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I have had other photographers ask me how I have networked and gotten my name out “there.”

When I started my hair business, I just kind of thought one day, “Where would I go if I was a bride finding a stylist for my wedding day? WHO would I ask?” I made lists of people I thought would be great contacts, and went to meet them. Relationships with other vendors are so important. This has to be done the right way… I don’t believe in meeting people just to meet them for your own benefit…..find people you get along with, like and admire them, would have them over for coffee. This is an honest way of making “friends.” I have never believed in shmoozing just to try to be popular. If there is one thing I can’t stand is a fake person! Caring about other people and being authentic is key. I can personally spot someone, miles away, who’s not being themselves. It’s a waste of energy. Don’t go there…it’s not attractive and defeats the purpose of life.

Okay, off the soapbox. My point is to be the best you can be, connect with other people in the business who love what they do, care about people and do a great job!

When I started my photography business, I was still doing hair, so I had made many connections along the way….vendors, people I had worked with before, friends of friends. I had tried doing a few “ads” online for wedding photography, but that didn’t work as well as just making friends! Word of mouth. It works better than anything.

The other thing I do alot is help out of town (and even in-town) brides find other vendors. Because I’ve connected with people I love working with, I have a great list of referrals. I offer this help alot, because I know it’s tough to plan from out of town, AND there are tons of people in Charleston and some people don’t know where to start! It’s a kind thing to do just because, even though you are super busy and could be doing other things. Remember everything doesn’t have to be for profit or to benefit YOU at the moment. This is a super personal business and being caring goes a long way. It will help someone and make you feel good that you helped!

When you are shooting a wedding, get there early. Chat with the people setting up, meet the band, get cards and give yours. If you like them and they like you, it just works.

So remember this isn’t just about making great photos…..it’s about getting to know people, helping, caring, going above and beyond. That is your best advertisement. Ever.

Hi All!

So I’m really enjoying doing an faq section here. Keep your questions coming! To see older posts, just go the top for “categories” and find faq for photographers.

In this post I have questions that I’ve been asked more than a few times!

Q: How did you get into photography? Have you always done this?

A: That’s a great question! Everyone has their “story” on how they got into a business. Believe it or not, I
“was” doing hair for weddings on location and then both businesses at the same time for a while. That was nuts! If you want to hear how I finally took the plunge, you can read my story HERE.

Q: What type of equipment do you use?

A: I use all canon cameras and lenses.

Here is my list!

5d Mark2 camera bodies (I have 2), 40D (a backup for my backup!)

580 exII flashes (I have 2)

50mm f/1.2L: have 2 of these, just in case! (My absolute favorite! I use this for detail shots, portraits)

24mm f/1.4L: I love this lens too. It is great for telling a story, getting group shots, receptions. Be aware that if you have a full frame camera, a wide angle can look a little distorted  around the edges. Don’t shoot photos of people too close to the sides. Same with buildings…..they can look like they are leaning or falling!

85mm f/1.8: I honestly have no idea why I bought this lens.I think I wanted something for receptions where I didn’t have to get too close. I use it sometimes, but not that much! My recommendation is to rent lenses before you buy. They are super expensive (if you are getting the L series especially!), and you will know which you like best by trying them out.

70-200 f 2.8L: I use this mainly for ceremony shots. It’s super heavy! I know some photographers that use it all the time, even for portraits. It’s just too big and cumbersome for me personally, to carry during portraits or couple shoots. I do love it though for ceremonies, and it’s great inside a church when you are sometimes stuck in the back!

Tripod: I rarely use this. It’s great for inside a church that has low light…..Mine is a manfrotto.

Diffuser: I have a Gary Fong lightsphere, but honestly don’t use it much! It’s really big and kind of gets in the way. I typically just try to bounce my flash off the ceiling, use a white card, or my small stofen omnibounce.

I just received an email from a gal named Kelly who is an oil painter. She wants to get into photography to “take photos that capture life and emotions.”

Thanks for writing Kelly!

Q: What photosoftware do you prefer?

A: I use Lightroom2 and Photoshop CS4. Lightroom is super intuitive, and is awesome for correcting skin tones, adding contrast, selecting your favorites, and batch editing: For instance if you have a group of photos that you shot in similar lighting, you can editing one and then batch edit the rest to match. I usually end up tweeking them, but it’s a good way to not have to do all of them one by one.

I also always shoot in Raw. It takes up more room on my cards, but I just keep alot of cards on hand! I prefer this vs. jpg because it retains more information/detail. Wikipedia explains this here.

Photoshop is great for the artistic edits. I use some actions and mix them together sometimes. It’s personal preference in how the final product looks. People ask me all the time about the “vintage” effect. I refrain from specifics because I think that is an artist’s eye. It’s like telling someone exactly what colors, types of paints, brushes and technique you used to paint your favorite picture. It has to come from that artist’s heart! I am not helping anyone telling them “exactly” what I do. We all have to find that.

Q: What’s the best camera?

A: I am not sure there is a “best” camera, but I prefer Canon. Everyone has their favorite! I shoot with a 5d mark 2. Canon lenses are amazing. My 50 mm, f/1.2 is my absolute favorite lens!!!!