When I started my photography career, the idea of a destination wedding seemed out of reach. It was so exclusive and elusive. Anyone who talked about going to shoot one seemed like they were at the top of their game.
Has the travel bug ever bitten you? If you’re reading this issue of Shutter Magazine, I bet the answer is yes. Symptoms include feelings of discontent when standing still, reverse homesickness and increasing levels of poverty.
One of the coolest parts of my business is all the traveling I get to do. I have been so lucky and blessed to have traveled from one end of the country to the other shooting, as well as a few other countries.
Photographers are some of the worst businesspeople out there. Most lack the business background and knowledge to be as successful as they could be. No photographer ever woke up one day and said, “I want to own a business.” Instead, they said, “I want to be a photographer.”
The theme of this month’s issue is travel, and it’s a broad topic. Typically it covers everything from what gear to travel with to ways to get the most out of travel photography and expanding your brand.
I have been a full-time photographer for about 10 years now. I love every single minute of it. One of the things I love most about my job—or maybe better stated, life—is traveling the world and eating incredible food.
Planning a destination photo shoot can be extremely stressful, whether it’s a bridal session, a portfolio shoot or wedding. The devil is always in the details, and those details are even more important when you factor in the out-of-town and out-of-comfort-zone elements that go into planning these shoots.
If you find yourself having to stop for fuel late at night, you will normally look over your shoulder once or twice to be aware of your surroundings. We get so enthralled in our thoughts that we find ourselves going through life with blinders on.
A big misconception about portrait and headshot photographers is that they’re always shooting in a studio. They actually shoot on location pretty frequently. Shooting on location is fun for me. It is a bit more challenging, but it gives me the chance to be more creative.
Before I opened my first studio, I was still coaching football and shooting out of my house, so most of my sessions were on location. That first year of shooting was all about trying to get better in hopes of making photography my living.
