Why I Almost Quit Photographing Weddings in Chicago
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2023
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My website: www.mackjulion.com
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Although I am not in the same industry, I can totally relate to the “trend” of inclusivity and allyship. I’m in the medical field and it’s the same, even with patients. Thanks for sharing and being transparent.
Yes indeed. The “trend” of inclusivity and allyship is certainly a real thing. Thanks so much for your comment!
I came across your video after recently discovering your channel. I am an aspiring wedding photographer, but I also am a pharmacist who has been practicing for a little over 9 years now with equal amount of time spent in the retail and hospital setting.
What you articulated transcends almost every industry I am sure. From the time I started, to this present day, I experience everything you are describing, with the worst being from my own colleagues in my department.
It's a shame we all have to go through this no matter what line of work we do, and no matter how much we try to avoid it. Your story has shown me that I may experience the exact same challenges as a wedding photographer, which is very sobering but also very necessary to hear.
Thank you for this. And you are not alone. Praying that you continue to break barriers and continue to have success in your business. And that you also get the support you need when you need it from your peers and clients.
Some of the realist words spoken thus far in 2023 bro..... Much Respect
Appreciate you
This was real. Appreciate you for being willing to open up and talk about this.
Appreciate it bro
As a black male that is trying to break into this industry I totally agree and understand you. I've almost quit multiple times but I can't let them get to me.
You got it brother
This goes for maternity and boudoir as well.. I personally know the feeling of wanting to be a (great photographer), not just a Great Black Female Photographer. This art, it's talent, this skill, it's not based on race.. Though I'm booked by Black women, I would love to not limit my cliental but again I do love giving my people a space to receive creative sessions that's not geared towards sex and vixen..
!!!! I feel you Ashae and that's so real. Appreciate the comment.
Thank you for your transparency. You've definitely said a lot of things that many of us think about, but don't talk about enough. Great stuff!
Thanks Dom!
My stomach was in knots watching because of how much I could relate. Very real words spoken here bro. Thanks for being transparent, definitely subscribed!
You are 100000% on the money with this…I also have entered the wedding photography scene and as a black man I totally feel what you’re saying
No lies told. This is a subject that people love to avoid so kudos to you for coming straight at it.
Thanks Chris…yeahhh once you say the R-word, racism, it creates such an uncomfortable environment for people and they try to avoid these types of conversations. Yet, they need to be had and solutions need to be put in place. It was a tough decision I had went back and forth with, but ultimately wanted to stand on my truths, and create dialogue and community for those who may have similar struggles and shared experiences. Appreciate you!
Sorry this is gonna be kinda long but as a wedding Photog that has been at it for 20+ years, I have some unique experiences because I’m a white guy and I met and married a black female Photog from Harlem. During our time together I saw and was on the receiving end of racism. I met my ex wife while I was giving a seminar at an industry event on marketing for photographers.
I spent a ton of time in Harlem and shot some weddings there but all the weddings we booked was because of her and the fact that she was from the community. As a white Photog the black couples weren’t interested in booking me. There are a number of reason for this and racism, I don’t think was one of them.
I didn’t market towards the black community, I really didn’t know how to. There are cultural differences and traditions differences. Your portfolio is great, I visited your website. You can shoot any couple, but who are you marketing to?
My personal experience was that the black community was proud, smart, skillful and damn good at what they do and they took pride in supporting and lifting up people from their community. To me that’s not racism.
I’ve never shot an Indian wedding, I would love to but I don’t know their traditions, I don’t know how to market to those clients. If I want to shoot Indian weddings I need to get some experience doing it so that I can show them that I can deliver because their ceremonies are vastly different than anything I have done before. Could I do shoot an Indian wedding? Of course I could because I would put in the time to learn about the culture and traditions so that I could deliver for them.
Don’t think of yourself as Mack Julion “black” photographer just be Mack Julion Wedding Photographer. Your work is awesome, you can shoot any wedding you like, but you have to market to the clients you want. Remember when we first started out and we were marketing to the $1000 client, then came the $2500 clients and then the $5000 plus clients. Your marketing was different to each of those groups, you don’t market yourself the same way to $10,000 clients as you would to $1,000 clients.
If your ever interested I have lived some of the same things you are living, I would love to chat with you and just bounce some thoughts around.
Great conversation and a great reflection back to my past. As a “black” photographer who photographed mostly weddings and Bar mitzvahs for over 25 your story is somewhat surreal. I’ve experienced everything from being asked why I was sent, to having to be met at job location by a studio owner to be able to photograph certain people. I laugh when at the end of the night they want to hug me and show their love, but don’t realize their Racist ways. The wedding Industry, is a microcosm of the world with all its racist ways and tendencies. Never forget that the industry is made up of the same people. WOW the world with your talent, skill and humanity and let their refusal to hire you be their loss. Your affliction is not that you are black it is that they are white. You did not choose nor can you change being black any more than they can being white. But they can and should change how they show up as white. There is only one Race, the Human Race! Stay Focus, Keep Shooting!
Mack - I hear you young brother - I'm Marlon Crutchfield a photographer working in the DC area for the past 23 years. I mostly photograph interiors for publication,. Your story is all too common in photography. My wife and I own a bridal boutique, she's also a "recovering wedding planner and on occasion we work weddings together. In the coming months we'll be moving to Panama - we are DONE with the racism that we've experienced here. America has a HUGE problem on its' hands when it comes to race. I applaud you for standing up and speaking out on the subject - too many times we sit quietly because, we're successful and don't want to harm any relationships that we've established. Keep on moving forward in your journey. GREAT work btw!
Preach brotha the algorithm needs this
Yes indeed! Appreciate the support.
Saw brooksmedia and came here. Man your work is great and let that speak for itself. Unfortunately these are the things that we have to go through. You are an artist, that's it. WE can't control the actions of others
I'm Hispanic and notice it. I'm not a professional photographer but I'm in a couple of photography groups that mostly consist of white or any other race but Hispanic. When I show up to a group gathering and they see me coming, there's a pause in the conversation with a stare followed by whispers. All I can say is, let your work do the talking for you. Be confident knowing that you have talent and you're a good human being and they'll eventually see it without you having to make an effort to prove them anything. I actually think that once people see your talent and decency (I say this because sometimes I guess people assume we're out to do no good 🤷), you'll shine even more so especially because their prejudices had made them expect less of you.
Thank you for sharing and it’s something that definitely goes on.
I feel you!
Preach on. Sad to say but its always going to be this way.
Great video!
I don't do wedding anymore. Not just wedding but in general. I decided to produce my own content cause it just to much to beg someone to give me a chance. I know my worth and my skills level, so instead of begging someone to give me a chance I do my own and create my own land. I'm from Chicago and I started selling my Photo to other outlets.
Man! I’m in Nebraska and been feeling that way, looking to move to Texas
I get what you're saying and I been saying it since I started but I can't use it as an excuse. We God's people just gotta keep pushing
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 great video
Yessir!
It’s not just the wedding industry. Being a black creative definitely is uphill. I’m in North Carolina so it’s even less diverse here.
Best Black Weddings Photographer ain't bad
Facts!!!!
Thanks for this video
Bro the same here. I'm from Namibia, Africa and 95% of my clients are black.
It isn't just race. It's gender, nationality, sexual preference, culture, etc. People have preferences and we do it too.
I got so many thoughts!
Photographer for hire by race is somewhat intimate to the clients culture regardless of ethnicity. Some photographers who don’t or rarely shoot outside their race may face lighting and exposure challenges with their subjects that may be non existent to their own ethnic group.
Speak the truth bro.. Even with presets and instagram profiles.. it's very obvious & it's the same out here in LA.
Wow, yeah bro...it's really beyond me at this point. Appreciate you for commenting brother.
Agreed, as a brown person getting into the industry I’ve always had a fear that I have to try extra hard just to stand out and be given a chance or to not be looked at like I’m not good enough. It’s tough
Same in Dallas bro.
!!!! crazy bro
I see and hear you bro. Lets do better
This country is still just racist. We’ve made a lot of progress but there are lots of areas that show we’ve made but even close to nearly enough progress. Important topic and it doesn’t matter whether people “like” it. It needs to be said and heard.
7:00 Know that Good Wizard believes in all of us and the term "black magic" is the kind of anti-magic relgious propaganda I the PropheTranslator have been tasked with defeating. All houses of Hogwarts have different drip, but our innate human magic is universal. I also always specify when saying we need defense against the dark arts I don't mean the vibrant black culture.
Maybe it's getting better, but racism is still here... deeply sad for you, bro. And I think racism against black people is all over the world. Positive racism like "oh, black people have rythm under their skin", or negative, as often (Georges Floyd's murder). As a white guy, I can feel that and feel so sorry for it. Looking around me in wedding industry in France, I don't see any black photographer. And that's just a shame. And as you say, if someone talks about you, it's saying "a good black wedding photographer". May I simply tell you I follow your videos. Because your advices, your points of view are interesting. And I learn things from you. And I just don't care about your skin color : I wish I was pink and green to make you laugh !
As a wedding videographer, I don’t get much clients from black couples and white clients. I mostly get Asian clients. Does that bother me? No. Do I see that as racism? No. I am just glad that I am getting clients and my invoices are being paid.
Appreciate the feedback!
Hi Alexander! While I agree that as long as you’re getting paid and gaining clients, it doesn’t matter the demographics of your clientele; however, I think one of the main points of this video is to highlight that black businesses are not valued highly until they gain white clientele and recognition. It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re popular among people of color, but once you gain white clientele, you’re instantly trustworthy. There’s an issue within that idea. I can only speak from a black experience, and I feel that we want to be recognized for the quality we produce vs waiting on approval from a specific demographic of our clientele to show us our worth.
You may not have experienced this issue, which is great; but let’s not dilute the experiences of other entrepreneurs who can relate to this issue.
@@brittniedotson653 This is great Brittnie and I agree! I’ve expressed systematic racism where black people are not given a chance to propel their business due to the industry labeling us as “the black photographer”, “the black planner”, and so we’ll be relegated to just that…which would hinder the achievements and opportunities, and MONIES we can make…whether we care to be patronized by White ppl or not, as Black ppl we often don’t have that option. I just want the option that’s all. One of the main points I also made is that I don’t want to be the “Black photographer”…For Alex, it seems as though he doesn’t mind only photographing Asian clients and being “the Asian videographer”. White ppl are just “The photographer”. Not, “hashtag WhitePhotographer”. By default, they are simply what they’ve ever wanted to be the moment they exist the womb. For many of us, there is a smaller ceiling for our success (especially if our work on showcases Black people). We are “the Black planner”, or the “Black Makeup Artist”. I don’t want to be in such a box and I think that’s the difference between his stance and mine. I want the same recognition and opportunities as my White peers when it comes to being published, when it comes to being on a preferred vendors list, and when it comes towards working higher profile weddings. That ultimately increases my brand and the amount of money I can make. Just because the industry is segregated, and continues to showcase racial biases, doesn’t mean we have to settle for it and feel like “well, although I put in the same amount of work as my white counterparts, same level of professionalism and quality, I guess I’ll just settle for this box, or this ceiling because that’s just how things are” no. Not yesterday, not today, and not tomorrow.
sorry man, but Im as a Latin American photographer mostly shoot weddings from latin people, just once photographed a Latino+ Black couple ..and Caucasians like 2 or 3 at the most . racist? don't think so. cultural affiliation. for sure. man start doing wedding destination and you'll see the difference
Well done, I love this too.