Okay, okay- so I wasn’t planning to not blog this past week- but that’s exactly what happened. I was on vacation last week, we had a family trip to the coast, my little guy started Kindergarten and I took a lot of time getting caught up on editing, emails and sleep. :) So, needless to say, the blog was left with little love and affection from me. So, I apologize Internet, but now I’m back in full swing!
I started doing the Sunday Q & A a few weeks ago and the response has been quite amazing! :) Thank you to all of my amazing readers for submitting your questions! I do read every comment and every email- if you don’t see your question posted this week, please check back! You can also send your question through again, if you would like to either in the comment box or via email. So, without further adieu, here is this weeks reader questions!
Ashley asks: “You seem to genuinely love being a Wedding Photographer, judging from your previous blog posts. I have been a Wedding Photographer for two years now and I have to admit, I don’t love it. It’s stressful and the days are long, there is no margin for error and I’ve had my fair share of Bridezilla’s. I’m strongly considering not taking on any weddings for 2010. I’m dying to know your secrets, what makes you love it? How do you handle the problem Bride’s and the long days and the stress of knowing you don’t have a second chance to get the shot? Help, please!”
Well, let me start off by saying that we (my hubby and I) have been Wedding Photographer’s for 2 years, too. We do truly LOVE what we do- honestly!!! :) When we decided to start photographing weddings, it was a very big decision, one that we knew would be added stress (long days, no reshoots, etc) , added work (for editing, album design, etc), and added time away from our two children. But it was one of my goals and I was ready for the challenge. Here are some of the reasons I love being a Wedding Photographer:
Best 2nd Shooter… Ever! For my first wedding, I was so nervous! I mean, I felt like everything I knew went right out the window. I was STRESSED OUT!! :) I made Jeff go with me, he had no real background in photography, barely knew how to operate the camera- other than to point and click, and didn’t quite understand how to properly crop. PLEASE NOTE: I was the only hired Photographer for the wedding, the Bride & Groom weren’t expecting a second photographer. I just wanted him to go and keep me company, run errands for me and try to catch a few candid shots. I was shocked when I looked at the images he captured- he was a total natural!! I was even more shocked when he told me how much fun he’d had and that he wanted to go to the rest of the wedding’s we’d booked that summer. I think one of the greatest things that happened that summer was that Jeff and I discovered we weren’t only a great husband and wife team, we were also a great business team. :) It’s pretty awesome!
Amazing Clients: I can honestly say, without hesitation, Jeff and I have been so blessed with the most amazing clients!! :) Seriously! We haven’t encountered a single Bridezilla to date. (If she’s in our future, we’ll take it in stride!) I think one of the most important steps in booking our clients is actually sitting down with them face-to-face, getting to know them and understand who they are. If we can’t meet them in person, we exchange several emails. :) We also offer complimentary Engagement Sessions just to get our clients in front of our camera’s before their Wedding. It helps get them comfortable with being photographed and allows us to see what types of posing best suits them and their personalities. Another important step for us- we don’t consider our Bride’s & Groom’s as just clients, they are our friends!!
Happiest Place on Earth: No, I’m not talking about Disneyland. I can’t imagine feeling anything but pure happiness and love at a wedding- even when I’m hired to document it. Granted, times can get chaotic when people are running late or the wedding is slow to start- but it always works out perfectly. I always arrange for extra time for photographing the Bride & Groom privately, the Wedding Party, and the family photos (most of the time this is done before the wedding, if the B&G opt for a First Look- however, if they don’t see each other before the ceremony, we do these pictures before heading off to the reception). Allowing for extra time helps me remain stress-free, knowing I’m not under the gun to rush through anything. I never allow anyone at the wedding to see me stressed- if I lose it, they’ll lose it. Gotta keep your cool!! :)
Being a Wedding Photographer is honestly the very best Profession- for me. I can’t speak for anyone else. I don’t know if this helps you at all, but I hope it does. If you don’t already have a second shooter, maybe it’s time to bring in someone else to help with the workload? Please let me know if you have any other questions for me! I’ve added a little eye candy from Brittany & Derek’s Wedding that took place this past summer, because a post just isn’t a post without a picture. :) Enjoy!!
