Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandi Roach.
Hi Mandi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
When I was young, I would spend hours sitting on the floor looking through stacks of photo albums. I found that the photos transported me to a time and place that I had never been. To younger versions of those, I knew and loved. I would study those images and notice patterns, textures, colors, light, but most importantly, emotions and expressions.
In high school, I took all the elective art classes that I could. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was a really troubled kid, and I believe art lent itself to my healing since I lacked the vocabulary to express the emotions of my childhood trauma. Inadvertently, I ended up in a photojournalism class my junior year, and my time spent capturing moments and developing film shaped my life in a way I never imagined.
In 2000, I invested in my first DSLR, a Nikon D90, so that I could get incredible images of my first child. I did not want to miss a single moment!
Eventually, I started taking portraits for friends and friends of friends, and became fascinated with being able to capture more than just a photo, but something that gave off a feeling, a vibe, told someone’s story or captured the essence of a moment. Things gradually picked up as I shared my work and I started shooting more and more. I started marketing myself as a family and newborn photographer in 2014. and had absolutely zero intentions of photographing weddings. The pressure of shooting weddings was something I would happily leave to other people. So imagine my surprise, just a few months later, when my very first wedding clients came knocking on my door. I’d been recommended to them by a mutual friend. They were planning their wedding in a short timeframe, had a tiny budget and were happy to trust me to capture their day.
Every day I THANK GOD that I managed to do that without completely making a mess of their images.
Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I was woefully unprepared to be a wedding photographer. I had an amateur level camera, a kit lens and a cheap 50mm, one flash gun and absolutely no idea how to use it and literally no idea what a wedding day entailed for a wedding photographer. Let me emphasize this again – I was very, very fortunate that everything went to plan, that it didn’t rain, and that my couple are lovely and easygoing. After that very first wedding I was hooked — I knew weddings were where I wanted to be and from that moment on I concentrated all my efforts into building my wedding photography business.
Fast forward to today, there are few things that bring me more joy than serving couples and weddings. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry when the mother helps her daughter put on her wedding gown, when the father first sees his daughter as a bride, when the bride and groom read their personal vows, or when toasts are given at the reception. It’s not just a transaction for me; I am personally and emotionally invested in each of my clients. To put it plainly, I work my butt off because I believe that couples deserve THE BEST on their wedding day, and I’m not willing to give anything less!
Looking back on the journey, it’s so obvious how God perfectly weaved my life into exactly what I needed. I never would have had the courage or the vision to have pursued my own photography business without God laying it in my lap the way he did. I’m not saying it wasn’t hard, but it was worth it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been plain sailing. There’s been many bumps in the road and building a successful wedding photography business involves much more than just being able to take lovely pictures. However, I find the hard times beneficial because each one lends itself as an opportunity to learn something. If you’re willing to find the good in the bad, you’ll grow.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I describe myself as a wedding and elopement photographer. Approximately 85% of my bookings are couples or weddings, with the other 15% being families, seniors and branding sessions.
On a wedding day, my mission is to photograph people as authentically as possible. That might mean stepping back and letting the honest, real moments unfold with little to no direction from me. I do not view wedding days as a photoshoot. They’re not about industry trends and Instagram likes; they are about the unique love between two people..
There are so many amazing photographers out there, some of who are technically better photographers than me, but I think I’m known for loving my clients well. No one puts as much emphasis on the client experience as I do. My couples become family. I want to share in their wedding planning and be there for them long after their wedding day.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Almost on a weekly basis, I get emails from aspiring wedding photographers asking how to break into the industry. Facebook groups are filled with the same question. Like running any business, there are so many different ways of going about it. I’m a strong believer that there is enough work to go around so I’d never discourage anyone from trying to build a business in this industry. Sadly though, I also see couples who have had their wedding days ruined by inexperienced and underprepared photographers. (Can I repeat how LUCKY I was that my first few weddings went to plan!) I think you can have the best of both worlds – building a business you love without risking ruining someone’s big day. Here are two of my tips to breaking into the wedding industry.
1. Second Shooting/Assisting. By far, the most sensible route into wedding photography is to start off by shadowing and assisting a more experienced wedding photographer. No matter how talented you are as a photographer, a real life wedding day is something else! It’s so important to know how a wedding day runs, what bits are important to capture, how to keep things running to time, how to handle guests, how to work alongside the rest of the wedding suppliers, when to take the bride and groom off for pictures and so on. As you grow more and more experienced, you’ll develop your own style and way of doing things, but to begin with knowing the basics is key.
2. Workshops and Styled Shoots. One of the main obstacles, when you’re looking to break into the wedding industry, is your portfolio. Prospective couples generally want to see images you’ve already taken at a wedding day. But here’s the vicious cycle – before you’ve shot a wedding, you’ve got nothing to show! Lots of aspiring photographers choose to attend workshops to get some portfolio images. The pros of attending a workshop are many: you meet lots of fellow photographers which is one of the best things you can do. You can get some beautiful images for your portfolio without the pressure of a wedding day and you can learn new techniques from the person who is running the workshop. The cons: A workshop doesn’t reflect the way a wedding runs. The time you’ll have on a workshop is a luxury compared to what you’ll get on a wedding day. So whilst you’ll get some cracking images, it doesn’t really teach you what weddings are like in the real world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mandiroachphotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/mandiroachphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/mandiroachphotography
Image Credits
Main photo by Hartwell Photography
