Becky Male specializes in wedding photography. Her clients tend to be relaxed couples, who tend to be on the creative side, who are also planning a unique and personal wedding for themselves and their love for one another. Read our interview with the lovely Becky below…
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I’d always wanted to shoot for others, as well as myself. I love photography and photographs mean a huge amount to me – I look at photos of my children, my family every day and they are treasured possessions to me, so to be able to give other people the same pleasure by shooting wedding and family photography is a dream job.
Tell us about your business.
I’m a photographer, my business is www.beckymalephotography.com I prefer to shoot using natural light and my main focus is on weddings. My clients tend to typically be fairly relaxed and creative, planning a wedding that is really personal to them and a little bit different to the norm.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
I wanted to ensure that technically I understood photography and that I also understood the reality of shooting a wedding, so I trained with one of the country’s leading wedding photographers, for a year I worked for her, unpaid and learnt so much. Weddings are hectic, fast paced and require you to be on the ball all day – having that training was invaluable. It also helped me to understand more about light – for me this is what sets apart photographers.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Through focusing on building genuine relationships with people, wedding clients, industry suppliers and through my everyday networks. Being genuine in what I do and striving to deliver has meant that I have a good reputation and I’m delighted to receive referrals. I also found having an active presence in print and social media is important. My Facebook page, Instagram and most recently Snapchat have all been great ways to share my work and who I am with potential clients.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
The industry is saturated and there are new entrants coming in to the market every year, you have to be on the ball, shoot consistently and try and engage with customers who value photography not clients who want the cheapest photographer. I’m not the cheapest but the work I produce is thoughtful, shot with care and my images are ones that will set me apart.
How did you overcome these challenges?
Focusing on the clients I have, the feedback they give me during and after their day, I also find networking with fellow photographers really helpful, there are some amazing workshops and networks in the photography industry. I went to an event called Yeah Field Trip in California in February which was brilliant, I made this trip with a photographer who is part of a Facebook group called the Shooting Sisters.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
By using my camera for pleasure, shooting my children, having fun playing around with new techniques, I also love to read. I’m also of the belief that tomorrow is another day and that if you try and have a positive outlook generally everything will turn out pretty darn good!
How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
Through my customer service, I want to pleasantly surprise my customers and exceed their expectations.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
Stop looking backwards, only care about what is ahead of you. People who talk about you negatively do so because they are unhappy in themselves.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
By authentic in everything you do, be tenacious. Believe in yourself and take risks, even small ones. Try and live outside of your comfort zone or you’ll never know what you could be capable of.
What is your favorite business tool or resource?
My network of fellow wedding photographers, the Shooting Sisters, we’ve grown emotionally together over the past four years, have been fortunate to shoot weddings together, we’ve travelled together and its been fabulous to have this network, a resource of talented fellow photographers to learn from and lean on.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @rmale
Twitter @beck_male
Facebook @beckymalephotographer
Website www.beckymalephotography.com
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
Not related to photography, but I read Katie Piper’s ‘Beautiful Ever After’ book. Katie is a courageous woman, an amazing philanthropist and her story really inspired me, she is resilient and tenacious through and through.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I’m working on my website, ensuring that it has everything potential couples need to help them determine I’m the photographer for them. I’d love to be connected with newly engaged couples seeking a photographer.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
I’m a big fan of Ibiza and I’d love to begin shooting some Ibiza destination weddings. I’ve just come back from a trip over there and would love to shoot some amazing wedding celebrations out there – so do shout if you know anyone planning an event on the fab island.