Wedding and Portrait Photographer's Convention

This weekend we went to a convention in Las Vegas. It was so inspiring and motivating to hear from Top Gun Photographers and what photography and the business of photography means to them. I was able to see Gary Fong and hear him talk. Although I was too shy to go up to him and say how motivating his last DVD was, Johnny approached him and gushed for me (I know, how embarrassing!). We also got to hear Mike Colón speak (he just did Usher, the R&B singer's wedding!), Joe Buissink (did Christina Aguilera's wedding), and Denis Reggie (shot 21 Kennedy weddings). 

They were truly inspiring to me, to keep up what I am passionate about, photos that tell a story. What I do for clients is to hopefully, tell their story, so that when they see their pictures again, they can remember what it felt like, at that moment. They will feel the emotions just like it was yesterday. At least that's what I strive for, and why I got involved in this industry in the first place. I truly think that I am the historian, the one who documents what happened. Not just who was there.  I think some brides focus more on how many prints they'll get, and what's the minimal amount I can pay to book a photographer, but sometimes you have to look at the whole package. Is this photographer's style matching what I want? Do I want a photographer that will follow me and tell my story? Or do I want a photographer to shoot who was there and pose formal shots? Do I want an organic, natural representation of who we are as a couple or a perfect, fictionalized version of us?

These are important questions to ask yourself before you book your photographer. 

My style is to tell what happened in photos. I strive to show you in your glorious, natural, original, and unique self. I don't want to show a cookie cutter version of yourselves that will mean nothing to you 10, 20, 30 years down the road. 

This weekend was self-affirming and self-validating, and I feel very honored to be able to hear these wonderful photographers speak and share what they know.