Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Hanson.
Courtney, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Before launching full time into wedding photography I actually spent nearly 12 years in advertising and marketing working to connect brands with consumers. The hours were notoriously long but in hindsight, the value gained is immeasurable. Learning how to ‘sell in’ creative ideas to clients, facilitate collaborations with other creatives, and, most importantly, figuring out how to tell stories through images perfectly prepared me for going off on my own into the world as a wedding photographer.
Aside from my professional career I’ve always had a love for photography. My family traveled extensively growing up thanks to my Dad’s job, so I had the privilege of seeing many beautiful cities and landscapes. My photos became my own scrappy souvenir. I’d take my rolls of Kodak Advantix film (anyone remember?!) to our local Jewel-Osco (I grew up in the Chicago ‘burbs) and would drop them off with Annette behind the photo counter. The wait to get the prints back – always doubles – was painstakingly long but once in-hand, I’d mount them into albums, making note of each memory and location from the trip. When I got older, I was given my first SLR from my Grandpa’s best friend, Buzz – himself a photographer. It’s an old Nikon Nikkormat with a 50mm 1.4 lens (which still works perfectly), accompanied by a typed document walking me through exactly how each dial functioned. It was then that I started to understand light and how to use it to create a specific image. I learned how to develop my own black and white film in the high school darkroom and would make my close friends act as models. When I got to college, a photojournalism class touched on the use of lifestyle photography in advertising peaking my interest in the commercial side of the business, which eventually led to my degree in Advertising.
Photography stayed a hobby of mine throughout my professional advertising career, and I’d occasionally shoot family or kids portraits. As the resident ‘girl with camera’ I had a friend ask if I would photograph her wedding. I said an emphatic ‘yes’ and started flipping through wedding magazine to get ideas for photo ops. The wedding day came and I loved the rush of it all, the emotions, the family dynamics and traditions – I was on cloud nine. And, the fact that I could deliver something that someone would hold on to for the rest of their life meant the world to me. I was hooked. I worked as a second shooter for various photographers until I built up enough clientele to warrant leaving the ad-life behind and work for myself full-time.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think any business owner would say ‘it’s been a smooth road’ when building a business. Owning your own business can be isolating, and coming from the ad agency environment of intense collaboration it’s easy to feel alone in this journey. Thankfully, we have a great community of creatives here in Dallas that encourage each other and make great sounding boards when needed.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Courtney Hanson Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
I have the privilege of bringing my client’s wedding stories to life. I take a collaborative approach to working with my clients and their planners, learning the ‘why’ behind every carefully chosen detail, who they’re most excited to see, and what they’re most nervous about. It’s all these points of connection that bring the ‘life’ to their wedding photos. My goal is to capture what a wedding felt like – not just what it looked like – and I extend this thought into every photo I take. I’m most often hired by clients looking for a photographer to capture the ‘moments’ and provide honest and authentic images. Ultimately, I focus on what matters most – my couples surrounded by everyone they know and love celebrating the start of their lives together.
My plans for the future focus on building relationships and growing a team of photographers. I love collaborating with fellow wedding vendors and so appreciate the diverse talents it takes to pull together a ‘perfect’ shoot or wedding. I’m also passionate about mentoring and really looking forward to adding Associate Photographers and Assistants to the CHP team.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I can’t help but recall the phrase ‘luck is when opportunity meets preparation’. It’s easy to look at someone’s success and think ‘they’re just lucky’. I personally think that mentality dismisses the success and undermines all the hard work that was put into capitalizing on the opportunity. What may appear to be an overnight success is actually years of hard work and sweat-equity. I can’t think of a single entrepreneur that built a successful business on luck.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.courtneyhansonphotography.com
- Phone: 214-293-7029
- Email: info@courtneyhansonphotography.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/courthansonphoto
- Facebook: facebook.com/courthansonphotography
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