited had its own unique touch. Another favorite aspect of destination photoshoots in general is that you get to spend a lot of hours with the couple, get to know them better, and make many memories with them and the photographer/videographers that come along.

Q: Did you encounter any challenges during the photoshoot?

Mher: As much time and effort one puts in organizing trips like this, some challenges are beyond our control. Traveling overseas with photography equipment was definitely challenging. However, a major challenge we faced was with the weather! We had heavy rain at some of our locations along with poor lighting. At one point, after hours of driving, we actually had to turn around and go back at a different time.

Q: Did you have to do any specific preparations given the location?

Mher: It is very true when they say, "fail to plan, plan to fail." In order for this project to have a successful outcome, I began my planning once the couple selected their destination. First, I began doing some research about all of the beautiful locations that we would need to visit in the country to select the photoshoot sites. Two months before our trip, I had an itinerary prepared including all of the places we would visit for the photoshoots, how many hours we would need to be driving, how much time we would need to spend at each location, and all the other details.

Q: How long did the photoshoot take?

Mher: Our entire trip was 5 days long... traveling overseas took 2 days of the trip leaving us with 3 days to photograph. However, with the heavy rainfall we lost an entire day as well. Therefore, the entire photoshoot took 2 full days!

Q: How often do you do destination photoshoots? How does the process work for other couples interested?

Mher: I began doing destination photoshoots in 2016. It started off with traveling to different states and this year we started traveling out of the country. Since 2016 I have done a total of 7 destination photoshoots, and have more coming soon! The process to having this type of photoshoot varies depending on the location. Some clients come in to book their wedding and know exactly where they want to have a photoshoot. Otherwise, I offer them my services of traveling out of state or country and we begin our planning from there on!

Here's a behind the scenes video by MTH Photographers and Lucky Turn Production of Varti and Mikhail's photoshoot to get a better idea of the entire experience: 

If you enjoyed this and want to see more photos, their highlights video, and read all the details of their adventure, check out our interview with the bride, Varti, on our Iceland Photoshoot: Mikhail and Varti blog.

Special thanks to MTH Photographers for sharing all the information, video, and beautiful photos of this photoshoot.