This next set of pictures are from a wedding that I shot earlier in the year. It was a quaint, intimate, backyard affair in the country. A beautifully manicured garden was the backdrop for a romantic, candle-lit evening under the stars. After the nuptuals, an enormously bright shooting star blazed across the sky. It couldn’t have been more fairy tale perfect.

I wasn’t a hired photographer at this wedding. In fact, I had to pay a whole bunch of money to be a part of it. I was a bridesmaid, of course. It was a wonderful time being a part of my friend’s wedding, capturing behind the scenes photos whenever I had a chance. The types of photos I would mostly X if I was a hired photog. Check out the coolers in hand as we walk to our next location – you don’t find that in many wedding albums!

There were 4 of us, including a 2nd shooter for the 3rd photographer. None of them were paid at this wedding; they all volunteered to shoot for free to help build their portfolios. How does a bride swing that? I thought only celebrities got that royal treatment! I am either in a very large social circle who happens to be connected via Kevin Bacon to many aspiring photographers, or the ratio of photographers to non-photographers is getting larger every day. I’m thinking it’s the latter.

What this means for me, and the rest of you aspiring photogs, is that we’re going to have to work our butts off to be noticed. And I’m fine with that! I love portrait photography and I pour my heart and soul into every single picture I take. I will always try to give my photos that something extra. That oomph. That WOW factor I talked about before. So, budding photographers out there in the same position as me: find your style and stick to it. Before you know it your clientele will find you.