We recently connected with Whitney Schmidt and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Whitney, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
I first started out taking pictures of my friends and posting them on social media because I loved creating. Eventually I started taking my friend’s graduation photos and through that someone I didn’t know messaged me, I created packages for her to chose from on the spot! She eventually booked and it only fueled the love I truly have for photography.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Hi my name is Whitney Schmidt, I am 20 years old and have been taking couples and wedding photos for three years now. There has been quite a few up and downs but I am driven to create meaningful memories people can have forever! I specialize in Weddings and couples but also take a variety of different photos such as portraits, maternity and more! I focus on documentary style photography by directing my couples and capturing who they are together. I want your personality to shine through your photos, creating warm, creamy and authentic photos that will only increase in value as time goes on because of the memories captured. The photos we create will be unique to your relationship and personalities. I started getting into photography when I started posting pictures of my dog on Instagram and it had become a big page for her. Eventually I wanted to up the quality of the pictures and so I bought my first dslr camera and went to town! I eventually got curious about other types of photography and started taking pictures of my friends and family. Then eventually I started experimenting and coming on shoots with other wedding photographers and loved photography even more! To this day photography feels more of a passion than a job. I feel a little biased but every couple i’ve worked with are amazing people and I love them all.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Contracts and retainer fees are so important to lock the date! They help both you and the client not get screwed over. I learned this when one time I showed up to a location for graduation photos. I waited about an hour for her, I would’ve left but I had a shoot right after at the same location. After an hour she got out of her car and realized she booked two photographers at the same time and since she already paid the other photographer a retainer fee she went with that photographer.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
For a while I strictly did only graduation photos and portraits. I was quite intimidated by weddings! I was invited to join a styled shoot that someone was hosting. This shoot turned out to be more focused on bridals. I went even though I was intimidated and absolutely loved it, after that I decided to switch my whole business over to more couples and wedding photography and I haven’t looked back since! It was definitely a hard adjustment, I reached out to many couples asking them to put their wedding attire back on and do a shoot with me. I also asked other photographers in the area if I could tag along to their couples shoots or their weddings!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://whitphotographs.mypixieset.com/?fbclid=PAAabyqnx_SsnG6Awz5zqQLbeSOgMpBlZp9zKcVWPmdKWBi23NuEJV5tER4AE_aem_ARAh7tlRnIYHVClvS2d-5DkwvCS3pCg2kHVYilgmfNI6kRCX7WS8CwG34xVrGnDH_kw
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/whitmariephotography?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==