I’ve often wondered why this very tough and competitive profession that I’ve fallen into keeps grabbing me….makes me smile….keeps comforting me….keeps me happy and fulfilled. Many photographers (especially wedding photographers) burn out after several years but I love it just as much as I did when I started. It’s because I feel like I’m at home…..let me explain. Two things that really made me comfortable (really comfortable) from my childhood was skiing and the theater (my Dad was a theater professor, director and author) We skied as a family and my two brothers and I ended up on the US National ski team at various times in our young skiing career. What does this have to do with wedding photography you ask? Well, let’s start with the theater. The green room (the room where the actors get their make up on) is very similar to the Getting Ready shots of the bride and groom. Make up, hair, the costumes (wedding dress), the anxiety! Then there is the stage performance (the ceremony)…similar right? Then there are the photos, and the cast party (the reception). The feeling I get on a wedding day is the same feeling I got when I was around my father’s theater productions. It’s home to me. Not only does it feel like a theater production but at times I get to work the the SAME EXACT people that worked with my father. Tina and Flash Allen for example have played at cocktail hour and receptions. David Goulet (who starred in many of my dad’s plays) has been the singer at the church during a ceremony just to name a few. You have no idea how this makes me feel. So it probably comes as no surprise that I LOVE theater. I go to New York with my husband very frequently. Lately, I’ve fallen in love with the broadway play “The Book of Mormon”. In fact, we have seen it many times bringing various family members to it. You might say that I’m obsessed with that show. My two favorite characters are Elder McKinley played by Grey Henson and Elder Cunningham played by Chris O’Neill. WELL….I’m really not sure how and why this has happened but I recently found out that Chris O’Neill (Elder Cunningham on Broadway) will be the officiant at one of my September weddings. WHAT???? umm WHAT???? You see? What goes around comes around….I guess? FULL CIRCLE. The other thing I LOVE about weddings is my wedding family. I LOVE to see my wedding family over and over again. People like Tim, Jessika, Fausto, Paula, Jayson, Jess, Melissa M, Meagan, Kim D, Cynthia, Carlee, Bob and Cindy, Russ/Liz, Jennifer and Rachel…just to name a few. They make me happy. When I first started doing weddings, these peoples were so unfamiliar to me but as time went on, they became my friends…my family. I love feeling like I’m at HOME when I walk into their space. It’s comforting to me….kinda like skiing. Skiing??? Yes skiing. It’s the same kind of thing. Our freestyle family was my own family as well as countless others. Any time I walk into a ski resort lodge, I feel at ease. Anyone in this skiing family knows what I’m talking about. A few years ago I was in heaven when I was asked to photograph a wedding on skis. WHAT?? FULL CIRCLE. So to sum this all up….well let’s see. Skiing gave me a competitive edge….in a nice way. It also taught me movement, hand eye coordination, the importance of being in shape….it taught me to edit music (those old Freestylers will know what I’m talking about) It taught me that hard work and only hard work will earn you a trophy. It also taught me how to deal with defeat. Also, strangely, it taught me about fashion. Now theater…..the theater taught me about stories. It taught me how to grab an audience with a story having a beginning, middle and end but it better not be boring. My father’s plays always had that extra special sauce. It taught me about the importance of lighting to create the right mood. It taught me about friendships. It taught be about reviews….good and not so good and how to deal. I feel so grateful that I fell into this career but it only makes sense why I’m here. I think I’ll stay awhile!
