SOUTHERN GRACE WEDDINGS is proud to spotlight Mike Landry of Landry Photography in this special section designed to give you an intimate look at Mike Landry and what makes him so special as a person as well as a wedding professional.  Mike Landry has made a name for himself in Gonzales, Louisiana as a well-known photographer. With 18 years of experience, he has the vision, knowledge and skill that define a great photographer.  His love of photography came one year before his son was born, he bought his first single-lens-reflex (SLR) camera and he began photographing everything in sight.  When Michael, his son, was born he literally photographed him daily.  He has thousands of images of him to this day. We invite you to read our interview with Mike and learn more about him, his philosophies, some memorable moments and some very helpful photography advice.

How long have you been taking photos professionally? I photographed my first wedding 18 years ago, for my niece, but it was the beginning of a long love affair with photography

Did you have to go to school to learn about photography? I did attend courses at LSU, but most of my training has come through attending numerous workshops across the country with various professionals.

Have you always wanted to photograph weddings? No, I first wanted to just photograph landscapes, and then I was introduced to the wedding industry and fell in love.

When did you shoot your first wedding? 18 years ago, back then it was just word of mouth.  Now we have websites, wedding magazines, online forums etc.  Word of mouth is still the best form of advertisement.

We understand that your son is a photographer also. Does this mean this is a family business? My vision for Landry Photography has always been geared to hand it over to my children.  My son Michael is an awesome photographer, and is being requested for weddings and family portraits sometimes before me!

How many cameras do you normally use for an average wedding? We normally bring 3 cameras to each wedding; I’m a firm believer to have a backup to the backup. You can never have too much equipment.

Where is the farthest you have traveled to shoot a wedding? The furthest I have traveled to shoot a wedding is State College, Pa.  I have requests for Brooklyn N.Y., New Zealand, and various other parts of the world.  The World Wide Web has opened our business to a vast market of brides.

With all the weddings you have done what is your fondest memory? I have to say this first, each wedding has it’s own special moments as they are all different. I photographed missionaries from Russia, and as an act of the groom’s love and as a display to everyone of him being a servant to his new bride, he took out a basin and removed her shoes and proceeded to wash his brides feet.  This was done on the altar in front of everyone!  It was very moving and something I will remember forever.

What have you done since you have been a photographer of which you are most proud? Being part of the “Wedding Giveaway 2005” at the Carriage House. Landry Photography went there to bless a bride and groom with free photography for their wedding.  It turned out that by doing this we were blessed more than I can say!

What is the best advice you can give a bride and groom when they start looking for a photographer?

• Find a photographer who fits your style
• Make sure his/her personality is what you can work with
• Look at their work closely, ask them to give you a sample of work from the start to the finish of a whole wedding.  A lot of photographers will only show their very best and you may be disappointed with the final outcome.
• Ask for references, tell them you need 10 of their last brides, and call them.  Do your homework!
• Book them fast when you find the photographer that fits you, because if they are good they will go fast.
• Last but not least trust the professionals you have chosen, let them do what they do best and you just enjoy you day.

Is there anything that they should be aware of when planning their wedding album? Yes. Thinking that they have plenty of time to take care of everything!  Time has a sneaky way of running out on you.  When you are engaged and a date is set, start immediately

• Get the church nailed down first
• Then your venue
• Your photographer/videographer
• Florist and hairstylist
• Just to name a few

Where is your favorite place to take pre-bridal photos? When a venue allows the bride to use their facilities at no cost to them, then that is my favorite place to go. If not I like the State Capitol in Baton Rouge. It is beautiful with lakes and 300-year-old oaks, and the best part for the bride is that it is free.  With all the expenses the bride has to incur, a free spot to shoot bridals is a welcomed thing

Every Bride is on a budget what would you tell them about planning their photography budget? Don’t skimp on your photography, your images are more than just paper. They are historical documents that will be a keepsake for your family for generations to come. Most photographers will work with you on designing a package that will fit your budget.

How can a bride get the most out of her time when planning for photos? Work with your photographer; make a list of images that are out of the norm.  Like great aunt who helped raise you, or working buddies, sorority sisters etc.  Most professional photographers won’t need you to make a list of things that normally occur during a wedding ceremony (ex. Dad giving bride away, cake cutting, toasting, etc.)

What do you think is your secret to success? Treating each bride as if she was my first bride to photograph, and keeping the excitement high for every wedding we attend.  Like I said before each wedding is different in some way and each is special as well! I tell each bride whether they book us or not, that I count it a blessing and a honor to just to been even considered to photograph what would be one of their most important days in their lives… This is from our heart!

Thanks Mike!!!!!