Today we’d like to introduce you to Vandreena Cotton-Meeks.
Hi Vandreena, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In all honesty, I have been a photographer for my entire life; my parents gifted me with my first camera when I was three years old and I still have it today! Thanks to several box tops (and their penchant for supporting my dreams & hobbies), they gave me a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes 110 Mini Film Camera. Once it arrived, I rarely put it down and made sure I captured everything. From weekends at Red Top Mountain & Lake Allatoona to parades & events in downtown Atlanta to family moments around the house, everything became a photographic subject. That love of painting with light definitely came honest as my dad was an amateur photographer his entire adult life (since shooting with his Mamiya/Sekor 100 DTL during his time in the Air Force during the Vietnam War) and my mom always had a love for appreciating everything in nature. This passion was easily passed along to me as we decorated the walls of our home with images we all captured. In fact, my parents always said, “Why buy a photograph? You’re a photographer; make your own art and your own interpretation. You may like it even more.”
As I matured, my love for photography did as well. From being a photographer & editor for my high school’s yearbook staff to becoming a writer/editor/videographer/photographer for the student media at Georgia State University, my camera never left my side. During my time at GSU, I started to hone in on my preferred photography style: photojournalism. Whether I was photographing a cover story for The Signal or capturing promotional headshots for fellow classmates, I always made sure my images told a story and added dimension to the subject.
After earning my Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Georgia State University, my parents gave me another fantastic piece of advice: “Your classmates will be getting married soon; you should start photographing weddings”. Although that pivot is easier said than done, it was what brought me to where I am today as a photographer, videographer & storyteller.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The art of photography has definitely been a smooth road as it comes naturally to me and I pick up on new styles & technologies easily. However, running a successful business as a photographer can be a struggle. Aside from learning how to legally register a business and properly file taxes (which every small business owner faces), one of the biggest struggles is oversaturation of talent. My photography business – VNC Photography – is based in the Atlanta metro area where there are hundreds – if not thousands – of photographers for every style, experience level and price point. To see this in practice, check out any Facebook post where a newly engaged couple is in search of a photographer. Within 30 minutes, there will be hundreds of comments from photographers all over the state throwing their hats in the ring (myself included). Sometimes, a photographer stands out above the rest and the couple clicks with them (which is how I was able to capture weddings in Jamaica, Chicago, Savannah, Tampa and Phoenix); but more often than not, hundreds of talented artists get lost in the shuffle.
Another struggle that I’ve faced (and many other photographers have as well) is when there’s a lull in work. This especially happens for wedding photographers in the off season (January – March), but a way I’ve kept myself busy and profitable is by shooting real estate. Although real estate photography is a complete departure from capturing images of people, you quickly learn that composition, lighting and angles are just as important for a 1500 square foot house as it is for bridal portraits.
Aside from keeping busy and standing out in a crowd, my biggest struggle is a personal one that very few – if any – photographers have ever faced, and that’s racism from my in-laws (in case you haven’t noticed, I’m black & my husband’s white). Over the past few years, though my business has been steady & successful, I’ve had continuous attacks from my immediate in-laws and their friends. From leaving fake reviews on my business pages to having fake clients contact me solely to attack me to attempting to leave disparaging remarks with venues in order to revoke my ‘preferred vendor’ status, it has been an uphill battle that my loving husband & I have been fighting since 2014 (with no help from law enforcement, even with evidence of their harassment). Thankfully, he has been my rock (and super talented 2nd shooter) since 2007 and has refused to let them destroy my business. Although we’ve had no contact or relationship with them for over 5 years, we are stronger as a company (and a couple) because of it and we plan to continue thriving.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a photographer & videographer for VNC Photography – a business I officially started in 2006. I work alongside my husband, Joel, and we capture everything from events to real estate to weddings. My dad’s motto when it came to photo & video was “If it can be captured, capture it” so I have yet to settle on a niche.
Although I haven’t settled on a niche, I can easily say I specialize in engagements, weddings and families since that’s how I spend 95% of my time behind the camera. Sure, there will be the occasional real estate session, event or boudoir session, but it warms my heart to capture the progression of a relationship over the years.
I’ve actually asked several of my clients over the years how they would describe my photography style and the overwhelming answer is that my images put the viewer in the moment. Take a wedding, for example. There may be some guests who were unable to attend, but I’ve constantly heard comments over the years that viewing the pictures and videos I captured made them feel like they were there. I especially love it when a married couple looks back on their photos & videos and remembers things that went by in a blur on their big day. Ultimately, that is the primary job of a photographer or videographer: capture the emotion of the moment that brings the viewer with you.
I am super proud of connecting with my clients and having many of them become more than clients. On my website, I say, “by the end of the night, you’ll have two new friends” and that’s 100% true! In fact, it’s so true that many of our former clients were guests at our wedding (and a couple were in our wedding party). When you spend an entire day with someone on one of the biggest days of their life, it’s hard not to develop a bond that can last for years. This intimate relationship has also allowed me the opportunity to photograph some families year after year (from engagement through multiple kids). I actually have several clients that have a “Vandreena wall” in their house that features all the images I’ve shot of them. It’s impossible for me to see that and not smile ear to ear.
The thing that sets me apart from most of the other photographers in the Atlanta area would definitely be the Peabody Award I won for my photographic contribution to CNN’s coverage of the Arab Spring Uprising. For those that don’t know what a Peabody Award is, it reflects excellence in quality rather than popularity or commercial success and is the industry’s most competitive honor, with an average of about 25-35 winners chosen annually from more than 1,000 entries. As their official website states “The Peabody Awards are presented only to “the best of the best”. It took a lot of proverbial blood, sweat and tears to achieve that honor, but it proved that the little girl with the Kellogg’s camera had evolved into a woman with a unique talent for emotive, immersive, and truthful storytelling.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Absolutely! If you plan on turning your love of photography into a business, figure out your cost of doing business (also called CODB). There are plenty of CODB calculators online that can help you accurately determine your total annual expenses, weekly cost of doing business, and overhead costs. This, along with hiring a reputable Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and setting up your business legally, will not only save you headaches down the line but add legitimacy to your business. Also, it will help curb haggling from potential clients. For example, if your CODB for mini-sessions is a certain amount, you’ll be much less likely to give into the hagglers and price shoppers who ‘love your work but not your prices’ when you know that you have to hit a certain goal to keep your business afloat. Besides, they probably wouldn’t haggle at the grocery store or gas station, why should they haggle with a small business?
If I could go back and give myself a piece of advice when I was starting out, it would definitely be to capture more at-home moments in my adult years. Since 2019, both of my parents have passed away and I don’t have nearly as many photos and videos as I would like. Although my dad was a photographer, he didn’t care for being in front of the camera. As for my mom, she was always willing to be a subject, but I let my work take up a lot of my time. Thankfully, I have plenty of happy photographic memories of them from my childhood; but sadly, I have hardly any from after I graduated college. It’s one of the things you don’t really think about as a photographer or videographer. Sure, it may be a hassle to always be asked to bring your camera to family events, but once those loved ones pass away, it’s all you’ll have to remember them by. I’m blessed to know that they were proud of me and I am making sure to capture everything my husband & I experience in our daily lives, no matter how grandiose or mundane it may be.
Pricing:
- Engagements – starting at $375
- All-inclusive weddings – starting at $2800
- Wedding video – starting at $975
- Families – starting at $375
- Real estate – starting at $150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vncphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vnc_photography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VNCPhotoVideo/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VNCPhotography/
- Other: https://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/vnc-photography-atlanta/6b7e26b0bec019cb.html
