This time of year, I get asked fairly often what I do during the off-season. There aren’t many weddings this time of year (at least not in Colorado) and the high school senior season doesn’t kick off for a few more months. So, do I just hang out watching cat videos on You Tube and reading wedding blogs all day? No way! This time of year is actually pretty busy.
First off, this is the time of year couples get engaged, so there are plenty of meetings and engagement sessions to keep me busy. It’s also tax season, which is always a good time of year to take a look at last year’s numbers and see how the business is doing. There are also quite a few events to photograph, which helps to keep me sharp and prepared for all those awesome wedding receptions I know are coming up.
But it’s not all hard work. The off-season is also a good time to recharge and get inspired. I’ll typically read a few books that I’ve been meaning to read, work on some personal photography projects, network with other wedding industry professionals and travel whenever possible.
In the last month and a half, I’ve photographed an event in LA, shot events back in CO with Denver Mayor Hancock, Colorado Governor Hickenlooper and former US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. I’ve also photographed a Habitat for Humanity project and about 20 wedding ceremonies that took place at the Denver Clerk and Recorder office on Valentines Day!
I got some traveling in, too! My wife and I took a rare, non-work related trip and explored Portland by bike and sampled lots (and I mean LOTS) of different local beers. We also took a trip out to LA where she attended a conference and I headed out into the desert to visit Joshua Tree NP.
As you can see, it’s been plenty of work, just enough play and lots of inspiration! As much as I enjoy the off-season, though, I am totally ready for wedding season to kick off. I’ve got some amazing weddings lined up this year that I can’t wait to share with you!
