The greatest tool you have as a photographer isn’t in your camera bag

We were right back where it all started.

Just eight months earlier, on a cold winter night, Mike got down on one knee and expressed his love to Courtney. He asked her her hand in marriage. The snow fell slowly from the sky and the Toronto skyline twinkled in the distance as the sun went down. Courtney said “yes” as she choked back tears.

Their journey had begun.

They walked back to their car, hand-in-hand. They talked about all the adventures this new journey might bring to them.

On this Fall evening, we re-visited that very spot, and they got to relive this special time together. This is one of their favourites from the session.

Engagement sessions don’t have to be traditional, standard or generic. They should be personal, customized and special. How do you do that? Listening.

Sometimes, the best tool you can use as a photographer is your ears. We all hear things, but very few people actually listen. Listening is paramount if you want success as a photographer. You are in the people business, so if you make your business truly about people, you’ve unlocked the key to long-lasting success as a photographer.

I could have gone to any park with Courtney and Mike. I could have done something very generic. But I listened. At their meet-and-greet when they first booked me as their photographer, they told me about their engagement story. They told me about that cold winter night, and I could tell it was something very special to them. I started to build the story of going back there for their engagement session, and their eyes lit up.

That was the start of building a lasting connection with them.

It all began with listening.

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Bryan Caporicci

I'm Bryan Caporicci, the CEO and founder here at Sprout Studio. I've been a professional photographer in Niagara, Ontario, for almost 2 decades. For over 12 years, I've been teaching photographers like you about the business of photography and how to make a living doing what you love.
Sprout Studio is an all-in-one app to help you run your photography business and includes a CRM, studio management system, galleries & more!
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