This week, our artist spotlight falls on a familiar face, a long-time customer whose presence in our store is always a highlight. Their consistent patronage and vibrant energy have made them an integral part of our community. Join us as we delve into their story and celebrate their achievements. We are pleased to feature wedding and portrait photographer, Pepper Nix!
Pepper Nix's work stands as a testament to her unwavering commitment to her craft and her unparalleled ability to transform fleeting moments into everlasting treasures. In this Q&A session, we're excited to uncover a small piece of her story. So let's get started!
How did you get started in photography and when did you make it a career?
I got started in wedding photography when a college friend and his fiancé asked me to shoot their wedding. Of course I said no, absolutely not!! But then they showed up, got down on one knee and proposed to me, and I relented and said yes. I’ve never been so nervous for a shoot in my life, but it turns out, it was more fun and filled my soul more than any other type of photography I had been doing! It was pretty much set from that day on.
What's been the highlight of your career so far?
Every day I get to go out there and be with couples on their wedding day, that’s a highlight. It’s not a one time thing, like Oh that one time was the best ever! It’s an every day thing where I feel joy and gratitude. But the highlight of my day is always the First Look! I love seeing that moment where the groom is surprised by her dress and then gets to Hugh her and talk about her beautiful dress and how amazing she looks in it! I’ve had guys whoop and jump in the air, I’ve had men fall to their knees sobbing, and everything in between. That’s my highlight!
If you could only take one camera body and one lens to a wedding, what would it be?
One camera body is easy, the Sony mirrorless A7R V or whatever it's called, I think Sony needs better names. The Sony Roadster V! The Sony Saturn V! I dunno, whatever it is that has a V at the end. Besides the terrible name, it’s an incredible camera, very versatile, great shadow details and with Sony lenses tack sharp focusing. One lens is a crazy question, I’m a prime shooter and would never go anywhere without my 6 lenses. You can’t shoot a wedding with just one lens, at least I can’t. But if you’re asking my favorite lens, it’s a tossup between the 35mm 1.4 and the 50mm 1.2, both incredible lenses.
What's one piece of business advice you know now that you wish you knew sooner?
I wish I had known earlier to outsource my bookkeeping! The first 8 years in business I was doing it all by myself, and it wasn’t fun. I’ve been with my current bookkeeper for a decade and a half and she is amazing. Outsource what you don’t have fun with people! Whether it’s booking, housecleaning, dry-cleaning runs, editing, social media, whatever is the bane of your existence is something that someone else can do for you so you can concentrate on what you love.
What inspired your 10,000-headshot project?
My 10,000 Headshots project was inspired by a blind date! After the date, he sent me a photo of himself smiling to say thank you, and it was objectively just a terrible and unflattering and got me thinking that if this handsome guy could take such a godawful photo, maybe there was a market for me to take photos of people that didn’t completely suck. I’ve got the entire story on the website, and it’s exciting that we are getting close to 10,000!
Thank you Pepper for graciously sharing her insights and experiences with us. Her presence in our store has been a true delight, and we are privileged to showcase her remarkable talent.
To see more of her work, head over to her website or follow her on Instagram.