Way Back When Week- Ode to Getting a Chance

Today's post is a bit different- I didn't choose this wedding for the awful edits or photos (because there were some in there- believe me!) I posted this wedding because although it was not the first wedding that I photographed, it was the FIRST REAL BOOKING that I ever had. It was also one of the most welcoming and fun weddings in my memory

Funny, being 2004, even use of the internet seemed a bit different. I remember contemplating buying an ad in the yellow pages (THE YELLOW PAGES?) When is the last time I picked up that thing? I was brand new, very little experience and absolutely no moola for real advertising. I utilized bulletin boards around town. My Mom, who worked in an area across Winnipeg (and carried a stash of my color copied advertisements in her car) posted one in a grocery store. And then there it was- one day, an email from a Miss Lori Watson- getting married under the Northern lights at the Planetarium. After we met (I think my portfolio consisted of one scrap book of photos of almost everything but weddings) she told me that they decided on the way to the car that they liked me (THEY LIKED ME!) and they really wanted to support local and new business.

I get a tad offended when photographers making a ton of money get on the little guy. I think it's okay to make a lot of money but not okay to feel threatened enough about your own rates to come down on anyone else. I think claims of cheapening an industry because of the few photographers with a low price in combination with their low experience is silly. I think back to what I had via photo education and experience and even today am completely comfortable with what I charged. And even though the price I charge now is much more, I have never felt the need to email someone new to question their prices...I often wonder how threatened some people felt to email me, questioning my prices, business practices, skill level- never nice, never helpful. I am also comfortable knowing that if being a 500.00 photographer (or even free!) is someone's "in" to an industry, it isn't always disastrous or hurtful- I went from 5 weddings a year to over 35 annually. I never would have been as successful if I hadn't been able to gain experience. I also know that many of my clients, wouldn't have even had a photographer if someone like myself hadn't been around. I am comfortable knowing that I have never taken a client from someone who charged 5 times more than me. I thank my stars all day long that someone was willing to take the chance. A low price in exchange for someone who was growing...

But it isn't about that today.

This is about Lori and Bernie

A girl with a "half" decent camera

Willy's beautiful garden

Lori's awesome ideas

A transit bus

A little Cammie

(PS- I also wanted to add, Flowers by Monica- for real!)

Via Lori's Mom- love Bernie's sisters' face- couldn't have asked for better expression

Via Lori- who said she wanted to look pretty and proper while her wedding party showed what they really thought of her.

What the heck was up with this?  Only thing that seven heads over a fence are missing are their beer bottles :)

Wow- look at you gals- spring chicks!

Isn't everyone's upperarms the same as their lowers?  Bless my heart I tried hey?- I'm much better now Lori- I'm gonna find the original and fix it!