We recently connected with Abi Teeters and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Abi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.

When I first got into photography, I started out by taking photos for family and friends for free or for a slice of pizza. At the same time, I was learning more about how to use a camera in classes at school. This helped me grow my photography skills at the beginning. I used those photos to turn around and market them on social media.

Then one day a friend of mine was looking for someone to shadow her photographing a wedding, it was unpaid but I offered to tag along so I could learn more about photographing weddings and I was able to bring my camera along and take photos as well. I used the photos from that wedding on my social media and then it all snowballed from there. People saw that I now knew how to photograph a wedding and started asking me to do theirs. It started off with just family members, but then word grew through social media presence and putting myself out there more and more.

I took this strategy to do more of the type of sessions/ weddings that I wanted to photograph more of – newborns and elopements all over the country and across the globe.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Abi Teeters, owner of Abi Jane Photography. I love the outdoors, being on water, cuddling up to my cats with a good book, and traveling the world to see and experience new things. I am a wedding and elopement photographer based in Minnesota who travels all over to photograph intentional and intimate weddings and elopements. I’ve been a photographer for about 10 years, and I’ve been doing mostly weddings and elopements for 5 years.

I started as a photographer when I was in school, taking photos for Yearbook, senior pictures, and family portraits. I fell in love with capturing memories to look back on for years and years to come. This lead me to going to school for Graphic Communications (and a few other degrees) because I loved both photography and layout design in print. An “Aha!” moment lit up in my brain that I could capture beautiful memories and milestones for weddings, maternity and newborns and offer printed Heirloom Albums that last for generations.

I love to work with intentional and intimate weddings where the focus is on you, the couple. I truly believe you should get married the way YOU want to get married and have enough time to spend with each other on your special day. That could be at a local courthouse and grabbing some pizza, traveling to a destination and having an adventure together, a backyard wedding with your closest friends and family, or at your favorite lake with a private picnic. I encourage you along the way to do what feels right to you, only include the traditions you want to include and add some fun activities on your wedding day.

I am more than just your photographer. I become your friend, I’ll hold your veil, help put on your boutonniere, cheer you on, shed a happy tear during your vows, and so much more. I’m invested in you and your story.

As your elopement photographer I also become your guide. I’ll guide you through some of the planning process – helping you find locations for your ceremony, connect with other vendors, plan the perfect activities for your day and more.

I have photographed beautiful elopements and couples all over, from Alaska, Colorado, Utah, California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Mexico and so much more. I love seeing the world and want you to experience it as well.

As a Leave No Trace Photographer who photographs in many different places around the world, I’m dedicated to ensuring what we do protects the Earth so that you can come back to these special locations for years and years to come. I’ll help educate you on Leave No Trace practices so that we can leave the land better than we found it.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I started social media for Abi Jane Photography before I really was even an official business. It’s important to start now, not later. Social media is actually kind of fun for me, and I think that’s the way you should approach it because most business owners and creatives dread using social media for marketing. I take social media as an opportunity to connect with other creatives and potential, current, and past clients. It’s a place where I can show more about me and who I am, not just what services I provide. One of my biggest tips for any business or creatives on social media is to show a personality. People want to invest in people, not products. They want to know your values and who you are. When they can connect to a brand or a person behind the business, they’re more likely to trust you and value your service or products.

Show your face on social media so that people can put a face to the brand. Have fun with it, try new things and see what works for you on social media and what doesn’t. Use it as a platform to educate and engage with others.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Human connection. My connection with my couples is the best part of being a wedding and elopement photographer. It is so hard to put into words how rewarding it is to meet and capture the most amazing and beautiful people inside and out. Documenting some of the most important milestones in their life is such an honor. I get to know these kind, loving people and their story. I can’t put into words how grateful I am for the amazing couples I get to work with. Getting to know these amazing people, becoming friends, witnessing and capturing their most beautiful milestones and emotions is a feeling like no other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://abijanephoto.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abijanephoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abijanephotographyy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@abijanephotography/videos
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abijanephoto Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abijanephotography/

Image Credits
Abi Jane Photography