Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Farmer.
Hi Haley, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
If you want the longer version, I got my first camera when I was 3. It was a Barbie Polaroid camera my aunt got me and it never left my side.
Fast forward to high school, I was accepted into the fine arts center and then the SC Governors School for the Arts and Humanities, and finally got my Bachelor of Fine Art (B.F.A.) in photography at USC Columbia.
After a few years of bouncing around in the post-college confusion of just trying to get a job to pay the bills, I met my husband and he afforded me the opportunity to quit my day job in the medical field to pursue photography. I bought my first full-frame camera (I had rented them up until this point,) and started shooting portraits here and there.
My cousin asked me if I would shoot her wedding and I was elated. I shot her wedding and immediately fell in love. I knew the technical aspects (though I still had much more to learn- they don’t teach you everything in college!) but I didn’t know how much I would enjoy shooting weddings. I started advertising and charging way less than I should have just to gain more real-life experience.
Finally, I saw a job posting from Complete Weddings + Events, applied, and started shooting for them immediately. They opened up more doors for me in the very tight-knit wedding community than I could have in years on my own. I owe them a great deal of my career as a photographer. After shooting hundreds of weddings, family portraits, maternity, newborns, etc, I can tell you that I will not be stopping any time soon.
For me, it is not just the challenge of shooting in any lighting situation- it’s being a person that the bride and groom/family/client can count on for anything. On shoot day, I am the clients’ best friend. Need water? Beer? Someone, to help you tape up your bra? I’m your guy. Don’t know how to cut the cake? I’m happy to show you. Difficult bustle? Bring it my way. Crying baby? Well, that’s on you. Just kidding!
The reason I shoot weddings, family portraits, maternity, newborns, etc is that I am able to be a force of calm for my client while I am with them. They trust me with documenting their life and every single time I do my best to go far beyond just taking photos. I could probably talk about this forever.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Of course, there were challenges along the way. How do I get clients when I have little real-life experience? The Fine Art world is entirely different than the commercial photography world.
I felt as if I were starting from the bottom so many times. The thing that solved this for me was simple: networking. It’s EXHAUSTING and I hate small talk but you will meet your best business friends at networking events.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer of all things people!
I love bringing out emotions in couples or having a mom share wise words with her daughter. I do my best to blend in and become one of the family to make everyone completely at ease.
That’s what makes me different. I’m able to put my clients at ease so we get true, honest candid photos and relaxed, happy posed photos.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was an emo kid (I know, I know.) I channeled all of that into my art and I worked 10 x harder on it because of that. I was never the best in my class in my opinion but the passion was always there for me.
You can teach just about anything and become the best- but you can’t teach attitude, work ethic, or passion. I had/have those things.
Pricing:
- Headshots starting at $250
- Weddings starting at $2,000
- Maternity starts at $399
- Family portraits start at $275
- Inquire for more!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.HaleyDFarmer.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/haleyfarmerphotography
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/haleyfarmerphotography
Image Credits
Haley Farmer Photography
