Why would you hire me?
I've put together some ramblings of why you would want to choose me as your wedding photographer. When you choose a wedding photographer you are choosing someone who you will most likely spend the day with. I'm fun and sometimes I bring donuts.
Here I am wielding not one, but two flashes. #ExpertLevelAchieved
Trigger warning: bad writing.
Sometimes I start off with a really solid idea and then I branch out into ramblings. I apologize ahead of time because I believe I slightly did that here.
Why should we hire you... MIKE. While I don't get asked this exact question, it still hangs in the air throughout the meeting. I've done enough meetings with potential brides and grooms to read their expressions like a packet of Cliff Notes guide to meeting with wedding photographer.
So first there is the nodding expression where they are thinking "This is going to be expensive" . In truth it is going to be expensive. You're hiring me to document a day that can't be repeated, it's high stakes. I'm also showing up with enough equipment to put a downpayment on a house with.
There's the other hinting of body language and facial expression that spell out we don't want anything extra, book, flash drive, online gallery; we just want the digital photos. That's great that you know what you want and yes, just say that right off the bat.
Sometime's I meet with just the bride and sometimes with the bridal couple. Meeting with one person is always easier because you have their complete focus. I'll also be completely honest in saying that the bride to be usually makes the calls when it comes to the details of the wedding. When I have a potential bride and groom in front of me throughout my pitch they will sometimes show their cards. When we get into price and start talking about what they're looking for. I'll start running through the different options and when I run across something they don't want they instinctively look at each other. They say it with their eyes "we talked about this before, I don't want this" and with a look back i'm able to course correct and steer them with options they do want.
The meetings are really just to see if we vibe, I already know I can shoot your wedding blindfolded and you know I can too. It can come down to a few things for a bride, i'll name the top three. First, do you like me? I'm going to spend all day with you and hopefully we get along right off the bat because I will spend more time with the bride on her wedding day than the groom. Secondly, do you like my photography? I have lots of different lenses and I'm with you for the whole day so I tend to have lots of different looks to my photos. Third, does my price work for you? I'm flexible on price to a point. I really want to shoot weddings and make people happy but it costs money to be a well rounded photographer.
Okay so I wanted to convey a little bit about the meetings above. But here's the truth of why you would to hire me as your wedding photographer. I'm committed to getting you awesome photos on your wedding day. My goal is to keep you on schedule, be your cheerleader, help out where I can. I've been known to bustle a dress, fit a corsage, straighten ties, deliver flowers, escort grandmothers and dance with kids. This is my full-time job, that means you message me at ten at night, i'm most likely going to be responding by ten ten. I've even taken the time to write out every single question that I've been asked in the past few years, sometimes a bride won't actually voice these questions so I've found it helpful to write it all out. I have enough gear, equipment and batteries to shoot three weddings in a row without recharging. I've been shooting weddings for over ten years. I actually like photography and do that in my spare time.. for fun. When I do a good job with weddings it leads to more weddings which means better equipment, sharper photos, more unique aspects. I'm constantly rolling my money back into my photography, so developing myself more. Every year I add a few more tricks to my wheelhouse. I also travel a lot, eighteen countries and twenty four states; that means I don't mind flying to your wedding to shoot. I would be happy to give you any bride and groom's contact info and have them tell you how much fun they had with me. Friend me on Facebook, Follow me on Instagram to see exactly who you would be getting as a wedding photographer; I won't disappoint.
So i'll use an analogue to describe wedding photography. When you go to Best Buy and stand there and look at all the TVs you can see the difference between each one pretty easily. They're all next to each other, same dimensions, same brightness, maybe color is different on this other one or another is a bit smoother with the resolution. When you eventually pick out a set you're getting it because the price worked for you. When you get that TV home you're going to fall in love with it and brag to your friends about your big tv. I will say that I certainly don't think back to that Samsung with the high gloss black finish when i'm sitting watching my tv.
It's partially the same with wedding photography. We're going to all do essentially the same thing, capture photos of you on your wedding day, the best we can or know how. If you stack me up next to other photographers you'll see i'm better than some but not than others. All I can offer is my uniqueness, perspective and skill. But when you have your photos, your memories you won't be second guessing who you went with. I imagine you're going to be pretty happy. I can't really trash other wedding photographers because most are not terrible, most just do it a bit differently then I do, different equipment, different focus or limited or unlimited experience that they may have. Most of my friends are actually photographers so I have that unique viewpoint of knowing how lots of other photographers operate. So do you research before you commit, drill your wedding photographer, ask me a million questions.
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Any of the above will make me happy.
Jenna & Paul
Jenna & Paul's engagement shoot. www.unitymike.com wedding photo.
Jenna & Paul live in Sturbridge which happens to have lots of exciting places to shoot an engagement shoot in addition to being located somewhat close to B.T's Smokehouse.
Here's some of our shoot at their house, the town common and Old Sturbridge Village.
How to be a successful photographer.
Want to be a successful photographer? The key to success is pretty simple, this is the speech I give everyone who asks me how to make money as a photographer or how to become a professional photographer.
So I just spent the past hour writing this blog out and decided that It dragged on too long. It didn't have a point or it touched on too many. I'm going to make this clear, simple and short. I have given this speech to multiple people who ask me how to get into photography. I get asked quite regularly to take people on as an assistant or to bring them to a wedding i'm shooting or show them how to make money with photography. This is what I tell them.
If I was a painter, a mason or made money doing carpentry I would pour all of my efforts into it. I would have the best brushes, watch videos on painting, try out different canvases, learn to make my own canvases. I would make sure everyone knew I was a painter, I might even have my own studio space just to paint. I have all the coolest painters clothes, aprons, gloves, hats to keep my hair out of my face. I have a cool logo that lets people know i'm a painter with my name in it and website. I would also write about my paintings, enter them into shows. I would make sure I was on all social medias and I would pay someone to scan or get copies of my paintings online to share with everyone. I would make shirts and broadcast what I do. Everyone would want to come to me to have a painting done because they know i'm a painter because that's all I talk about. You could find all the books on my shelf have a common theme, painting. My instagram would feature my own paintings and a link to my website which has my work and also ways to purchase my paintings. I also would love to go to Meetup.com gatherings to meet other painters. My good friend is also a painter from Boston and we talk a few days a week on the phone and he does some things similar to me and some different things from me but we both love painting regardless. We regularly talk about how to price our work and what people will pay for it and what's fair and how to treat people who don't pay. I would also be doing some work for charity with my paintings, maybe a themed project to help support a group, cause or person. When I do charity work, that gets shared on social media and talked about and every once and awhile my name will get thrown out to a commissioned painting or a series that someone will auction on. I love to go see famous painters speak as well and I always check in to whatever place i'm at to brag about my painting related activities.
If you truly love what you do and want more of it then show the world. Focus all of your efforts on it, leap without looking, live without the money and success and know that it's coming and it will. I'm where I am right now because i've made sacrifices with my time, money and relationships. I have had multiple people over the years tell me that it won't work and that you can't make money being a photographer. When I hear this all I can think of is how sweet it will be when i'm sleeping in or in a foreign city while they are scheduled to be sitting in a cubicle in front of a computer for the foreseeable future.
I love what I do and wouldn't change a thing. I wouldn't have the friends I have, the life I have without buying that first camera, without shooting that first wedding, I regularly take all of my profits and roll them back to equipment costs and take work off and go on a "vacation" where i'm just taking photos so I have interesting stuff to share on social media. I also give up time with friends and family to spend with strangers taking their photos.
In the end i'm doing something important, i'm capturing memories that someone will have forever.
Canon Professional Services
CPS is an awesome program where you pay a little and get a lot back. Very very good idea to have if you make money doing photography.
So i've invested a little bit of money this past year in my infrastructure, one of those being Canon Professional Services.
I've belonged to Canon Professional Services for a few years but relying on the free or basic service. Mostly it's been nice to keep adding gear and watching my points go up. This year I upgraded to platinum which comes with a lot of benefits. So you need to be an employee of a photography business or have your own and have at least fifty points in your CPS account. You get points by the amount of gear you own. So if you own a Canon Rebel with an 18-55 lens and a third party flash you're probably not going to cut it. Own a 5D mkIII with a 50mm 1.8, you're getting warmer. Basically you have to be committed to photography and Canon to belong. If you have a basic rebel and kit lens and drop it, just buy a new one. I have seven L lenses and two bodies and three flashes so I'm well above the mark for getting in. So when you join for the low fee of $300 you get the following:
- New Member Welcome Kit: Welcome Letter, Exclusive CPS Platinum Gift, CPS Member Card, 2 CPS Pro Straps, 2 Rear Lens Caps, and 2 Camera Body Caps (contents subject to change)
I received a Thinktank Laptop bag which has been really useful and the extra lens caps and body caps have been nice to stash away fro a rainy day. I don't really have any use for the two CPS Pro straps (You're welcome to buy them from me). I have Black Rapid and Spider holsters.
- Priority access (over Gold members) to Equipment Evaluation Loans (Try Before You Buy Program)*
I fell in love with the Canon 200mm f2. Thanks Canon for enabling me!
- Expedited 2 business day service turnaround** on CPS PLATINUM REPAIR LIST products
Dropped my 580ex II & 5d MKIII. Had it fixed before the following weekend's wedding. It was a damn good excuse to buy the Canon 600RT. The repair actually got back to me faster than the new lens, but regardless my accident enabled me to buy new toys.
- 30% discount on repairs on CPS PLATINUM REPAIR LIST products on up to 15 items per membership term
I have plans to ship out some lenses with a tiny bit of dust in them.
- Repair Coverage Loans***
- Free shipping both ways on CPS PLATINUM REPAIR LIST products sent in for service
I still have to find out more about this.
- Complimentary Product Maintenance Service**** on up to 10 Pieces per membership term
I will be shipping out some of my gear very soon before the wedding season starts! You could spend around $15 plus $40-60 for a cleaning for a single piece of equipment, why not get a bargain on this and sign up!
- Onsite event and show support, as listed on the events calendar
- 24/7 CPS Support Hotline (domestic and international)*****
- Discounted admission to select Canon Live Learning seminars and workshops
Anyways it's a good deal and you should give it a try. If you're a professional and want to know that someone is in your corner backing you up in the event of an emergency then this is the program for you.
This is also a good program for you to get to know lenses better. Sure you can watch Youtube (DigitalRev has some of the best reviews in my opinion) or you can read reviews on FredMiranda. But signing up for CPS and getting to use those lenses for a week and then paying the $15 to mail it back to Canon is even better. I've "evaluated" four lenses so far. One of those being the canon 200-400 f4. It was amazing and the looks you get from everyone is even better, priceless.
So my first lens rental from CPS was the Canon 200mm f2. I figured what better way to showcase this beast than putting it on the Canon EOS M3. Let me tell you, it was amazing. The image was creamy in the bokeh and tack sharp. I was able to shoot handheld in NYC at ISO 200 at night. (Photo Below)
BirchTree Bread Company
BirchTree Bread Company is a one month old bakery in Worcester that seems to be crushing it. Delicious breads and a fresh take on a bakery / place to grab a coffee with a friend. Don't even bother reading this and go and check it out yourself.
This past Saturday myself and my girlfriend decided to make our way to this new bakery in Worcester. Located on Green Street in Worcester right across from SmokeStack BBQ is an old Worcester factory building with many hidden gems, BirchTree Bread Company to be specific.
We entered the building and immediately started exploring. We ended up browsing in a curiosity shop downstairs called Crompton Collective which deserves it's own fan fare, it's amazing. It's collection of local's curated antiques and home made goods make wandering a delight. After pressing onward we made our way through a farmers market which is located in the basement and also know as The White Room. The farmers market had lots of fresh produce and familiar faces. Next we made our way back through Crompton Collective, up the stairs to BirchTree Bread Company.
As you are walking down the hall to the entrance to BirchTree you can feel and hear every intentional footstep as can everyone else. This building is ancient and repurposed, bright and clean; other local businesses occupy most spaces in this spacious location. We enter BirchTree and are delighted to see this modern meets rustic look for a brand new brand. We stand in line for a few minutes and end up running into various friends who are also here to check out this new hotspot.
We slowly pass the cases with cheese and other goodies, I make note of future cheese purchases. The menu is a few feet into my stay in the line. The menu is written out in white chalk on a green chalk board. So the main thing to understand is they have a limited menu, that's not a bad thing. With a limited menu that means they can concentrate on the things they do well, an awesome soup of the day, a sandwich special, breads, cookies and coffee drinks as well as rolls and loafs. This also means that you have the chance to try everything on this menu before it is added to.
I ordered all the cookies, cranberry white chocolate, turbinado sugar, peperes adeladies. Don't ask me specifically what all that means, what you need to know is it's delicious. I ordered a hot chocolate and two variations of toast, the seeded rye with a cranberry orange cream cheese and a coriander raisin with peanut butter and banana and toasted wheat germ. The portions were generous and the price affordable. Before heading out for seating I spot a large country jug filled with ice water, I turn the spout and quickly fill a mason jar up with what may be filtered or delicious Worcester water into it. We sit at the bar at the end of the copper counter while we waited for our brunch, the line doubles at this point; when will the madness stop.
Looking around the room you can see lots of room for future tables, furniture and innovations. A coffee table is surrounded by four large benches in the center of the room, tables line the window as other various seating is placed accordingly. One of the owners is hustling around the kitchen doing odds and ends while this new well oiled machines dances through orders. I sit and spend my time while I wait taking photos of the food. My name is called and our food is brought right over to us, I spend at least another ten minutes taking photos. After I put away my camera gear and dig into the food I am instantly satisfied. The food here is fresh, delicious and worth any small wait that you may encounter.
I highly suggest you visit this local bakery and push into the frame of a Worcester landmark.
Go and add them on Facebook and see what they're up to. BirchTree Bread Company.
The unseen unheard photographer
Are you that photographer who only uses natural light, shoots on P and won't talk to his bride and groom or interact with them at the wedding. You are paid to be awesome, you spend the day with the bride and groom and you're tasked with giving them an awesome experience.
This message is for you photographers who are going to say "I don't do it that way".
These photographers are also the same people who say I only shoot natural light. That's the equivalent of saying "oh.. I only drive automatic cars" or "I only put the camera on auto because of how good it is and I want to just focus on the moment". The photographer you hire is going to rock in soo many ways and one of them is being able to shoot manual and also use lights (that's a blog for a different day). This is for those who decide to not give the bride and groom that full experience. This particular blog is about you and your ability to direct and fix things so that they are in the bride and groom's favor. If you are one of these photographers who doesn't interact then you are lazy. Some of you photographers are awesome and can justify this shooting style, but the majority of you are not that.
So some of the photographers out there are saying in their head "I only shoot candid and I don't move anything and I'm not going to pose you and I only do journalistic style and try not to interact with the bridal party at all". You are dumb. So now that I've insulted you let's continue from there. This is a one shot deal, one go at the photos, one photo to rule them all. Do you want to be boring and take the same old shots or to look at each wedding as a marathon of photos that push you past where you were. Sure, take photos of where everything is if you want, don't touch anything or don't pose people, don't say anything to that person who has their tie crooked or the tag hanging out of the armpit of a dress. But then take those damn photos, be a person and interact with everyone. I assure you that ten, twenty years down the line they will appreciate some really tasteful images from their wedding. No one wants a photo of a pair of shoes in a box or their wedding dress hanging up in your brothers old room because that's where they had the space or the flowers in the fridge.
I shoot candids and that doesn't mean I can't add a little bit of pizaz to that photo "hey can you do that again but this time look that way". Okay so you're still not won over maybe, you're still thinking they hired me to just shoot the one way I do and I should just be quiet and take the easy photos. Are you the one shooting the weddings all the time or them? The bride and groom want amazing photos and they really aren't going to be upset if you adjust a few things to make sure that happens.
If you hire a wedding photographer they should be able to rock your wedding, you should know they're there at some points. I'm not talking about being four feet away during the ceremony, that's a different animal altogether. You want them to be the one getting everyone in line for formals or telling your Uncle Jerry that he needs to get out of the way. Your professional photographer is going to point out the flask of whiskey in the groomsmen's pocket. Your wedding photographer is also your personal cheerleader and that random guy who can and most likely will run an errand for you or do something above and beyond just because they are awesome.
I know some of you out there are saying but I'm out of the way and I do awesome. That may be so but eventually you will have that bride that calls you out and says "why didn't you tell me I had makeup on my teeth" or "Tim's zipper was down the whole time". So interact and earn that sweet wedding paycheck that we make. There's a reason why we do so good at a wedding, it's because it's a lot of work and not hiding in the shadows.
A good wedding photographer will be remembered for his images and his great personality during the wedding, everyone's going to tell the bride and groom how much they loved their experience with you too.
LB Wheaton, Sigma 150-500
So if you're thinking about buying a lens or want to check out some cool equipment then head down to LB Wheaton. I stopped in and had no idea that I would be walking out with a super telephoto lens. Being able to hold it in my hands and experience it was enough to put me over the edge. Great experience at LB Wheaton.
So i've been eyeing the Sigma 150-500 lens for quite some time. I always talk myself out of buying it. I have to wait a few days and buyers remorse and not being able to test it prior to buying it, easy to talk myself out of it.
Two weeks ago I wandered into LB Wheaton just killing some time before a wedding meeting (I landed it.) I saw the gigantic lens sitting on the shelf and asked if I could check it out. I was quickly handed this heavy lens and a Canon T5i. I paired them together and set it to manual and f/10 at 1/30th of a second and shot a few shots out the window. I wanted to see what this lens was made out of. 2 out of 3 photos were crispy and clear and the stabilization held true. I changed the settings to something a bit more relaxed and shot thru the windows a bit more at local shops and urban landscapes to see how invasive I could be with this new zoom. The answer is, very invasive; this lens is friggin awesome! I found out from the gentlemen behind the counter that this lens had an instant rebate, I didn't need much more twisting of my arm. I told LB Wheaton that I was heading to a meeting and if I did good at the meeting I would be back to purchase the lens. One hour later I came back and pulled out my money and now I can't put this very heavy lens down.
If not for LB Wheaton, I don't think I would have such a cool toy. Two weeks prior I stopped in and also bought a small collapsable tripod. This is such a great place to try out equipment and ask questions. You can also buy backdrop paper rolls here as well as lenses, bags, lighting and anything in-between. Very happy to have such a great store a few miles away.
Here's a few photos that I've taken over the past week or two. I also have some wedding photos that I shot with this lens which came out amazing. Being able to zoom in instead of cropping in post would be so amazing.
Make sure to LIKE LB Wheaton Camera Shop Facebook page.
How to own that Maid of Honor speech.
The Maid of Honor has a very important role, to pour out all the nice things they could ever say in a 3-4 minute speech as well as tease the bride a bit. This is a companion blog to my Best Man Speech blog that i've posted previously. I hope you read and enjoy this. These are just a few pointers from the dozen or so weddings that I attend a year.
So I previously wrote about the Best Mans speech. The advice from that still stands.
Please read what I wrote in that blog.
So a few different points of advice for the ladies
1. Pull on those heart strings. Okay, you are posed to make us teary eyed. You're most likely going to tear up and get the bride to tear up. You happen to feel emotions sometimes a bit more deeply then our Call of duty, beer drinking, what are feelings type of guys that we can be. So with that being said we know you're going to say something very heartfelt and deep. My advice here is to keep it at the beginning of the speech or at the end, for god sakes I don't want to cry during your entire speech because of how sweet you are on each other. :)
2. Keep it funny. You're going to be pulling on those heart strings so make us laugh to, nothing is better than that akward laugh/tearing up. Tell us what you really thought about the groom and his friends. Tell us about when you knew he was the right one, did you do the cliche "you better not break my friends heart" speech to him?
3. Remind everyone. Remind everyone why we're all here, these two people, this beautiful wedding, how much fun you've had today. The bride knows everything that went wrong today, misorders, mistakes and small mishaps that took part throughout the day. Remind her that this is one kick ass day.
4. Take advantage. You have the floor, ask that single guy out that you've been checking out all day. (This goes for the guys too, ask her out. Mention all the pretty ladies that are in the room). You have the floor and everyones attention, be bold. Take advantage of the day and the fact that you're all at one big giant party and meet that special someone.
5. Always end up with a hug. Theres no better way then to end a heartfelt speech then with a hug. This doesn't really need to apply to the guys. The best mans speech is literally a verbal hug from the best man to the groom. This is also an awesome time to snap a great couple photos for the photographer.
I hope that this has made you smile, laugh and I hope to see you at a wedding soon.