Duel - A seminar with me and Matt McGraw

Back when I started this crazy business, I emailed this photographer I really admired. He was working out at the beach in Wilmington, NC and he had all this great work popping up all over the place. My career as a journalist was winding down and I was getting more and more weddings. On a whim, I called Matt McGraw to get some advice about starting my business. In the following months, Matt gave me more than advice. He provided enough referrals for me to actually leave my job.

I really owe the launch of my business to this guy. Since then, our businesses have grown in different ways. We're pretty close friends and talk at least once a week. And his lovely wife Tina loves chicken wings - so we were friends instantly.

We had talked about doing a seminar for a few months. Finally, after my StepUp workshop in January, I said, "Let's just do this thing." So, Duel was born.

Matt's blanket approach to shooting and marketing nets more than 300 inquires per year - and he shoots between 50-60 weddings per year. And he has a successful family portrait business as well. I wanted to do things a little differently. So, I focused on getting 20-25 weddings per year and providing very personalized service. Neither way is right or wrong. But we've both had a lot of success, despite a sagging economy.

I imagine it's because we both really care about our work. But we run our businesses very differently.

Seminar: Duel
When: March 23 (optional shooting with Matt on March 24)
Time: 9:30 a.m. until completion
Where: Shell Island Resort, Wrightsville Beach, NC
Cost: $250 per photographer ($100 extra for Matt McGraw shooting session on March 24)

To register, email me or Matt:
shane@shanesnider.com
matt@mattmcgrawphotography.com

Courtney and Marc

Usually, when I'm at the Lincoln Theatre in downtown Raleigh, I have a beer in my hand and my ears are ringing. When I saw Dinosaur Jr. there a year ago, it was one of the loudest shows I had ever heard. Great, but loud.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw GNR tribute band Appetite for Destruction there. It was a great show. I was sad, though... because it reminded me that I never started my own GNR tribute, Fat Axl. But I digress.

So, it was cool to hang out with Courtney and Marc this afternoon. I'll be shooting their wedding next month.

More contest wins

There's a relatively new group of wedding photographers I joined a couple of months ago called the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers or ISPWP. The ISPWP has a rigorous approval process. You need to be sponsored to gain entrance. I was sponsored by one of my favorite photographers in the world, Sergio Lopez. If you've never seen his work, grab a box of tissues and check out his website.

The organization holds quarterly contests for members. It's another very competitive contests with photographers from all over the world.

I placed 14th overall for the quarter. You can see the photos below.

My workshop - I love Charleston.

There are defining moments in everyone's lives. Usually, they are centered around a big event. Others come along quietly and when least expected. When Juliet Elizabeth offered her family's beach house as a location for a workshop, I took a leap of faith and just answered immediately, "Sure." Fast forward a couple of months and you would have found me losing a lot of sleep during the days leading up to the workshop.

A dozen different artists invested time, money and faith in me. I didn't take it lightly and truly tried to pour my heart and soul into the workshop.

It went beautifully. People were enthusiastic and excited to learn. Punam Bean really evened things out talking about her style of blog marketing. I spent a great deal of time discussing my belief that the real value of a wedding photographer should be found in the pictures, not just the stuff we sell. I think I made my case.

Then we moved on to shoot at two gorgeous locations. I really wanted the attendees to get outside of the box and have fun with the shoots... trying things they may not normally try. We had some spectacular results. As you'll see below.

Here's me, flapping my gums. Thanks for the photos, Juliet:





The incredible Punam Bean teaching us how to crack the destination wedding market:



And my good friend Joe Bunn, who talked about vendor relations:



Some of the pics I took at Lowndes Grove Plantation and The American Theater in downtown Charleston:











From The American Theater









I will post student photos soon!

Here's my great crew of attendees:

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