Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sarandon Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Sarandon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?
When I started in the industry 6 years ago there were some big name players in wedding photography pushing out educational content that was very influential for many budding photographers. Their educational programs were easy to digest and made breaking into the industry seem easy and straightforward. No wonder their “5 steps to a 6 figure photography business” style programs sold so well, they were so enticing. Fast forward 5 years and I started realizing that those programs did one thing really well, make me (and thousands of other photographers) a clone of the style and process taught through those courses. I felt like I was stuck in a mould and had to figure a way out.
After this realization I had to completely re-learn my craft – opening my mind to a whole host of things that I hadn’t considered before. My style and career changed when I learned how to de-standardize my approach to weddings as a whole and see each wedding a client as their own event and person.
I learned to embrace imperfections in my work. Previously I had become so preoccupied with creating work that was *perfect*. Perfect composition, perfect tones, perfect poses. And when you’re so focused on making everything perfect suddenly all of your work starts to look the same. Unlearning that desire for visual perfection helped me create imagery that was far more meaningful that it had ever been.
Lastly, the education that had influenced me to heavily in my work had also had the unintended impact of making my brand exclusive to clientele that fit into the marketing I had been taught. I had to think long and hard about to how make my brand inclusive to clients of all identities, orientations, abilities, etc. It was a hard process to unlearn the prejudices and rebuild a brand that was welcoming and affirming.
The un-learning process I went through shaped and molded me into an entirely different photographer, and if I had to start over I would tell past-me to look beyond the one-stop-shop education and instead build a well-rounded and inclusive circle of influence that would nurture me into an inclusive photographer with a mind and eye more open to the raw moments, feelings, and experiences that make my clients unique.
Sarandon, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am Sarandon, a fine art photographer based near DC. I started working in the events industry 6 years ago and specialize in photography for weddings and celebrations. My clients are marriers who crave an experience that celebrates who they are together, affirms their love for each other, and supports the vision they have for their unique celebration.
My work captures events with an editorial eye – documenting your celebration in images that freeze time in a stunningly authentic way. My clients invite me into the most intimate and vulnerable days of their lives and entrust me with the task of building a window they can look through to relive the big and small moments of their wedding for years to come.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For years I was a fine artist whose focus was painting. I enjoyed exploring oils and watercolors, creating colorful and intriguing visuals on paper or canvas, but my art lacked an element of human connection. When I started exploring photography and specifically working in event photography I was able to finally experience that connection in my art while documenting such uniquely human experiences.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
There came a point in the last few years where I realized the barrier that was keeping me from “leveling up” in the industry was having an overly systematic approach to my work. Releasing my systems and expectations that I would carry from wedding to wedding was what I needed to start capturing images that stop you in your tracks – the ones that say “this wasn’t just another wedding” and instead tell a story of one moment in time. As a creature of habit it was tiring and anxiety producing to let go of my dependable go-to’s, the shot lists and formulas I had relied to heavily on, but in doing so I was finally able to do justice to each event that is unique to each of my clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sarandonsmith.com
- Instagram: sarandonsmithphoto
- Facebook: sarandonsmithphoto