Searching for a talented and experienced wedding photographer? Christy Whitehead might be exactly who you’re looking for.

Jacksonville and surrounding areas photographer, Christy Whitehead of Christy Whitehead Photography spoke with us recently about her business and her love of photography. If you’re looking for a professional and experienced wedding photographer who is truly talented, Christy Whitehead might just be who you’re looking for. Here is what she had to say………

Will you be on-site during the entire reception until the very end? Our packages are based on an hourly rate unless our bride chooses all day. We stay as long as the bride wants us there.

Tell the brides-to-be your best wedding advice.  There are soooo many things I could say!

1-Stop stressing about whether grandma and mom will be happy. It is your wedding day, do what feels right and what you’ll be happy about, you aren’t going to make everyone happy…….no matter what you do.

2-If something goes wrong, just remember as long as you are both there, everything else is just stories to laugh about later!

3-HIRE PROFESSIONALS! To start, a wedding planner. I wrote a blog about why you should hire one and it has some funny horror stories–well they are only funny because they didn’t happen to me or any of my brides! http://www.christywhiteheadphotography.com/why-a-wedding-planner/

The vendors I hear the most complaints about are DJs and videographers. People like to skimp on those two. Ask a wedding planner and photog for their recommendations. I’ve known DJs who don’t tell the photographer when key things are being announced (that’s their job!) and the photographer is shooting something else in another room, etc. DJs get the party going and keep the party going. I’ve seen people try to use an ipod or laptop and they always have issues!

I can capture moments in time, but I can NOT capture voices or movement. Hire a videographer, but hire one that knows how to play well with others.  A great videographer gets moments but can work with me as a team.

4-TRUST your vendors. Please don’t send us a million photos on Pinterest and tell us you want your wedding the SAME way. You need to hire ME because you like MY style, not because you want me to emulate someone else. I can take them as inspiration and try to get something like it, but if you tie me down to a list, I may miss the important and sweet moments that are happening at your wedding.

5-Ask for an unplugged wedding. I have seen guests, an uncle get up and stand right next to the couple to video the entire wedding. Guests jump in the aisle for photos, jockey for position to grab photos during the cake cutting, etc. They are too busy facebooking to enjoy the party and they become a hazard. All of our packages come with a USB of edited images, tell your guests to put away their phones, you’ll be happy to share the pro photos of THEM having fun after the wedding.   

What do you do that makes you stand out more so than others in your industry? I guess just being myself. And trying to be classic. My style is very clean editing. I like crisp blacks and clean whites. There’s this hazy color toning that is popular right now, but I feel like in 10 years that will look really dated. I don’t want my images to look dated. I also don’t go by a set list I guess you would say. When I go to a venue, I don’t go searching Pinterest to see what other photographers have done there, I want to see it through my own eyes, through my style. I don’t want to be limited. Plus, with the seasons, things change, I like to be constantly flexible on the wedding day to get the best result.

Do you offer any other products or services?  I can design client’s home art walls, so if they want a collage of canvases over their fireplace, I can take a photo of that fireplace and design it in my software and show them how their images would look. I also offer albums, metal prints (actually printed on metal!) and other items.

Will you have an assistant during the wedding? All standard weddings have two photographers, typically myself and one of my other girls. An assistant is sometimes on site for a couple of hours to help run flowers, rings, details, etc. to make our day flow a little easier.

How far in advance should a bride to be contact you before the wedding? Typically a year out. Some dates fill up well in advance but sometimes there are dates that just aren’t as popular. I only take 30 weddings a year, and I only do 2 in one weekend maybe 2x a year. I don’t want to be exhausted for my next wedding, so I don’t try to cram too many in my schedule.

What are some of your specialties? I enjoy shooting newborns as well. I feel like weddings and newborns are where I get to play and do a lot of creative things. I’ve been featured on Buzz Feed for both a wedding photo and a newborn image both were done in my studio using my Toy Story set I hand designed. I get a lot of Disney/Pixar fans who want me to create special sets for them. I love it.

How long have your been doing what you do? I started in about 2000. My degree is in Journalism, I’ve done a lot of newspaper and magazine work both in writing and photography, that’s how I got my start.

What are 5 adjectives that describe you and/or your business?  I took a design survey on the Home Goods website and it said my style was “sassy.” So I’ll go with that. I love clean lines, pops of color and a bit of the dramatic.

If you would like to discuss or add additional information regarding your business, please do so here:

I’m not that photographer that wears the newest trends and is in heels or cute dresses. I’m kind of a tom boy, but I love pink. I dress comfortably, I want to be able to move, to get on the ground if I need to get the shot and not have to worry about what I’m wearing. I love to laugh with my clients, but I will NOT dance on the dance floor with them like some other vendors. I’m there to do a job, plus I have no rhythm, lol.

Category of Business:  photographer

• Phone Number: 904-891-0359
• Address: 514 Chaffee Point Blvd #9
• Website: www.ChristyWhitehead.com
• Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/JaxPhotographer/
• Twitter Link : Jaxphotographer