How I Became a Wedding Photographer

It was 2007. I was working at First Tennessee Bank. I had just become licensed to sell insurance and annuities. After my very first insurance sale I came home to tell my husband, Chris, that I wanted to start my own insurance business. We had only been married for 2 years and had only lived in Tennessee for 2 years. And did I mention that I was only 21? His response to my wanting to start an insurance business was that it was risky, we didn’t have the start-up funds, we had just bought a house and he was in Iraq… so, he let me down gently pointing out all of our adult responsibilities.

He loved me, though, and could tell I was sad, so he suggested that I do something that I love.

And he mentioned that I loved photos.

So, he suggested I become a photographer. It sounded like a great idea to me and he thought I’d have a good “hobby” to keep me busy (hehe).

I got right to work detailing everything I’d need. I would need a website, a camera, lens, memory cards, a camera bag, and some business cards. I started working on a website before I even started taking pictures. And back then, we didn’t have easy drag and drop websites. I learned to write code and I stayed up for hours figuring it all out. I begged people at the bank to let me photograph them and their spouse (hats off to Jimmy & Jenny (below) - they were the first couple I ever photographed).

Every place I’d go I would tell people I was a photographer and hand them my card. I charged $25 for an hour session and most of the time I’d show up in heels because that’s what I wore to the bank.

Soon I was quite busy and loving it. Not making nearly enough to quit my day job, but I loved it.

I was hooked.

I loved the photography aspect AND the business aspect.

After practicing and begging people to let me photograph them and practicing some more, I quickly became frustrated that I wasn’t getting better faster. I enrolled in a class photography class at Pellissippi State Community College. And then I realized that I didn’t learn photography very well in a classroom setting, and I wanted real life experience.

I feel old saying things like this, but information on the internet was not as easily accessible as it is today.

YouTube was still new and no one was on it.

So, I had to go carry bags. Do some grunt work. And I sought out my favorite photographers. Photographers that I wanted to be just like. They were a husband and wife wedding photography team out of Maryville. I was a THIRD shooter, a light holder, and whatever else they needed. And I am forever grateful to both of them. After a year or two I learned how to be the photographer I had been yearning to be.

This month, March of 2019, I have been a photographer for 11 years.

It’s been hard. I’ve wanted to quit more than I’d like to admit.

It’s been amazing. I’ve photographed over 250 weddings. Made some incredible friends. And some of the very first clients I ever had I still photograph to this day.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! If there is something you want to do, I hope you go after it. It might become just a hobby, but it may become so much more. And you’ll never know if you don’t try.

And because I want to leave you with something pretty, here is one of my latest couple sessions from the fall - Meet Makenzie & Preston

We have a new addition!

Y'all, we have a new family member! His name is Luke Joseph Conner and he made his entrance into the world on April 14th at 9:30am. We are so in love and so sleepy. We had the best doctor, Dr. Christina Shaw of Women's Care Group, and the best group of nurses at UT Medical Center. 

Megan Flanagan of Break the Mold Photo is a good friend of mine and also an INCREDIBLE birth photographer and I can't tell you how lucky I was to have her document this special day. I am so thankful to every single person that we had around us that day and the days following. With tears in my eyes and all the love in my heart, I share this very personal post. Here is how our day went...

Snow day!

We always have fun on snow days! 

Family Portrait Sessions // 2015

This is an open letter to all of my amazing family portrait clients and any clients wondering if I offer portrait sessions.

Hello my incredible clients! 

I want to start off with a huge thank you! I started my business photographing portrait sessions and it is something that I have always loved to do. I love to meet and interact with families & couples! Being around people is seriously the highlight of my day. Creating images that people can look back on and share is why I am a photographer. 

Last year, my little man, Wyatt, started kindergarten. This change in our lives really rocked our world. You see, with me being a business owner and my husband being a police officer that works all nights and weekends, it really changed things. When Wyatt was in daycare, he hardly ever went a full week. Our family days were on week days. With the start of big boy school family time became limited and that time became even more precious.  (I will get to the point soon, I promise :))

Below are a few pictures from Wyatt's first day of Kindergarten. Photos by the lovely Kristen Peddicord of KLP Photography. 

So, last year Wyatt started school and I continued on with business as usual. I soon found out that I was having a hard time being a good Mom that helps with homework, that is there to tuck him in and that is not a frazzled mess from being so busy. I was so overwhelmed. In September & October of 2014 I photographed 29 sessions and 9 weddings. With my husband working nights half of the month (including weekends), I was having a babysitter over entirely too much. I was feeling like a failure.

The reason for me spilling my guts? 

I want you to know that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to take your family's portraits, but not at the expense of failing at my first and most important job of all, being a Mom. This year I am only photographing weddings, engagement sessions only for wedding clients, and boudoir sessions. Boudoir sessions will be photographed on weekdays during the day and some select weekends. 

Thank you so much for your past, present and future support! I appreciate you all more than you could possibly know. A lot of you have become friends over the years and I treasure that! I have enjoyed watching your families grow.

Much love, 

Brittany 

Bringing Home Sweet P

Last night I photographed joy. The joy of bringing home a daughter that was prayed about for many years. It was so incredible. Kristin Peddicord is a Knoxville Wedding Photographer, as well as videographer with her husband Casey Peddicord and they are good friends of mine. They are both kind, loving, God fearing people and two people that were on a mission. They not only prayed for Sweet P, but they organized countless fundraisers, opened up about their infertility, and stayed faithful through it all knowing that this day was coming soon. If you would like to read about their journey it's right here: Joy in the Waiting . 

Here are a few photos from bringing home their sweet P...