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World Photo Fest : Malaysia
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W hen I first picked up my camera, I had no idea what was in store. None. I mean, sure I terrified/excited/nervous to pursue a crazy dream, but I would have never imagined traveling to the other side of the world to teach photography. Never, ever. But many thanks to the World Photo Fest, they granted a dream I couldn't even hope to dream on my own.
Last week I spoke at a photo conference in Malaysia and it was amazing to meet so many sweet photographers. I spoke about branding, shooting, marketing, and how to build a business, but my favorite part of the day was listening to changes photographers planned to make in their businesses. And the learning was two-way...I walked away inspired to see my work in a new way and I'm amped to apply what I learned to this upcoming wedding season. |
| The day started with a keynote presentation about branding a photographer's web presence and then broke into a optional shooting section for the day... |
| I naturally get nervous to shoot, but let's talk about being INTIMIDATED shooting in front of all of these photographers... |
| A special thanks to Alvin, Patrick, and Cloe for inviting me to participate in WPF 2013 and making my first trip to Asia so amazing...I can't wait to post personal travel photos next week, but being able to shoot a beautiful bride and groom felt like a piece of home to me too! |
    
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What Happens When a Client Doesn't Trust You?
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Dear Jasmine,
I am shooting my first wedding this May and I have complete confidence that I can shoot it and do a great job, but the mother of the bride doesn't trust me. I went to visit the venue with her today and she literally told me where she wanted family portraits, where she wanted bridesmaids portraits, and she was just controlling everything and it was stressing me out because she knows nothing about light or photographing a wedding.
I tried telling her I had second shot at many weddings and that she could trust me but she didn't even seem to hear me. She wants it done her way and when I tried explaining that light was a very important part to a good photograph, she really didn't seem to care very much.
How am I supposed to tell her I'm in charge without making her or the bride angry? My worst fear is that she's going to follow me around all day on the wedding day and tell me how to photograph things. I know I can express to her that I need to do my job and that I CAN do my job but I feel that she won't care and will still tell me what to do.
Sincerely,
Mama Drama
Dear Mama Drama,
I can remember the sweet, early days of starting my own wedding photography business...and the stress that came along with getting clients (and their families) to trust me. I'll never forget the first time I received a five-page, single-spaced, font 11 shot list itemizing every photograph I should take. As I reviewed it, my heart sank. I was in deep. It wasn't the list that made me sad, it was the fact she didn't trust me. She wasn't confident I could capture her wedding day. |
This is what I suspect is occurring in your situation. But I caution you: think like the brides's mother. No doubt the bride's mom has waited her entire life to see her daughter marry the man of her dreams and the family has invested in a photographer who has never photographed a wedding on his/her own. Say what you will, but it's a risk. And the bride's mom is trying to do everything she can to minimize the risk.
The key is to: 1. be sensitive; and 2. do everything you can to put her at ease (and this most likely won't happen with mere words). As photographers, we know the power of seeing, so we must enable our clients with the same capability. If you want to stress the importance of light on the wedding day, put together an online gallery or a slideshow of photos that reflect your ability to photograph beautiful images in ideal light. If the mother of the bride is worried about family photos, put together a different online gallery or slideshow showcasing your family portrait skills. In short, curate portfolio pieces that speak directly to your clients' fear. If, after seeing your work, the client is still worried about your ability to succeed on your own, it's time to prepare on how you'll deal with bad light at the location they want to shoot.
At the end of the day, it has less to do with the mother of the bride worrying you can't do your job and more to do with preserving her daughter's wedding memories. In light of this, curate specified samples of work to make her see your words. Yes, it will require work on your end, but I believe it'll give you the freedom you desperately want on the wedding day. Show her what you can do, speak confidently, and work your @$$ off at the wedding. Soon enough, the bride and her family will be singing your praises. Promise.
Stay Fabulous,
j*
To read more Dear Jasmine posts, feel free to click HERE. |
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Explaining What Makes You, YOU
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L et's be honest, as small business owners, we've most likely been faced with prospective clients who love what you do, but think you charge too much. In fact, this was the case for me last week when a prospective bride asked for my Collections...and later responded that studio X and studio Y offered to shoot her wedding for less.
I responded to her email and said I actually really liked both studios, really liked the lead photographers, and wished her all the best.
The prospective client emailed again and asked if I might explain the differences between my style of photography and the other studios' style of photography (something I was more than happy to do). Here's my response...
Studio X and Studio Y have very similar styles. While we all aim to document the wedding day, I'd say our biggest differences are two things:
1. Style
I lean more towards editorial photography. This means I document the day the way it might be layed out in a magazine or a featured spread. I shoot crisp images in complimentary light and angle photos for the most editorial appeal. X and Y lean more toward documentary photography. They capture the day as it unfolds and prefer wider angle photos, which traditionally are described as story-telling lenses.
2. Post Processing
I prefer clean, light, and airy photos with minimal processing. I do use Photoshop, but I prefer photos to have a timeless appeal, and I've discovered that photos with a less-is-more aesthetic stand the test of time and have a classic appeal to them.
I hope this helps clear things up for you and if you have any other questions, feel free to let me know! :) |
A few days later, I received an email from the prospective client. I was surprised to read she opted to book my services and she planned to reallocate her wedding budget to accommodate her photography wishes.
While I'm incredibly thankful and blown away, I also believe that taking the time to explain what it is we do as photographers goes a long way. We shouldn't be afraid to put words to our work and embrace who we are...and perhaps what we're not. Sure there are days when I see other photographers who use Photoshop so beautifully or others who flawlessly capture a wedding photojournalistically and I envy what they do. Yes, I said envy.
But I've come to a point in my career where I know who I am. I know what I shoot, and if, after explaining my vision to others, they want to see their lives documented through my lens, I'm honored. I believe we're all capable of the same thing. |
L ast week I had the pleasure to traveling to Malaysia to speak at a photo conference. To say the people were kind, thoughtful, considerate and downright lovely would be an understatement of epic proportions. Beyond all else, I learned to see photography in a new way and I'm incredibly thankful.
More photos from our adventures will be posted soon, but here's a sneak peek of what's in store... |
| Flying back to California makes me nervous because jet lag hits me pretty hard. It makes me do crazy things (once I ate an pint of ice cream at 3 a.m. and then followed the meal up with buying the Slap Chop from an infomercial) and say even crazier things (JD, I know it's 4:30 in the morning, but wanna join me for a run?!). Speaking of crazy things, when I get back home I want to start a liquid cleanse diet...milkshakes count, right? |
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Featured : Huffington Magazine
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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I was incredibly honored when Erin Migdol of Huffington Post Weddings reached out regarding an article she was writing. She wanted to interview me regarding one of my favorite wedding photos (captured at Mikaela and Shane's Vancouver Canada wedding) and the story behind it. The story was featured on Huffington Post Weddings, but the even better news was that it was picked up for a feature in Huffington Magazine.
The stories I get to document as a wedding photographer give me the utmost fulfillment and satisfaction. I'm sure I can speak for the other wedding photographers who were featured along with myself when I say we're indebted to our clients' love, trust, and support to follow our passion. |
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