Throughout the month of November, our Photo of the Day series will be taken over by each of Rangefinder‘s newly minted 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography in 2019. The 30 honorees are featured in our November issue, and each of their full, 30-photo submissions, reviewed by the competition judges, can be found in our online gallery. For more behind-the-scenes insights, follow us on Instagram.

Eric-René Penoy hopes to add something unique to the wedding photography world—not least of all his own preset, called “Brue,” that mixes brown and blue hues.

His work is journalistic in nature mixed with romanticism, nostalgia and a sense of quiet. Penoy, who’s based in Portugal, draws from a range of film directors, including Wes Anderson, Denis Villeneuve and Andrei Tarkovsky.

Having a mild form of Asperger’s, Penoy says, “I want to show people and to myself that I am able to create something with my brain and my hands. I have developed my own communication and trademark. But the journey is still long and I never take it for granted.”

Below are his behind-the-scenes insights on three of the photos from his submission this year.

I am not a huge fan of a dress hanging on a tree or a door. I would rather try to find a nice chair or simply put the dress on the bed. The same goes for shoes, which for me should be on the ground. This wedding was in France between Toulouse and Bordeaux. I love the way the light is playing with the dress.

We had pretty unusual weather on the Isle of Skye. It was so sunny and bright, for one of the most touching days I have witnessed so far. My clients are usually shy; they want to enjoy this special time with families and friends and in general, they don’t want to be the center of attention. They want to live their emotions. Sometimes I surprise myself and cry with them during their speeches and vows. I simply adore my couples. 

I took this photograph in between moments, just after the ceremony and during the cocktail, in Scotland. I love the tones, the light. It’s one of my favorites because it reminds me of a painting. The light was just so pretty. I am all about emotions, feelings, and the motto of my brand is: Soul – Mind – Heart. These three words reveal entirely what I want to achieve for my couples’ days. And more than this, it is the way I also live my life. I absorb everything, good and bad, and these emotions drive me in every part of my life and work.