Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marla Manes. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Marla, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
Photos are the most precious thing in the world to me– they’re the main way that I connect with my grandparents that died when I was young, the most important part of my ability to remember what happens in my day-to-day life, and all of my most prized possessions. The joy that I feel when I look at old photos of my parents, and I catch a glimpse of this version of my favorite people that I’ve never known, is unparalleled.
Through every wedding day, I carry with me the knowledge that the photos I take will long outlast myself and my business. They will, one day, be held by people that have not yet been born, and they will be marveled at as those people meet new versions of their loved ones or ancestors, They will be held by the couples who get to look at themselves at their happiest, gazed upon by friends and family and strangers as the years go by. I hope that my professional legacy is one of beauty and joy, having frozen precious memories in time and captured the beautiful, fleeting moments of youth and love and those gorgeous days where everything is perfect, even if everything has gone wrong.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a photographer based in the Pacific Northwest specializing in elopements and intimate weddings. Most of my work takes place in the great outdoors, in our beautiful state and national parks, but I’ve also photographed lovely events in backyards, bars, and airbnbs.
I assist my couples throughout the planning process as they navigate the challenges of planning an elopement for the first time, giving them personalized location suggestions, vendor recommendations, and a custom-made timeline! I’ve also been certified as a Leave No Trace Aware Photographer, and help all of my couples plain their days so that we can enjoy our public lands without having any negative effects on them– we want to make sure that they can return to their wedding site for decades to come.
My approach is heavily focused on storytelling; my sessions aren’t full of stiff poses and fake smiles. My goal is to capture every couple that steps in front of my camera authentically, so that the photos look and feel like *them*. And on wedding days, my goal is to capture the feeling of the day! So that you don’t just get the photos back and think about how good you look (though you’ll certainly do that, too)– you’ll remember the feeling of the wind in your hair, or the sound of the trees rustling in the wind, or the joy of running through the grass and feeling so free.
I tend to get swept up in the romance of my job, which I think helps me take better photos. I never follow a script when I’m photographing, I never “copy/paste” the same poses for every couple simply because it’s easy, or pretty, or rote. I try really hard to pay attention to what it is that makes you and your partner unique– the ways that you touch each other, the way they make you laugh, the things that I might otherwise miss if I was always just focused on getting “the perfect shot”. I believe the best photos are borne from intimacy and authenticity, which is what I’ve built my client experience around.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to seriously dismantle all of the expectations for myself that I’ve built up over the last couple of decades. I’m an obligate overachiever– a straight A student throughout all of my schooling, accompanied by stellar leadership positions in all of my extracurricular activities. When I first started building my business, I was working for 12-14 hours a day on my computer, building my website, editing my portfolio, and researching learning opportunities that would help me grow as an artist and businessperson.
I walked into business-ownership with unrealistic goals for myself, expecting perfection and overnight success based on my track record as a “gifted student”. After all, I had always exceeded expectations in school, reading above my grade level, setting the curve on exams, taking advanced placement classes… surely that just meant that success was part of my DNA…?
I really don’t think of myself as naive from back then, just misguided. I still move forth with that blind faith that hard work will bring me success in the form of happiness, I just know that it won’t be because of who I am– it’ll be because of what I do.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I took a course with an ADHD coach that helped me understand myself better than I ever had, and therefore was better able to plan for and accept my limitations as an individual. I no longer write myself 20-item to-do lists, I no longer shame myself for the strange hours I keep as a night owl. The course (with Master Certified ADHD coach Vidya Guhan) helped me see myself as I am, and taught me a lot of acceptance. I was able to release a lot of shame that I used to carry with me, which helps me focus more of my energy on my business!
Contact Info:
- Website: marlamanesphotography.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/marlamanesphoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marlamanesphotography/
Image Credits
Marla Manes Photography