When I started photographing weddings I did a lot of second shooting mostly for one company in Hartford. This studio treated me very well, taught me a lot and pretty much gave me my start. However, the most important lesson they instilled was to constantly improve. Always push the boundaries of the camera and yourself. This to me at the time was no problem. Because I was starting out and had so much improving to do, finding the next level came pretty easily. Naturally. Fast forward 5 years and I can now truly appreciate the drive, patience and skill a seasoned photographer must possess to work by this mantra.
I know I’m not the best salesman. I don’t have the strongest social media presence or the most innovative marketing strategy. Knowing this you might be quick to conclude that I’m not able to be a full time photographer. But I am blessed to do this for a living and make a comfortable income. Why? Its because of the motivation to improve, to push the limits of my comfort zone and the camera to create stunning images for my clients. It’s because of the one hallmark lesson I learned early on.
Below are 152 images of my 2015 year. These are 152 of my favorite photographs, not necessarily the best, just the ones that really grabbed me in the chest today. Culling this blog post has allowed me to reflect not only on my past year of work but on each and every one of my couples. I imagine them clinking champagne on New Years, planning their belated honeymoons and maybe even finding out they are going to be parents. Their lives continue without me. But I take solace in the fact that I was there on one of the most important days in their lives. They trusted me and I gave them everything I had.
-Luke Wayne
