Photographing Tabitha Fielteau’s Mini Wedding Dress Collection
Back in 2019, I had the opportunity to photograph a mini wedding dress collection for Tabitha Fielteau, and it’s still one of those shoots that sticks with me, not because everything went perfectly, but because of how much trust and creativity were involved.
The shoot took place in a studio room inside the Lamar Dodd Building at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Nothing extravagant. Just a simple space, a small team, and a clear goal: showcase five new wedding dress designs that felt fashion-forward, playful, and intentional.
Creative Control & Collaboration
One of the reasons I love working with Tabitha is simple, she trusts me.
For this shoot, I had full creative control, while still collaborating closely with her throughout the process. About 90% of the time when we work together, she gives me complete freedom to interpret her designs through my lens. That level of trust is rare, and it allows me to take creative risks without second-guessing myself.
And honestly, it helps when the designs are already top notch. Tabitha’s work always brings strong structure, thoughtful details, and a modern edge, everything I love to photograph.
The Challenge: Making It Work With What You Have
Every shoot has its challenge, and for this one, it was the background.
All I brought with me was a 4-foot red seamless backdrop. No backup. No alternatives. And while I was shooting, I wasn’t fully happy with what I was seeing in camera. That part was on me, I like to challenge myself, sometimes to a fault, and this was one of those moments.
But instead of scrapping the idea, I leaned into it.
The images didn’t truly come together until the editing process, where I played with the look and feel of the shoot. That’s when everything clicked. The backdrop stopped feeling limiting and started feeling intentional. It became part of the story rather than a distraction.
The mood of the shoot was exactly how I like it, fun, relaxed, and playful.
It was just the three of us: me, Tabitha, and the model. The model came face-ready, and Tabitha handled light touch-ups to hair and makeup. Simple. Efficient. No chaos.
And because of that, the model was able to bring exactly what we were looking for. The shoot naturally leaned fashion-forward, which is usually the case when I work with Tabitha, and it allowed the dresses to feel modern while still holding onto their bridal identity.
