By Sharon Burgess
Make Your Special Moments True To Your Story
Greg and I – Our Wedding – 1998
Photograph Copyright Wendy Ward Photography
With cameras readily available and the digital world taking a firm grasp of all things we do in our day, why would you hire a professional photographer to document your day/event? I’m taking the time to look around my home to see what images I have in frames, on my walls and decorating nooks and crannies. They’re photographs of my beloved mother, my husband, my children and my pets. They are special moments with friends and the people I treasure. Sure, I have amazing images on my devices as well, that I’ve taken with a brilliant little camera on my phone and not a photographer in sight (except me). But the photographs I really treasure are in print, on my wall and framed with care.
They give me inspiration when I recall how much my mother supported me, reassurance that I can always count on the people that I love and comfort to know that my memories of the people I love won’t fade. They’re not all perfect (in a photographic sense). Some are blurred and ridiculous and others are old and shabby. Some are stunning and picturesque. Regardless of how they came about, they all have character and remind me that an image doesn’t always have to be flawless. The photographs taken by a professional, like my wedding or family photos for example, are my favourites. How grateful I am that I have beautiful images of moments with people who are no longer here.
“I’ve realised there are times when you shouldn’t question whether you should have a professional photographer. “
I’m a private person and find marketing myself as a photographer daunting. I’m reserved and I’ve been contemplating how to do it all – write blogs, promote myself, choose the perfect photograph for my portfolio and the list goes on. And in order to succeed, I have to tell people more about me. Quite a quandary. Yet here I am, thinking of reasons why you should choose me as your professional photographer! Well, I have conviction in my work, I understand how to form relationships with my client’s and I love photography in all of its forms.
Talking about myself however … *crickets*.
Then I got to thinking that maybe this is one of my strengths? I’m a deep thinker and I have an affinity with people who are uneasy getting their photo taken. Some people may be uncomfortable to have someone they don’t know, in their own space telling them to ‘smile’ and turn this way or similar. I get it. When I say I’m uncomfortable marketing myself, I can see some striking similarities! Consequently, I understand how to get the best out of somebody when they feel awkward. I can give people a sense of calmness allowing them to focus on the things that matter. Our shoot could be a culmination of particular poses or it could be a spontaneous shoot where anything goes. At the heart of it all, I facilitate the energy of the day into a series of photographs that read as your story.
I want to assure you, I’m here to serve you with respect and get the very best photographs. I want you to feel comfortable and enjoy your time with me as your photographer. I want to collaborate with you so that your photographs reflect how you feel at that very moment. And I want the photographs to be beautiful, whether it be aesthetically or an effortless representation of what happened in that moment. I want you to look at your photographs in frames and feel about them, how I feel about mine. Grateful that I took the time to have those images taken with the ones I love. I want to build and nurture relationships. That’s really what I’m all about.
If you’re thinking about having a photographer shoot your family photographs, wedding or event, get in touch! I am a professional photographer servicing Perth, Mandurah and beyond!
