Hi there! So, in celebration of my new site re-launch and shift into more couples/wedding work, I though I would try my very best to explain to you my “why.” Because I really feel that, in the world of social media algorithms and SEO and all of the other things that undoubtable influence the “how” behind what photographers do, it is so important that we return to the reason we squeal at photoshoots and sacrifice hours of daylight in a dark room editing photos for 36 hours straight. I have included some of my recent work that has reminded me of my why to keep you interested, but things are about to get REAL DEEP so hold on. And hopefully, by the end of this post, you will understand the importance of choosing a photographer (whether that be me or anyone else who you connect with) who truly cares about your special day and the milestone you want to remember. Because that’s really why you want photos of your senior, or your newborn, or your wedding, or engagement, or anniversary, or family holiday right? You want photos to REMEMBER these precious moments that make our ~70.5 revolutions around the sun truly epic.
Who Am I?
I got my start in photography on an epic adventure to Africa that truly allowed me to explore the ins and outs of my camera and led to my obsession with capturing the beauty this Earth has to offer. I took a ton of beginner-error-prone photos of the sunset and animals…
So after this trip, I thought “WHOAH I WANNA BE A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHER.” But after a year, those photos didn’t mean a whole lot to me. The photos I, and the rest of my family, truly valued were the ones I took of my sweet grandfather, and his badass girlfriend, and my parents, and my brother, and all of the amazing people I met in the crazy beautiful country of Namibia.
These photos, though they don’t look aesthetic on an instagram feed (aka they aren’t donuts or puppies or whatever) are the photos that TELL STORIES.
So, at 16 years old, I realized that what I really wanted was to create art that mattered to the people that I cared about. I have never been good at remembering to tell people how special they are, so I used my camera to capture all of the people who made my life so incredible (friends, family, pets etc) and I learned that by simply being their friend first and photographer second, I could capture their ever-so-special personalities that I had always forgotten to remind them about.
If you have seen my recent work (aka the rest of this site) you know things look much different now (I understand how to use sunlight and edits and other fun things). Let me tell you why… in a second.
So just a recap of who I am:
I am a spontaneous adventure loving friend with a camera who wants to follow you around and SHOW you how incredibly beautiful you and your story are and create something for you to remember this milestone in your life.
shot by @cheersbabephoto
Who are you?
So all of this brings me to you. Yes you! The one reading this incredibly long, and admittedly quite sappy, blog I am writing. YOU are what has defined my evolving work for the past year. If you have shot with me, those moments that you created are what make my work so near to my heart. I always get asked by other photographers how I handle “client work” where so often artists feel restricted. So I tell them what I am about to tell you: I don’t feel at all restricted in what I create because I am a storyteller FIRST. I am set free as an artist when I am capturing something people experience everyday (holding hands with their partner, little kisses placed gently on their newborn’s forehead, spinning around in a cute new outfit, laughing until their sides hurt, crying from joy or sadness, and all those things that make us undeniably human) and presenting it to them in my own aesthetic vision of reality (aka one with epic sunflares and intimate black and whites).
So, if you are looking for a photographer to shoot your wedding, TALK to a bunch of us (I personally think photographers are the best people ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) and see who you connect with because, at the end of the day, their instagram/pinterest feed won’t matter in 10 years when you look back on your photos. Of course finding a style that you love is vital (because all photographers edit and shoot in their own unique and artistic way) but do not underestimate finding someone who you feel truly understands and connects with you. Because, after all, you are the center of our work.
Now that you know me a little better (something not many people get to do but you made it to the end of this post so now YOU KNOW) you know I am really just a sucker for moments. This is the “why” that has transformed my work over these last few months.
Here are some of my favourite moments that you may recognize from some of my previous blogs, but now I can finally articulate to you (without my overuse of emojis or uncomfortable attempts at short captions) WHY these photos are the most important part of my portfolio. Thank you for staying with me and for living a life so worthy of capturing on film xx
You might be wondering what moment this was? I told Dave to tell Katrina 3 reasons he is proud of her… and this is what she had to say about that…
