If you had asked me in college/photo school if I planned on being a wedding photographer, I would have laughed. “Too stressful! I don’t like the industry- why spend that much on one day? I want to be a photojournalist! I want to travel!” is probably what I would have said in response.
Upon graduation, I visited my career counselor at school. She asked, “Well what do you want to do?”. I said frankly and honestly, “I have no idea.” She said, “Well how about weddings? With weddings, you photograph everything: landscape, people, moments, food, portraits, night, day, indoor, outdoor, groups, individuals, details, different lighting….basically everything! Shoot weddings while you figure out what you want to do, and you will hone your skills and be able to shoot anything and everything when you’re done” This was probably the best career advice I’ve ever received in my life.
That was 2009. Today, 11 years later, I am still photographing weddings. And I love it. It was nothing I expected it to be as a clueless new grad in 2009. It’s an industry that I’m proud to work in- run by nearly all small businesses, artists and institutes of culture. It’s a happy job- everyone is happy on their wedding day! I smile while shooting and I smile while editing. I have traveled all over photographing weddings- from the church where Jackie and John F. Kennedy were married in Newport to DC, Philly, Boston, NYC, Detroit, and more.
But the biggest reason I love this job is the significance- the moments I capture will be cherished and passed down. That’s a huge responsibility, one that I take seriously, and one that I am happy to take on. My photos will be loved and make other people smile and laugh and cry.
When I received this email from Hannah last week after delivering the engagement photos from her and Martin’s engagement session on Martin’s grandma’s property, I teared up immediately. Because this is why I do what I do.
“If you recall, we chose to take our pictures at “the Farm,” which was Martin’s grandma’s house and now serves as a central meeting place for the Brown family. Her and her husband bought the house back in the 1950s. The house was actually the second to be built in Jackson County back in the 1800s.
Before our pictures, we visited his grandma in the hospital downtown. We were so excited to tell her that her home would be the back drop of our photos. She was so incredibly sweet, with her response being “I need to buy a dress,” even while stuck in hospital bed at the age of 92.
Unfortunately, they shortly discovered she had suffered an ischemic stroke from which she would never completely recover. By the time we visited her the next Thursday, she had been moved to a hospice home and started to decline.
I wanted to let you know it meant the absolute world to me, Martin, his family, and his grandma to be able to show her our “sneak peek” photos. She had trouble speaking in her condition, but her face lit up seeing us so happy in a place very familiar to her. She was in awe of how beautiful of a backdrop you created with the place she called home for over 50 years.
Martin’s grandma passed away surrounded by her sons on Wednesday, October 28th. Although this means she won’t be there when we get married in June, we feel at peace knowing she was able to celebrate little things with us, like our engagement photos.
So in short, thank you again! The pictures are absolutely wonderful. We’re even more excited for next June!
Take care,
Hannah”
Here is the sneak peek that Hannah and Martin shared with his Grandma, taken on the property of her home…
