artisan wedding videos by studio msv: Take-a-Look Tuesday #6: Jasmine Star Photography

Acf1cd7 Jasmine Star was selected as Blu Domain's photographer of the year ('07-'08) but has been in the business for less than five years. Her rocket-fast trip to the photographic stratosphere can be attributed to her talent, her hard work, a very likable personality (and - as she would gladly admit - a dash of providence.)

Take-a-Look at Jasmine Star (jasmine headshot by jessica claire):

1. Which do you prefer: Sleeping in or staying up late?
I think I’m a middle-of-the-road kind of girl. Not too early, but not too late. I’m usually in bed by 12:30am and awake no later than 7am. Even when I try to sleep in, my eyes are wide-open by 7:15…it drives my husband nuts!

2. You recently visited beautiful San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and posted some great pictures on your blog. What are three places you haven't been but would love to visit?

Australia!! I had a pen-pal from the Land Down Under when I was 10 years old and ever since I’ve always wanted to spend time appreciating all of that country’s gorgeousness. And koala bears. I LOVE koala bears!
Japan. I think Japanese culture is such a beautiful thing and I’ve wanted to experience it first-hand. And, really, can anyone EVER get enough ramen and gyozas?! Don’t think so.
Thailand. Warm beaches, boat rides, mopeds…pad thai. Life couldn’t get any sweeter.

3. When you see photography from other genres (nature, still-life, architectural, journalism, etc.), are there aspects of those genres that you think can be applied to wedding photography?
Absolutely! Getting inspired by different types of photography is the key of setting oneself apart from others. I love browsing through architecture, fashion, and photo magazines because I want people to feel the same emotions I feel when I look at those types of images.

4. What do you think you offer your clients that makes you different from others that they might be considering and why do your clients are drawn to you?
To be honest, by the time I actually meet with a prospective client, she knows quite a bit about me. Brides are very educated and do a lot of homework before taking time to interview a vendor. Because I’m an avid blogger—blogging about the mundane, as well as the important—most clients feel like they know me. It’s like they’ve had conversations with me for many days leading to our meeting, so we have a blast! I’ve discovered that this has been the single most defining marketing tool and point of differentiation. [Andrew here. You can see Jasmine's blog at www.jasminestarblog.com]

5. When I got married (almost 10 years ago!) the wedding landscape was really different - from the quality of vendors, to resources available to brides and grooms. In what ways do you think the wedding industry has changed in just the short couple of years since your own wedding?
The learning curve for photography has softened greatly. There are so many wonderful tools and seminars available for new photographers it’s insane! Photography forums like OSP ( www.opensourcephoto.net/forum ) is an awesome resource for newbies, photo blogs are the next wave of education, and online tutorials are readily available at any hour of the day in the comfort of one’s home. It’s raising the bar for the industry and that’s a great thing!

6. Those are a lot of 'serious' questions... let's do a couple of light-hearted ones: What are your top three favorite movies of all time?
Just three?! Are you kidding me? That’s impossible! However, I will say that Gladiator, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and Stranger Than Fiction immediately come to mind…but as soon as I submit these questions, I’m sure I will have changed my mind 100 times!

7. And lastly, your blog readers are loyal and know almost everything about you. What is one thing that you haven't revealed on your blog that you can surprise everyone with here?
I sleep on my belly.