We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Vanderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
The wedding industry is much more saturated now than when I started my business in 2010. Photography is a whole other ball game now! Social media has definitely contributed to the urgency of preserving every moment, capturing every detail, not missing a beat! One thing I think a lot of people don’t realize when it comes to the area of weddings specially is how much work goes into each facet of bringing the entire day to fruition! There are so many vendors that come together who specialize in their craft who are striving to work harmoniously with one another to serve their couples. When you’re choosing any vendor to participate in your wedding day, it’s important they are able to share they have the ability to work productively alongside other professionals in the industry and retain extensive knowledge of their craft.

I recommend identifying a handful of questions to have on hand when you’re communicating with potential wedding day vendors on their experience level, professionalism and knowledge in their area of expertise. I have listed a few examples of questions to consider asking wedding vendors you are interested in working with for your day!

1) Can we see a portfolio of your work?
2) How many years have you been working in this career? Can you identify some of your strengths?
3) Can I read some reviews of clients you have worked with in the past?
4) Can you walk us through the experience of working with you as we plan our wedding?

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My approach to photography is both intimate and personal. I care so much about knowing who my clients are so I can serve them to the best of my abilities! When I first meet a client at a shoot, I always make light conversation to get them comfortable in my presence and we organically dive into shooting their session or event. Whether we are planning a smaller session or I’m photographing an entire wedding day, I will work alongside my couple to create a plan that allows them to get the most value from our time together.

So much of the above rhythms in my business are from my exposure to so many different experiences over the last decade of my work. I have made plenty of mistakes but I use each one as an opportunity to grow and implement better systems that better serve my clients!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh I love this question! Experiences are the ultimate gift one can give.

If someone was visiting my home we would go for early morning walks on the dirt road, ride horses, go on ATV rides and drink wine from my front porch after a home cooked meal. If I was going to bring someone around the Grand Rapids area about 25 min from where I live, I would bring them to a favorite local food joint like Donkey Taqueria, get a drink at my favorite coffee shop, Rowster and walk in and out of some of my most favorite local shops and boutiques on Wealthy street.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am full of gratitude for the outpouring of love, encouragement and support I have had in my photography career over the last decade! My faith is the most important thing to me and I am constantly thankful for how the Lord has instilled a deep seated passion in me for preserving people’s stories. So much of my work surrounds getting to know people and their story and I’m honored to be invited to photograph what they are celebrating in that season of life. When I started in my photography business it was with my now husband, Brad. While he pursued a different career path, he has always been the number one person who has helped me grow in my business.

To every client who has trusted me to preserve their love and legacy, you have been an instrumental part of helping my business to thrive and succeed! The recommendations that have come from past clients has truly blessed me and connected me to many incredible future clients!

I’m also incredibly thankful to work with so many amazing wedding vendors that have also suggested my work to potential clients and I am always looking for ways to return that favor to them! Us small business owners must look out for one another.

Website: https://www.samanthajamesphoto.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthajamesphoto/

Image Credits
All photos taken by Samantha James Photography Image of Samantha Vanderson taken by Olivia Anderson and edited by Samantha

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