It's so incredibly late and I have to get up and be at the bridal show bright and early tomorrow to find some new amazing clients for 2011.
I have to first say, 2010 has been an amazing year. I keep saying, I wont meet another client who gets to me, or I wont feel like this for another client again...but they keep coming and I keep finding the most amazing people who are so kind, giving, and thoughtful. I am so fortunate!
I have to say that there have been a few weddings this year that have really got me to the core, and quite a few brides who have especially touched my heart.
Dana, is right at the top of that list. This couple booked me after meeting me at the January show this past year. One of the first things Dana told me after their engagement shoot was that both she and Jeremy had a conversation that said "Our photos wont look like the other people we see on her site...." and Dana's response to that was, "omg we do look amazing like all those photos we saw!"
It's no easy task to convince a woman she is gorgeous, and it's an even more daunting task to convince a perfect stranger to trust you with documenting one of the biggest events in their lives. I don't want to just document, I want to become part of their lives and give these people something that is incredibly rare and special.
When Dana had to come in for her bridals, disaster struck. The farm where we had plotted to shoot at was in unfavorable conditions, and a few other things had gone wrong that day (rain, hair, etc). We bit the bullet and I was determined to make that day amazing for her. We got Dana in a great mood and headed out to shoot in another great location, but the rain poured down.....luckily we had done about 1/2 her shoot, so we just packed it up and called it a day with a secondary shoot the next day.
Dana came in, and we produced some breathtaking images of her in her dress. I think I may have produced one of my favorite photos from her shoot, something I had wanted to do for a very long time but was nervous about trying it because it can be somewhat time consuming.
Needless to day, I know Dana loved her photos...and we also shot again right before the wedding for a special present for Jeremy.
I really connected with Dana on a level I don't often get a chance to with many clients. This bond is something I take very personal in my work because there is nothing in the world like seeing yourself through the eyes of someone else and seeing yourself, your love, or your family the way they really are seen by those close to you.
Dana and Jeremy have been so great to work with that I had to come home and share my feelings with my readers/followers. I feel like this year has gotten me so much closer to my clients, not only with my camera, but personally. When I look back on these weddings next year, I will not just remember the nice photos, but the people who are in them...the couples I have met that share a real love for each other.
I can say this with utter certainty.....there are very few couples that I have shot that I would say their bond is that of "soul mates" or "true love." I can't even really say that I believe in it, but I can say that if it is true, then Jeremy and Dana are the epitome of that. They kiss with passion, look at each other with honesty, and both of these people have so much integrity that they make me want to be a better person for it.
This, is why I love what I do. I take my job so personally because even though I "just take pictures" I know that it is so much more than that....
