We were lucky to catch up with Miranda Durkee recently and have shared our conversation below.
Miranda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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.
In 2018, as a college student at San Francisco State University, I photographed my first wedding. I had been working as a concert photographer for two years at that point, and loved what I did. But I still felt that something was missing in my profession. As much as I enjoyed capturing the energy and excitement of live performances, I was rarely able to interact with my clients in a more personal way. I thought back to the fun stories my father would tell me about his time as a wedding videographer, and decided to dive head first into the world of weddings. I read countless articles and watched countless “behind the scenes of a wedding day” videos until I felt that I was ready to take on my first wedding. I created a Facebook post offering my services, reminding myself that “it’s okay if you don’t get any leads at first.” But to my surprise, I received a message from an interested couple only a few days later! I jumped up and down in my dorm room and shared the excitement with all of my roommates- until I realized that I actually had to respond, haha. I pored over every word of my response, wanting to appear as professional as possible. When they day came to meet up with the couple for coffee, I arrived half an hour early to try and calm my nerves. On the table I had a folder with some printed photos of my work and my pricing guide, and I even threw in my resume for good measure. I knew that I was capable of telling stories through photographs and capturing timeless moments – all I needed was the opportunity to show someone that it was possible. I assured the couple that although I hadn’t yet shot a wedding, I knew my camera like the back of my hand, and I would do everything I could to make sure their wedding photos were everything they wanted. And they said yes! The memory of that wedding will always be so special to me. It was the first time I was able to prove myself and my skills as a photographer, and I’m still so grateful to that couple for trusting me with their special day. I learned so many lessons on that wedding day and throughout the months leading up to it, and they’re lessons that I still carry with me in my work today. I learned how to conduct myself as a business owner, how to organize and strategize a wedding day, and how to create meaningful relationships with my clients. Leaving the wedding that night, the couple expressed to me how grateful they were that I was the one to capture their day, and I knew right then that weddings were something I wanted to continue to pursue. So I did!
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 Miranda, and I’m a wedding photographer based in Sarasota, Florida. I began my journey as a photographer at San Francisco State University as a student and concert photographer, and pivoted my business to solely photograph weddings in 2020. I’m passionate about storytelling, and fascinated by the ability to capture a moment in time that can evoke memories and emotions for future generations to experience. I relocated to Florida from California in 2022, bought a house with my boyfriend, and am loving every second of the sunshine state! I’ve photographed countless weddings in the US, and am even venturing out of the country to photograph weddings in places like Mexico. I offer full-day wedding photography, wedding videography, engagement photography, and everything in between. My work is bright and true-to-life, and is both an honest and artistic depiction of one of the most special days of your life.
No matter how many weddings I photograph, I still get butterflies watching each bride walk down the aisle, I still feel the excitement of every grand entrance, and I still get teary-eyed during each father-daughter dance. Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime, and I feel honored to be able to capture so many couples’ special days. But between picking a venue, sending out personalized invitations, picking your first dance song, and planning your cake flavor, weddings can be a lot. I help my clients feel at ease on their wedding day by being a constant source of support and advice beginning the moment they get in touch with me. I work closely with my clients to help them understand what wedding photography entails, and how I work to bring their vision and stories to life through photographs. Because that’s what wedding photography is: telling the story of one of the most precious days of two people’s lives. And at the end of the day, my clients aren’t just clients – they become lifelong friends!
Wedding days are extremely special to me, and I want to make sure they’re documented in a way that will give my clients butterflies, make them excited, and make them teary-eyed when they look back on the photos for years to come.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
One of the most helpful resources I’ve experienced in my photography journey has simply been working with other photographers in the field. It seems self explanatory, but I didn’t realize the importance of this until I started working as a second shooter for various photographers when I was beginning my business. If you’re trying to learn more about wedding photography, the best thing you can do for yourself is work as a second shooter. Not only will you gain experience in understanding the flow of wedding days, but you’ll be able to observe and assist someone who has done it many more times than you have. As I was beginning my journey into the wedding industry, I thought that the most important thing for me to do was just to get some of my own weddings under my belt. But while that was important, it was even more important for me to gain a foundational understanding of the industry and the craft by watching someone else do it first. I’ve learned so many important lessons from being a second shooter that I still carry with me today as a lead shooter. And not only did I gain experience, but I also gained some of my best friends from working with them on wedding days!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy I’ve experienced for growing my clientele isn’t really even a strategy, and it comes naturally – it’s just building meaningful, organic relationships. It’s a mistake for any wedding photographer or videographer to think that the wedding day is about them. It’s not. We’re here as storytellers; our job is to capture the memories of the day and the feelings that come with them, and to be a source of support for our clients as well. I adopt this perspective every time I go into a wedding day, and it’s helped me not only create more meaningful work, but foster more meaningful relationships with my couples. I touch base with my clients frequently leading up to their wedding day, letting them know what to expect, organizing the flow of their day, and answering any questions they might have about the process. I make sure that they feel heard and respected, and that they know how excited I am to be able to share this special day with them. The majority of my wedding clients have come to me through word of mouth, and I’ve received so many heartwarming reviews mentioning how appreciative they were of my friendliness and communication. When you treat your couples as friends, rather than just clients, it’s amazing how your business can grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: mirandarosephoto.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/rosedphoto
- Facebook: facebook.com/rosedphoto
Image Credits
All images taken by me (Miranda Rose Photography)