Ocean County NJ Brides Are Raving About This Boudoir Photographer - You Won't Believe What They Say

Hi! Getting married can be both an exciting and frenetic time. Even though you may only be a bride for a day, the preparation that goes into a wedding can take over a year! A growing part of the planning for Ocean County brides with both weddings large and small is the inclusion of a boudoir gift as part of their big day.

Although boudoir photography isn't only for brides, it's grown to become part of the wedding for an ever increasing number of women getting married. For those thinking about taking part in a boudoir session, it may seem like just one more thing to try to fit in as part of the hectic schedule. As many will relate though, a boudoir photography session is a lot more than just a bunch of cute photos. Let's take a look...

Hi. I'm Michael. I'm a Ocean County boudoir photographer that works with many brides every year who are looking to create incredible gifts for their wedding day. It's a special occasion! What I do is create a bit of magic, that well, really goes beyond photography-- it's something that creates a sense of joy every time you view your images... I'm talking five years...ten years into the future. It's a feeling that goes beyond words. If you're wondering why you should choose me as your photographer keep reading through this post (and spend a few minutes on my website.)

I often get asked for tips about finding a photographer. The first thing to really understand when starting your search for a boudoir photographer is that not every photographer is created equal. Far from it. Would you say all restaurants are the same? Not quite. (Ever see Kitchen Nightmares? 😬) --But for some unknown reason this is exactly what people think with photographers. This is really the first mental obstacle to get past when starting your search. Just as there are differences in brands of cars, hotels, handbags, etc.-- there are big differences in photographers. Would you say a Gucci bag is similar to a Target brand one? Like most other goods and services, photographers come at many quality levels and styles-- it's your job to determine what works best for you.

Here is a dirty little secret about boudoir photographers. Most are bad. 🤦 An overwhelming number are bad. How can this be? Well, it's an occupation with a very low barrier to entry (and a corresponding high barrier to success.) Many people set off with the best of intentions and fail miserably. Boudoir photography is an alluring job for many, but there are only a very (really) small number that are super skilled at it. Don't be fooled. Many people get involved in boudoir photography because they believe they are "changing lives..." and it seems like it would be a fun job-- It is a fun job, but these noobs certainly aren't changing anyone's lives-- at least not for the better. Boudoir photography is a tough job, and the number of people that excel in the craft are small.

It was always a head scratcher to me to hear from women who put sooooo much planning and time into their weddings-- picking the perfect Ocean County venues, the perfect dress, the perfect entertainment, etc.-- but the photographer they chose for their bridal gift was nothing but an afterthought. *Sigh* This a big fail.

After all this work, they set out shopping for their boudoir photographer in the exact opposite way they treated their wedding search, explicitly just trying to find the lowest price they can. You didn't shop for your wedding like this, did you? You didn't merely start calling every Jersey Shore wedding venue in the area and ask "How much to you charge?" and sort through to pick the cheapest option. You didn't really discuss the fact with your partner that McDonald's is only $2.29/person while the wedding venue is $95/person-- so why wouldn't be we considering McDonald's for our wedding dinner? It's cheaper! OMG!

That would be a bit strange, right? On the surface that fact is true, but cheaper isn't always the best choice in every occasion. Your wedding gift (like your wedding) isn't really something that should be left to the lowest bidder. Let me break the news to you that this gift is something that will be part of the rest of your life. Don't go picking the "McDonald's" of boudoir photographers-- 😂😂. I've talked to many brides who have gone this route and have lived with the disappointment. Don't pick your boudoir photography by cheapest price-- ever.

When selecting your photographer use your "wedding" mindset. Ask tough questions. Get the details. You're only going to do boudoir once... make it worth it. (And don't cheap out... trust me.) Sadly, this is how many brides shop for boudoir. It may be their biggest mistake.

In addition to that common mistake, the second huge error women make is not understand that comparing pricing between photographers is a useless activity. Don't do this either! Let's look at another example. If you were shopping for a new home by the water with your husband and a realtor told you she had two available and said, "I have one for $447,00 and one for $495,000 which one do you want?" Not knowing any details about the homes...how can you make a decision? Where are they? How many bedrooms? Is there a pool? Is it walking distance to the beach? Knowing a price with no context isn't enough information to make a smart decision. BUT-- this is exactly how you would shop for a photographer? See what I'm getting at?? (And if you think photographers and their products are all equal...you are sadly mistaken.) Don't doooo this! 😄

See-- this can get complicated! There are so many variables to a photography session that these numbers are useless. It would be like going to a restaurant simply because you called them and they told you dinners were $5... so that must be a great deal! What in the world could you possible be getting for a $5 dinner?? Sometimes these situations aren't "deals," they are simply cries for help.

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So, how do I work with many Ocean County brides? I operate a bit differently than most. Just as I mentioned that many brides aren't the best shoppers, likewise, many photographers aren't the best operators. The bargain hunter certainly isn't my customer, so it's not something I have to deal with very often. I run my business pretty much the opposite of what you may expect! What's that? Well, first, I learned a long time ago that my mission was a lot bigger than just photography. I took a bit of a different path while growing my business.

It wasn't about cutting corners and shortcuts-- it was about doing it the right way. You may say I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I understood the time and energy I had to invest in each and every bride to get things done the right way, and I wasn't willing to compromise.

I chose to only work with a very limited number of clients each month. I chose to offer custom photo albums, and one-of-a-kind hand made albums-- all to make completely special and unique wedding gifts. And you know what...it worked! As it turned out there was a market for women who wanted something better.

So here I am. I get the amazing opportunity to work with brides from all over-- not just Ocean County NJ, but NYC, Pennsylvania-- and as far south as Florida, and as far west as Minnesota. These are all women who love experiences, look forward to having a great time, and didn't really want to compromise when it came to their bridal gift.

I'm enthusiastic about my work, and providing a true boudoir experience, and I want my clients to feel the same about selecting me. What I'm producing is exceptional photography. How does it compare? Well, lets just say I'm more Mercedes S Class than used Hyundai. Just like there is a market for that S Class Mercedes, likewise there is a market for what I do-- high end boudoir photography.

The downside to all this? Well, as I mentioned earlier, I work with a limited number of clients, and during certain times of the year I'm often wait-listed. Sometimes you just wish there were more hours in the day! I wish I could accommodate more women during the busy bridal season every year.

Sound fun? While you're here, take a look around my website and at my boudoir galleries, too.

If you would like more information about working with me send me a note on my Contact Page.