PHOTOGRAPHER | 3B

Before Brjánn Batista Bettencourt (3B Photography) started shooting weddings, he worked as a photojournalist and editorial photographer. His experiences from working in these fast paced creative environments was important in providing him with creative tools to become a well rounded storyteller. Based in Toronto, Canada, 3B Photography's goal is to create a fluid and seamless relationship between capturing impermanent moments along with the mundane beauty of the every-day aesthetic through honest and poignant portraiture.

Tell us about 3B Photography!

I’m Brjánn Batista Bettencourt (3B). Before randomly falling into the world of wedding photography, I worked full time as a photojournalist and documentary photographer and use those uniques experience to shape my approach to capturing images at weddings.

Where are you based?

Toronto Canada but travel across Canada, the US and Europe to capture and document weddings.

Do you travel for weddings?

All the time. I love working here at home in Toronto since the city is so dynamic and full of cool and interesting people, but it’s always inspiring to be surrounded by a new place and environment. It’s thrilling and challenging to be immersed in an unfamiliar place and attempting to find familiarity within it through photographs. When in the US I’m often working in New York, Brooklyn and California. I’m also a dual citizen with Portugal , so love going back home to Europe to collaborate with couples getting married in that part of the world. 

How would you describe your style?

I want my wedding photos to feel like slices of a journal from my own personal retelling of the wedding day. They’re documentary by nature but I want there to be a personal and intimate layer to the photos that can be appreciated by the people in them and those who were actively involved in the experience.

I grew and live in Canada but I’m originally Portuguese. Back home we always spoke of this special emotion called Saudade. An undefined and profound emotion that encompasses melancholy, nostalgia and feeling of longing for people and moments forgotten. It’s hard to describe in words but that emotion has been of my artistic pursuits since my teenage years. It’s weird to say or think that I want my body of work to have a layer of sadness, but there’s something about reminiscing over fond memories that brings up a bittersweet feeling that’s associated with the passing of time.

So I guess I’m sort of chasing that feeling when creating images on wedding days . Hopefully with my choice of light, colour and perspective I can get closer to capturing that innate feeling of nostalgic longing since it can be so powerful and beautiful to remember the good times with those we love.

What is your most memorable career moment?

I’ve had a lot of fond memories over the years shooting weddings but something that will stick with me forever is going to Italy to work with some of the coolest people I’ve ever met. Both brides had worked with me back in Toronto previously on a couple of fashion shoots and creatives over the course of a few years, and when they got engaged they immediately asked me to shoot their wedding back in the home country of one of the brides. Obviously Italy is a beautiful country, and zipping around Rome in a Vespa seeing the sights and sounds and consuming incredible food was unforgettable in and of itself, there was something incredibly special about the wedding itself. I’ve never been around a more perfect group of friends and the love and energy that resonated throughout the entire wedding experience was so good that the photo taking and hangouts went deep into the next morning. The images that resulted from all that are still some of my favourite to this day and it truly felt like capturing a slice of my own personal experience as a journal throughout a wedding day.

Another unforgettable moment was being part of an intimate (12 person wedding) where the bride and groom cooked the entire dinner for their guests. The wedding was outside an estate that overlooked beautiful farmland and the meal was probably the best I ever had to this day from any wedding day. The bride worked at a Michelin star restaurant in Toronto and is an avid foodie, combine that with the grooms attention to detail as a sous-chef and your left with a meal that’s both delicious and made from the heart. I felt special and as though I invited as a guest to capture the experience from an intimate perspective. It was surreal and beautiful.

What inspires you?

Music. Skateboarding. My own life. The people I’ve met and coming of age experiences I’ve gone through first hand play a vital role in the influences found in my work. I grew up in the skater counter-culture world and that was a big part of my identity growing up and played a huge role throughout my life and how I approached art and creativity.  Combine that with going to an arts school throughout high school, I was always exposed to various forms or art and expression which really opened my mind to various worlds and perspectives. Now music and old film from throughout the 80’s and 90’s inspired me to my creative inclinations. 

What motivates you to do what you do?

Growing up my dad was always the family documentarian. I never made much of it until I got older and got to look back I had a child with my family and friends. It made me appreciate how consistent he was about taking photographers and shooting Super 8 of special moments we were having. My dad wasn’t an artist but always made it a priority to take care and attention in documenting his and our lives. I’m lucky I have those memories to re-experience and it’s thanks to his passion for documenting. I know the power of that feeling and it motivates me on wedding days as I know the images and video I’m capturing will trigging deep feelings and nostalgia for the people I’m creating them for. The value of that feeling will only grow stronger and deeper as time moves on.

It’s pretty cool to give someone that sort of gift and knowing there are small traces of myself in the photographs means I’m also capturing those photos as a sort of journal of my own life and experiences too. 

How would you describe your working style?

I describe myself as an active observer on wedding days. I think there’s a misconception in the wedding industry that photojournalists sort of hang back and capture quietly but in reality a big part of my career as a PJ was interacting, interviewing and engaging with my surroundings in some way. That approach of shooting has stuck with me for a long time so I’ll essentially hang back and document when moments are unfolding but when it comes time to create something with intention I’m a bit more involved and apart of the experience. I figured I’m already there so I might as well be engaged and live through the experience so the images can have a more intimate perspective from someone who genuinely felt the emotion and nuances of the moment.

Do you shoot digitally, on film or both?

I shoot all weddings 100% on film for stills and video but never want the format to define my work. I found film helps elevate the results to a place that aligns with my creative vision while striking a balance between timeless beauty and cinematic quality.  

What is a favourite product or service that you offer and why?

I shoot 16mm films and it has easily become my favourite medium to capture weddings. Over the last few years I’ve made a push in my commercial career to grow as a cinematographer and director. I worked heavily in the music industry as a photographer and over time transitioned into a different role as a storyteller working on music videos and short form documentary films. Weddings give me a weird opportunity to blend those two creative inspirations and passions especially when shooting motion picture film. I can fulfill my dream of creative a short indie film set to some of my favourite music. There’s something magical about 16mm film and working with the format is truly special and the closest thing to reflect my creative eye.

Where would you love to travel to for work?

I would honestly love to capture a wedding in Hong Kong. Wong Kar-Wai was a huge inspiration to me when I was in my late teens and early 20’s. His films really left an lasting impact on my storytelling perspective and all of my favourite movies of his are set in Hong Kong and often are stories of complex love that reflect “saudade” along that complicated relationship between love and sadness. Being in Hong Kong surrounded by the chaotic energy of the city and the dynamic mood of the nightlife would be a dream situation for me as a visual storyteller. It would be a lot of fun to pay direct homage to the Hong Kong style and aesthetic that proved so influential early on in my pursuit of photography.

3B Photography

Website: 3bphoto.ca

Instagram: @3bphotography