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Connection. Let’s talk about it. 

Imagine having a photographer on your wedding day that you didn’t connect with. Maybe you’ve only met them once or maybe even never before your big day. What a nightmare it would be to end up with a photographer that didn’t listen or understand you as a person, maybe even made you uncomfortable. 

Disconnects such as these are what lead couples into having wedding photos they HATE. And unfortunately, I hear ladies tell me all the time they hated their wedding photographer, or that their photographer refused to work with what they wanted.

A few things that can help you avoid these situations is to research your photographer. Find out if you have the same things in common. ALWAYS ask for a website or portfolio. Their portfolio not only shows you their work but it also gives you an understanding of the types of shots you'll be getting from your own day. And lastly, if you can meet them in person, do it. Your first interactions can ease a lot of your nerves or allow you to pick up indications that you are not the right fit for each other. Just because a photographer is in your price range DOES NOT mean they are the photographer for you. 

My clients get face to face (or video chat when they are out of state) meets with me, wedding welcome guides, wedding timeline templates, engagement sessions, couples questionnaires, my expertise and advice that I've learned from the wedding industry and so much more. Why? 

Because I know Connection. Is. Everything. 

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Sacrifice.

It is a word we hear all too often when it comes to members of our armed forces and their families. Growing up near Ft. Bragg, North Carolina I’ve had the opportunity to interact and befriend many of these families myself. As a photographer, I have had the incredible honor of photographing some of their most precious moments, and to let you in on a little secret — these clients have been some of my favorite people on the planet. 
 
When Nicole reached out to me this summer and explained that she never had the chance to take photos in her wedding dress along with her husband, I was ecstatic that she wanted me to be the one to capture the moment, and I knew just the location for them, an intimate little tree line right outside town.
 
Little did I know this location was going to be one for the books. I had been told by other photographers that the land belonged to an old man in the area and that he really enjoyed watching people capture the beauty of the spot, and I personally had been longing for the right couple to come along and share it with. 
 
After about 20 minutes into our session we were interrupted by a very friendly puppy (he wasn’t really a puppy, but everything is a puppy in my book) that was very excited that he had discovered a few new friends to play with. As many young dogs that get over-excited, he began to jump up on me, now I’m a tiny person weighing about 108lbs, so this dog was not making it easy for me. Evenly I tried to push him off, and my hand (my camera hand, might I add) got snagged by his teeth. We ended up getting back in our cars to wait for him to leave as we were scared that he was going to get to Nicole’s’ wedding gown. 
 
After a few minutes, the pup figured out we were not coming back out to play and he disappeared into the woods on the other side of the property. Afterwhich we emerged from our cars to finish the session that — despite our run-in with the dog — ended beautifully with a fading sun in the background.  
 
As for me, my hand hurt of a few days after the session but because no skin was broken, I decided an urgent care visit was unnecessary, seeing as I’m currently typing this a few months later I think I am perfectly fine. I do not regret using the location. I’ll definitely return in the future, maybe with a dog bone though, and I am grateful for these two and their willingness to stick it out with me. Thank you both!

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I’ve been itching to write this piece for some time now, and today is finally the day. 

Let’s talk about diversity in the wedding photography industry. Full disclosure I am a “mixed” or biracial photographer, meaning my father is from the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina (Native American) and my mother is German (Caucasian). Throughout my upbringing, the white kids didn’t believe I was Native because my skin was fair, and the Native kids didn’t believe I was Native because again, my skin was fair, so I can relate to feeling like you don’t belong somewhere. 

Unfortunately, many prospective brides feel the same way. They don’t feel beautiful because they are not what the world calls the “perfect bride” the: rail skinny, 6’2, blonde (for the record I have nothing against women of this stature — every woman is beautiful). What saddens me is when clients come to me asking to “make them skinny” or if I even photograph couples of mixed races — WHAT?! What photographer turned to these people and told them they wouldn't photograph them because of what they looked like? It's mind-blowing.

As many other brides and photographers do, we like to search for photographers on Facebook and Instagram because they produce images that are inspiring. But when you go to a photographers’ page and all you see are a ton of happy people that look nothing like you…I can’t imagine how that makes a bride feel...that the photographer of potentially her dreams doesn’t photograph women like her. 

JC Photography prides itself on diversity and encourages women, men, partners, and couples of all walks of life to find a photographer that loves who they are as people because at the end of the day that’s what we all are: people.  

Diversity is stunning. Every last piece of what makes people different is beautiful. Their personality, their smile, how they love, the way they party at the reception. ALL. OF. IT. IS. BEAUTIFUL. 

So to the bride that doesn’t look like her…I see you, and you are just as gorgeous.     

Oh, Aaron and Sarah WHERE do we begin with these two. At the beginning of the wedding process we love to get to know who our couples really are so when I asked Sarah how she met Aaron she responded, “he just kept walking into my clinic over….and over…and over.” And what sounds like a very painful experience for Aaron turned out to be a beautiful love. 

These two had actually been married for 9 years before they had the chance to “tie the knot” in front of their family and friends. If you know anything about Army life you can probably relate to why they’ve waited so long, but none the less the big day had arrived, and man was it exciting.  

Sarah spent the morning surrounded by her best girlfriends and her number one fan, her 3-year-old daughter. While Aaron spent it with a few of his lifelong buddies and his two sons. 

As the bagpiper began to play, and the melodies of the instrument flooded the inside of the venue we knew the time drew near to take that walk down the aisle. 

Fortunately for us, this day was just getting started and the real fun was just about to begin at the reception where everyone joined the bride and groom on the dance floor and — I kid you not, danced the night away.   

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Where do I start with this session!? I’ve known Tyler JUST about all of her life. I’ve watched her grow from a child who was practically scared of her own shadow to a fearless, strong and beautiful young woman, but Tyler’s natural beauty isn’t the only thing that makes her beautiful. 

When Tyler was born her family was informed, she had a heart condition that would eventually need several surgeries to repair. After many long recoveries and what felt like a lifetime later Tyler was left with a large scar right down the middle of her chest. I watched her for a long-time struggle with being self-conscious about certain types of clothing she wore because it revealed her scar. 

Then one day something happened, she woke up and she owned it. The dress Tyler wore during her session not only showed her battle scar, but it embraced it. 

As women in society, we are told that anything that is not polished or blemish free isn’t beautiful, but I disagree. There is nothing more empowering as a woman than being able to embrace the setbacks you’ve been given in life and look your fear in the eye and say, I won. 

Seeing Tyler standing beside her other half, Bryce, and looking so stunningly bold, and fearless was truly inspiring. 

Tyler and her family will forever be humbly grateful to the amazing medical staff at Duke Children’s Hospital who helped her along the journey to recovery!

I am currently 21 and (11/12ths) years old haha which really means ill turn 22 in exactly a month from today. Yeah, I know...I seem young to own my own business, but alas it is true. See the great thing about photography is that it is an art form that doesn't come with an age limit, sometimes it doesn't even come with experience although I would never encourage you to trust someone with no experience, that usually never ends well. Since we are talking about the experience I think its time I tell you about mine which I'm sure is a key factor in your decision to book me.

I started when I was 16 (you can do the math that is almost 6 years of experience) It was my senior year in high school and I needed a senior project. I'd always had a fascination with photography and decide that I might as well do a project on something I was passionate about. My senior project lead me through a few free photo shoots and I even turn my father spare "golf" room into my own personal portrait studio (he wasn't trilled). I learned Alot through my project and stuck pretty close to the hobby after I graduated high school. Toward the end of my undergraduate college career, I decided to take the leap of faith and open for business, so on July 31, 2016, JC Photography was born! 

Since opening "shop" in 2016 in Robeson County, NC things have been pretty steady, I have met so many different people through photography, not just clients, but I have made friends along the way, and even inspired a few people to open their own businesses as well.

And now your next question is going to be well if you opened shop in Robeson County what in the world are you doing in Raleigh? Well, the answer? I was accepted into the North Carolina State University Grad School for Communication which is also what I got my undergraduate degree in at UNC-Pembroke (Go Braves!)

So as you can tell my business and I have been making steps together. I "up'd" my collegiate game and my business made the jump to the big city of Raleigh which altogether is exciting for me. I have been here for about two weeks now and this is what I've learned so far: Don't go anywhere if you don't have to from 5 pm to 6 pm, avoid I-40 at all cost, and the one traffic rule everyone follows is "I don't care what you do, as long as you do not hit me"

So now that you've met me I am so excited to hear from all of you! Send us an email and let us know your story we love to make friends especially in a city full of diversity!