2020 Behind the Scenes of Abby Shepard Photography

featured, Personal, Weddings

December 27, 2020

It’s time for one of my favorite blogs of the year, the Behind the Scenes of Abby Shepard Photography.

2020 was a crazy, unprecedented, unpredictable year for everyone. Being in the wedding industry was hard this year. Couples planning their weddings this year had to deal with so much. It’s already hard enough to plan a wedding without a global pandemic. This year, couples had to modify plans, reschedule wedding dates (sometimes multiple times), slash guest lists, wear masks, pick new venues, and more. While it was hard for me as a wedding photographer, I can’t imagine how hard it was for the couples.

Regardless of everything that happened in 2020, I had the opportunity to meet and photograph truly amazing people and I’m so thankful. You all inspire me and make this job worth doing.

Now it’s time for me to show you a little bit of what it looked like on the other side of the camera. There were masks and smudged makeup, sweat and stress. But there was also a lot of fun, laughter, and really good times.

So here we go. Behind the Scenes of 2020 with Abby Shepard Photography!

My wedding day uniform

This was my wedding day uniform for 2020. Two cameras, black jumpsuit, Birkenstocks, a backpack with gear, and an N95 mask.

I always wear a black jumpsuit because they are super comfy, easy to move around in, and have pockets. Plus then I never have to think about what to wear-ha!

I also always shoot with two cameras on so that I can have easy access to two different lenses. Plus, if something breaks in one camera, I can keep shooting without a hitch.

I wear a black backpack all day with things like extra batteries, SD cards, flashes, water, etc.

Because it’s 2020, I wore an KN95 mask to every wedding. I like these masks because they’re super effective, and they’re also really comfortable to wear for log periods of time. I think the structure of the KN95 masks makes it easier to breathe.

And to finish off the look, I wear Birkenstock sandals! They are my absolute favorite shoes and I can wear them all day without my feet hurting. Plus, I shoot a lot of beach weddings and they’re perfect for walking through sand.

Anything to get the shot

I shoot in a lot of different positions during a wedding! Crouch, squat, lean, kneel, or straight-up run, I always find the best angle to get *the shot*.

I do more than take pretty photos

On wedding days, I don’t just take pretty photos. I also direct family formals, fluff dresses, help keep everyone on time, and help to make sure everyone looks their best.

That time with the bagpiper

Let’s not forget this time I dodged a bagpiper at the end of a ceremony before he led the bride and groom out of the church.

A Little Photoshop Magic

Sometimes I have to Photoshop myself out of photos that my second shooter took. I did a little Photoshop magic o to get myself out of this shot of Katie about to have a first look with her dad. You’d never know I was there!

Cake.

I get very excited about wedding cake. That’s all I have to say about that.

Let’s go for a swim

I love getting in the water for engagement sessions! Sunsets at the beach are epic and it’s so fun to go in the water at the end of a session! Here are some behind the scenes images compared to the final photos.

Anything to get the shot-engagement session version

My commitment to getting in any position to get the best shot also applies to engagement sessions.

You’ll never have to ask “what do I do with my hands?”

I always make sure to give clear posing direction throughout shoots! You’ll never have to wonder “what do I do with my hands?”. Don’t worry. I’ll tell you. And if you ever don’t know what to do with your hands, put them on each other.

I love animals. Like, a lot.

I really love animals, and if we happen to see wildlife during an engagement session or wedding, there is a very high chance that I’ll stop, admire it, and take photos of the creature. I sometimes even include wildlife photos in final galleries, like this ghost crab and orb-weaver spider. I saw both of these little guys during engagement sessions!

Thank you to my second shooters and assistants this year!

That’s all for me, but I want to give a huge shout out to my second shooters and assistants for this year! Thank you for capturing more moments than I could alone, holding my things, rolling with everything this year threw at us, posing for test shots, taking most of the photos in this blog post, and offering moral support and encouragement throughout the days. You all rock and I could not have gotten through this year without all of you!

Gabriella Audi Photography

Christopher Ginn Photography

Shannon Ritter Photography

Markham Adventures

Phillip Shepard (my brother!)

Thank you to all my clients!

To end this post, I want to say a huge thank you to all my clients from this year. I don’t like the word clients, because the people I get to work with are more than that. You all inspire me, show me what love looks like, and make this job worth doing. It is a true honor to celebrate some of life’s greatest moments with you all. THANK YOU for letting me be part of your lives!