Today, we have the privilege of sharing insights from a seasoned professional whose lens has captured moments that transcend time and emotion. Through their skillful eye and creative vision, they have transformed ordinary scenes into extraordinary narratives, all while navigating the delicate balance between technical precision, artistic expression and their ability to share stories through pictures. We would like to thank Beth Meek with Ginger Snaps Photography & Video for being a part of our Professional Insights Q&A series.
Q: Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background in photography?
A: Hello, I’m Beth Meek with Ginger Snaps Photography & Video, I am a photographer based out of the Paintsville, KY area and I’ve been a professional photographer specializing in wedding, family, + portrait photography for 8 years now. I have a wonderful and amazing husband that gets to join in on the fun of this profession with me, and a beautiful daughter that is our entire world! I have always loved photography since I was a pre-teen. My mother got me my first DSLR camera for my birthday my 8th grade year and I absolutely fell in love with the beauty of capturing a memory! I photographed all of my friends during sleepovers and snow days, never knowing it would lead me here but I thank God it did! My husband brought me back to my first love in 2016 with buying me my 2nd DSLR that little did I know, would change my life forever and allow me to meet and form relationships with the most amazing people. I love to make memories for people that will last for generations and tell their stories of experiences and moments in time that they will cherish forever! Photography is so much more to me than a job, it’s my creative outlet and calling, to uplift and encourage, shine light, and sow seeds into every relationship I make along the way!
Q: How would you describe your photography style and approach?
A: My photography style is very natural, and editorial! I love capturing the timeline of a wedding day and telling the story from start to finish, capturing as many details as possible! I love natural candid shots and ones that give true emotion, laughter and tears even during a posed shot! I want the bride + groom and their families to remember every detail for the rest of their lives, even the small things that one would normally forget about years later. I love to capture raw emotion and joy from everyone involved. Everyone’s story is so different and it’s truly inspiring to me to get to tell every single one of them whether together for 5 months or 50 years, it’s a unique story of its own!
Q: How do you prepare yourself for a wedding assignment? A: There’s so much that goes into a wedding day and my most important goal is to make sure I get every shot requested and help other vendors make the day as seamless as possible! Open communication is the best strategy. I’m always very open with my clients on recommendations based on my experience and making sure they know that they can ask me anything and I will try my best to make it happen under any circumstance! I prepare A LOT. I ask a lot of questions before the day, during the engagement session, and make notes of everything to ensure the day is an absolute dream! I always do a timeline meeting a couple of months before the wedding day to nail down a minute by minute order of events for the day and this I truly believe is the LIFELINE of a wedding day! I don’t know how people navigate all of the emotions, jitters, and responsibilities without it! It keeps us all on track and makes the day seamless! I’ve had SO many brides tell me over the years how thankful they were for the timeline and keeping everyone on track so they don’t have to worry about anything but getting married and soaking it all in! Q: How do you stay updated with the latest trends and techniques in photography? A: Social Media plays a big factor in trends of every kind of photography! If I’m unfamiliar with a certain trend or Tik Tok my client might’ve seen that they want to incorporate into their day, I quickly learn and make it happen for them! I love to try to new things, that’s what keeps me inspired and ready to be creative! I also love to learn from other photographers and watch videos and take online courses to help me continue to grow in my craft! You can never stop learning in this field and it keeps you on your toes, but I’m here for it! Let’s do it! Q: In challenging lighting conditions or difficult shooting environments, how do you ensure you still capture compelling images?
A: Every professional photographer knows this, but sometimes no matter how many photos you’ve seen of a venue prior to shooting there, you still don’t know what to expect before arriving, so it’s best to be prepared for all scenarios from full sun, to candle lit, to massive echoing rooms to rooms so small you can barely turn around in it. I always bring all the gear I would need for any type of lighting/focal length scenario and test out different options to see which gives me the best result based on my style! Lighting and angles are everything and how you expose an image, will allow you to tell the story a different way each time! I love for the way I shoot a day to be cohesive and all the photos coordinate together in your gallery! Q: What advice would you give to a bride looking for a photographer? A: My advice for any bride looking for their wedding photographer would be to pick out what style they like and find multiple photographers with that style and do their research. Read reviews, what other bride’s have said about them, read their “About Me” sections of their bios and make sure that they are relatable to them before choosing them to capture what is the most exciting and memorable day of their lives. I encourage them to speak to them on the phone or message back and forth and get to know them. Never be afraid to ask questions; as many as needed! They don’t want every second spent with them to feel awkward because that will in return give undesired results. Also, make sure to know what they’re willing to spend, I wouldn’t cut corners when It comes to the only memories left of the day. If there’s room to splurge at all, make sure it’s on a photographer and/or videographer! Memories are so important especially as loved ones get older and that’s all that’s left of them! It important to be clear and communicative on what you want and your goals and expectations! Do your research and weigh out the best options! Q: As a photographer what are some of the most important information for a bride to share with you? A: As a photographer, I want every bride to be as transparent as possible. I want to know what the most important aspects of the day are to them and which ones deserve more attention than others. I love to know backstories of items and things they incorporate into their day whether it’s an heirloom or color they chose for a certain reason. It helps me tell their story! It also helps me to know if there are family issues or any relationships that need to be made known or work around to help not make anything awkward or stressful on the bride + groom and their families throughout the day. I find it helpful to always have a shot list for both ideas they have for crucial shots and every photo combination they want with family. This helps me work quickly and make sure everyone celebrating with them is included and not left out. It also helps to have all the address, parking, transit, coordinator, and close relative or important role contact information to make sure we work quickly through unexpected occurrences and resolve them. Lighting situations are also important to know so we can be prepared to be equipped for any lighting situation!
We hope this Insight helps you as you seek to find the perfect fit for your special day photographer and if you would like to connect with Beth at Ginger Snaps Photography & Video she can be contacted: (606) 792-0899 gingersnapsphotography16@gmail.com gingersnapspv.com
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