Meet Sam Bennett | Professional Photographer

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

Hi Sam, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I wanted to be my own boss doing what I love. I wanted to build something I could be proud of and be creative with. With photography I knew this was the perfect outlet for me to not only accomplish these goals, but also be a part of some amazing moments in people’s lives and would allow me to create lasting memories for people.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business centers around my client’s experiences with me. I take my clients needs seriously and do my best to ensure they’re satisfaction with not only the finished product, but also the overall experience from start to finish. On wedding day, I make sure the bride’s needs are first and foremost. I make sure that she is at ease knowing I will get all the shots and moments of the day. Further, I love getting into the action during the party. I don’t stand on a ladder and get photos, I’m in the middle of the dancing getting those facial expressions and action photos that will last a lifetime. I was even told at a wedding once by the bride’s mother that I “was the most amazing photographer” because of how involved I was throughout the wedding day. That’s what I pride myself on.

I’m most excited about the future of my business. As I mentioned before, I’m currently working hard on improving my photographic style and overall behind the scenes business aspects, and am very hopeful that these changes will help bring in even more clients. It’s been anything but easy though. With Covid came a complete stall in my business for almost a year. It’s been tough getting things going again, but hopefully that will change soon! I’ve learned so much along the way about so many different things. For one, don’t expect the calls to just come. You need to be proactive and go out there and market yourself. Eventually, yes, you will get those referral-based calls and sessions, however, to get those you need to build your brand, and market yourself to the people you want to work with. Don’t settle for anything less than what you think you’re worth. In the beginning, I would take jobs from people who all they wanted to do was haggle with me on my rates, and it didn’t stop there…”give a mouse a cookie” is what I called it. Now, if I get those calls I will pass on them, because I know what I’m worth and type of clients I want to work with.

I want the world to know that if they choose to work with me, they will get someone who truly cares about them as people, and I will do my best to let the photos I take truly tell their story, whatever that may be. Whether it’s with a portrait session, party, business event, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or Wedding, I treat all sessions the same as far as how serious I will take your client experience, and how much I truly care about how your photos will look. Mediocrity isn’t in my vocabulary. I truly love what I do, and I want my clients to leave thinking “I can’t wait to book this photographer again”.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting, I’d take them to Downtown Alpharetta for sure. They got a ton of restaurants, shopping, bars/breweries, and cool hangout spots. I would also take them to my favorite chicken wing spot, Clays, in Roswell. Depending on the time of year, I would also take them to some of my favorite breweries in the area, like Monday Night Garage. I don’t really “go out” anymore though since downtown is almost 45-min from me now, but maybe I would spend a day near Piedmont Park and walk around there. I know I’d also take them to Brookhaven/Chamblee where I used to live and show them all the cool places in that area that I know. If possible I’d like to check out a Braves game as well since the batter is so cool.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I must say that when I started my photography business out of college in 2010, initially it was all about action sports, however, after discovering that I needed to branch out and become more versatile, I stumbled upon the F-stoppers: How to Become A Professional Wedding Photographer” (https://fstoppers.com/product/how-become-professional-commercial-wedding-photographer-dvd) video and it changed my whole perspective of what my business could be. I learned so much not just about how I could grow my business, but how I could refine my own skills and become a better photographer overall. Watching this DVD and practicing my craft helped me become the photographer I am today.

In addition, Amy and Jordan’s Wedding Photography courses have also helped me change my style to a more high-key and natural light photographer, which I am currently loving and practicing now.

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Image Credits
Cutting Edge Images, Inc.