Yesterday, as I sat in the pediatrician’s office for the fifth time in as many weeks, random ideas popped into my head forming a top ten list that you won’t see on Letterman. Inspired by the difference between how Facebook and I define newsworthy, I noted how I skimmed humble brags, selfies, staged bliss and elves-gone-wild antics in favor of charming seasonal moments of cute kids, fuzzy friends, and towns across the globe bedecked in twinkly lights. See, I’ve never been very good at following the herd, and it occurred to me that in building and refining my business the past few years, I have chosen not to embrace so many things that characterize Photographers (with a capital P). So with tongue firmly planted in cheek, I will share some reasons I could be classified as a fauxtographer:
1. I don’t use Photoshop. I learned to edit color and contrast using Lightroom when it was new on the scene. I decided that time was better spent learning my craft and camera than manipulating photos. Photoshop can create some amazing effects in skilled hands, but as a photographer, I’m more concerned with using the light and putting people at ease to create more flattering shots. On the rare occasion clients request extensive retouching or reshaping (beyond zit-zapping and digital Kleenex I do in Lightroom), I outsource to professionals with those skills.
2. I have never been to WPPI, the nation’s largest wedding and portrait photography conference. Each year, thousands of photographers descend on Las Vegas to attend seminars, network, wander the trade show and attend some rocking parties. On the rare chance that I can steal away from my family for a few days, Las Vegas is not on my wish list (although desert photo shoots look really fun!). 
Still, I enjoy professional development with other creatives. In April, I trekked to Vancouver for the amazing Canada Photo Conference with gobs of talented speakers in an intimate setting with fewer than 300 people. Oh, and it was no coincidence that I chose an event in such a gorgeous city! My hubby and I took a train from Seattle to Vancouver about a decade ago, and I was thrilled to visit again even though I was the only South Cacklackie attendee.
3. I’m an infrequent blogger. This understatement is a procrastinator’s way of saying I don’t queue up lots of posts and schedule them during peak Facebook and Twitter traffic, despite the SEO benefits. Life comes first. I am eager to catch up on some blogging in the new year though! I really enjoy culling my favorite images, whipping up posts that tell a story and occasionally make viewers laugh, weep or get goosebumps. Must do better.
4. I don’t offer mini sessions. I tried that the first couple of years. I enjoyed creating Christmas cards for my clients but was disheartened feeling like a mall grin factory. Some of the look-here-or-else images seemed so painfully contrived. I completely understand that people don’t want to spend a lot of time or money to get a decent card photo, so I defer to the mini session specialists and chain studios throughout the land. When you’re ready to invest an hour or an afternoon, please call me. I’d love to frolic outdoors with your crew and create some wall art or an album you can treasure for a while. Just be yourselves. No bribing, no tears, just the good and authentic stuff.
5. My logo uses no script. Shudder! I’ve seen it so much: new photographers rush to “brand” themselves by copying industry trends – even before they define their style, purchase insurance and remit sales taxes. The hope is that seeing their name in a nifty font or wedding-ish script watermark will make them credible to prospects. I believe my brand is what and how I create and deliver. Hone it and own it. Now that I see consistency in my style, the types of clients I attract and the situations where I excel, it’s time to consider packaging it in a shiny bow. Or maybe a burlap one. I’ll be doing that in early 2014, but my $30 Etsy logo has served me well for five years.
6. I let you play your own music. Ever done any personal research or wedding planning while you were at work? Then you know the last thing you need is to land on a site that suddenly blares sentimental tunes. Do you work in a more creative place where you play your own music? Then you probably aren’t wild about a conflicting song piping up, making you feel like you’re rounding the corner from adult to kids’ section in The Gap. A final reason I’m not keen on web sites with music is because of the licensing issue. It costs money to get permission to use a popular song on the Internet, and it is significantly more than the $1.29 you paid for a personal license. There are plenty of people who link an .MP3 file to their site even though they aren’t paying for the right to broadcast to a worldwide audience. As someone who creates visual art that I prefer not be stolen, I respect musicians and have no plan to steal from them.
7. I don’t care if you like me. On Facebook, anyway. “I’ll do a cartwheel and lasso the moon as soon as I get umpteen more likes!” Nope, you won’t catch me engaging in any reindeer games to boost my online popularity. I hope to do that by creating work that my clients enjoy and want to share. I work to build your trust so that you forget I am shadowing you on your wedding day. I strive to capture your children’s real smiles, not the cheesy grins that precede the promised candy reward. My cartwheels are no-strings-attached.
8. I much prefer stylish clients to styled shoots. Time is precious, so is my family. While I appreciate brides seeking inspiration and ideas online, I won’t be staging cutesy stuff with precious knickknacks and gorgeous models to shoot in my sideyard. Maybe you’ll be inspired by the real weddings I have photographed, which include plenty of clever ideas from fun wedding planners, stunning florals, heartfelt DIY elements from brides, and mason jars chock full of genuine emotions. 
9. I haven’t shot film in decades. Way back in the big-haired ’90s, I took a photography class at Emory, and my yearbook-skilled roommate set up a darkroom in our apartment’s second bathroom. Been there done that. And I may do it again someday. But if I were to hold up two 8×10 prints, most people wouldn’t be able to distinguish the medium used to create each image. Does the photograph make you feel something? Will your grandchildren be able to flip through your wedding album? That’s what I am going for. I’m not worried about the cool points. I abandoned any notion of those when I became a middle-aged suburban mom.
10. It’s mid-December, and my dear family has no Christmas card! This truly pains me. Between the house renovation, sick tots, traveling hubby and that thing called life, we have failed to take a card-worthy photo, place a festive stamp on our jubilant greeting and spread merriment the old fashioned way. Each day, I am reminded of my failure, as the kids and I race to the mailbox to see what fun sentiments are mixed among the bills and catalogs. So please, don’t nix us from your list. This just may be the year we surprise you with Groundhog Day greetings instead!
So there you have it. I’m a WYSIWIG gal. (Is that term even in use these days?) My approach is not for everyone, just as every client is not for me. In Charleston alone, there are hundreds of photographers, covering various price ranges, skill levels, photography styles and personality types. My hope is that you find the photographer who is right for you. It would be great to have more fun with them than you expected and to come away with some images that you love. Most importantly, display your favorite images in frames and in books you can hold and peruse on your lap with someone you care about flipping the pages with you. You just never know when your iDevice might go the way of the 8-track, and you don’t want to risk having your memories become pixel dust.
