Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Armstrong.
Hi Stephen, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a wedding and portrait photographer based out of Hiram, GA. My photography journey started when I was eight years old, on a business trip with my dad (Bert Armstrong) at Jekyll Island. My dad was a professional photographer for the State of Georgia and I was my dad’s helper while he photographed a conference. He looked over at me, handed me his Nikon camera and told me “Go take pictures of people having fun!” I was instantly hooked from that moment on. As time went by, I used his camera for other events I helped him with and eventually, he gave me his camera when he upgraded. He and I would shoot events together and have fun doing what we both loved together. As time went by, I began to expand my portfolio and entered into wedding and portrait photography. I decided at that point, it was time to invest in photography education and traveled to several states, taking courses taught by established wedding photographers. I’ve now been shooting weddings for over 12 years and have developed my photojournalistic style along with cinematic -“Epic” style. Over the years of shooting weddings, I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to several different states to capture the story of special couples and document the first day of their Happily Ever After.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My adventure down the road of photography has not been the easiest one. There were and still are moments that I felt defeated. But when you feel that way, you have to pick yourself up push harder. I’ve struggled with camera equipment. I decided to part ways with my old camera gear and invest in new technology, which was not the easiest thing to do. I’ve struggled in the past when starting out to book new clients. Marketing and advertising is definitely a challenge when this is something you’ve never done before. COVID 19 forced a whole new level of change to take place for photographers as well. Switching from in-person meetings to virtual. From being able to shoot up close, to having to stay socially distanced to get those special moments. The feeling of disconnection was one of the largest struggles. However, with having the best clients now, it has definitely helped us all grow the best possible way for now, and the future ahead!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in Wedding and Portrait photography. That includes weddings, seniors, families, and maternity photography. My photography style is a little different than most as I am more of a bold, cinematic style photographer. I prefer the darker feel but using off-camera lighting to make my subjects pop. I’m known for my true-color style with the off-camera flare with real expressions/emotions. I dare to shoot when others will not. I thrive shooting at night. One of my favorite places to shoot is downtown after the sun has set. One of my most proud images, and one of the images I’m most well known for, is my image I captured at Centennial Park near the Ferris wheel. I had a bride and groom kiss and I could not believe the amazing image that was taken! When the photographer is astonished at the picture, that means it was something epic!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Passion for what you do is the most important thing, but you have to also have an exciting, easy-going personality. When a new client comes to you for the first time, they are nervous. They do not know what to expect. You have to be able to help them relax and connect with them. Without a connection, you will not be able to get the best facial expressions by making them laugh, or build a relationship with them, learning what they like about themselves and what they do not – what areas to focus on vs which areas to stay away from. And the biggest thing – you make them feel like family because at the end of it, you basically ARE family!
Pricing:
- Wedding Photography starting at $2495
- Portrait Sessions starting at $300 for 90 minutes
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.armstrongphotogallery.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/saphotogallery
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/armstrongphotogallery
Image Credits
All photos attached were captured by Stephen Armstrong.
