Hey Yall!! Im starting something new on my blog, and I hope yall enjoy! I am going to be featuring a different vendor every monday with a Q&A session!

Our first vendor is Allen Ayres owner of Bellafotografica, Im so sure you’ve heard of him! Allen reached out to me when I was a brand new vendor offering to shoot images of my work to begin building my portflio! I will forever be grateful to him for all the time he has spent helping me, (he even set this blog up!). Hes become a great friend, and one I often go to for business advice! Hope you enjoy our Q&A session!!

Meeeet Allen!

Photo credit: Julie Lowery

Q. Hi Allen! Thanks so much for wanting to be part of our vendor feature! How about let’s start with what made you decide to get into the wedding industry? And how long have you been a part of it?

A. Hi Tamara, Thank you for asking, and congratulations on your success!

I’ve been a photographer a pretty good while, my interest peaking when digital photography began to take off – finally a way to take photos and get instant feedback on just how bad I was. During that time I also developed internet sites, and after working a couple of years on some of the largest photography websites in the world, I wanted to see just how much better I could get. Mentored by friends and colleagues in Canada and Seattle, I worked as a second photographer for several years all over Texas and Louisiana before I began photographing weddings on my own. My style has been heavily influenced by my Northern Friends – local Southeast Texas brides seem to like it and we became busy, fast.

 Q. Can you give us a little history of Bellafotografica, and where did you get your inspiration for your fabulous business name?

 A. The name, the name… I wanted something a little different than AllenAyres Photography – I have a business background and felt like the company could expand to something more than Me, Inc.. After traveling to Europe a few times I thought something “Fretalian” would fit us (thinking ahead 😉 ) and what I wanted our work to say. BellaFotografica loosely translates as “beautiful photo” and since we concentrate mainly on wedding and wedding-related photography, I feel like it fits.

 Q. Since starting Bellafotografica, what has been your most important lesson learned as a vendor?

 A. Always treat clients as well as you want to be treated. This may be my hundredth wedding, but it’s their first and they don’t know what they don’t know. Slow down, take the time to walk them through what is important and what will make lasting memories from this most wonderful time in their lives.

 Q. What is your favorite part about helping brides plan for their big day?

A. Hmmm… making it uniquely about them. We *could* take a number at a local park, line up behind the 20 other couples and their photographers and snap for 20 minutes in front of some fake scenery.

OR, we could photograph them in locations that mean something to them as a couple – where they met, where he proposed, where they like to hang out. It doesn’t matter if it’s a college campus, their elementary school playground, or the local Mexican Restaurant where they sat at a particular booth every Friday night, there’s a place or 2 that really tells their story as a couple. My job is to tell that story, now and in 25 years when their grandkids are grossing out because they are seeing photos of their Nana and Papa kissing when they were younger – “Yes, that’s where me and your grandma met as kids, and that’s where I asked her to marry me”. J

My favorite part of the wedding day – the Father/ Daughter dance. My little girl is growing up fast and I *always* get a little misty-eyed watching the bride dancing with her daddy.

 Q. When did you know you wanted to capture such an important time in couple’s lives?

 A. I was intrigued by it while working a few times as a second photographer for my friend Drew, but the desire really took off when another friend from Ontario mentored me in how to “see” what makes a great image. From there it’s been an obsession – I’ve traveled far and wide to train under and with the best in the world – I want to continuously improve my skills, to be a better photographer next year than I am this year. To be trusted to capture a once-in-a-lifetime event without do-overs – well, it’s an honor and tremendous responsibility to be the best I can be.

 Q. What advice can you give vendors who are just getting into the industry?

A. Find what you have to offer and work to be the absolute best at it. There’s no real fast track to success in this industry, train with the best and work hard to produce the something you can be proud of.

I want to thank Allen so much for the time he took to answer our questions! Please check out his website www.bellafotografica.com and facebook and let him know we sent ya!