The Difference - Part 2

This post is part of an ongoing series of explanations on what exactly I think might set me apart from the general photography din out there. Other people may offer some of the same, and still others have completely different offerings. These posts are not meant to say any one choice is good or bad - we all serve the market in our own way. And each business makes its own choices as to its offerings. These are mine. To see previous posts on this topic, go to the post organizer at the right and click on "The Difference".

I have a non-shooting assistant.

Doesn't seem like it should be anything to crow about really, does it? But having this invaluable member of my team along on your wedding day means that I can focus on taking beautiful pictures, not lugging gear, locating Aunt Sally for a family formal or even fluffing your dress. They help me take better pictures, and often they help your day run smoother as well. They are a catch-all gopher that gets paid in small monetary ways and (hopefully) free cake.

Who is this mystery assistant you ask? I have a small group of them, all former brides themselves, so they understand the drama of a wedding day and how to deal with it. They are all super nice and have been known to hold flowers, fix boutineres, fluff dresses, fetch you some water, and just about anything else that comes up - all in the name of fantastic pictures. They are also in charge of the infamous clipboard containing the list of groupings you need for family formals - making that part of your day as painless as possible. They each have a particular skill set that is unique to them as well - some are super organized and on-point, some are my partners in crime, some have a gift to befriend anyone, and some are such fantastic photographic subjects themselves they tend to infect the bride and groom with their posing and camera-seducing abilities. I try to choose the one most appropriate for the needs of your day and we have a winning combination.

And the best part - I don't charge you anything extra for this little added bonus. It is just something I need to do a great job, so I consider it part of my costs. I appreciate them far more than I could ever pay them, and I know they make a difference in the quality of my work.

The Difference.

Sometime ago Hubby and I were talking about why clients would hire me over someone else. It was a classic discussion between us because he wanted to find mostly finanical reasons, and I had all artistic and experience-related ones. Hubby spends a lot of time trying to convince me that money makes the world go round, and I spend a lot of time trying to convince him of exactly the opposite. It is an eternal discussion with us. And then the other day we were discussing camera equipment and hubby says "It isn't what camera you have it is how you use it." I quietly chalked this up to a small victory for my side of the eternal argument and I was so proud that he understood that difference. And it is really what I am always trying to show clients in every meeting - how I will use all of my equipment (the real camera kind, and the more undefineable artistic kind) to capture their day.

So I was trying to figure out how to illustrate this concept more literally for the blog. The best way to do so is with a comparison - and I do this with all integrity and respect: I came across these two photos from a friend's wedding of the same scene/moment. The first one is by the pro photographer they hired and the second one is by me using roughly the same "equipment" (I found a few moments to shoot some shots around my wedding party duties). Both are legitimate interpretations and fully competent images. And both tell completely different stories. I'm not trying to say one is bad and one is good. It never helps me to denounce another photographer, and that decision really isn't up to me anyway, it is up to the client. I don't really view other area photographers as competition. I compete with myself enough. Every couple should book with whom they find matches their vision - if that is me; great, if it is someone else; that is also great because I am glad they found a good match for this super important day. My clients are attracted to the way I interpret a scene - and that is part of why I love them.

(the two family names have been blocked out with the black squigly line to protect the innocent)