(This is post #3 in a three-part series. Check out the first post HERE and the second one HERE!)
…So I sent out a slew of emails to local photographers, asking how they got started?, did they have a degree in photography?, did I need a degree in photography?, etc. I received a few vague responses about setting your mind to it, the sky is the limit and other cliche stuff, but it was the email from Mike Lesnick that really gave me hope. After 30+ emails back and forth, Mike offered to let me tag along to a wedding with him as a third shooter/observer. AH! I still get excited when I think about it!
I was struggling over my D40, though. It was a great little camera, but if I thought I was going to get serious about this I needed to upgrade my camera body. After a bit of research, I found the D300s for a good deal at Best Buy so I took an enormous risk and purchased it. At the time, I had no idea as to whether or not that purchase would end up being anything more than a $1600 paper weight. I have to give huge credit to Matt who was, at the time, still just my boyfriend. He encouraged me to do what I thought was best, even though I’m sure he thought I was crazy.
Wedding day came, and it was an eye-opening, incredible experience. That night was kind of a turning point- I’d just worked a 13 hour day, my feet hurt and I was tired, but I was over the moon. I was so in love with wedding photography, I wanted to crawl into the pages of one and live there. I remember thinking that if this was how happy I could be at the end of a wedding, I could do this sort of thing every day.
Here are a few shots from that day:
Everything sort of snowballed from there. Mike took me on as a second shooter and I spent a year shooting with him, learning the ins and outs of the business, my camera and wedding days. Mike was so generous with his knowledge and never shied away from answering my questions about how he runs his business. Terra was there at the first wedding (as Mike’s second shooter) and has never pushed me away when I asked questions, either. Without Mike and Terra, I can confidently say that I wouldn’t be a wedding photographer.
And then it came time to start booking my own weddings. My first dance as the solo shooter was at Beth and Andrew’s wedding in February (yep, this past February) and I haven’t looked back. I’m so incredibly grateful to Beth and Andrew for taking a chance on me when I really needed someone to give me an opportunity to shoot, because that was all I needed: one chance. An opportunity to try my skills, to test myself.
And test my skills it did! Shooting by myself forced me to be way more present and alert than I ever had to be as a second shooter. I was a nervous wreck the entire day but in the end, things came together and Beth & Andrew were happy with their images. And now instead of telling people “I shoot weddings on the weekends,” I could confidently say “I’m a wedding photographer.” I knew I’d found my calling.
My stories continues to grow and evolve with each couple I have the joy of meeting, and I can’t wait to see where God takes me in 2012. It’s been an adventure up til now, and I have a feeling things are only going to get better.
A few shots of me working, courtesy of my friend Cory! Clearly, being a wedding photographer is NOT a fun job. < Heavy sarcasm.
Did you laugh at this photo? I’ll bet you did!
Happy Wednesday afternoon!
DESIGN BY TONIC SITE SHOP
© ABBY GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY 2024
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[…] back for the third and final installment of the “Getting Started” series this afternoon! (cue awesome […]
I am so blown away at the shots of the first wedding you tagged along to. WOW Abby! Looks like you’ve always known what you were doing!
Awesome post! I love reading how other photographers got started because it’s nice to know everyone had to start somewhere. I’m still getting started but I feel like I started backwards because I started out shooting on my own and now want to start doing some second shooting. Oh well. Thanks for sharing your story!!
That last photo is fab.u.lous.
Love the happy photographer shots!!
this means there is no No4 blog?…it doesn’t continue??
;-(
Well done Abby!…you are a true inspiration to everyone and wish you all the best for 2012!!!
I love what a happy story this turned out to be 🙂
(And yes, of COURSE I laughed at that picture 🙂 )
You inspire me! Can I be your third shooter and annoying sidekick that asks lots of questions???
Well worth the wait for the ending!! thanks for sharing!
That last pic is adorable! You’re too cute
Love the post, it is very encouraging!
Happy with our photos?! Um… THRILLED would be better 🙂 Abby, we were (and still are!!) immensely blessed to have been your fist couple that you shot… all by yourself. I feel honored that we were your first, because look at how far you have come!! TOTALLY CRAZY 😀 I am proud to say, “yeah, we chose ABBY GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY. She is pretty freakin’ amazing.”
Oh, and I had no idea you were so nervous! Kinda makes me feel bad, because I could have done more to make you feel more comfortable…
Anyways, yeah, I totally laughed at that last pic, too 🙂
those pictures were hysterical! loved them! and I can’t wait for you to shoot our wedding – I agree with Elizabeth… I’m proud to call you our wedding photographer 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your story, Abby! It is great that you are completely honest with us. It is always nice to know how others started and reading your words is always a blessing 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful day!
Beth’s wedding was your first?! I wouldn’t have guessed that! your a natural! 🙂