Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Manus
Hi Megan , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I photographed my first wedding in 2003, and I officially started my business in 2005. Since then I have photographed hundreds of weddings and thousands of portrait sessions ( newborn, kiddos, family, maternity and business/corporate needs).
My studio and office is located in my home, where I mainly photograph children and newborns, with the remainder ( and majority) of my work being shot on location.
I am based in SC but have photographed weddings in St. Louis, North Carolina, Mexico, St Lucia and The Dominican Republic. I often travel to other SC locations for portrait sessions.
I am a Canon girl and currently shoot their R5 and R6 camera bodies with L-Series lenses.
I was voted Best Photographer/Studio in the “Best of Sumter Awards” for 2010-2014, 2016, and 2018- 2021, 2023.
In 2016 and 2020 I won the Two Bright Lights Editors Choice Awards
in 2017 and 2019 I won the Weddingwire Couples Choice Awards
My work has been featured in a national retirement magazine
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Although my business runs pretty smoothly now, that was most certainly NOT always the case. When you have done something for 20 years, you just naturally figure out what works and what doesn’t and how to work efficiently and effectively.
In the beginning I struggled with time management. I still had a full-time job that I worked all day and then I would stay up all night working on images because I thought sessions needed to be turned around in 1 day- hahaha!!!! It took a toll on my life and my marriage. I have since adopted a 10-12 day timeframe for galleries to be completed( however most times it’s just a few days). Under-promising and over-delivering is how I like to operate. And my clients appreciate my quick turn around.
I have also learned to say “NO”. That was a hard one for me. But I have learned that I simply cannot say “yes” to everything and everyone. Not only will that burn you out, but I need to be a good fit for my clients, and they need to be a god fit for me. Also, I value my family over my business and my work hours are set in such a way that I still have time to put my son and husband first. I do not work on weekends ( unless I have a wedding) because that time with my family is MORE important to me than my work. Yes, I loose out on some clients because I don’t shoot on Saturdays or Sundays, which is a common time for families to have their sessions done. But my long-time clients, and new clients that want to work with me, understand my schedule and make adjustments to make it work.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In the past 20 years, my clients ( especially wedding clients) have repeatedly told me that they appreciate my organization, reliability and attention to detail. And since I am a total TYPE A person, that makes sense! They say that I am so organized and that in turn takes so much stress off of them during the whole wedding process.
I have been told that I put people at ease during a photo session. I try to make them laugh and just carry on a normal conversation with me while we shoot. This works especially well with younger kiddos. We talk about princesses and tractors and sometimes I even sing ( thats a LAST resort because no one needs to hear me sing! ) These conversations tend to relax the person in front of my camera and brings out more natural facial expressions.
I feel that I am known for my ability to capture great photos in any lighting situation. When I am in a certain situation I can just “feel” a photo and how it will appear in camera and I try to give a mix of not only beautiful photos, but those that will just “speak” to a person when they see them. I also have tons of elated parents tell me, after a session, that they have no idea HOW I got the images that I did, because the session felt like a total loss ( to them!). Yes, sometimes sessions with kiddos feels like total chaos! But, I know what I need and I will not stop the session until I KNOW I have what I need. I like to shoot a good mix of “smiling at the camera” photos AND lots of candids as well. Some of my favorite images are the ones that were not planned.
I also feel that my clients appreciate my strong work ethic, quick responses to email/text/calls, and fast turn around times.
Any big plans?
I see myself to continue to do what I love- photographing people. I love to watch my wedding clients turn into “family” clients and getting to work with them through pregnancy, newborn, toddler stages and family sessions. I see myself branching more into some business branding and commercial work, and continuing to grow my Heirloom headshot sessions ( which are wildly popular).
At this age ( and I’m not going to tell you THAT!), I often wonder how much longer the wedding “industry” will have me. How long will I still be relevant. There’s always someone newer and younger. But then people remind me that EXPERIENCE is what it boils down to. so we shall see, haha! Each year I think ” this will be the year the weddings stop”…but then each year my calendar seems to fill up with them ( as much as I am willing to take on anyway). So, I guess I will continue on as long as it still makes sense for me…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://meganmanusphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganmanusphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meganmanusweddings/
