Meet Lisa Gilbert

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lisa Gilbert. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lisa below.

Hi Lisa, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
The joy I find in attempting to show others what I see through my lens has been a constant source of inspiration. Beyond the artistry, this career essentially saved my life. I was going through a very difficult divorce and was suffering from severe postpartum depression when I decided to take a leap of faith that my former hobby might be something worth developing into a career. Working with happy couples and loving families turned into a wonderful sort of resilience; my problems weren’t unique, and yet people were still going on with their lives, finding love, finding joy…bit by bit I began to turn their happiness into my own. Through my work, I have found solace and purpose, connecting with clients on a profound level as I weave their unique stories into visual narratives. Knowing that I’ve created something successful and brought enjoyment to numerous clients reinforces my optimistic outlook.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I have been photographing weddings for over 15 years, and I hope to be doing it for 15 more! My goal as a photographer is to be a storyteller — to document what I see without manipulating the outcome. I’ve photographed over 350 weddings, and countless families, high school seniors, and friends. Showing people how it is that I see them, how I am able to capture their authentic selves, is what keeps me motivated. There’s a unique kind of relationship that develops between people and their photographer — my aim is to earn a client’s trust so that they can focus on their partner, their wedding — and know that I am going to deliver photos that not only show how things looked, but also how they felt.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three biggest tips I would give to any aspiring wedding photographer are

1. Gain an understanding of your business BEFORE you take on the responsibility of capturing precious moments. Weddings have a lot of moving parts and I’ve seen many new photographers get in over their heads because they haven’t learned the basics of pricing, contracts, insurance, and even their own equipment.

2. Be humble. A wedding is not meant to be an opportunity for you to build and finesse your portfolio — if you’re lucky, you’ll come out of it with some wonderful photos, but if you go into a wedding day with a personal agenda, you’re going to disappoint or even upset your clients. This is their day, and photographers need to leave their egos behind

3. Never stop learning. Second shoot, take workshops, try new techniques, read, practice. Photography changes all the time, and the best way to stay booked and busy is to keep showing potential clients that we know what we’re doing and what’s going on with the industry.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
I would say my biggest area of growth has actually been *not worrying* about growth. I used to spend so much time on social media trying to stay up to date with what the newest trend was, trying to grow a following that was about numbers, not authenticity, and feeling dejected when the algorithms didn’t prioritize my brand. Exhausting! I finally let all of that go when I realized that my work can speak for itself. My followers are past and future clients, which is how it should be. My years of experience will always be my best asset, and the fun adventure of working with me will always create a legacy for my client, which is far more important than likes.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Lisa Gilbert Photography

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