I’m an introvert. I prefer spending my time with myself, my wife, my daughter, my close friends, and my dog.

My job, pre-wedding/wedding photographer, demands me to make friends with strangers.

Despite what people might think, photography is not about pressing the shutter of expensive cameras, surrounded by expensive lightnings. Photography is not about taking good pictures. Photography is about taking good pictures that are meaningful. Wedding photography is capturing the couple’s chemistry and telling a love story on the highlight of their lives.

It’s an art that takes years and passion to perfect. Cameras to photography are like pencils to illustration.Camera and lightnings are only the tools. It all depends on the photographer and how they connect with the people. Everything is about the people.

So, how come, me, an introvert, enjoy connecting with strangers?

1. Instead of focusing on what I’m about to say next, I focus on the person.

Every person has interesting sides about them. Try to get to know them. Ask questions. Observe everything. Pay attention to what they like.

On my first meetup with the Hutomo & Faustine, we had lunch, talked about more of everything and less about the pre-wedding.

2. Find something that connects you to them.

Try observing and asking for hobbies until you find something that connect to that person.

It turns out Hutomo have the same hobby as I do. Playing a game called Overwatch. We played together. Good game. Even after the pre-wedding session ended, we still play together.

3. Involving them with the project.

After they can open up with me, I start involving them with the brainstorming. I made sure everything has their fingerprint, and sometimes, connect well to their love story. That way, we are in sync and they would be satisfied with the result.

Not only doing an awesome job, I made friends.

Cheers,

Paulus