A little over six months ago, Emily and I packed up our things and said goodbye to our home in Louisville, KY. (Read about it here: Making A Huge Move Across The Country). The biggest hurdle I am currently trying to get over is how am I going to start over as a photographer and filmmaker in a city where I only know a handful of people. It’s been hard, but not impossible. I’m happy to say that I have started booking a couple clients here and there, I, however, feel that over the past few years I’ve lost the vision I once had as a photographer and artist. I started photography as a way of telling stories. One of the best stories to tell is that of love.
Photographing weddings were something I strive for a ton back when I first began. When I got more and more involved with the photography world and community, there was this weird animosity towards wedding photographers. Feeling that peer pressure and my own inner voice saying, “oh you just shoot weddings, not cool editorials or ad campaigns,” I changed gears and jumped into shooting for magazines, small commercial clients, bands, etc. I basically told myself I want to shoot anything that did not have to do with people getting married. This is where I believe I went wrong.
Following the quiet voice of those in the photography community, I stopped advertising weddings. I deleted all my website galleries and quit telling people that I was taking weddings. Instead, all my energy went to what seemed more trendy to post on Instagram, big lights, cool sets, beautiful locations, published work. I’m changing this and getting back to my roots.
I’m not saying that if an opportunity came along to photograph a commercial or editorial job that fit my style and vision I wouldn’t take it. I am just making a mindset shift, no longing looking down on wedding photography, but embracing what I once loved to photograph.
Emily and I just settled down here in Oakland, and as I start over establishing myself as a photographer, I am going to refocus on what I once loved, telling stories. If you are a potential bride, groom, whatever, reach out, tell me your story, I would love to be there and capture the day you commit to loving someone forever.
