Charlotte, NC Wedding & Portrait Photographer

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

A. 1.) You do not need a college degree to be a photographer

- Most photographers become photographers by picking up a camera. Very few hold a degree. I think its important to ask your photographer what background education they have, and the types of things they do year round to better their education.

Currently, I hold a degree in Digital Photography from the International Academy of Design and Technology and continually keep up with the latest workshops and trade-shows.


2.) I am having a hard time finding a photographer that will give me copyrights to my photos!

There is a misunderstanding with this that I think causes some confusion. Copyright and Print Rights are two different things. When you tell a photographer that you want copyrights to all of the photos, you are asking the wrong question. Photographers own the copyrights to ALL of their photos. They are the artist and if they gave you complete copyrights to the photos then they would never be able to use the photos in ANY promotional pieces, websites, blogs, potential bridal magazines....nothing.

Instead ask the photographer if you can have PRINT RIGHTS. That means that the photographer will sign a letter allowing you to take your DVD to any print lab so you can make your own prints.

Each photographer has different opinions...My opinion is that if you want to use the photos from your DVD to put on Facebook...to enter the photos in magazines or contests.....that is fine with me; however, Please highlight Renee Camacho Photography. That is proper respect when it comes to photography.

3.) Don't be afraid to ask questions. Never assume anything. Just because someone's work LOOKS awesome...doesn't mean they charge $5000. If you find someone you want to use as your photographer...put it out there as to what you are looking for and see if they will work with your budget. But never assume.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I LOVE all of the different people that I meet! The majority of my clients are people that I would hang out with in my everyday life and after working with my clients I feel as though they turn into good friends.

My favorite part about my job is the reactions the clients have when they see their photos for the first time. I have NEVER had a client upset or disappointed when they have looked at my work. The reactions are definitely amazing and their expectations with what they see in their photographs surpass what they were expecting to receive.

There was one session I did where I had to photograph a divorced family who had not been together as a family in over 15 years. To bring this family back together and photograph them and connecting with them, making them laugh....you would NEVER be able to tell that they had been apart for 15 years. The greatest compliment I have ever received was by that father who cried after the session and thanked me for bringing his family back together and that my session was the best day out of his life. That is why I love my job.

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

A. Growing up my childhood was anything but normal. I spent a lot of my childhood missing out on being a child because I had severe scoliosis and spent 23 hours in a back brace and went through two major back surgeries and I just missed out on a lot. It wasn't until I went to NY to visit family I was staying in my cousins room and being the snoop at the time that I was looking through all of her things and came across TONS and TONS of photo boxes of photos.

When I looked at everything she had did in her childhood and all of the fun she was having...I wanted that too. I made a decision that I wanted a camera and I wanted to document every single thing that was going on in my life.

When my father gave me my first camera is when I discovered that I had a real natural talent for photography.

From there I went and pursued film photography in High School and I all of my first weddings that I photographed were all in FILM!

I always knew that I would be a Professional Photographer...I believe it is what I was born to do!

Q. What is your greatest strength?

A. My greatest strength would have to be being able to capture the essence...the soul of a person without knowing much about that person. I can have a conversation with someone, or they can tell me a story and I can pretty much understand who they are.

Also another strength would have to be my personality. I have a very non intrusive approach and pretty much enjoy blending in with the wedding as if I am a guest. If you are on the dance floor dancing....So will camera and I!