Janelle Brooke, Guest Speaker

In class, last Monday, Janelle Brooke came in to speak to us about her career as a wedding photographer. I've never wanted to become a wedding photographer, mostly because of the fact that I'd be too under pressure and my work would suffer. I would hate to have missed "the kiss" because of a camera malfunction...you can't recreate those moments. Listening to her speak and seeing her photos, I did get a glimpse into what it would be like to be a wedding photographer. She does have assistants (which is one thing I would have to have, just to make sure there weren't any missed shots) and she has 2 cameras that she carries. She's able to take the time to get the shots she wants and does them correctly. After seeing the wedding she had recently shot that weekend, it was amazing to see that she shoots just like the most of us. She takes many shots, at different angles to create the best looking shot. Any time I'm shooting a set-up scene, I take it at different angles, exposures, etc. It's nice to see a professional do the same. Also, hearing what she does with her editing is amazing. All the work that goes into just one photograph is outstanding. I love taking the photos, and editing...but to a degree. I would hate to have to edit those photos, especially if the couple doesn't choose to purchase it. I give her a lot of credit for what she does. I know how difficult it is to be under pressure and produce amazing work. The photos that she takes and edits for the couple are amazing, they're very fashion related which is different from the standard of most wedding photographers. It's something special that she does that makes her stand out of the crowd. We all need a "trademark" that will make us different than other photographers in our field, and Janelle definitely has that.