We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Miranda Tate a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Miranda, thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

If there’s one thing that I disagree with in the wedding industry, I disagree with how commercialized it has become. Don’t get me wrong– I love fancy, beautiful, elegant things, and I LOVE a good party. However, I truly believe that while all these things are lovely and should absolutely be incorporated into the most special and important day of your life, I also do not believe that these are the things that should be focused on, and I don’t believe that these things will last. Even in the high-end luxury industry, I focus on people, on relationships, on intangible moments and all things romantic. Yes, I will absolutely capture photos of the shoes, the gowns, the flowers, the venues, the rings, and those little details that make your heart swoon. But when my clients see their wedding galleries, they know that that isn’t what they’re about. It’s the moments and the people in the end that will stay, and the photos that I take carry memories to last a lifetime.

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 never expected to be a photographer or a business owner– let alone both. I had never owned any kind of a business before, and I had never even owned my own professional camera until October of 2020. It was at this time that I desperately needed a hobby. My Pinterest board was full of over 30,000 pictures of detail elements, happy couples, and wedding inspiration, and the idea finally struck that I could take some photos myself. I purchased a camera and sought out couples who might let me take their photos and wedding photographers who might allow me to tag along and assist them at weddings at no cost. It was soon discovered that I had an eye for it– clients were paying me and I had developed quite a following. Within a year, I left my full-time job to pursue my new career in wedding photography.

What most sets me apart as a wedding photographer is that I focus on organic, true emotion and relationships. To me, everything is flexible. What matters most is my couple, their family and friends, the people present on their wedding day and I want to capture it. I also don’t want anything to get in the way of them enjoying their day to the utmost amount. What my couple wants is what I want.

I also am constantly learning, growing, improving. My editing and photographic style changes bit by bit, every day. I carefully walk the balance between editorial and journalistic, between directed and candid, between aesthetically pleasing and completely organic. I strive to incorporate all of these into my artistic philosophy and then incorporate elements of the couple’s relationship with me and with each other to produce a quality product that will become a family heirloom for ages to come.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The first lesson that I had to unlearn is that there is no one right way to do it. When I first began this journey, I had the incredible opportunity to assist and shadow some of Los Angeles and Orange County’s most celebrated photographers. Each of them were very passionate about the way that they chose to work, and felt strongly that it was the only and best way to do it. However, many of these methods and preferences were contradictory to others. It was also a lot of information for a beginner, and I was overwhelmed. I am grateful for all that I have learned, and I think that I would not have grown as quickly as I have if it weren’t for them; but on the other hand, I did learn that there isn’t one right or wrong way to do anything in such a creative field, besides this: honesty, integrity, and happy customers. Everything else that you choose is up to you.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I would recommend to anyone looking to build a presence on social media: be yourself. Clients buy your products because they like your products. Followers follow you on instagram because they like you, or they want to. This is a place to build and represent a personal brand– the you behind the product. It isn’t a place to advertise only the product that they want to buy, but the reasons why they should, the company, brand, values, and person behind the product. Social media is a place to express personality and build brand loyalty. The people who connect with you, with what you do, with the things that you stand for and even your odd quirks and differences are the people who will cheer you on, support your business, celebrate your successes and refer you to their friends. Social media is not only my primary source of clientele, but it is also a primary source of connection, feedback, inspiration, and motivation for me. Have fun with it and connect!

Contact Info:

• Website: mirandatatephotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirandatatephotography/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirandatatephotography
• Yelp: https://goo.gl/maps/wW7Fk25go8HRmLC79

Image Credits
miranda tate photography