Meet Tori Buck

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

Tori , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
How do I keep my creativity alive? I keep my creativity alive by taking risks and trying something new. Something I feel may be different and that can set myself apart from others in the wedding industry. It may work and it may not, but what matters is I tried and allowed myself to step out of my comfort zone.

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?
Hello all! I’m Tori and I’ve been in the wedding industry for 21 years as a professional photographer.

I have photographed nearly 1000 weddings. I love weddings and every wedding is different and that’s what I love about my job that not every event is the same.

Different personalities and perspectives. And really adds to my creativity.

I started my brand back in 2003. Creating a brand is a lot of work, and keeping yourself and your business relevant is super important.

We have expanded over the years. We currently have 5 of us on staff and also an officiant. This past peak season was our biggest season yet, bringing in over 30,660 images. If you don’t think that’s a lot, imagine that is half the lifespan of one professional camera.

This year we are launching new services that we will be providing. We will be adding a Content Creator and Wedding Planning, and hope to launch prior to summer of 2024.

We have also added some new talented faces to our vendors list. We are looking forward to offering these two new services.

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?
Turning your passion into a thriving business is quite difficult. It takes a lot of time and hard work to build your reputation and brand. .Mingle with likeminded individuals, collaborate, and be open to those opportunities. I understand we live in a tech savvy world, but if you really want to be “seen”, my advice is to physically go out and seek opportunities. It’s easier for someone to brush off an email, text or call. Yet harder for them to dismiss you in person. Doing these things were the most impactful way to really get my business noticed. Set a schedule, pay yourself a wage, save your money for when business is slow, and make sure you brand yourself and offer something that sets you apart from the others offering similar services.

How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone who wants artistic photography and who wants their images to tell a story. Photographing is one thing, but being able to tell their story through still images is a craft. Anyone can take pictures, but not everyone can tell a story through them. You want your clients to be able to go through their album from start to finish and be able to see how they looked, how they felt (capturing emotion) and what their day looked like. You also want their family or friends that couldn’t attend their event to feel as if they were there. That’s the gift of artistry. I want our clients to be able to feel all of these emotions and be able to rewind to their best day ever and feel it all over again, and for a lifetime.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Tori Buck Jason Vickers Brooke Fugate

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