Video produced by Ron Dawson
A few weeks ago, we took part in the Pictage Uber PUG. Whats a PUG you ask? Its a collective group of Photographers with their minds centered on community. Within this community they engage on similar topics to find ways to grow their business’ & support each other. They’re in a lot of cities nationwide and you can find one near you here. What happens if you took a few cities in one state and combined them together? You create an Uber PUG. Thats exactly what happened a few weeks ago in Orlando, FL. During the PUG we had the opportunity to engage in conversation with published celebrity wedding photographerJoe Buissink. He is known for shooting the weddings of Reese Witherspoon, Kellie Pickler, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Applegate, Jessica Simpson, Christina Aguilera, Kelsey Grammar and many more. In today’s post, we wanted to share with you the 5 things we learned from Joe!
1. Your clients are hiring YOU to help them
This one was great to hear. Your clients aren’t just hiring you to just show up then wave goodbye and leave at the end of the day. They depend on your help. They are expecting you to listen, pay attention to things they may need from you or other vendors. If you hear them say something that is important to them. Remember that! If you show them that you understand their needs, there is a chance they’ll highly tell everyone they know about you. Joe mentioned to us a story of a bride that wanted something very special to happen on her wedding, once Joe showed the bride he understood her need and made it happen. He was her hero. Helping them goes a long way and this is something we also try to do with our brides.
2. The power of a print
From Day 1, Joe has printed his images for his clients and signed the images. Once it is signed it becomes Art. In today’s digital world, prints still have so much more power than digital images. Joe’s clients understand this and go to him for his incredible photography and prints that will last generations.
3. Find a personal project to reignite your passion
If you find yourself getting tired of doing the same thing over and over, if you feel yourself hitting a wall, try something new, something you’ve never done and experiment. Use your camera in ways that you never have. Have you ever tried shooting film? Tryout a Holga. Pinhole Camera. Long Exposure. Play with some light. Experiment with printing & mounting your own images. Have you ever tried shooting in monochrome on your camera? Try one of these experimental styles of photography to reignite yourself and direct your heart back to the reason you got into this thing in the first place. Playing with something new can put you in a new direction or keep you going the way you should be. You’re an ARTIST. Try something new once a month and show the world.
4. Try a different Perspective
Once Joe tried out his 14mm lens, he used it more. It has now become one of his favorite lenses. His perspective changed instantly. He was now able to capture his clients in a whole new way. Do you have a lens that you have in your bag but it never gets used because you find yourself shooting with the same lens over & over? Dare yourself to grab that never used lens and use it in a new way. Joe uses his 14mm by shooting from the ground looking up. It becomes a perspective many do not see often. Think of a new way to see the world and express it!
5. Make decisions for your clients.
Joe was relaying the story of when he recently shot Kellie Pickler’s wedding on the beach in the Caribbean. It was just her and her groom, and he visualized the ceremony to be in the ocean water. As he suggested this spot to Kellie, she immediately hesitated with “But… but, I have a $50,000 dress on!” So Joe’s response? ”Well, then, pick it up!” Kellie ended up loving the idea and had a beautiful ceremony in the middle of the ocean that made for some stunning photographs.
Thank you Joe, your passion and love for photography is contagious and reminds us of the true reason we became photographers.
