For those of you who are reading,

Let me begin by saying, it is totally not in my character to come unprepared to any situation.  That being said. . .

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a couple who will be getting married in June.  The morning that I was to meet with them, I exported a slideshow of our most recent work from Photoshop Lightroom 3 (for those of you who have no idea what that is, let’s just say, it’s a digital darkroom) onto my handy dandy flash drive. When I went to make sure that the file was there I found that the program had exported my slideshow as a MPG4 file. I had never seen such a file before nor would any computer in my procession open such a file.  I was in panic mode. I had two hours before my meeting.  I am always a nervous wreck walking into a consult but this just made it fifteen times worse.  I went back into Lightroom to see if I could export it some other way. Much to my dismay, after exporting, LR3 ate removed my slideshow.  I didn’t have time to remake it.  Needless to say, I walked into this consult, flash drive in hand, hoping and praying that the wedding coordinator’s computer could access the file.  It couldn’t.  I was completely and utterly unprepared.  My hard fast rule is to always be prepared.

This particular day, I failed.   However, I put a big smile on my face anyway and decided to roll with the punches. We had a nice chat, I left my information for them to contact me, and we said our goodbyes.

Needless to say, I did not get hired to shoot this particular wedding.  I walked out of the meeting knowing that I had not made the best first impression possible. I walked away knowing that they would choose someone else.  You know what, I was okay with that.   WHAT?!?   Yes dear readers, collegues, partners, friends, I was OKAY with it.

I don’t shoot weddings because I have to. I shoot weddings because I want to. I shoot weddings because I believe that every bride and groom deserves a flawless, stress free, happy day.  Hopefully they only get one day to celebrate a beautiful and perfect union. That’s why friends, I am okay with not being hired by ever single person that I have a consult with. That’s why I am not jealous of other photographers in my area.  I am grateful for the opportunity to meet with whoever is somehow inspired by my work or has been referred to me by someone who is. I am grateful to live in a place wrought with beauty.  I am grateful to be surrounded by so many talented people in this wonderful industry.

When I walk into a consult  I hope to bring with me something that inspires people.  If they LOVE my work. Great.  If they don’t, that’s fine too.  More importantly, I want them to LOVE me.  Yes I say LOVE.  I hope that if you are a newly engaged bride searching for a photographer that YOU like Love the person that you are going to hire. You LOVE their work. You LOVE their style. You LOVE the shoes they wear. You LOVE their personality. I will go so far as to say you LOVE their letterhead.  It is so so so important that you are completely comfortable with your photographer.  Many things will disappear and be forgotten from your wedding day. Your photos are forever.  Make them count. LOVE your photographer. Spend the money and the time.  Do your research.

So that friends, is why, I’m OKAY with it. I figured that it’s better to have gratitude than an attitude. Am I right?   And because no post is complete without a photo, I will leave you with this one:

“She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her away, she adjusted her sails.” -Elizabeth Edwards

Cheers,

Chelsi