March Reflections

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One of my clients brought me on her podcast recently to talk about my wedding photography journey. One of her questions was ” what advice would you give someone starting out in photography?” First and foremost, I think we need to master our craft before we can set appropriate expectations for our clients. Even more importantly, that we need to leave jealousy at the door when embarking on a new path. Jealousy sounds like a strong word, but it lines up with that knot in your stomach, that anxiety you get when you see tons of beautiful work and don’t know how to keep up.

Collaboration is power.

Instead, I focus on collaboration. Collaborating with people that do what I do crushes the intimidation. Not only is it FUN to be around those that understand you, but it is also the best education you can give yourself. “Comparison is the thief of joy,” as they say.

No matter your field, there’s always someone else trying to do the same thing. Photography is one of those things— there are LOTS of us. There is so much social media content out there that a million people can follow a creator that you have never seen or heard of. THAT’S A LOT YOU GUYS. It proves one thing—- keep creating. Keep collaborating. Keep re-inventing what you love. That is when the magic happens. Working with people that inspire you opens all the doors and can only ignite new ideas.

I’m learning that spending energy on trying to do the same thing as everyone else in a saturated market does not serve a business. Reaching out to these creators, talking to them, finding ways to work with them, and collaborating on projects is what helps us stand out.  That’s when we grow.

Every wedding is an opportunity for a new experience that will in turn build me as well…

The images you see here are ones that I took as a “second shooter” — a photography industry term for someone you hire to help take additional images at events. These gorgeous weddings were at the Baltimore Museum of Art and The DAR in Washington D.C.

I’m always happy to second shoot for another photographer. I work with other photographers as often as I can, because I learn and gain a friend. We remain friends and become each other’s mentors. It is empowering to help someone else grow in their business and vice versa.

If you’re a photographer looking to collaborate, hit me up! Or if you’re interested in seeing more of my work, you can find it here.