Hey Y’all! Ashley here. I am excited to share with you, an interview of one of our favorite wedding photographers. The one, the only CHAR BECK. Keep reading to hear about how fantastic he is ~
How long have you been in business?
13 years! :)
How did you get started in photography?:
My parents gifted me with a small point and shoot camera for my high school graduation. I had so much fun getting creative, finding cool angles to capture the world with, and eventually it led to getting a better camera and expanding my opportunities. I started taking facebook headshots for my friends in college for fun. Pretty soon after, people asked me, “how much do you charge?” I had no clue, so I met up with a few professional photographers and they shot me straight and gave me some invaluable insight.
Why wedding photography?:
My parents mentored high school and college kids while I grew up, therefore year after year we had many weddings to go to as a family. By the time I was 18, I had been to over 50 weddings, so it felt incredibly natural for me to get into wedding photography. I had a lot of friends getting married right out of college, so a mix between word of mouth with them, and other people I graduated with ended up being the perfect combo to launch my business 13 years ago!
What do you love about what you do?:
I love people. Photography is cool, but people are fantastic. If I had to stick to product photography or solo nature photography, I think I’d probably have to choose another career. Capturing people, helping them relax, showing them how great they look -- these are the things that give me motivation to get out of bed and do my job well. I love helping humans! :)
If I weren’t a photographer…
I would probably be a coffee-shop manager. I absolutely love hipster coffee shops and I think that would be another fun way to serve people well.
What is your secret sauce that makes you so awesome at what you do?
Anyone can carry a camera and know how to use it, but what makes me so good at what I do is I disarm people with humor, thoughtfulness, and a relaxed environment. I find that humor can disarm just about anyone, so part of that is my natural personality, but I’ve learned how to use fun little phrases or behavior to make just about anyone smile (without saying “SMILE”) -- when people are having a good time, they look like they are having a good time in their photos.
What is one thing you wish all couples would ask before booking you?
I wish couples would ask me what my favorite whiskey was, and then give that to me as a tip when I deliver them life-changing photos --- haha I kid, I kid. No, but seriously, I try and be as thorough as I can on my website with my “About Me” and I feel like most couples, by the time they are booking me, have a great understanding of who I am and who they are about to hire. I suppose I would like to ask them, “Are you sure you know what you want in a wedding photographer?” And I hope I match that description. :)
What have you been doing to cope during these strange times?
I’ve been getting outside and riding my bike. I love embracing the fresh air, even if it’s freezing out! -- From a business perspective, I did a TON of mini-shoots to pivot when weddings were cancelled or postponed in 2020.
Is there a wedding venue that is on your wishlist that you haven’t shot at yet?
Fremont Foundry or Within Sodo -- these are 2 venues in the Seattle area with more of a modern design that I would love the chance to shoot at sometime!
Anything else our readers should know about you?:
I freaking LOVE my job. I cannot believe people pay me to creatively capture them. Is that obvious yet? Feel free to reach out to me on my website (www.charbeck.net) and let’s get you or your loved ones some fantastic photos!
There you have it friends - reach out to Char if you are in need of an amazing photographer! As wedding planners, he is one of our favs!
Who is It’s Your Day Events?
We are a Seattle, Bellingham and Bremerton, WA based wedding planning, wedding coordination and design agency. What we do is at times difficult to picture because the services we offer are intangible. When you are scrolling through beautiful photos, with stunning flowers, and amazing cohesive design; the magic behind that is the planning, design, and coordination. This is what we do.
We professionally organize, plan, and coordinate the details.
We dot the i's and cross the t's.
We triple check it all once more.
Then, when the day comes, we watch the wonderment and happiness on your face as your wedding day unfolds, just as you dreamed it would.
