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Welcome to Stacy Reeves Photography!

Here you will find the latest on my most recent portrait sessions and weddings, as well as a peek into my personal life.  If you are in need of a photographer or would like to see more of my work, please use the "Portfolio" link above to visit my website, or simply click here.  You can also access a wealth of interesting and useful information using the "Info" link above.  Thanks for visiting--don't forget to leave a comment and let me know you stopped by!

Featured on NBC5!

If you caught the news last night or this morning, you might have seen some familiar images!  Channel 5 News did a segment on Trash the Dress sessions, and I was very honored to have some of my work featured in the story.  Trash the Dress sessions are portrait sessions done after the wedding in your dress where we go to a really cool or unique location and take some really fun, creative images that we couldn’t get before the wedding or on the wedding day.  Many brides choose to go to rustic old barns, abandoned warehouses, or jump in a lake or river.  I prefer to call these “Fearless Bridals” because destroying the dress isn’t the point of the session, and in fact in most cases the dress can easily be restored to perfect condition with a simple professional cleaning.  The idea is that you spend thousands of dollars on this gorgeous dress, and you should get as much wear and fun out of it as you can.  Many brides choose to bring their grooms along and turn it into a Day After session so they can get some unique, sexy images of themselves together.  If you’re interested in doing a Fearless Bridal or Day After session, shoot me an e-mail and we’ll set something up!

Here are some of the images featured in the story:

trash the dress fearless bridal rock the frock session by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
trash the dress fearless bridal rock the frock session by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
trash the dress fearless bridal rock the frock session by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
trash the dress fearless bridal rock the frock session by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
trash the dress fearless bridal rock the frock session by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
trash the dress fearless bridal rock the frock session by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

The story also featured two of my amazing colleagues and friends, Lynn Michelle and Jason Huang of Table4 Weddings.  To watch the segment or read the story, click here!

For some reason I though that I had already blogged this, and I am so excited that I hadn’t because now I get to show it off to all of you! Stacy B is one of my favorite clients ever, and not just because she has a fantastic name. As I mentioned on her bridal post, her impeccable style, friendly personality, and of course her stunning good looks make her pretty much the ideal client, and John Matthew has treated me like an old friend from the day we met. I can understand why their wedding party was so huge – everyone wants to be friends with these two! Here are some of my favorites from the day:


wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Love this image that they used for their post-wedding Thank You cards!
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Stacy Bilnoski and John Matthew McEnaney in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

I’m not sure that I have ever seen Jennifer and TJ without huge smiles on their faces. They (and their friends and family) are the type of people who are always having a good time and enjoying life, no matter what the circumstances. Despite the dreary weather, everyone involved with this wedding was so joyful and full of life all day, and I’m pretty sure everyone involved had a blast, including a few superstar wedding crashers – 50 Cent, Fall Out Boy, and Pete Wentz! If you’re in Houston and are in the mood to starwatch, Hotel Derek is definitely the place to do it, not to mention that it’s one of my all-time favorite hotel wedding venues. Here are a few of my favorites from the wedding day:

wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
After reading my blog post about making the garter toss a little more exciting, Jennifer decided to add a hundred dollar bill to her garter.  Wait until you see the results of that!
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Jennifer and TJ’s wedding easily wins the award for most paparazzi.. The photo below doesn’t even come close to showing you how many digital cameras were trained on the wedding party.. These are obviously my kind of people! :)
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Nothing gets the party started like group shots on a trolley!
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Luckily the rained cleared up for just a few moments before the reception and we were able to get some amazing shots around the hotel!
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Jennifer’s Maid of Honor and TJ’s Best Man gave some of the most heartfelt, hilarious, emotional speeches I have ever heard – I’m pretty sure the crowd enjoyed it!
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
I think every reception should get started with a massive group hug :)
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
So remember how I mentioned that Jennifer pinned a $100 bill to her garter?  Whereas at most weddings the single men would do anything to avoid catching the garter, at this wedding, we almost had a few black eyes as the guys fought their hardest to snag the cash!
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
wedding of Jennifer Neri and Anthony TJ Bernardo at the Hotel Derek in Houston by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

Jennifer and TJ, thank you both for being such a joy to work with and keeping a smile on my face all day. I loved working with you guys! Enjoy your lives together :)

Between seniors, newborns, and maternity sessions, it seems like I have really been stretching my creative muscle lately! Gara is a good friend who I owed a huge debt to after she referred one of my all-time favorite weddings to me, Jenni and Cade’s gorgeous garden affair, not to mention all of her invaluable legal advice, so naturally I couldn’t turn down the chance to photograph her, her husband Brandon, and their beautiful unborn baby boy Travis (who has now joined us – welcome to the world little T-rav!). Gara loves photography as much as I do, so we had been planning for this session for weeks, and I hope it was everything she dreamed it would be! Here are some of my favorites from the session:


rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
rustic country maternity pregnancy portrait photo session of Gara and Brandon Hill by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

It seems like forever since I photographed this wedding, which is both a blessing and a curse. I’m bummed at being so behind on blogging, but I love getting to relive old weddings over and over again! Courtney and Brian’s wedding was a great one, they are two of the nicest people you will ever meet, and naturally their friends and family were equally wonderful to work with. The whole day was so laid back and enjoyable, yet it was still an incredibly stylish, modern wedding. Courtney’s dress is one of my all-time faves, and I just adore her bright, unique color scheme! Here are a few of my faves:


Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
I love love love the ring shots from this wedding!
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
I’m not exactly sure what they put in the candy bar but I can only imagine it was ambrosia or gold-plated chocolate, because by the time we arrived the entire thing had been raided!
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves
Wedding of Courtney Skains and Brian Ray at McDavid Studio by Dallas wedding photographer Stacy Reeves

Tips for Photographers (T4P) is a regular feature where I talk about a cool tip that I think will benefit my fellow photographers. For more T4Ps, click here!

Every photographer should have an annual education budget. No matter how good you are, there’s always room to learn and grow, and who better to learn from than your peers? Learning opportunities are a fantastic way to pull yourself out of a rut and get inspired to reinvigorate your business and provide a better experience for your clients. After all, when you stop growing, there’s nowhere to go but down. However, there are so many learning opportunities to choose from, and many of them require a large investment, so it can be very confusing to photographers who are new to the game. Here is a bit of info on the different educational opportunities available to photographers these days.

Conferences: For wedding photographers, there are two main conferences – PPA’s ImagingUSA, and WPPI’s annual conference. ImagingUSA is held in January in a different city each year, rotating around the country, while WPPI is held every February/March in Vegas. Most conferences include a number of master classes (full-day or multi-day workshops taught by a photographer or studio to a small class), keynote speeches (30-60 minute speeches by industry leaders given in massive rooms to hundreds of attendees), short seminars, industry parties, and trade shows. Although conferences are a great place to learn, the biggest value in attending a conference is the networking potential. Rarely do you get to rub elbows with so many of the best photographers in the world all in one place and see all of the newest trends and products affecting the industry. And, if nothing else, it’s a ton of fun! With airfare, hotel, conference fees, and all the money you will inevitably spend at the trade show, conferences can be pricey, but virtually everyone who attends will tell you that the money is well worth it.

Workshops: These are the most popular form of education among photographers. Generally, workshops last anywhere from 1-5 days and are often held on the workshop-giver’s home turf (although lately many photographers are giving workshops in destination locations). These can be taught by one photographer, one studio, or a collection of different photographers. Workshops are great because you really get to delve deep into the workshop-giver’s business practices and shooting style, and it’s usually easy to get personal attention from them if you have specific questions. It’s also a great networking opportunity – I have met some of my best friends in the industry at workshops. Workshops tend to be the most expensive option – usually $1000-$2500, not including travel or accommodations – and there’s always the risk that you won’t get your money’s worth. I’ve personally spent thousands of dollars at workshops that I didn’t learn much from. My best advice is to talk to several people who have done the workshop before, and ask them about their experience. If the majority of them were pleased with their investment, chances are you will be, too.

National Tours: Similar to workshops, these are one-day speaking engagements given by a photographer as he/she/they travel the country. Usually held in hotel ballrooms, these tours often have hundreds of attendees, so personal attention from the lecturer is virtually impossible. On the plus side, these tours are generally very affordable (most are less than $150 for a full day) and convenient to attend since they come to your local area, and it can be a great opportunity to meet other local photographers. Unfortunately, because of the large number of attendees, often the topic matter is very superficial and generic, and in most cases a large portion of the day is dedicated to advertising the actions, software, or other products that the photographer is selling.

One-on-One Consultations: These are, in my opinion, the best option for most photographers. Ranging anywhere from $500-1500, these consultations are literally one-on-one – just you and the person giving the consultation. The topics can be tailored to suit you and your business, you can ask as many questions as you like and skip over topics that don’t apply to you. Most of the time these consultations also include a short photoshoot so that you can see the photographer at work. With this type of learning experience, you’re much more likely to get your money’s worth, but there isn’t the same potential for networking that you get with conferences, workshops, and national tours.

Many photographers are now doing webinars or selling DVDs and books, as well. Webinars are generally sponsored by an industry supplier such as an album company, printing press, canvas manufacturer, or web hosting provider and are free or discounted to their customers. DVDs and books are generally sold by photographers as a less expensive alternative to their workshops. Most of these options focus on a specific topic (for example, Zack Arias’ OneLight off-camera lighting DVD or The Image is Found’s Crazybooth Guide). These options generally cost a few hundred dollars and are fairly well-known in the industry, so I recommend searching for reviews on forums before making a purchase (but beware of anyone offering to sell you their copy at a deeply discounted rate – this is often a scam, not to mention blatantly illegal).

When searching for the educational opportunity that is right for you, keep in mind who you are as a photographer and what your long-term goals are. If you want to work mostly local, you should not be taking workshops from people who primarily shoot destination weddings. If your goal is to shoot 10-12 weddings at $15k each, you shouldn’t be doing consultations with photographers who shoot 50-60 “shoot and burn” weddings a year. Sure, you may learn a lot from these people, but chances are that much of their advice will not apply to you or your business. Remember that everyone’s work is unique, and the quality of someone’s work rarely reflects the success of their business. Instead of taking workshops from people whose images you like, focus on the business models that fit you, and learn from those people.

Updates and Availability

It has been awhile since I posted any business updates, so I decided that an Updates post is long overdue.

First and foremost, I recently removed the availability calendar from the website because it was changing far too often, but I wanted to make a note here to let everyone know our current availability for 2010. We currently have 18 weddings scheduled for 2010 and will only accept 5-10 more commissions for next year.  Here is what we still have left:

January – accepting one more commission – available the weekends of the 2, 23, or 30
February – booked
March – booked
April – booked
May – accepting one more commission – available the weekends of the 15, 22, or 29
June – accepting one more commission – available the weekends of the 12, 19, or 26
July – accepting one more commission – available the weekends of the 10, 24, or 31
August – accepting one more commission – available the weekends of the 7, 14, or 28
September – all weekends currently open
October – accepting one more commission – available the weekends of the 2, 16, or 23
November – accepting one more commission – available the weekends of the 6, 13, or 27
December – Stacy Reeves Photography is always closed during the month of December to fulfill holiday orders and prepare for the following year.  We occasionally make special exceptions (such as New Year’s Eve), so please contact us if you have a December wedding and would like to schedule a consultation.

If we are booked for your date, let us know and we will be happy to recommend some of our colleagues to you!

We are out-of-control excited about our weddings for next year.  We’ve got a laid-back fiesta at the Dallas Aquarium, a unique vintage garden wedding in New Orleans, a wedding between two opera singers in upstate NY, a retro 70’s-themed wedding in Costa Rica, a Day After portrait spree in Paris and Venice, a DIY backyard forest wedding in Royce City, several Iraq War veteran weddings, and countless other beautiful weddings throughout Texas and Louisiana.  I’ve always gushed about how much I love my clients, and I can say now more than ever that I am one of the luckiest photographers in the world.  I genuinely adore every couple we have on the books this year and next year, and I can’t wait to share all of their great stories (and images) with all of you!

We’re making a few changes to how we work next year.. Jena and I currently work Monday-Friday from 8-5 (and often several evenings), as well as all day on most Saturdays, and often on Sunday mornings or afternoons.  Although we do love our jobs and enjoy every minute of it, in an effort to take back our lives and get a little more quality time with our friends, family, and our darling better halves, we will no longer be photographing portrait sessions on weekends.  I hope that you all will be very understanding and will work with us to schedule your session at a time that is convenient for everyone involved.  We will offer exceptions for destination portrait sessions and scheduling emergencies, but we’re hoping to keep those to a minimum.  I’m really looking forward to having at least one work-free day off every week – I haven’t had that since college!

Furthermore, Stacy Reeves Photography is expanding!  We will be opening a brand new branch of our business very soon.. I can’t divulge too much at the moment, but essentially we will be offering a sexy new option for all of our brides.  Here is a sneak peek of what’s to come:

boudoir preview

There are also lots of pricing and product changes in the works for next quarter.  We will be launching a new album line, new package system, and new canvas print options.  I can’t wait to see the reaction to our new and improved offerings.  Stay tuned!