A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet with local photographer, Kate Triano. We had such a good time chatting and enjoying margaritas, chips and salsa! I’m so happy to have met her as I think we’ll become good friends. You last heard of her on this blog when I spoke about brides getting ready. Please find below an interview with Kate. She is awesome, and if you get the chance to meet with her to discuss photography for your wedding, I promise you’ll love her, and her work! Image from Kate Triano.

How did you get started in wedding photography? I got started in wedding photography like many others in this industry – planning my own wedding. I was already skilled in the the technical aspects of photography, and shot frequently, but only as a hobby. I fell in love with wedding photographs throughout my planning process, and my photographer offered an assistant position for a wedding following my honeymoon. I knew after that one wedding that it was what I wanted to do professionally. The rest just fell into place!

What was you first year of business like? My first year of business was really fun. I was still working my day job so I didn’t have an overwhelming stress of needing to book weddings. I offered myself to other DC area photographers as their assistant/2nd photographer. This was crucial in learning the business, how weddings flowed for photographers, and introduced me to many other vendors (caterers, djs, venues, etc.). I also joined a few online photography forums, which really helped answer any questions I had, as well as getting my name out there with other photographers. DC has an amazing referral network. I’ve made a lot of great friends!

What was you first wedding like? My first wedding where I was the main shooter was crazy. I got paid nothing, and shot for 12 hours straight. I had a great time though! Luckily nothing happened that I didn’t know how to take care of.

What was your last wedding like? My last wedding was one of my all time favorites. The bride and groom were incredibly caring and funny. Their theme was “wine”, as they were then planning a move to Napa Valley. The location was the beautiful Rust Manor House in Leesburg, and the bride was stunning. It doesn’t get better than that!

How have you grown as a photographer? I have become consistent in my style. Fresh, modern, real.

How have you grown since you started? I have realized that to stay current in this area you need to network, network, network. There are so many new vendors popping up all the time. I belong to several organizations that keep me involved in the wedding industry. Also constantly submitting work to magazines is very important. Getting my work published keeps my name in the game!

How are you different than other photographers in the area? I think my personality defines my photos. I am able to have fun with my clients and connect with them on a personal level. The relationship that is built from the day we meet until their wedding day is so important. I believe your clients need to trust you. If they do, then your images are going to rock! I used to book anyone who wanted me, whether we meshed or not. Thankfully I am in the position now where if I meet a couple and they want something more traditional, I can refer them to someone else in the area that specializes in traditional photography.

What would past clients say about you? That I am nice, that I provided them with a beautiful memory of their amazing day.

Anything else we should know? Check out my blog regularly to view my most recent work, and lots of pics of my puppy Pancakes!