Ep. 1 - A Podcast By Photographers (But for the people) - On Occasion Podcast
Chris & Canaan launch the On Occasion podcast discussing the ultimate goal of having fun, sharing stories, and providing tips for couples in the photography industry. They share personal experiences transitioning into photography and emphasize the importance of learning and growing in the industry. The conversation highlights challenges and rewards of adapting to new trends and staying relevant. They discuss the love for photography, storytelling in weddings, challenges in the industry, and the potential for burnout. The episode ends with humorous stories of embarrassing moments at weddings and a reminder to like, subscribe, and share the podcast!
Listen on these platforms
[00:00:09.40] - Canaan
Well, here we are, dude. My first podcast.
[00:00:12.80] - Chris
Yes. We are.
[00:00:13.40] - Canaan
I'm I'm like, if you see me wiggling, this is just me getting out the nerves right now. This is episode one. Welcome to
[00:00:20.69] - Chris
How's it going?
[00:00:21.80] - Canaan
On occasion with Chris and Canaan. I'm Canaan.
[00:00:25.00] - Chris
I'm Chris.
[00:00:25.60] - Canaan
And And this is Chris. Oh, you
[00:00:26.60] - Chris
were gonna say that?
[00:00:27.19] - Canaan
No. It's good. This is our first episode. We can do whatever we want. Yeah. And this is how it's gonna go. It's could probably gonna be this first one's probably gonna be a little unhinged. Some some bumpies. Yeah. And you wanna I need a confidence boost.
[00:00:40.89] - Chris
I don't know what's I haven't seen this yet.
[00:00:43.60] - Canaan
You need some?
[00:00:44.29] - Chris
No. No. No. I'm I'm I think I think the old spice is
[00:00:47.00] - Canaan
Oh, yeah. Old spice?
[00:00:47.89] - Chris
like, like, I was gonna say
[00:00:48.50] - Canaan
this is gonna help a lot. I feel better already. I feel more masculine and confident that, I smell this is my wife's. I smell, all the confidence is gone. Okay. So what's so our agenda today is to introduce this podcast. We wanna talk about how we got started in photography, each of us, our relationship and friendship, and then also, just our goal with this podcast and what we want this to be, where we want it to go. And I think maybe we should start there. I'll start I'll
[00:01:19.90] - Chris
start there for you.
[00:01:20.59] - Canaan
That one? Yeah. So our goal with this podcast is, one, just to have a lot of fun. When we were thinking about how we wanted this to go, we were like, we don't want it to be stuffy, because we're not. And then also, like, there's a lot of podcasts that are just purely educational or purely We don't have that to offer. And we don't really have that to offer. I'm not an educator. No. No problem. Educated. Neither that. Right. But, here for a good time, and, you know, who knows about longevity on that side of things. But, yeah, goal is just to have fun. We wanna, tell stories, talk about the industry, but then also, like, we want this to be pretty Nashville specific. So we intend to have a lot of friends on and them tell stories, whether that be nightmares or good things. We wanna talk about inspiration, things that are inspiring us in the industry, people that whose work we love, and kinda create a platform for, everyone, friends, new friends, people we wanna meet, and, create space for that. You wanna add anything to that, or you feel good?
[00:02:26.80] - Chris
Yeah. And I think also just, for any couples that end up listening in, just, you know, we're hoping to give our perspective as photographers on, like, maybe even best practices, what to look for, how to make the most of your day when you're working with your your planners, your, florist, you know, venues, and, how to, like, really maximize the time with your photographers to get the best photos that you want, to remember forever. You know? Because there's, there's all sorts of ways that, there's just holes to fill in, you know, that if you don't look out for, you'll just lose time on the wedding day, and you won't get the shots that you really want. So we're hoping to kinda mitigate some of that.
[00:02:58.90] - Canaan
Yeah. We should, also mention that, we're both photographers. So this is coming from the photography's perspective. Yeah. I forgot that. And and Chris makes a really good point. This is kinda like a platform for both. We really, really wanna, like, create space and have fun with our industry friends, but also create a platform that is beneficial to brides and, folks who are planning their wedding or, you know, starting that process.
[00:03:21.50] - Chris
How many how many weddings do you think you photographed?
[00:03:24.00] - Canaan
At this point? Oh, gosh. Hundreds? Yeah. Hundreds at this point. Right.
[00:03:31.69] - Chris
When did you start?
[00:03:32.80] - Canaan
I started this is my twelfth year shooting professionally. Mhmm. Twelfth or thirteenth.
[00:03:39.50] - Chris
Yeah. I think we started around the same time. I started
[00:03:41.19] - Canaan
in there somewhere.
[00:03:41.69] - Chris
Two thousand I think two thousand eleven is when I started. Yeah. That was
[00:03:44.19] - Canaan
two thousand ten, two thousand eleven.
[00:03:45.40] - Chris
Kind of, kinda part time.
[00:03:46.59] - Canaan
But yeah. Well, let let's let's
[00:03:49.09] - Chris
Let's go for it.
[00:03:49.69] - Canaan
Go for it. You start. You're there. Sure.
[00:03:51.40] - Chris
Yeah. Well, I actually was a master electrician, and then, I went to seminary for a little bit. And, I think while I was in seminary, I was also living with some guys in a an old pillow factor in Atlanta called Snake Nation. And, it's true. This is this is a wild time. It's just a six thousand square foot loft. A lot of park. My first night in that loft, I just met these guys. And And the first night, there's this one three thousand square foot room Mhmm. And, just, like, seven or eight dudes partying hard in this empty room, fifteen foot ceilings by themselves. And, when I went to bed, they had this guy named Clay, and they were thrown up in the air. They were all just they had party pretty hard. I had to go to work the next morning. So I wake up in the morning, and this guy Clay is just ass naked laying in this big three thousand square foot room. No furniture in sight because we just moved in. And that was my introduction to these guys who, they ran our organization at the time as a nonprofit, and they did a lot of media work. Mhmm. And actually did some partnership with Invisible Children, if you remember them. And, but they were just they were always editing films, and they had, people from Invisible Children coming through a bunch. And I was just around people doing media a lot, and I didn't really enjoy the, electrical world. And so they just started talking about weddings. And they actually have a they had some friends in the industry, and I just kinda got sucked in. I was like, that's that's where I wanna transition to is photography instead of being an electrician. I was a terrible electrician. That's many stories for another podcast series probably, but I wasn't good at it.
[00:05:11.60] - Canaan
Yeah.
[00:05:12.19] - Chris
So, yeah, I just thought I'll just try my hand at photography, and it just worked out. What was your
[00:05:16.10] - Canaan
first wedding like? Like well, one, how did you get your first wedding? Or what you know, were you shooting I'm assuming you shot second or third with someone.
[00:05:23.10] - Chris
Yeah. Unfortunately, I had some friends in Atlanta who were just Kate Byers and, Bob Butler, just really talented photographers, and they're willing to let me just tag along. And then my first wedding was kind of I don't remember. I think she maybe maybe this bride went to church with me, and, somehow we got a meeting, and I just pretended like I was a pro already. You know, we met at a coffee shop. I was like, oh, yeah. I do this all the time.
[00:05:42.50] - Canaan
It's real fake it till you make it it
[00:05:43.69] - Chris
it it situation. Yeah. And then I was a wedding in somewhere in Alabama. And I remember, like, I found in my mind where I wanted to photograph her, but it was across this muddy field. And this woman I brought with me to second so you. Yeah. This woman that came to second street with me, I was, like, taking the bride out in this field. She's like, you can't you can't have her walk in her dress across the muddy field. And I just had never considered that because, you know, I hadn't really been around women's apparel ever. So Not Not
[00:06:09.39] - Canaan
Not Not a lot of not a lot of experience wearing women's apparel. You just didn't know how it was
[00:06:12.30] - Chris
No. But I
[00:06:13.39] - Canaan
yeah. Yeah. That's fine. Not yet. Not not at the time. Right. But down the road Right. We got there.
[00:06:18.69] - Chris
What about you? your
[00:06:19.50] - Chris
your first wedding. I did get into it.
[00:06:23.00] - Canaan
Yeah. So, I got into it. You know, I think yeah. We're we're on the 12:13 year mark as far as shooting. My first when I got into this, I I had similar. I had friends who were working in the industry, and I had grown up shooting film. So my grandfather was a photographer, shot film, had his own, you know, big darkroom. You know, so I I grew up shooting with him, learning all film cameras, and playing in the darkroom. I like to say I was, like, playing mad scientist because it was so fun, like, being in the darkroom. I remember being my kid. Yeah. And, and I I fell in love immediately with photographing people even as a kid, like, when I was learning how to do this. My grandfather shot, like I don't know. He really liked studio work, but, like, old school, like, portraits. Think, like, school photos from, like, the eighties and nineties, like, at your high school. That's, like, what he liked. And then random, like, I guess you could call it architecture photography. But if you saw it, you would be like, that's just a picture of a building that's not really creative. Mhmm. This would be his style. So real tech I'll call it I'll say this. He was a real technical photographer.
[00:07:36.39] - Chris
He loved the buildings were there.
[00:07:38.10] - Canaan
Yeah.
[00:07:38.39] - Canaan
He proved the buildings were there, and they were, like, really in focus, like, sharp, real nice. I love photographing people. So, like, growing up, soon as I was able to get a camera, I would, like, gather my friends. I would, like, create costumes, and we would, like, we'd do period pieces. Like, I remember photographing my friends in a in an alley. We had, like, gone to a thrift store and gotten, like, trench coats and top hats and did, like, this nineteen twenties mafia setup. So I, like, grew up doing that kind of stuff with film. Didn't touch once I got to, like, high school, kinda fell out of it. Didn't touch a camera for, like, eight years. Then I'm in Nashville. My friends are, like, needed another shooter on this wedding. And they were like, hey. Do you wanna tag along with us in this wedding? We know you've shot before. I've never touched a DSLR at the time. I have only shot film. I go with them, and the whole day was just it was very country wedding. We're, like, in the middle of nowhere at Tennessee surrounded by cornfields and wheat or not wheat, but cotton. Apples? No. Cotton. Cotton fields. And, real sweet family and everything, but, like, very country, and I had no idea how to use the stio solar. It was like a hand me down camera they handed me with a thrifty fifty on it, and I'm just lost the whole day. And they're trying to shoot. And so what would happen would be I would come up, and I'd be like, hey. I don't I
[00:09:00.00] - Chris
don't know how Oh, yeah.
[00:09:02.00] - Canaan
I it's too dark. What do I do here? And so then they're, like, trying to, like, discreetly give me the info I need to fix the camera as I'm going. I will say one of the benefits is is, like, right off the bat, they made me shoot in manual. And so they were like
[00:09:16.10] - Chris
Yeah.
[00:09:16.39] - Canaan
They they sort of not I don't have anything against aperture priority. Like, people can do what they want. But it was really helpful for me because it was like they eliminated all crutches immediately where I was like, I had to figure out how to use this DSLR manual. But it turned out good. Like, that day, everything I shot, they used probably fifty percent of the stuff I shot that day. Amazing, bro. And then after that, they were like, hey. This was actually really good. Would you wanna come on as, like, a second shooter and start shooting with us more consistently? And I was like, yeah. So I sort of fell into it after having not touched the camera for a long time. But it was fun. And then that just sort of segue to where we are today. You know? Segue 12-13 years later. So yeah. That was, like, the start.
[00:09:59.70] - Chris
Okay. That That
[00:10:00.10] - Canaan
That That was my first wedding. Country wedding, no idea what I was doing.
[00:10:02.70] - Chris
Sounds like you did. Real bumpkin. My, one of my first weddings were my second shot. The guy I was shooting with, he's he's so good. He didn't even need my photos, and he forgot to bring batteries. He was loaning me a camera, and he gave me a camera without batteries. And he was like, hey. Just just walk around all day and pretend like you're taking photos. So people were coming up to me, and they're like, hey. Can you get my buddy and my photo? I'm like, sure. like, I don't know. This Yeah. Nothing's going on here.
[00:10:24.50] - Canaan
You know? For sure. But that
[00:10:25.79] - Chris
So your stuff was worthwhile.
[00:10:28.29] - Canaan
So what whatever turned out was. There were multiple times where, like, people came up to me asking for a photo, and my settings were way like, it was either completely blown out or just, like, a black screen. And they're like, can we can we, like, stop for a photo? And I'm like, oh, yeah. Yeah. Sure. Sure.
[00:10:42.50] - Chris
I'll take the shot. And they're like, is it good?
[00:10:44.20] - Chris
I'm like, oh, man. I still have those moments where I take a photo, and I'm like, I'll hope we can salvage that.
[00:10:51.10] - Canaan
There's no salvaging the crap I shot, dude. I was, like, looking at it. I'm like, oh, it's so good. You guys are gonna love that when I when we give you guys the gallery, it'll be real nice. This is gonna frame that one. Just deleting the nonsense immediately after I'm walking away. There was a lot of that. Second wedding I shot, this is back you know, it doesn't seem that long ago, but this is like, they were we were still hauling around, like, off camera lighting gear everywhere. Mhmm. Like, big stands and umbrellas and all this crap. So there was a lot of that going on. And then on occasion, they're like, you still need a camera. So they would just give me whatever camera they could find. And there were multiple occasions where, like, the camera didn't even work. I just had a camera that I was holding as we were helping truck around gear. And, yeah. So same.
[00:11:39.10] - Chris
Like We're really instilling confidence in Yeah. There were moments clients that might find
[00:11:42.50] - Canaan
something. Shooters
[00:11:45.50] - Chris
Fake it till you make it.
[00:11:46.39] - Canaan
Fake it till you make it. You might be working with someone, and they give you just a fake camera. Just roll with it. You You
[00:11:53.29] - Chris
You You know something that, realized we haven't talked about is who we work for or companies or anything. I feel like that might be worth introducing.
[00:12:00.29] - Canaan
Are really great. We should probably address that.
[00:12:03.00] - Chris
Yeah. So Chris Jones and, I started Sewing Clover Photography, I think, at least legally with the state two thousand fourteen. I had the name around before that, but that's when I finally It's when you started paying taxes. Yeah. That's when I started paying taxes in two thousand fourteen. Not a lot of taxes that you're thinking made twenty nine thousand my first year in photography. But,
[00:12:21.70] - Canaan
It's not bad. It's you know?
[00:12:22.79] - Chris
It was about as much as I was making electrician, to be honest. So you know,
[00:12:24.89] - Canaan
So you know, like, just more than a school teacher in some cases.
[00:12:28.00] - Chris
So we don't have to get sad.
[00:12:28.89] - Canaan
No. Don't make us sad.
[00:12:30.00] - Chris
Yeah. And, again, who do you work for?
[00:12:32.79] - Canaan
Yeah. So Detail's Nashville. We are, we do photo and video. So, like and also not just weddings. I think that's important. Like, while we do shoot a lot of weddings, we are also we shoot editorial, commercial, corporate. It's kind of our our wheelhouse. And
[00:12:53.00] - Chris
It's a big wheelhouse.
[00:12:54.39] - Canaan
Yeah. I think, like, I that also that brings up an interesting, but on the one hand, you have people who are like, you should only be shooting one thing. Like, you need to dial it into one genre and one genre. I felt like that was not get real hyper specific. And that's fair. I think, like, you know, folks are, like, wanna do that or they have, like, a strong conviction that, like, I can only do one thing and be good at one thing, that's cool. We had, you know, coming into it, a team that was already bigger. And so with that, we had, like, folks who, like, came from just shooting corporate or commercial work and then people who just came from editorial or just weddings. And so then when you bring all that together and people are, like, working together in all these different genres, you gain a broader experience. And so if you can develop those skills. I also get bored really easy. And so I could never just shoot one thing. Like, even as long as I've been shooting, like, the idea of just narrowing it in to be like, I only do this. Like pet photography. Oh, sounds horrible. It sounds so, that'd be pretty soul crushing if I had to lock in and only do one thing for the rest of my life. So that I couldn't do it.
[00:14:01.70] - Chris
Interesting. I I feel the opposite. I mean, when I well, when I first started shooting, I was just looking at, like, people like Jose Villa's work and Mhmm. My mentor in Colorado and Donye. And I was just like, dude, I just wanna be I really just wanna be the best wedding photographer in the world. That's what my goal was when I started. And so I was like, that's all I want is just weddings. Yeah. Now I'm old and married and have a baby, and I'm glad to be as good as I am. You You
[00:14:25.10] - Canaan
You You know? That's that's really it. I think, like, that's I always appreciate people who are who who hold that hyperfocus. But I also see, like, so many people bring their different skill sets from other arenas into things like wedding photography. Like, I think you see folks like, a photographer I really appreciate. Her work is, Sara Filugo. I hope I'm saying it right. Sarah Filugo who, like, I think comes strongly from, like, fashion editorial, and it just, like, permeates her work completely. Like, her use of architecture and landscape with her brides and, her poses and the environment she creates around them. I'm like, you wouldn't be able to do that if you had only started in weddings and done nothing but that. Like, she's bring drawing that inspiration from her previous work into how she shoots weddings, and I think it's fantastic. Like, I I love it. So I think, like, there's room for all of it. Like, I appreciate people who are like, I have to hyperfocus this. And then I really appreciate also people who bring in their skill set from different areas and draw that inspiration from those things Yeah. On how they shoot.
[00:15:37.00] - Chris
Definitely. and the
[00:15:37.60] - Chris
and the habit of the digital cameras really made that more accessible, You know? Oh, thank you. From traditional photography. And now the the mirrorless, you know, and it's all sorts of double exposures and things that my old brain's like, I respect it.
[00:15:49.89] - Canaan
Yeah. You know? Yeah. How do you feel about that, like, with new tech or even, like, AI stuff now? Like, the way technology is changing so fast? Yeah. Because I remember when I got into it, I was thinking about this earlier when we were talking about the podcast was, like, thinking about how old photographers really like, I had such a bad taste in my mouth with, like, old photographers when I would meet them because they were always, like, so grumpy. And then they would just immediately look at you and, like, critique your gear and, like, talk down about how you shot. Sure. And and I was just like, go. And they were, like, talking about, like, technology changes. So, like
[00:16:25.39] - Chris
Yeah.
[00:16:25.89] - Canaan
New things in the industry, and they're just, like, bitching about it. And you're like, go lord god. Golly. I don't like, that's not what I want to be. And now, like, with I think we're in that area era with, like, you know, first, it was mirrorless. Now it's AI. Yeah. I really feel this thing of, like, if we don't continue to be flexible and develop and grow, I'm gonna become that grumpy old man, and I really don't wanna be that. And I say old. They're, like, in their fifties. Not old.
[00:16:51.70] - Chris
Yeah. No.
[00:16:52.10] - Canaan
Just grumpy and mean. Don't want that from us.
[00:16:55.10] - Chris
I I think I have mixed feelings. You know? My insecure side is is afraid of new talent, new new things because, you know, as I'm getting older, I it's more challenging for me to wanna learn new aspects of photography. Yeah.
[00:17:06.59] - Canaan
Yeah.
[00:17:07.59] - Chris
And then there's all these twenty year olds who are super talented coming in, and they their learning curve is a little quicker, I think, because of the access to technology.
[00:17:13.79] - Canaan
Well, digital natives now. I think, like Right. You know, like, I think that started that term started with, like, young millennials where it was just like Right. They were the iPad generation. They grew up with, like, touch screens and tech, and it was just in their face immediately. And they really are, like it's so fast for them. I feel you on, like, the old like, I'm I'm, what's the phrase where you're, Middle age. No. Okay. No. Where you're a a a Luddite. Never heard the term. Luddite. It's like where you're like, Chris, can you is that true? Do you know what I'm talking about? Like, a Luddite? It's like, there's another Chris here, by the way. Chris producing this is is off camera. He's the one making the magic happen. It's like where you're, like, not anti technology. Maybe you're anti technology, but you're just like a caveman when it comes to technology. Like, you're slow to adopt, slow to learn it. That's how I feel a lot of times. Total Luddite. Interesting. Okay. Yeah.
[00:18:06.79] - Chris
I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt like that. We could talk about that more vulnerable off camera.
[00:18:09.70] - Canaan
Yeah. Maybe, that might be, like, a tearful session.
[00:18:12.50] - Chris
Yeah. Yeah. I know. We'll hug.
[00:18:13.79] - Canaan
The Internet knows. Yeah. I know you folks are out there. You elder millennials are like, f my life. What am I doing on the Internet?
[00:18:20.00] - Chris
You know, you're just sound like a boomer. But the the other side of me is really excited about it because I just am like the artist in me is like it just realizes that the advent of this newer AI technology is just gonna produce better work. And people who are afraid of it, that's like, well, you're just gonna get left behind. You know? Right. And so, I'm kinda all for it. I don't know. Let's just be flexible and extend. You know?
[00:18:43.90] - Canaan
I think that, yeah, I like I think that's a good point. It creates better work. And I'd better work in terms of and maybe we can quantify that or qualify it is, like, better work in terms of, like, consistency. And, Well, for me, it's
[00:18:59.40] - Chris
I think I mean, the ability to create, I don't know, more creative moments or capture more creative moments in camera instead of you know, I mean, every really everything since the, like, late nineties, early two thousands of wedding photography is a push away from traditional photography. And so I think I really just appreciate the ability for what people are doing in camera on, like, the wedding day. Yeah. Whereas, it wasn't possible.
[00:19:21.50] - Canaan
Yeah. I think that's a good point. It creates, I think it creates space for more risk.
[00:19:25.09] - Chris
Yeah. More risk for motion.
[00:19:26.50] - Canaan
And a better return on that risk.
[00:19:28.79] - Chris
Right.
[00:19:29.90] - Canaan
Because of the advances of technology that we have in media.
[00:19:33.59] - Chris
Even eye tracking and cameras, dude. Sometimes I'm just like, I don't even really. I'm just holding my camera up, and I'm like, I don't it's gonna get it. I'm just a monkey pushing the button. It just Right.
[00:19:41.90] - Canaan
But then also, like, it it gives that space for you know, like, on those certain things, you're like, this is in the bag. I know this is gonna work. But then also being like, oh, I have this idea. I think I think it's like a cool thing where because our imaginations can be so expansive and so creative, especially within photography and media. This is also for videographers. But then when technology catches up to the idea, I think I, makes me think of, like, oh, I forget his name. But the the director who did the original Blade Runner, when he did the second Blade Runner, one of the things you talked about was, like, finally, technology had caught up with what he envisioned. Mhmm. And I feel that way with the advances in technology now with media, even on our level with small businesses with photography and video, where, like, now we have the ability to be like, oh, technology can help me create this thing I'm envisioning Mhmm. On not a Hollywood level, but, like, a small business level, which is super cool. Yeah. I love that.
[00:20:38.50] - Chris
Can I dial it back a little?
[00:20:39.50] - Canaan
Yeah. Dial it back.
[00:20:40.20] - Chris
So you've been shooting for however long now, 10:15 years or so. Why you keep doing it? What are you doing?
[00:20:46.70] - Canaan
Oh, like, what keeps me Yeah.
[00:20:47.90] - Chris
Why do you keep shooting?
[00:20:49.20] - Canaan
Yeah. That's a good question. For weddings specifically, I would say it's the storytelling. It really like, when you let's be real. Like, we're talking about creativity and pushing the limits and technology and stuff and that expanding room for creativity or whatever. But, like, the reality is when you're shooting weddings, the some things are rinse and repeat. Like, a lot of it only photos. A lot of what changes with weddings really is the setting. You know, when you're, like, looking at stuff online, you're like, this is a beautiful photo. But the pose itself is, like, I've seen that pose a million times. But what's beautiful is, like, it's in Lake Como in Italy or whatever. You know, it's in a mountain range in Utah.
[00:21:38.40] - Chris
We've shot so much of it.
[00:21:39.79] - Canaan
So many times. God, I'm so tired of going to Como. If you're a bride out there, I'm done. I don't wanna go back. I've seen it. I've been there. I've drank the wine.
[00:21:47.90] - Chris
Nashville, Tennessee. Right. Like Pretty much uninteresting.
[00:21:50.50] - Canaan
Have you seen the hills of Nashville, Tennessee?
[00:21:53.20] - Chris
We've got some wineries around here.
[00:21:54.70] - Canaan
Got some wineries too. So what I'm saying is overrated. No. I'm kidding. I will totally we will both go to Lake Como. This is for the Internet. I'm looking right at the Internet right now. If I bring my wife.
[00:22:07.79] - Canaan
Yeah. We can bring our our wives Yeah. Where we're in. Hit us up. But outside of that So you you
[00:22:13.50] - Chris
you you could just secure our future right then.
[00:22:15.40] - Canaan
Yeah. Stay with your future. Don't you're gonna make me existential, and this podcast is gonna derail.
[00:22:20.40] - Chris
I know.
[00:22:22.29] - Canaan
So with that, it's like the storytelling aspect. I think getting to know my clients, getting to know my bride and groom, and even, like, their parents and immediate family, I like that connection and building that relationship and then capturing that story on the wedding day. The creative side of it is fun. Like, I love the aesthetic, and I love capturing beautiful photos of the couples. But in some ways, I think I enjoy almost like a street photographer documentary style of capturing the candidness that unfolds throughout the day. That's what I that's what Mhmm. Touches me in photography. I love the aesthetic still, but it's not what drives me. Mhmm. Like, I'm I'm not looking for clout at this point in my creativity or, the aesthetic I'm capturing. I'm gonna capture it. I still love it, but it's not what drives me. What drives me is the personal connection in the stories. It's the relationships.
[00:23:21.79] - Speaker 3
Okay.
[00:23:22.00] - Chris
Yeah. No. I get that. I also if I really boil it down, I think I just love people. Yeah. You know? I mean, I there was a season, when I was finishing up seminary where I was working at a chaplain as a hospital. So, like, Monday through Friday, I'm, like, at a children's hospital. Mhmm. Friday afternoon, I'm, like, sitting in traffic. In Atlanta, rush hour traffic just weeping because of all the stuff at the hospital. Yeah. And then Saturdays, I'm on the dance floor pretending like I'm not a break dance, you know, at a wedding. And so so both of those jobs, it's just the people. You know? I just want the conversations of the folks. But, so I don't know. I I remember when I first got into it, people being like, oh, you'll probably burn out photography in the next, you know, five years.
[00:23:57.09] - Canaan
Yeah.
[00:23:57.40] - Chris
I just have never burned out because I I enjoy being around people so much. Right. You know?
[00:24:01.29] - Canaan
I think you see that too. I think, like, you know, there's no, like, there's no I'm not casting any shade here, but I think there's, like, a lot of reasons people get into photography. I think people are like, oh, this is easy.
[00:24:11.29] - Chris
I got in it because it was better money than what the the, like, electrical work. Yeah. Yeah. But that's not why I stayed in it.
[00:24:16.20] - Canaan
Like, but also, I think, like, people look at it and they're like, oh, you're just taking photos. I'm gonna start a business. They book a couple things they, you know, shoot for free or very low budget for a couple friends. And they're like, oh, I got this. This is gonna be great. And then within three years I think you see that. Like, every three years or so, at least around here, you see an influx of people in the industry. And then within another three years, they're, like, gone.
[00:24:39.79] - Chris
Well, that's demanding, and it's your waste, basically. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:24:42.40] - Canaan
That's what I'm saying.
[00:24:43.09] - Chris
You know, like, weekends, you're missing your kids' soccer games. It's For sure. Challenging.
[00:24:47.09] - Canaan
And so I think you see, like, either people fall out of it. Like, no. Thank you. I'm going back to my nine to five.
[00:24:53.90] - Chris
Yeah.
[00:24:54.00] - Canaan
I can have my weekends back, and the money's consistent, and I'm not having to hustle and drum up business and Right. Be a million different things in order to run this this business. Or you see, like, as people age out of it, they're like, I am gonna create an online course. Oh, yeah. I wish I had
[00:25:13.70] - Chris
I wish I had done that years ago, bro.
[00:25:15.20] - Canaan
About five years ago or five or six years ago, I was like, when it was really popping off, I was you know, we had we had certain photographers who had been in the industry for quite a while, and they were like, I'm tired.
[00:25:25.20] - Chris
I need to figure out You're not tired?
[00:25:27.09] - Canaan
Oh, no. No. I'm there. I'm just saying I missed the window.
[00:25:29.40] - Chris
Yeah. I know.
[00:25:30.20] - Canaan
And so then you've got, like, folks who are like, I'm gonna create a platform, sell it online. Yeah. And they just, like, they killed it. And you're like, man and then they get to, like, shoot the fun stuff. You know, the stuff that's like you're not, like, it's not someone's most important day of their life that they're relying on you for. You know? I remember. Because that's not mentally wearing you down. Years ago, Adam asked me to make a couple YouTube videos on, like, photography tutorials. I'm like, sure. So I put down. Years ago, Adam asked me to make a couple YouTube videos on, like, photography tutorials. I'm like, sure. So I put
[00:25:56.90] - Chris
you down. Years ago, Adam asked me to make a couple YouTube videos on, like, photography tutorials. I'm like, sure. So I put down. Years ago, Adam asked me to make a couple YouTube videos on, like, photography tutorials. I'm like, sure. So I put a lot of energy into making these YouTube videos. I'm like Right. I think one of them has, like, twelve views.
[00:26:01.40] - Canaan
Yeah. Okay. two
[00:26:02.00] - Chris
two views. I'm like That's a a
[00:26:03.79] - Canaan
a a really good point.
[00:26:04.59] - Chris
But they're great tips.
[00:26:05.79] - Canaan
Yeah. And I I and I wanna I wanna, as I already caveated just because people on the Internet don't listen or read. So no shade. Those people who created those courses, I'm saying, like, good on you. Oh, dude. You're fine. Fantastic. Like, make your money. You did it. That's a crap ton of work creating that stuff and then managing it. So, I'm just saying, wish I would have jumped on that train. Yeah. Still wanna shoot. Not saying I wanted to get completely out of shooting. Just saying, like, that, that other portion of income. Yeah. Fantastic. Fantastic idea.
[00:26:40.09] - Chris
Well, okay. Maybe one of the thing I'd like to discuss is just embarrassing moments on the trailer.
[00:26:45.90] - Canaan
Yeah. We got a couple more minutes. Yeah. That'll that'll kinda, like, put us right on the money. Yeah. Let's do it. You go first because I don't, that'll give that'll probably inspire me with the story.
[00:26:53.59] - Chris
Yeah. I don't know if this is gonna, like, upgrade the rating of this podcast from, like, p g thirteen
[00:26:58.90] - Canaan
Or get us canceled immediately.
[00:27:00.40] - Chris
MA, but, I don't know. I'm just gonna throw it out there. I I at least the time I felt..
[00:27:06.50] - Canaan
i have no idea where this is going by the way.
[00:27:07.70] - Chris
I felt that my heart raised the most at a wedding. You know, I've had things like I've had my pants rip open twice at, you know, wedding events. Run you pants too. Yeah. And that's that wasn't nearly as embarrassing as other moment. But I think it was I was driving to North Carolina to Charlotte to photograph a wedding, and I was on the phone with a bride and doing first, a consult. Got off the phone, and it like, normal, when I finish a consult, I immediately send an email. So bad bad practice here, but I'm I'm driving down the highway. I was trying to write a short email to this bride I just talked to. And I'm like, hey. And and this is standard for me. I just I always write my emails to say, hey. You sounded really kind, super sweet on the phone. Thanks for taking time to chat.
[00:27:47.90] - Canaan
Yeah.
[00:27:48.29] - Chris
And so I write this email. I send it. And then when I went back later that day and reread what I sent, I guess autocorrected got in there or my fat thumbs, but I had wrote, you sound really kind and super wet on the phone.
[00:28:01.50] - Canaan
No. No. You didn't.
[00:28:04.29] - Chris
So she ended up booking me. I don't remember who Bry was now. Thank god. But, I have I followed up and I was like, hey. I am an idiot. You know? I'm so sorry. And, I don't think we ever discussed it. We just moved on.
[00:28:17.70] - Canaan
Just let it you just let it go.
[00:28:19.00] - Chris
She's living her happy life. Yeah. I'm just carrying shame for the next ten years of mine. But, So, I
[00:28:23.40] - Canaan
So, I mean, you've clearly carried that with you for a while.
[00:28:25.59] - Chris
Yeah. Yeah. But I think that's the most I've ever, like, oh my god. I can't believe that happened. But Okay.
[00:28:31.40] - Canaan
That's a high bar, dude. I don't know if I I hope
[00:28:33.79] - Chris
you don't have a bar higher than that, to be honest. It's for your for your own personal stuff.
[00:28:37.59] - Canaan
Not really prepared. Sorry. I just really heavily breathe into the mic. I'm not really prepared to what's an embarrassing I also roll with embarrassment pretty casually. Like, I've Yeah. Been a part of .. I don't know if I recognize an What's
[00:28:53.79] - Canaan
What's that?
[00:28:55.90] - Chris
I don't know if you make an idiot of yourself as much as I do. I get hyper focused, you know, and then I, like, I kinda come up right here and I'm like, oh, that's I mean,
[00:29:02.50] - Canaan
I've got I've got stories that are, like, wild, but I don't know about Yeah. I I
[00:29:06.09] - Chris
I I mean, you've shot weddings where there's, like, people being arrested for drugs and guns and
[00:29:10.70] - Canaan
Yeah. I have. I have. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we've shot weddings where, like, where, I gotta be careful on this one because the FBI was involved and the ATF. But where where, you know, we're shooting the wedding. Wedding went great. And then we find out two weeks later that these were some of the biggest drug dealers and movers in the state of Tennessee and, great wedding. And to be fair, really nice people, okay, for for their for the way they make their money. We got along really well. The The
[00:29:53.09] - Chris
The The way they make their entrepreneurially? I mean, you know,
[00:29:57.79] - Canaan
small business I mean, it was not actually, it was not a small business. They had a very big business, but, really good at it.
[00:30:03.40] - Chris
Yeah. You say after the wedding, they got arrested?
[00:30:05.79] - Canaan
After the wedding, they got arrested. To find that out. It was on the news. Oh. We were hanging out, and then all of a sudden, we get a text. We're like, hey. Isn't this your groom? And it's a mugshot along with, like, fifteen other people. And you're like, oh, yeah. That's the groom and oh, the groom's brother and, oh, all the groomsmen and, oh, oh, like the ring oh, god. That's all of them. Everybody. And just
[00:30:29.20] - Chris
And just say the ring bearer?
[00:30:30.50] - Canaan
Not the ring bearer. Like, I'm sure you saw that. The the guys who, like, walk people down the aisle to their seats. Wow. Okay.
[00:30:37.20] - Chris
Not the ring bearer. Business we
[00:30:38.70] - Canaan
got here. Unless unless he was involved too, probably an age, you know, term there that they can't get you out.
[00:30:43.90] - Chris
I mean, his offering says, if you're under eighteen, you won't be doing any time.
[00:30:47.59] - Canaan
There you go. So solid. Maybe in
[00:30:49.20] - Chris
your vol. I don't know.
[00:30:49.70] - Canaan
What's that? But, like, yeah, that was one. That was that was a moment. We've had other moments where, you know, fights have broken out, real crazy fights. People have. There's been other times where, like, yeah. Like like, people people did too much of a thing at a wedding, and then the ambulance had to be called and
[00:31:12.00] - Chris
Like, too much of the, like, charcuterie board or what?
[00:31:15.00] - Canaan
Too much of the, of the white of a of a powdery substance. And then Mhmm. And then, you know, combine that with other things.
[00:31:24.00] - Chris
Right.
[00:31:24.20] - Canaan
And these are these are not, like, small weddings. These are, like, you know, six figure weddings. Like, very nice. And, and this kinda like, so, that's that's you know, then maybe that's something we can talk about next time is, like, you know, some of your nicer weddings are often the more chaotic, unhinged ones.
[00:31:42.79] - Chris
Yeah. Absolutely.
[00:31:44.00] - Canaan
know? Money does things to people. But I think that's our time. And for this first episode, this went pretty much how I thought it would go. You know?
[00:31:52.70] - Chris
Oh, good.
[00:31:53.20] - Canaan
I think we stayed on our bullet points and then casually derailed.
[00:31:58.40] - Chris
Yeah. Yeah. Sounds like my life.
[00:32:00.79] - Canaan
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Which is, hey. That's not true.
[00:32:02.79] - Chris
That's us. That's not true.
[00:32:03.70] - Canaan
True. No. We're pretty consistent.
[00:32:05.00] - Chris
Points. There's
[00:32:05.59] - Canaan
a derailing, but We're fine. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, that's, absolutely one. With us. Yeah. Thank you so much for joining us.
[00:32:12.00] - Chris
You made it this far. There's a coupon code in the credits.
[00:32:15.29] - Canaan
For for, great clips.
[00:32:17.40] - Chris
Great for great clips, primarily.
[00:32:19.70] - Canaan
Solid. Don't ask ask for a fade, but they can really, like Yeah.
[00:32:22.90] - Chris
They really mess up.
[00:32:23.70] - Canaan
Get a free bowl of soup with your haircut anytime. To go. Anyway, thanks so much for tuning in. Hopefully, you made it the whole way. And, look for us, wherever you listen to podcasts. This is also gonna be on socials and YouTube. We're gonna populate it everywhere we can, and really try and spread it out there. So like, subscribe, tell your friends, do all the things, and we'll catch you on the next one. Your parents might wanna watch. You don't tell your parents about this. Please, God. Don't tell your parents about this. This is mild compared to where we're headed. Anyway, bye. See you.