5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Hire Me

Suppose you're not planning to invest in a physical, tangible, beautifully crafted set of prints of your photos to look back on and treasure. In that case, I'm maybe not the photographer for you. I'd at least begin by urging you to reconsider. Physical prints are crucial to remembering and being transported back to how you felt on your wedding day. Have you ever browsed your parents' wedding album during Thanksgiving? How about being amazed by how much of a babe your grandma was at the Grand Canyon in 1946? There's something unique and vital about turning those pages that you can't get with an Instagram Like.

I have been a wedding photographer for 10 years and have even been a groom myself. I get it; the budget is a crucial concern for most couples. Suppose this is your deal breaker, bottom line, and the number one concern when finding your photographer. In that case, I'm telling you now, your focus is entirely off what truly matters. There are far more critical things to consider than crunching the numbers. These include your photographer's style, passion, focus, talent, and if you connect with them! A photographer experiences your day with you. They work with you for the most extended time, both during the wedding day and before and after. Is your photographer going to add to your overall experience? If you're not sure on any of these points, maybe dig a little deeper to think of what you'd value in a photographer.

Posed, stiff, and emotionless photos are not my jam. It's just not what I'm about. I'm more interested in real-life moments that are packed full of emotion. Authentic moments. Moments you really want to look back on when your 65. Seeing how your best friend reacted during the ceremony, how your parents shared a lifetime of memories that led to this day in a single look, how your grandfather watched on with tears in his eyes, remembering his own wedding day, or how your adorable flower dumped the entire basket of flowers in one spot of the aisle. These are the moments worth remembering. Fifty photos of the same pose a photographer plucked off The Knot's 30 Poses to Try in 2022 just ain't going to cut it for me!

I do things a little differently periodically, so I love working with go-with-the-flow, adventurous spirits. I like to have fun, live in the moment, and get beautiful images of the people I'm with. Kissing in the rain (I love The Notebook), taking our shoes off and running down the beach, or positioning ourselves awkwardly on a ledge because the photos will be so worth it. Are you concerned about the bottom of your dress getting dirty, even though you're getting married on a farmstead? I'm probably not your photographer.

The only shot list I want to work from is your family formals list. I show up for preparation and leave once you exit after dancing. Everything in between is part of your wedding story and fair game to be documented as I see it, just like my newspaper days. If you're running late, that's okay! That's part of your story. If the best man forgot the rings, no worries - that will be a funny story for your to share at his wedding. If you're looking for your photographer to guarantee you're on schedule every three minutes and recreating photos from your Ideal Wedding Board on Pinterest. In that case, I'm probably not your photographer.