Even though I’ve spent more than half of my life working behind a camera I realized a couple years ago that there were still a few things I really wanted to photograph. Not specific goals in a career sense but things I thought would be fun and amazing experiences to have on a more personal level as a person who genuinely loves telling stories with a camera.
The list wasn’t long. I wanted to photograph a birth, document someone asking the love of their life to marry them, photograph live music beyond being in the audience with my point and shoot camera, and be the photographer at an underwater wedding. Knowing that I’d have more luck if people actually knew that I was eager to photograph these things I started mentioning them whenever the opportunity came up. And in the last year I’ve managed to check them all off the list except the underwater wedding.
In Seattle I tend to get a blank look in response when I mention the desire to do this. I wondered if the idea of getting married underwater was just a little too much outside of the box. And then I was diving in Honolulu last December and three people on the boat had been involved in an underwater wedding in some capacity. One was a groom, another was a bridesmaid, and the third had been the mother of a groom in a different underwater wedding. So I know they do happen but clearly they’re not out looking for a photographer in quite the same way as other brides and grooms.
I figure most people like to help other people and maybe one of you could help me.
I’ve learned you just never know who knows somebody who might be able to help you find what you’re looking for. So here is a little experiment to see if blogging about my desire to photograph an underwater wedding and asking if anyone might just know someone who knows someone can help me check off the last thing on my little photo bucket list.
And since I feel like this post wouldn’t be complete without pictures here is a favorite from a recent underwater bridal portrait session:
by Sacha Blue
1 comment
CT Wedding Photographer Val Nanovsky - Sacha,
Wedding photography is one thing, but when you take it underwater it is a whole new experience, a game changer, and I can totally relate to what you are saying about the weird look in people’s eyes when you mention the word “underwater”.
I am located on the East Coast, and I try to do similar things here, but IMHO, the potential market for something like that would be the Southern states, along with any topical destination. That is requirement #1. On the other side of the equation is the right couple for something like that, and that is where things start getting difficult.
I do think that it’s NOT impossible though, and sooner or later you’ll get to that, I am sure. It’s all a matter of how you market it.
There are a couple of channels I can think of… the apparent one would be Googling something like “underwater bridal photography” and getting deeper into the results… I remember recently coming across a place somewhere in the Pacific – I think it was in the Philippines – that specifically offers underwater weddings – get in touch with these people.
Another channel I’d try would be simply word of mouth – mention underwater when you discuss post wedding sessions with your clients… watch for their reaction… then ask more questions – if the couple you are talking to is not the right one, may be they know somebody who’d be ready to do it and has always dreamed of it.
I know that the above is probably way too general, but at the same time there is no recipe for something like what you are doing. Keep trying. That’s the best advice I can give you. You’ll get there.
LOVE your work.
Have fun,
ValJanuary 16, 2011 – 9:41 pm