We recently connected with Madison Neumann-Wilmer and have shared our conversation below.

Madison , looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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.

I started photography when I was 16 and wedding photography when I was 18. There is so much I would do differently! Reflecting on my time as I approach nearly 10 years in business I find that a lot of what held my growth back in the beginning was self doubt and lack of self confidence. Social media can be a great thing, the growth of Instagram alone influenced me to pick up a camera. But, it can also be a very big and intimidating place filled with so much comparison. Being young in the real world didn’t help either. I felt shy and like I didn’t know what I was doing from a business perspective. I was taken advantage of a lot by clients and colleagues. If there is one thing I would change, it would be building up that confidence sooner. It’s good to stay humble and know there is room to grow, but learning true confidence in my work and knowing how to stand tall has created a really healthy relationship with my work. I feel confident going into wedding days and sessions, meeting clients, posting online. Knowing how to handle hurdles and conflict in a professional way gives you ground on stand on that really lays the groundwork for a successful business. It’s something I’ve learned with time, but I definitely could’ve expedited the process with things like business coaching and workshops, which I have only started to invest in recently.

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.

I grew up in New Jersey with a deep love of art from a young age, but as I grew into higher levels of art courses in school I found my work limited and quite frankly, frustrating. At this time, Instagram was on the rise and with it brought a new found inspiration for me. I started taking curated photos on my phone (A blackberry, at the time, which I would take photos on and then email to myself to edit and post in the Instagram app on my iPod touch). I felt like my artwork was finally coming together the way I pictured it in my head. The next summer I babysat all summer in exchange for my first camera, which my dad bought for me. I started with photos of nature which evolved into portraits of my family and friends. I entered school as a nutrition major. I was always passionate about healthy eating, but found through my classes it wasn’t the right fit for me. My parents inspired me to reach out to local photographers for assistant work and that’s when I found wedding photography. I changed my major to marketing, hoping I would learn some tools of the business trade and continued shooting on my days off. Through college I evolved into a fashion and wedding photographer, putting together intricate editorials on weekdays and photographing weddings on weekends. Since school I have shifted to primary engagements and weddings.

I am most proud of my true passion for my career. It’s been tested quite a bit in recent years – I graduated in January 2020 with hopes of 2020 being my first year I could fully give my schedule and attention to photography. Obviously the circumstances of that year in fact did the opposite. With contract cancellations I went back to working another job while trying to grow my business on the side. A slow and steady growth followed me through the next few years. Being 4 years behind my goal has been challenging at times but I am officially on track for 2024 to be my year and I’m happier than ever. I got married last year and while I’ve always loved weddings the entire process of planning my own ignited a huge spark within me. I’ve learned about channeling my passion into investing in myself and my business.

I would describe my brand as romantic, modern, candid and editorial wedding photography. My goal with every wedding day is to have a very well rounded gallery, because I’m well rounded in my love for weddings. From details, getting ready, reception. The classic poses you see hanging in your grandparents living room along with the trendy poses you see on tiktok. The unposed photos like the first time you see one another on your wedding day or your parents watching you get married. Where modern meets classic.

I believe I am set apart from others in how truly passionate I am about all things weddings and wedding planning. I share wedding tips and tricks on my social media and blog not just for my clients but for anyone in this exciting stage of their life. Photographing weddings for 9 years and planning my own has given me a unique perspective I want to share with others, especially those who may be feeling lost in the process.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

When I think about my “why’s” my mind immediate goes to my favorite photo of my mom and I. I am cradled in her arms on the dance floor of a family members wedding. Her back is facing the camera, my head is on her shoulder, and she is turned to kiss me on the cheek. A wedding photographer captured that moment without her knowing. My mom passed away when I was 17. That photo was from when I was around the age of 6, and I have a very limited amount of recent photos of her.

I find it poetic in a way that I found this photo I didn’t even know existed right when she passed away, and right as I was starting my photography career. My mom always encouraged me to pursue photography when I was just a young portrait photographer. It would be another 6 months before I started to photograph weddings.

I don’t always like to think of photos in this heavy way, but it’s always in the back of my mind. How important photos are, how they freeze a moment in time. Sometimes they’re all that is left when someone has passed. But sometimes, even when people are still here we want to relive those moments and I think every single love story – couples, families, deserve that.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Last year was an extremely pivotal year in my business and my life. My husband and I moved out and got married. I celebrated 8 years of photographing weddings, but still hadn’t had the numbers to go full time. It felt like every year I was getting closer and closer, until last year. I faced the worst year, perhaps ever, in terms of my business bookings and financials. With the costs of my personal life rising and professional life falling it was pretty crushing. I sat down last summer and thought – of all of the years I’ve wanted this career I want it now more than ever. I am in the final stretch, and something has to change. It was daunting as I already wasn’t making much, but I started investing back into my business. I started business coaching, investing in advertising, and investing in professionals to help with my branding. It’s encouraged me to continue to invest where I can, and I hope someday soon as I have a lot more to pour right back into my business. Things are on the upswing for this year and I am closer to going full time than I ever have been before.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mneumannphotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mneumannphoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madisonneumannphotography/
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mneumannphoto?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc