In response to:
http://hindsightbride.com/2011/10/10/open-letter-wedding-bloggers/
First and foremost– do you ladies want barebones, decoration-less, weddings? People relate to what they see… And if you only feature that– those are the type of clients you will get. It’s cyclical. Break the cycle and get the type of clients you want.
Maybe it’s because I am sooooo guilty of the bile colored filters or because I’m a sucker for fields and fun details… But I can’t say I fully agree with her rant. Yes, all weddings are all special and beloved. But you don’t see instyle, cosmo, and glamour feature plain jeans and a white t-shirt in their editorials.
Everyone wears it. They’re comfortable and those are real clothes that all people have in their wardrobe…but that’s not what inspiration blogs are for. It’s like fashion. Those publications are based on what’s ‘in’ today.
I like looking back at my parent’s wedding photos. Everything is cohesive. The style, the faded old feel of their polaroids, and their coy smiles. It fits. That image embodies who they were in that era, and I LOVE it.
My clients might cringe 10 years down the road when they look back at those ‘vintage’ edits…. And their aviator sunglasses… But the overall image is a snapshot of who they are at that moment in time. It includes an element of capturing the couples’ style and personality now— just as the photographer they hire in some way, shape, or form represents their own personal style… Because God knows they could’ve hired any of the dime a dozen photographers they searched via google.
I’m not saying give in to every style or ‘fad’ or sell your soul to be successful… but you do have to be adaptable to who and what your demand is or what you want your demand to be. Be clear, and of course, do so without compromising being true to your ethics, your art, and your own personal style.
When it comes down to it– everyone is entitled to their own opinion– naysayers and all. Which is why they say–to each their own. But if you don’t care for skinny jeans or high-waisted pencil skirts, that’s cool–but don’t get your panties in a wad when Instyle rejects you, your mom jeans and wife-beater.
Thu, I love your response! I completely agree….every wedding is unique and special to that couple and should be happily shared by their photographer! However, there’s no reason you can’t love fashion or decor “fads” or explore different post processing techniques along the way…that’s what makes life (and different decades) so fun in the present and to look back on