We recently connected with Lexi Foster and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lexi , thanks for joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

If I were to start my business from scratch, the first thing I’d invest in is education from successful photographers and/or business coaches before doing anything else. Education and mentorship has become a huge part of my business and what I believe to have helped me excel. Being able to hear first hand experiences, mistakes and failures from others in the industry has propelled me forward and excelled my business. This may be more up front money for some, but if you think about how many hours you’d otherwise spend trying to learn material that someone can give you in 1-2 mentorship sessions, it’s worth the investment.

I would also recommend listening to business podcasts for free information from industry experts, invest in your gear + network with those you want to work with in the industry. Instead of networking with as many people as possible (which I see many do), I would encourage others to create meaningful relationships with a few, but keep those bonds strong + mutually beneficial.

If I could do it all over, I would second shoot with anyone who was willing to have me, to learn as many approaches to weddings as I could. There is so much to learn from each person that you’d be shadowing; The way they interact with clients, the way they pose them, their client experience, the workflow they use, how they edit, etc.

Lastly, I would stay consistent in my marketing efforts, even if I felt like no one was watching or interacting with them. I would do this for so many reasons, but mainly because it shows you’re a hard worker and don’t give up. You are working hard at your craft. You’re reminding people this is what you’re passionate about and keeping yourself front of mind for others looking for a photographer. Many years later in the industry, I found out truly how many people were actually watching my posts, without me knowing. I’m so glad that I kept posting and stuck with it, when it didn’t feel worth it.

Lexi , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Lexi Foster. I’m a destination wedding and elopement photographer based out of New England, who travels for most of my weddings. I’m passionate about documenting honest moments for couples and their families. I love being able to tell a story, while telling it back in the most romantic light.

I would describe my style of wedding photography as documentary with a mix of editorial throughout. A documentary photographer doesn’t let their presence affect the moment of a photo + is able to document it as it happens, authentically. I am super passionate about this, because it usually makes me feel the most when I look back at a gallery. Though, I do enjoy posing couples for their portraits + directing certain elements of the day to get more aesthetic images, while keeping the narrative in tact.

The thing I’m most proud of in my wedding photography business is my client experience. I love being able to give clients the epic experience they always dreamed about in terms of their wedding day, oten times, exceeding that couple’s expectations.
Many still think of eloping as taboo- going and getting married in secret, away from friends and family. The definition of elopement has changed, along with so many other things in the wedding industry. For me, elopements and intimate weddings are more of a way to be intentional with your time and how your prioritize it on your wedding day. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a huge bash and inviting all of your friends and family. For some, that’s the dream. For others, that feels super overwhelming. One of the reasons i’m so passionate about destination elopements is explaining to couples that they could rid themselves of the stress of planning + exchange the cost of the big wedding for a life-changing experience. There are so many ways to elope. Some opt for an adventure like a helicopter ride through the mountains, private chef at their enchanted elopement through the woods, while reading letters from their loved ones, but taking in all these feelings to themselves. It’s a very traditional mindset to view eloping as just running away without anyone. Instead, I encourage people to view it as intentional time together on their wedding day + not feeling pressured by social norms of a wedding day.

I also love being able to open other’s eyes to the fact that you can elope and have an epic elopement, like described but then also go celebrate with friends at home in a more casual way (that usually doesn’t cost as much). One of my recent couples did this + eloped with me in Banff national Park, having an epic 3 day excursion with horseback riding through a canyon, exploring the national park, and kayaking in an a bright blue picturesque turquoise lake. They were then able to go home to all their friends and family and show them photos of the adventure they had, while celebrating their new marriage.

If you’re reading this and want to know one thing about my work, it’s that the experience comes first. Your experience. The photos will provide the narrative as you experience it. Photos will mean nothing to you if you didn’t have an honest memory behind them.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is one of those tricky things that sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. Though, I do believe consistency and authenticity is key in showing up online for your audience. Being able to speak directly to my target client has also helped me find my clients + in turn allow them to find me. If I had advice to give about growing a following, I would recommend having brand pillars and working off of them. For example, if your brand is about adventure (which mine is) I would speak about that every few posts. I’d have a minimum of 2 pillars you talk about but up to about 5 to keep your audience engaged.

Short form video content has become huge in the wedding industry with growing a following. It’s short enough that people don’t lose their attention but also to the point enough that people feel the need to look for more information.

Reels helped my business a lot in the beginning and allowed me to get a head start.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson i’ve had to unlearn is that it’s a competitive industry. When I was first introduced into wedding photography, I reached out to artists around me and was told to basically fend for myself and find information on my own. A lesson I learned early on was that photographers and other vendors don’t help each other + we’re supposed to get to a place of success on our own.

When I began to grow my photography business, I have come to understand that it is quite the opposite (at least in my business). Any time a photographer approaches me for help, I make sure to give them my time, because I once stood in that position. In 10 years, I want to be somebody’s reason for why they continued, not why they stopped. I now have my own education business, where I help photographers grow their business from the ground up. I also host content shoots to help photographers gain content while they’re first starting out, to show their potential clients what’s possible.

It’s already a lonely industry working for yourself + the last thing we need in the wedding industry is a competitive mindset. Everyone has different potential clients anyways.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lexifosterphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lexifosterphotography
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/theelopementphotographer
• Other: Tik Tok: www.tiktok.com/lexifosterphotography

Image Credits
Lexi Foster Photography www.lexifosterphotography.com www.instagram.com/lexifosterphotography