Be Approachable. Always.

Let’s rewind to a few years ago. Lauren and I were on the hunt for a photographer for our Lincoln’s one-year-old portraits. This was before we began using Mrs. Lisa at Frozen Weddings (Mrs. Lisa does amazing work and is a tremendous inspiration for me). We were doing our research, checking portfolios, stalking social media — you know, the usual courtship ritual of modern photography shopping.

We found one we liked. Local. Talented. Pretty popular.

So we messaged her.

And her response?

“Please reach out to my assistant for all inquiries.”

Listen — we’re not against assistants. If you’re so booked and blessed that you need a team to manage your bookings, hats off to you. Truly. But this was literally our first interaction. And it felt… cold. Distant. Like we were trying to schedule an audience with royalty instead of booking someone to capture one of the most personal moments of our lives.

And just like that, we were out.

Here's the deal.

People don’t just hire photographers. They hire humans.

If you’re in the people business (and spoiler alert: you are), then every interaction counts. First impressions aren’t just about your website or your photos — they’re about how you make people feel when they first reach out. Whether it’s a DM, a text, a form submission, or an awkward “Hey, do you do photos?” at a birthday party — be kind. Be accessible. Be human.

Online and in person.

Approachability isn’t just a face-to-face thing. It shows up in your emails. Your captions. Your bio. Your tone. You don’t have to be loud or bubbly or have a signature catchphrase (though if you do, make it a good one). You just have to be real.

When potential clients reach out, don’t hit them with corporate jargon or stiff one-liners. This isn’t an airport. There’s no need to “please hold while we transfer you to the next available representative.” Just be you. A warm, trustworthy, welcoming human who happens to take great photos.

We can all learn from that moment.

That brief little exchange with the "go talk to my assistant" photographer told us everything we needed to know — and not in a good way. It didn’t matter how stunning her portfolio was. We weren’t just looking for talent. We were looking for connection.

So now, on this side of the lens, I try to remember that moment every time someone reaches out to me. I try to answer like a human, not a hotline. Because our job isn’t just to take great pictures — it’s to make people feel seen before we ever press the shutter.

You don't need an assistant to be approachable.
You need intention.
You need kindness.
And maybe a well-placed emoji here and there.