Terrence Huie 5/30/19 Terrence Huie 5/30/19

How To Run A Wedding Photography Business

Happiness in the Workplace: The Life of a Wedding Photographer

Apollo fields | Denver wedding photographer | New York wedding photographer | Wedding photos | Engagement photos | wedding writer

Most people don’t enjoy their jobs. Whether it’s the fluorescent lighting or the no windows casino approach to work environments, the tired early morning commute or the death by a thousand cliches like “happy wife, happy life,” working in the 21st century is at best and worst a dull sort of suffering. The intermittent good days make the job not quite bad enough to quit, and the benefits of a stable job outweigh childish millennial pursuits like happiness in the workplace. Lucky for us, we don’t have that problem.

Heather called me yesterday after her 4th wedding of the weekend (!!), and I could hear her smiling through the phone. She was beaming about being in the center of a 30-minute horah (Jewish wedding dance celebration) and reflecting upon how grateful she is to have an occupation that lands her in the middle of these powerful cultural traditions. Despite having no ties to any sort of religion ourselves, more often than not, we are educated on and included into these intimate spiritual circles rather than being forced to the perimeters and relegated to the role of outsiders. Take that “multicultural day” at the office!

This wedding season, Heather has already shot weddings in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, soon to be Maine, and at the tail end of the season, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Travel is part of our jobs and we’ve learned that there is love to be photographed everywhere! In the past, we’ve photographed weddings from the Dominican Republic to Quebec City, Canada, and we’re excited to the places our jobs will bring us in the future. Our ever-changing workspace keeps our eyes fresh and the hundreds of miles of open road keep our hearts for adventure well-fed.

That being said, the life of wedding photographers can be stressful and inconsistent. We don’t have work until we book it ourselves, making security and stability in our profession an autonomous responsibility of discipline and dedication. We don’t have windows in our office either, but that’s because the sun is on our shoulders; and we can’t hear cliches because we’re too busy dancing to the live band. Sure, it can be hard to keep the energy level high as the season wanes on, but every time it begins to fade there is a tear-jerking moment to bring us right back into the fold. I would trade the dynamic difficulties of our job for the static grinding of the human will that permeates office culture a hundred times over—because at the end of our workday—we’re growing towards love rather than withering towards retirement.

Heather Huie 7/20/17 Heather Huie 7/20/17

Family Photography in Hunterdon County NJ

new jersey family photos | hunterdon county photographer | family photo session | apollo fields wedding photographers | summer session

This session just warmed my heart. I initially met Lindsay many years ago when she managed the local coffee shop in Clinton, NJ that my best friend Grace and I used to go to all of the time. We had complicated coffee orders, would stay way too long making Gilmore Girls reenactments, all while Riddle would cause a raucous. I don’t know why she liked us, except for the fact that we tipped, but for whatever reason we totally clicked.

Lindsay wore every hat at that coffee shop and brought so much positive energy to the place. She is one of those people who could do any job in the world, but belongs with people. She has great organization and hospitality skills and I have a feeling that one day we’ll be on some sort of project together. She’s also a lover of the outdoors and shares the same passion for eating healthy and local as I do. She loves supporting artisans and has a great sense of community.

When we first met her, she hadn’t met Brian – her now husband – yet. Grace and I absolutely pried into her personal life and would constantly bug her for details on her dating world. Occasionally, she would throw us a little quip about someone she was seeing and we would all gossip together like schoolgirls. It was all in good fun, but when she met Brian, it was practically fate. They make such a great couple and I’m so stoked that they now also have an awesome son, Henry.

Henry is absolutely full of life and cannot be contained. His huge personality made photos so fun because it very quickly became all about him. Following him around as he just ran from place to place with the biggest smile, and his curiosity was beaming. We almost had to reschedule the session when the weather was super rainy, but the skies broke and let us sneak the photos in. All of the rain did leave huge puddles and I could keep seeing Henry eying them. I knew it was only a matter of time and I think my favorite part of the whole session was the very end, when we let him finally jump in the puddle! The look on his face says it all :)