Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michelle Hartman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Michelle, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I’ve always been a hard worker. I’m the first born child, and also a Virgo, so I think its just a part of my DNA. But I also feel so passionately about what I do. And I’m always finding inspiration to learn and grow and be better. So that gives me energy to continue. Aside from that, I do believe in the golden rule of treating others the way you would like to be treated. And so from a service provider standpoint, I put myself in the customer’s shoes and think about what I could do to make them feel reassured and well served. Oftentimes, this entails going above and beyond to make people happy- but that is fulfilling in itself.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My name is Michelle, I’m the owner and lead photographer at Michelle Elyse Photography and I’m a destination wedding photographer. I’ve been documenting weddings since 2010 and I’ve loved it since day 1. Being a wedding photographer is such a privlidge and I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to live in a world full of great love stories, joy filled moments, beautiful decor and beautiful places.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I always tell people that the main things that create a great wedding photographer have seemingly nothing to do with taking pictures.
The first skill is making people feel comfortable in your presence. Because people have to be able to feel like they can relax and be themselves for you to capture the real them.
The second is to be a good listener. Even though taking pictures is a visual skill, its actually listening that guides me into the best photographs. By listening, I can understand and get to know my couples in order to intuitively connect with them and capture them and their day in a way that is authentic to them. I also spend a lot of my day guided by simply reading the room- especially before the ceremony begins.
The third is to keep an open mind. A lot of times during the wedding day- at least as a wedding photographer- things don’t quite happen exactly as planned, so you just have to roll with whatever comes your way. Its good not to be too attached to any specific shot idea because if the plan changes, that can hold you back from the creativity you need in the new situation that arises.
My main point of advice for people looking to grow and succeed in the wedding world is to simply listen to your couples and honor their personalities. No need to apply the cookie cutter poses and shots that you see everyone else doing- because those may not be authentic to your couple. Its so much better to capture the real them rather than imposing how you think the story of their day should be told.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
As a business owner, I have found the book titled the 4 Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris to have the most enduring impact.
I dont claim that in following this book I have actually achieved a 4 hour work week (lol! self employment realities). However, I think its enduring message to just focus on the few things that are truly effective in maintaining a business is really sound advice. As a photographer, there are so many ways that people can market themselves – such as instagram, pinterest, website, ads, networking events, styled shoots, etc- that it could take up your whole life if trying to spread yourself in every direction.
For myself, focusing on just a few things that are most effective in marketing and maintaining my business, and keeping things simple and streamlined has been a big contributor to my longevity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://michelleelysephotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelleelysephoto/
Image Credits
Michelle Elyse Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
