Clean, Simple Wedding Photography

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Make sure you like your photographer...it will show in your pictures if you don't! Being photographed should be fun and enjoyable, and that's why an engagement session is a great way to test that out. It's a great trial run before the wedding and should be a fun opportunity to get to know your photographer and their style.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. I always remind my clients to think about why they are having a wedding. When family members are late, the florist shows up with the wrong flowers, or something gets on your dress, remember the big picture. I can tell you that no wedding is ever perfect in terms of the little details, but you are marrying the love of your life and starting a life together. So don't worry about the details of a wedding day...I know that's hard to believe, since you spend months or years planning everything out. But once the wedding day comes, just focus on your new husband. That's the most important thing in the entire day.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Think about what kind of pictures you like. When you've looked at your friends wedding pictures or wedding magazines, what do you like? What don't you like? There are many different styles of photography, as well as varying levels of experience, and you want to make sure that not only do you like your photographers personality, but you connect with your style. Having a good idea of what you like (and don't like) will help you narrow down your choice of photographers. Once you have a few choices, I recommend making the final choice based on personality and how well you "click" with the photographer.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. The most important thing to me is building a relationship with the people I photograph...I want to hear about everything from the first date to your favorite things about each other. I love knowing how a couple ticks, because it makes it so much easier to bring that out in images. When someone says they feel something when looking at my pictures, that is the biggest complement I can get.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I make new friends every day! I am such a huge people person and I love talking to and getting to know people. Having a good connection with my couples makes for better images and even more fun on the wedding day. It's more like a friend taking your pictures!

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. My favorite is when clients ask me years later to photograph their children. Someone trusting me to tell the story of their wedding is such a huge complement...them asking me to continue documenting their family just makes me so incredibly happy. I also love just keeping in touch with my couples, continuing to hang out and go to dinner together, or weekly Glee nights like I have with one of my couples :)

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I started out photographing bands and casual portraits of my friends. I went on a road trip through Arizona and met an amazing photographer who was really inspirational. I moved there for the summer and interned with him, and he had me start shooting weddings with him. I came back to Sacramento and was absolutely in love with weddings. I photographed my first wedding in October of 2006, worked for a large studio, and then opened my own studio last year. My wedding count is now up to about 185 and I still love every single one!

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I go to the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) convention every year to listen to the worlds best photographers talk about technique, business and developments in the industry. I love going because I get new information, and also get completely pumped up for the upcoming year. I also received my BA in Photography from CSUS, so I was trained in the "classics" so to speak, AKA film photography. I think it's important to have some experience in film so you understand where photography originated.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Make friends with other photographers. Ask if you can help them out at a wedding. There are many photographers who love helping out new photographers and teaching them the ropes. Shoot, A LOT. I could take my own advice on this one, because I think it's such a great idea to always work on personal projects and that is something I am trying to do more often. I have a circle of photographer friends who keep me motivated and inspired, so join a photographer group in the area. There are many PUG and SMUG groups in different cities, and Professional Photographer groups.