How I Became a Wedding Photographer | Denton Wedding Photographer

How I became a wedding photographer…

I grew up before cell phone pictures were everywhere and I had to actually load film into my camera and then take it to be developed and wait.  I took pictures of everything I could and remember my senior trip to Hawaii was one of my favorite things I had photographed.  I never thought about taking pictures of people, much less a wedding.  But when you find what you love, you stick to it.

Back in 2004, I met a photographer, Amy, who lived in Denton.  She and I became friends and hung out when we could.  She had a wedding scheduled and asked if I would come and coordinate everyone walking down the aisle and help with the photos afterward.  I became a certified wedding coordinator for a reason so I jumped on the opportunity to go to the wedding.  I helped get everyone down the aisle and remember watching the ceremony as well as Amy.  I thought to myself, that would be a fun job.  I helped her get everyone together for the photos she was taking after the ceremony and then I went home.  A few weeks later, she asked me to come to another wedding but this time, she said to bring my camera.  I laughed at her!  I thought she had lost her mind.  This was someone’s wedding and I was not about to mess it up!  She bought me several rolls of film and told me to have fun and that I couldn’t mess it up.  I had the absolute best time with that camera in my hand.  I shot detail after detail and took way too many photos.  After Amy got the pictures developed, she had me come over to her house and we went through them.  She was so encouraging with each image.  Her words to me where “Your pictures are better than mine!”  I seriously thought she had lost her mind again.  During 2004, I shot alongside Amy for many different weddings and some sessions.  I traded in my film camera for a digital and never looked back.

At the end of 2004, Amy said that her husband’s job got transferred and they would be moving across Texas in about a month.  I was so sad that I was losing such an amazing friend as well as my mentor.  She told me that I was going to continue doing this.  She even helped me come up with my company name (since I wasn’t married yet) and I filed out my DBA and all the other important items so, in 2005, I started my own business.  Amy had advertising out so when they called her, she sent them to me.  I shot everything I could from newborns to weddings as well as maintaining a full-time job.  I quickly found that weddings were my passion and I loved them way more than the other things I was shooting.  I decided weddings were my passion, so I chose to only focus on weddings, engagements, bridals, and boudoir.  Those types of sessions made me excited!

Shooting a wedding gives me this happy feeling.  I get excited to spend every weekend at a wedding.  Every wedding is the same however, they are all so different.  All the main points are there, but everything in between is different with each person’s details, personalities, decor, venues, atmosphere, etc.  No two weddings are alike even when they are at the same venue.  Watching love throughout the day can never get old.  The first looks, the father/daughter dances, the smiles, the laughter, the kisses, two families coming together, and mother/son dances; all of it is such an amazing event to witness every weekend.

When I started, my hopes were to get to the point that I could be a stay-at-home mom to my future children and I made that happen in 2009.  I love getting to spend time with my boys and be at their school parties and go on field trips.  This is the main reason I am still doing what I love.  Being a mom is the most important thing in my life and I wouldn’t be able to do this every day if I didn’t have the career I have chosen.  I am so blessed every day and I certainly don’t take it for granted.  Having the life I love started with a camera in my hand as a child and I never knew it.