I’m excited to be featured in Photo District News this month! PDN is a highly respected magazine for professional photographers, so it’s quite an honor to be published in it. They interviewed me for an article about same sex weddings, and published three of my photos of Diana and Michaele’s wedding. I was especially happy to see my photos printed next to images by my friend Ryan Brenizer, a photographer in New York.
Here’s an excerpt from the article:
Now a growing cadre of photographers, frequently driven by a strong sense of social justice, is actively marketing to gay clients. The photographers are counting on a growing acceptance of same-sex marriage around the country to help drive demand in the gay wedding industry.
Among them is photographer Charlotte Geary of Manitou Springs, Colorado, who shot her first same-sex wedding for a lesbian couple in 2006.
“I was a little dismayed when they told me several photographers had turned them down [because] they were lesbians,” Geary says. “I’m in the business of documenting love and relationships, and I don’t feel like anyone should be denied that.”
Still, Geary worried about how the decision could affect her business. Manitou Springs is a suburb of Colorado Springs, which is a socially conservative military town. But she decided to stand up for her beliefs, and treat the job like any other wedding. She posted pictures on her blog afterwards, and to her surprise, she got a flood of positive comments.
“Lots of people want to see a photographer who isn’t afraid. People want to see love in all shapes and sizes,” Geary says. “After that, I realized I didn’t have to be shy. Business didn’t slow down at all.”
On the other hand, Geary’s decision didn’t draw a flood of same-sex wedding work, either. She shot her second gay wedding last fall, and has another booked for this year. Gay wedding jobs turn out to be sporadic, even for photographers chasing that work in the northeast, where the states that recognize gay marriage are concentrated. Clearly, same sex wedding photography is a niche in development.
Thanks very much to PDN for including me in this article about an important topic. If you’d like to read the rest of the article, you can find PDN at Barnes and Noble or Borders stores around the country.
You can read the entire article and see the photos here: http://digg.com/u119Wn
Very nice post. 🙂 Gay Stories
*grin*
Love really just is.
Clearly, same sex wedding photography is a niche in development.
Now this is of particular interest to me: to see how something that is emerging develops.
Since I’ve begun to think more seriously about photography, I’ve become more actively aware of how photography changes, not only in terms of technology, but also the artistry and the subjects; what stories those pictures attempt to tell, and for what audience.
If same-sex marriage is legalzied in more states, I think a number of photographers will put aside their political beliefis for the money they could earn from shooting a same-sex wedding.
That’s FABULOUS.
Really. 🙂
Congrats on the publishing and for standing up for others
Charlotte,
You are SO inspiring on many levels. I’m so pleased that this issue of photographing gay weddings is getting more attention and am not surprised at all that someone would come to you for your perspective on that. I agree it’s awful to turn down someone’s wedding because of who they are and think that many photographers will be encouraged by your bold decisions.
Sharon Gutowski 🙂
That’s FABULOUS.
Really. 🙂
You rock Charlotte!!!! Honestly, you said it all right there. Love is love.. it knows no gender, it knows no discrimination, it just knows… what love is.
🙂
Way to go!
Gratulire!!!
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/esearch/e3ie2b23ab2b6e7cd3470e26c7f9e1f7109
Congratulations!!! I hope you don’t mind I shared this in my facebook status update. I’m proud of you.
That’s so cool! Congrats!
That’s so cool! Congrats!
Congrats, Charlotte! 🙂
That’s awesome!
Yay Charlotte!!!
*clapping hands* WOO-HOO! Go Charlotte! 🙂
That’s awesome!
Love just IS
Kudos to you, dear Charlotte, and may many more do likewise!
Photographers turned down work because of the sex of the marrying couple? Wow.
WoW! Glad you did stood up for your beliefs. I could not agree more about love and relationships and being able to freely express yourself.
You cannot choose who you love and who you don’t. (Frankly, we should love everyone in one way shape or form, but that will never happen.) It is the same as your tastes in food. Take ice cream, as an example. Some people love strawberry and others don’t like it while some others are indifferent. Those who don’t like it don’t CHOOSE to not like it; their taste buds and neurons and such just don’t fire the same way and the taste is not appealing to them (or it makes them ill).
So, love knows no gender. You are attracted to who you are attracted to and choice is not even on the table.
Good luck in all you do. You always do such a wonderful job.
Peace and Luv,
Bear
*clapping hands* WOO-HOO! Go Charlotte! 🙂
Love just IS
Kudos to you, dear Charlotte, and may many more do likewise!
Photographers turned down work because of the sex of the marrying couple? Wow.