Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Whitney Stark. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Whitney thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

In the wedding industry, trends are CONSTANTLY evolving. Every month there’s something new, a new video will emerge, wedding photos, a tiktok or instagram reel about what to have at your wedding, and then for a few months, that trend will live on in every wedding that you see. I love the ever-changing wedding trends. It keeps photographing them new and exciting and gives couples the opportunity to make their wedding different or stand out from the traditional look of a wedding. For a while, neon signs were all the rage. There’s still some to this day but now everyone has the big marquee letters at their wedding typically on the dance floor. I also think flowers have become a huge part of weddings, more so than in the past. Now, weddings will have these huge, gorgeous floral structures all over the ceremony and reception. Typically the ceiling will have hanging florals, the tables will have huge centerpieces and there will be ice sculptures with frozen flowers inside. Wedding trends also open the door for more sentimental aspects as well, such as taking your mom’s wedding dress and wearing it for your rehearsal dinner, or having the oldest couple be your witnesses instead of wedding party, having grandmothers as flower girls, or brothers as ring security. I love the trends that involve your family and friends. I of course love the switching out champagne tower for espresso martini towers, or having a late night snack passed around before the dancing ends, but I love the trends that add a sentimental value to your wedding. Those are the ones that make your wedding unique and so special. I don’t think there are negatives to following trends or having the trends change. The only “difficulty” it can create for photographers is the couple might want more specific photos, like ones they’ve seen on the trends. Such as the flowers surrounding the brides face or the wedding party walking in front of the bride kissing. This isn’t a hardship for photographers but it does add on to our list of responsibilities but it’s important we make time to get the shots the couple wants! So if they want trendy photos then by all means – they’ll get them!

Whitney, 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?

Hiiiiii there! I’m Whitney Stark, a 25 year old destination wedding photographer based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. To say I’ve always loved photography is such a cliche but I guess that’s where we can start! In second grade, we had to write a paragraph about what we wanted to be when we grew up. We dressed up and presented to my parents. My best friend chose a photographer so obviously I had to choose photographer as well. I borrowed my grandmother’s circa 2000 point and shoot camera, brought it to school, and presented my 3 sentence paragraph about how cool it would be to be a photographer. I didn’t know anything about photography. But I think from there, I made it my personality. In 3rd grade my mom bought me a pink point and shoot camera and I thought I was hot stuff at that point. I made my friends do photoshoots, dressed my brother in costumes, and took pictures of the dogs for the years to come. I dallied in photography here and there but never took it seriously. People knew I took pictures but it was just meh. Freshman year of College, my friend sat next to me in class, took my computer and signed me up for the LSU school newspaper as a photographer. Turns out it was the best decision of my life – I learned manual settings the night before my interview, I met my best friends, clients started taking me seriously and hiring me, and I met my husband. Fast forward, from there I just started taking pictures! Seniors, family, couples, anything I could get my hands on. In 2017, I decided I needed to name myself, so I came up with Les Petits Bijoux Photography, and that’s where things started to kick into action. I essentially worked a full time self-run business while being a full time student, while also working a part time student photographer job. There wasn’t a moment when my life wasn’t chaotic. But, I’m so happy with where I am and I have that chaotic part of my life to thank. When graduating I told everyone I was going to do my business full time. Everyone was nervous and wanted me to have a fall back but overall supportive. So I worked my booty off and was able to go full time when I graduated in 2020. Since then, it’s been the same stuff, different day! I’ve grown and evolved so much. I’ve learned artistic style, editing, posing, authentic storytelling photography, business side of things, taxes!! I’ve invested a lot of my time and money into learning and I truly think that’s what has my business where I am today. A year or two ago I decided to take this thing on the road! I love traveling and I love taking pictures of people so I combined these two and made myself a destination wedding photographer. So now I get to travel the world, capturing adoring couples along the way and it truly makes my heart soar. There’s not one place I wouldn’t go. I love the flexibility behind my job and love that I can morph it into what I need it to be.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

With photography being an individual and artistic job, it comes with a lot of opinions and a lot of different ways to do things. Ever heard the expression “there are many ways to skin a cat?” That’s photography. I think the hardest lesson/thing for up and coming photographer’s to learn is that there is no one way to do things. Photographers and creatives in general are typically the number one job to self sabotage. By comparing yourself to others, trying to copy what other photographers do, or just never doing your own thing – I think people limit themselves in that way. Your photography business is just that – yours. For a lonnnngggggg time I constantly compared myself to other photographers I knew. I’d say “we’re on the same level” and then I’d watch them gain 5k followers and travel the country and I would think I’ve “fallen behind.” Or whenever it would come time to adjust my pricing, I would go look at what others around me are charging and base it off that. Whenever I stopped worrying about what others were doing and basing what I did off of them, I feel like my business started to flourish. Imposter syndrome is huge in the photography world. I think it’s important to remember that yes, there are 1000s of photographers out there, maybe even dozens in your city, and they can all take pictures – but what sets you a part from the others? What can you bring to the table that others can’t – and that’s where you need to advertise and double down on it. For me, it’s my personality. I’ve been told I make people feel incredibly comfortable while taking photos and the photoshoots are seamless, not stiff and awkward. That’s huge in the photography world. Others might have a knack for better storytelling poses or their editing may be super unique. Just stay in your lane, focus on your own business, and that’s where you’ll really see the changes and success in your business – the moment you stop comparing yourself to others. Be proud of you, yourself and your business. Okay sorry that was a Ted Talk- ha!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Show up!! Show your face!! Instagram and social media in general are bigger than ever. Like I said earlier, photography is such a personalized business and each photographer is unique. Build a community on social. I spend at least an hour a day just responding and messaging people on insta who responded to my stories or made comments. I love my little community. The first time someone told me to talk into the camera, I said hell to the no. I remember the first time I did it too. I put a fat filter on my face, restarted the video like 12 times in the Starbucks drive through and probably spewed some random bs about nothing. BUT, I distinctly remember multiple people making comments to me in person or in response to my videos about how it was so good to see my face or they loved hearing xyz. At that time I had a separate instagram for personal and business. Now, I only have a business account because I post all my personal life happenings on my business account! My clients love being involved in my life! People love to get to know people. I can’t tell you the amount of inside jokes I have with random followers and clients just from conversations. By showing your face and talking to them through stories, reels, tiktoks, you open the door for conversation. By building a personal connection, it makes people feel like they already know you and when the time comes, they might book with you! I have lots of people who make comments such as “when I get engaged I can’t wait to have you photograph my wedding” and it’s people who I haev never met in person but we talk at least once a month on social! Also don’t be a photographer who only posts “portfolio pics”, post all the pictures. Post reception, getting ready, personal ones – all the pics. I will admit I’m trying to be better about this. But people have created a stigma that you have to post your best of the best pictures only and that’s not true. Just post what you do! post the story! post everything. Also make sure you have a pic of yourself once at least every 9 pictures. It’s important if a rando comes to your page that they can easily pick out which one is you! But also don’t worry about having 10k followers. Just speak to your people. Some of the most successful photographers I know have like 5-8k. I have 2k right now and I’m totally fine with it. I have 2k followers and I have a bunch of people I talk to all the time and engage in my stories and posts. That’s whats important. Not the number but the amount of followers who engage.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lpbphotos.com
• Instagram: @lespetitsbijoux_
• Other: Pinterest: https://pin.it/4hhZXpQCFAlso I think it’s worth mentioning that I do offer mentor sessions for beginner photographers! Because it’s hard to know where to start and what to do and which outlets to focus on!

Image Credits

Whitney Stark with Les Petits Bijoux Photography