Welcome back to another installment of Real Weddings Magazine’s Partner Profiles!
This week we highlight Amber Felt of Shoop’s Photography, one of the photographers who has a featured real weddings in the just released Summer/Fall 2011 issue of Real Weddings Magazine (check out Katy & Marc Winkle’s wedding)! Take it away Amber!
Shoop’s Photography
Tell us a little about your company? We provide engagement, wedding, boudoir and family photography services. We are all about FUN and capturing moments creatively.
When did you establish your business? January 2007.
What sets you apart from your competition?We are trendsetters, not trend followers! We keep our style fresh and modern by attending workshops and tradeshows every year. And we do it all for YOU, because photography is not just business, it’s personal.
Where do you find inspiration?I follow my favorite photographers and designers on Twitter and Facebook. I love looking at other artists’ work. I also find inspiration in everyday things, such as the leaves, rocks and flowers I see on the trail while walking my dogs, or the colorful artwork my kids bring home from school.
When you opened shop, what was your promise to your customers? To always stay true to them. I started my business because I wanted to cater to people like me; a down to earth, family oriented, wine drinking, animal loving and totally goofy wife and mother ON A BUDGET!
What trend do you see coming in 2011?Lots of DIY details or handmade items from places like Etsy. I see weddings being more personalized this year.
Do you regularly blog? If so, what’s your blog site? Always! Check out shoopsphotographyblog.com
What’s your favorite local restaurant? Scott’s Seafood and Samuel Horne’s
What’s your favorite local charity? Sacramento Food Bank and Twin Lakes Food Bank
What is your favorite fun thing to do locally?Run with my dogs along Folsom trails, shop and dine on Sutter Street in historic Folsom.
Do you have secret vice or indulgence? What is it? Chocolate pudding and fun feather hair pieces.
What are you most grateful for in life? The opportunity to do a job that I love, and all the support I get from my family to make that happen.
If you were to plan your own wedding, or re-do your wedding, what elements would be most important to you? I’d pay more attention to the fun little details that make a wedding special and unique, and I’d make sure to include those that are special to me (it’s easy to forget stuff like that when in the middle of the planning frenzy).
What advice would you can give to brides and grooms getting married today? Don’t get caught up in the hype or drama of wedding planning, Keep it simple. Make sure it’s what YOU want and don’t stress too much about trying to please everyone. The day is about you and your spouse and those lucky enough to be a part of that.
Anything else you’d like to share with Real Weddings Magazine’s brides? Do your homework! Vendors appreciate it when you know what you want and what you are looking for. Don’t go to a photojournalist when you’d prefer traditional posed images; don’t go to a DJ when you want a live band! We can always help you with your planning but it helps us if you get a head start by doing some research first. And remember, you always get what you pay for. So prioritize that vendor list and don’t skimp on what is most important to you.
Find out more about Amber and Shoop’s Photography by visiting their Web site!
Photos courtesy of Shoop’s Photography.
