For South Carolina wedding photographer SAMANTHA BROOKE PHOTOGRAPHY it was in middle school when she received a National Geographic Magazine subscription that led her to the path of becoming a photographer. "I thought the photographers that were able to travel and capture the images for Nat Geo had the coolest job in the world. It seemed impossible for me to make a career out of such a fun hobby at the time and I am so very grateful I eventually followed my heart." Read on to learn more about her.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR PATH TO GET THERE: I have had cameras my whole life- my earliest memories of taking pictures are from when I was around five and my grandpa gave me his old Polaroid camera with a few rolls of film. I also remember having my parents drive me to CVS or Walmart to have my disposable cameras developed, and of course the point and shoot digital cameras in the early 2000s. I eventually set the cameras aside for a few years in my early twenties, to work full time and attend college, picking things up a few years later to take some family photos for friends. Once word was out and my name spread, things just kind of snowballed. Looking back, while it was a lot of work and countless hours growing my business, it’s also incredibly humbling how things fell into place and the many people that trusted me and supported me along the way.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? I would describe my style as true to life and timeless. I look back at my earlier edits and cringe, because they were SO overly filtered and edited. The skin tones look nothing like actual skin. Now I prioritise real colour and true skin tones, so that when you look back on your images you don’t cringe at the trends that were going around.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WEDDINGS? I love that there are so many real emotions and moments throughout the day. Yes, there are posed portraits, but those real in between moments just can’t be duplicated.
SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE WITH US AND TELL US WHY: My favourite image is one of a former bride and her grandmother during a sweet first look. The grandmother was overcome with pure happiness and it was such a beautiful moment to freeze forever.
CAN YOU RECALL YOUR FAVOURITE WEDDING EXPERIENCE? I think my favourite wedding experience would have to be the first look with the grandmother. I actually cried for that one.
ASIDE FROM FAMILY & FRIENDS, THREE THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT? If I had to pick three things I can’t live without I would choose my Kindle, my Canon, and coffee!
WHERE WOULD WE FIND YOU ON A SUNDAY MORNING? On Sunday mornings if I’m not booked for a wedding, you’ll find me having a slow start to the day, probably backing up some images from the day before, and honestly probably doing not much of anything. I love to relax the day after a wedding!
HOW WOULD YOU SPEND YOUR IDEAL DAY OFF? My ideal day off would be spent exploring somewhere new. I love to travel, even if it’s just a couple hours from our home, and trying new coffee shops or wine bars and walking around pretty downtown areas is one of my ideal ways to spend time off.
South Carolina wedding photographer SAMANTHA BROOKE PHOTOGRAPHY is a valued member of our Vendor Collective. Sam has a goal to capture simple, pretty memories. "I have a major love for love, soft colour, timeless imagery, and real moments. I have a habit of romanticising life, even those mundane moments that seem so ordinary, those are the often times the most important. The in between moments- a bride hugging her grandmother after she sees her in her dress for the first time, or a flower girl deciding to sit down during the ceremony because her job was just too much, those are the moments that complete a wedding gallery." You can see more of her portfolio here.
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