All of us at Shewanders Photography are dancing in confetti of love and gratitude for celebrating 15 years behind the lens.
15 years of gratitude. 15 years of love. 15 years because of YOU.
We’d love to take you on a little vacation down memory lane to where it all began.
In 2002, a friend asked me to shoot her big day. I very reluctantly said yes. I had never shot a wedding before and it wasn’t something I wanted to do. By the end of the day, sparks were flying, adrenaline was pumping; I was in love. A couple months later, I got laid off of my job in advertising and started Shewanders Photography.
Mike started with Shewanders in 2008 and has blown my mind with his raw talent. He took some photo classes when he was younger, but really claimed his voice at Shewanders. He started as a third shooter and within a couple of years was shooting his own weddings. I admire his voice and the sense of immediacy that he captures. I often look at his work and wonder how he puts people at enough ease for them to be so natural in front of him.
There are a few things over the last 15 years that we couldn’t have lived without.
Suzanne says....
I write in my morning pages every day. It’s how I let go of all the chatter so that I can stay focused and understand what I want. The gems are hidden amidst the words of my everyday writing. It takes putting in the work day after day; that’s where the magic happens.
I ask what if it’s magical? Instead of, what if it’s too hard or expensive? Shewanders by nature has allowed me to live an untraditional lifestyle where I get to travel and work. Work to travel, work while traveling, the whole shebang. When I travel, I know who I am. It allows me to learn, grow, challenge myself, and respond to my environment. While exploring a new place, I want to fill each day to the brim with adventures.
I listen to music to make sense of my thoughts. Sometimes an idea or a problem will be floating around in my mind. It takes the emotional quality of a song or the lyrics to help me understand what I’ve been feeling or thinking.
I always allow myself time to daydream and listen to my inner voice (even when she sounds like a drill sergeant). This gives me the freedom to dream up new concepts and ideas from within, rather than what I see on Pinterest or Instagram.
Mike says...
I believe that love and a celebration solves any problem. Regardless of the stress of a wedding day or the never-ending tasks, when I live in the moment of a beautiful celebration, everything else disappears.
I always stand true to who I am. I never try to stand out, I just try to be myself. I do what inspires me and my clients so that we have a journey together.
I find peace and recharge in fitness and nature. Outside of photography, I do martial arts, running, and bodyweight training. I love the outdoors. Hiking and survival type training is a passion and hobby of mine.
I couldn’t survive without listening to my inner voice. This is driven by reading, film, and new experiences.
Both of us say...
We have constantly been inspiring ourselves so that we can create inspired work. We go to workshops, take classes, have art adventures with friends, and always experiment with new techniques.
We attribute our success to the most amazing friends in the industry and rising together. CAKE Bakery was my first industry friend. We love those ladies like no one else. Our companies grew up together. We had our growing pains together and all of our successes. Did you see them win Cake Wars?
We also couldn't have done it without finding our ideal clients. Oh my gosh we love our clients. Seriously! So many people complain about their brides and grooms and we are head over heels for ours. Our clients tend to be warm people who are grateful to have wonderful people in their lives.
A thousand thank you’s to all of our friends, at home in San Diego, and everywhere around the globe. Because of you, we have been able to create a life we love.
