While in school I drew my inspiration from many visual artists such as Sandy Skoglund. Her photography innovation and "larger than life" colorful scenes lured me to her work. Henri Cartier Bresson was my other personal favorite. I tried to incorporate his philosophy of "The Decisive Moment" into my own photos. It was during this period I really began getting into color photography. Since then my work has been crammed full of vibrant colors.
I began to further pursuit photography abroad in Christchurch, New Zealand. Part of my curriculum was a wedding photography course. The professor looked at my work and said: "Tracy, I see a bright future for you in the wedding photography business." However, I did not consider wedding photography as a career at first. Filming imagery and pouring over art as my career? The idea of making a living doing wedding photography seemed like a fantasy.
Having early doubts in achieving one's financial goal via photography (or being a commercial artist in general), I did not take myself too seriously. I casually applied for a photography internship with a studio near my local university. The photography studio had many divisions (portraiture, studio, commercial, wedding, stock) that appealed to me. The owner was impressed with my portfolio and called me in for an interview. I was hired as an Associate Photographer on the spot. Pleasantly shocked by his quick acceptance, I shortly began shooting and assisting on commercial projects; including photographing weddings.
My first commercial wedding shoot took place in New Zealand. It was the first wedding I had ever attended! The small and intimate setting of the wedding (only six guests) provided me with room for artistic comfort and experimentation. The fact that the couple entrusted their wedding day to me was amazing to a newcomer such as myself. Seeing how the photography studio operated their business gave me the confidence to eventually go out on my own.
Over time, I built a small wedding portfolio from my internship, and the ambition to act on it. When I decided to venture out on my own I did not have much money saved, or a well-developed support base. My mother did not take me seriously at all, and thought I was sunbathing on the beach all day (well, I would if given every chance)! Even to this day, she doesn't fully grasp wedding photography is how I make my living.
My Humble Beginning: Wedding Photography On a Budget
I began my independent photography career in Swansboro, North Carolina. Like a typical artist, I embraced the beach with my fiancé in a 13-foot camper trailer. I looked for every possible way to save money. My humble "office" consisted of an ink-jet printer and a 12-inch laptop plunked proudly on the plywood dining table. Hands bravely held around my waist, I stared into my territory and realized it would be the decisions I'd make that would lay the foundation for a successful first year of my wedding photography season.
Without much starting funds, the only thing I had going for were my precious photos. As far as equipment was concerned, "less is more" was my model as I pair that with a lot of imagination and determination. As a student of photography, I learned my craft upon my Canon AE-1 film camera with only one lens. I believed better equipment does not always equal better work, but it can be convenient on my empty pocket! Fueled by my innocence and drive, I began my preparation extensively before each weddings by scouting out the locations and brainstorming photo ideas.
Early Success: I've Found My Venue Over the Web
Growing numbers of wedding couples are using the Internet as a main resource to plan their weddings, so I decided the most important element of the business was my storefront; in other words, my web site. The local Internet café two miles down the road from the Cedar Point Campground was my other home base that hot summer. In the dimly lit air-conditioned back room I began my research on my future competitors: other wedding photographers' web sites. Placing myself in wedding couples' shoes, I searched for web sites with sparks that kept me looking for more than a few seconds. They were clean, fast loading, and more importantly, featured great wedding photos that caught my attention. I studied those particular web sites thoroughly, and determined to incorporate the same ingredients into my own web site.
I poked around the web using search keywords that I thought brides and grooms would use when looking for wedding photographers in my area. I also steered my attention for a handful of web sites that focused on general wedding photography, and consistently ranked highly amongst search engines. I decided these sites would be the perfect candidates to invest my limited advertising budget. It was a little scary to spend a large amount of my finances with no immediate results, but I knew I had to take the risk. What good is a web site if no one can find it?
Slowly but surely my efforts paid off. I started getting about one email or phone call a week and my calendar began filling up. I used money from deposits to pay for additional advertising, and Tracy Turpen Photography took off. I would meet most of the brides at a local coffee shop to get to know them as a more personal level. Some brides would book me without meeting with me; I realized how a quality portfolio web site speaks values.
Even though I am still young, I have already developed my own photography style. Some people like it, some do not, and some love it. I intend to keep my artistic integrity without conforming to the norm. I trust there will be enough couples that like my style and want to hire me so I can continue to be a full time wedding photographer. Within eight months of starting my photography business, I had already booked over thirty weddings! My fiancé and I are no longer living in a 13-foot camper. I now have my own office!
More About Wedding Photographer - Tracy Turpen, SC
Tracy and her fiance Lance live in charleston, South Carolina. Beyond enjoying the warm weather and beaches, they love shooting together and have a blast on every wedding or portrait shoot. Rather than concentrate on time limits and other restrictions, Tracy focueses on getting to know her clients. You may directly access Tracy's Wedding Photo Portfolio, Photographer Bio, and the South Carolina (SC) Wedding Photographers Index.
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