They instantly became huge inspirations for us. Though we have completely different styles in our photography, we really value their work, and the images they create. They just seem to work magic with downtown charlotte weddings {something that puts our stomach in knots} yet they seem to create the most beautiful quirky images with nothing but a concrete jungle behind them.
This past week, we had the privilege to meet and spend time with this amazingly fun and quirky photog family. We will be posting their family shoot after this awesome inspiration corner.. but for now.. we just wanted to show them a little love and share with all of our fans the people that really inspire us.. so without further ado.. meet Cheyenne & Geoff!
{Sassyfras}Describe your photography style in one sentence-
{The Schultzes} Soft & Romantic, Fun, Emotional, Interesting, Bright & Clean, True, Creative....that's not really a sentence, is it?
{Sassyfras}How did you get started in the wonderful world of photography-
{The Schultzes} I (Cheyenne) have always loved taking pictures, but started to become more serious about that interest while searching for my own wedding photographer. During our engagement we were asked by some friends of ours to shoot their engagement session. After that, we shot the bride's bridal portrait. We started a blog and began to shoot and post any and everything. It wasn't long before I realized in order to take my interest to the next level, I would need to leave behind the crutch of shooting in "P" mode. I enrolled in an Intro to Photography class at The Light Factory and learned how to legitimately use my camera. I could go on and on, but that's the short of how we got our start.
{Sassyfras}How did you fall in love-
{The Schultzes} We initially met in Savannah, GA during the summer of 2004. Cheyenne was completing her required summer internship at SCAD in between her first and second years of graduate school. It sounds much more scandalous than it was, but Cheyenne was actually Geoff's boss. We didn't even officially start dating until the following March...the love thing soon followed. :)
{Sassyfras}Favorite thing about each other-
{The Schultzes} Cheyenne - he's a fantastic daddy, he's incredibly selfless, and he loves dogs as much as I do
Geoff - when she acts silly and laughs with me
{Sassyfras}What is one crazy moment that has happened to you while working in this business-
{The Schultzes}At a wedding we shot during our first year in business, the drunk groom overhand threw the top tier of the cake at the bride...oh so classy. We were horrified.
{Sassyfras}What inspires you-
Geoff - seeing work of people that are performing at a higher level then I am at, people that achieve success at a young age
Cheyenne - great light, love, cool window displays, random acts of kindness, Geoff's selflessness, Boone's huge smile
{Sassyfras} What is one piece of advice you would give you newbie photogs and one piece of advice you would give to seasoned photogs-
{The Schultzes} To new photographers - It's super simple advice...but super important: learn how your camera works. :) Truly, don't rely on your camera to determine your settings.
To seasoned - Determine what parts of your business you don't enjoy doing/aren't qualified to do and then outsource it. We outsource our accounting, bookkeeping, brand design, web design, album design...and this just in.....color correction. Free up time for you to do the things that you love to do and allow yourself the time/energy to think bigger for your business.
{Sassyfras} What is in your bag and what is your favorite to shoot with-
{The Schultzes}
*all Canon*
5D Mark II (2 of these)
5D (for backup)
50 1.2
35 1.4 (2 of these)
70-200 2.8
24-70 2.8
100 2.8 (macro)
580EX II flash (3 of these)
2 pocketwizards
Our favorite lens is probably the 35 1.4
{Sassyfras} If you could shoot one person in the world, who would it be and why-
{The Schultzes} Our son - Boone. Obviously, we can take our boy's picture anytime we want...but it's a matter of actually doing it. More important to us than photographing someone famous or well-achieved, is to continuously be committed to documenting Boone's life. Sounds easy enough, but sometimes (especially lately given that it's wedding season) the last thing we want to do is pick up a camera or edit more pictures.
{Sassyfras }Do you remember your first session... what was it of and how did it go-
{The Schultzes} It was for some friends of our who were engaged to be married. After seeing some pictures I had shot of my own engagement ring in the grass, they asked if we would shoot an engagement session for them. I went out and bought a bottom of the line SLR camera and used two lenses Geoff had lying around from a class he took in high school. And Geoff - get this - Geoff second shot for me with a point and shoot! :))) All in all, the shoot went great and the images didn't look half bad considering we didn't have a CLUE about what we were doing. :)
{Sassyfras} How do you connect with your photog subjects-
{The Schultzes} If we have the opportunity to meet them before they book with us, it begins with the consult and continues beyond the wedding day. We genuinely want to develop a real relationship and friendship with our clients. Which in turn, helps them trust us fully to do our job and allows them to be themselves while are shooting them.
{Sassyfras} If you could dream up a perfect day, how would you spend it-
{The Schultzes} For Cheyenne, it would involve sleeping in, a trip to our favorite breakfast joint, lots of Boone snuggling, a walk to Starbucks for the good stuff, some picture taking for fun, maybe a swim at the pool, some afternoon chocolate treats and then a date night :)
For Geoff, it would involve all of the above, but with bowling and shopping :)
{Sassyfras} What makes you laugh-
{The Schultzes} Cheyenne - Boone's gigantic smile, but most of all, this video (best part is about 21 seconds in): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePNWCniwgfo
Geoff - Fainting goats, Boone's laugh, and Joel McHale
{Sassyfras} If you had to choose a job other than photography, what would it be and why-
Cheyenne - Definitely a pop star...for real. I think it would be super fun. Or, a talk show host...like Ellen.
Geoff - Actor
{Sassyfras} You have an pretty adorably precious boy- what advice do you give to parents to balance work and parenthood
{The Schultzes} Oh goodness gracious...I think I need someone to give me advice on this matter more than I am qualified to dish it out at this point! Man oh man...finding balance between work and being parents is SO difficult. It's the toughest thing I (Cheyenne) have ever done. The reality is....at this point anyway....it's never balanced. Some days, I am a great mom, but a terrible business owner. The other days....the one's that our nanny is here....I plow through my work like a machine, but then aren't able to be with Boone. It's a tremendous amount of pressure. I had a really hard time the first few months of Boone's life - as someone who in the past feels the need to be the BEST at whatever she's doing...feeling like I was only able to give 30% of myself to every area of my life really put me in a bad spot. I'm slowly, but surely learning to give myself a break and just do the best that I can.
{Sassyfras}What is your favorite memory together as a family-
{The Schultzes} Our first family trip just the three of us to Savannah, Georgia for Memorial Day weekend. There was swimming, lots of pizza and brownie eating, walking around, taking pictures and nap taking. Best trip ever.
{Sassyfras}What is your favorite drink, snack, movie, and music-
{The Schultzes} Cheyenne - Starbucks Pumpkin spice latte (one pump) (YUM...can't WAIT for fall!), anything chocolate, The Labyrinth, Prince
Geoff - Starbucks iced mocha or a mountain dew, chex mix, Forest Gump, anything I can dance to
{Sassyfras} What are your plans with your business in the future-
{The Schultzes} We are currently overhauling our entire approach toward our business by embracing Jesh de Rox's Beloved movement http://www.thebelovedmovement.org/). For us, it is bringing meaning to our work. It is going beyond creating pretty pictures and into providing an experience that will allow our couples to feel more, love more and grow in their relationships.
We're also toying around with the idea of getting a studio space here in Charlotte.
{Sassyfras} If you could tell everyone one special thing about you that they did not know, what would it be-
Cheyenne - I have a passion for rescuing stray dogs....somehow, the strays always find us and we go chasing after them.
Geoff - I work full time as a motion graphics designer for our church - Elevation Church.
{Sassyfras}If you could trade lives with someone for a day, who would it be and why-
Cheyenne - Ellen Degeneres because I think it would be ridiculously fun to host her talk show and dance around stage
Geoff - Joel McHale of E's "The Soup" because he's freaking hilarious and it would be fun to make jokes about the ridiculous things going on in Hollywood
{Sassyfras} How would you describe the picture perfect shoot-
{The Schultzes} Great light in a natural environment with a couple who fully trusts us. They would be ridiculously cuddly and loving toward one another....to the point that they really do forget that we are taking their picture.
{Sassyfras} The goal of your business is to-
{The Schultzes} 1) Glorify God, 2) bring people closer together and 3) to form real relationships with our clients
{Sassyfras} One piece of advice for working with your spouse-
{The Schultzes} I know for us, it feels like we are ALWAYS in work mode when we have any "free" time...there's always something else that can be done to advance our business. So, it's important to have regular date nights or at least, unplug and veg nights with no talk of anything business. I think we need to take our own advice on this one at little more! :)
and now go check out the fabulous schultzes and send them some love:)!!! XoXo until our next inspiration corner!
Website- http://lovetheschultzes.com/
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