1. Are you a morning or a night person?

Sadly, both! And it doesn’t work out so great. I like being up early as I’m most motivated in the morning, but I have FOMO (fear of missing out) so badly that I never want to sleep!

2. Did you always know that you wanted to shoot weddings? 

I have always loved the intensity and pressure of weddings and think I work well in them. But the first time I picked up a camera and really started learning, it was portraits that I loved photographing
the most.

3. What important thing do you tell clients that seals a sale? 

Nothing! To me every client is different, and I’m looking for a mutual personal connection between the couple and myself. It’s rare that I have a phrase or method that works on everyone.

4. What’s the last really amazing movie you watched or book you read? 

I’m a movie person, so anything superheroes or Star Wars makes me happy. That being said, The Greatest Showman was just WOW (and it didn’t hurt that I got to look at Wolverine the whole time).

5. What’s the most challenging wedding you shot, and how did you recover? 

There are weddings that are physically challenging, and I recover with a beer. Ones that are mentally exhausting, I have a glass of red wine. If you catch me going for a dirty martini after a wedding…don’t ask me how it was.

6. How does your vision and style as a photographer stay consistent through fluctuating trends in the industry? 

I try hard not to change my photography style or editing according to trends but still advance my skill and style a little bit to stay current. It’s not easy to stay consistent and current at the same time.

7. What do you wish people in the industry would talk more openly about? 

What it really takes to make it as a successful photographer—the time, the effort and all the non-Instagram worthy things.

8. What’s it like being married to a wedding filmmaker? 

Ha, that’s a fun one! It’s really tough at times to detach from work and remember how to be more than business partners, but it’s great just being able to understand each other instantly, being in a similar line of work.

9. What personal goal do you have for 2019, or for the next few years? 

I’m looking to provide more education for my fellow photographers. I’m currently developing things like yogaforphotographers.com and speedposing.com, and so far it’s been quite fun.

10. What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten (photo or non-photo related)? 

Never stop learning.

Vanessa Joy is a New-Jersey based shooter who’s been photographing weddings for almost 20 years.

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#whyiWPPI with Vanessa Joy