Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby and Michael Smithers
Hi Abby and Michael, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I embarked on my journey into portrait photography during college, joining a photography organization in my freshman year. What began as capturing portraits of friends and couples soon evolved into a thriving business, fueled by word-of-mouth within campus circles.
In 2020, I ventured into wedding photography, photographing my first wedding with my brother for a friend of his. The experience ignited a passion within me for the industry, prompting me to eagerly embrace every opportunity to immerse myself in weddings. Over the past four years that is exactly what I did! This path has not only introduced me to new friends and taken me to captivating locations across the globe but has also fostered tremendous growth in my creative skills.
In 2022, my now husband, Michael joined me in shooting weddings, revealing our natural synergy as a team. Since then, we have successfully photographed over 60 weddings together and we even got to plan our own wedding and were married in July of 2023! Establishing ourselves as the Smithers photo Duo. Then, at the beginning of this year, we took a significant step by rebranding our business to Honest Hearts Photo Film LLC, expanding our offerings to include videography and more custom packages and experiences. Recently, we were also able to take the leap to pursue our passion full-time together, and now working side by side every day we get to take our business to the next level! Serving couples all over central Ohio and worldwide.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting my photography journey amidst COVID-19 presented its challenges, resulting in a slow beginning. Despite weddings being postponed, events canceled, and venues closed, attending Cedarville University during my freshman year is what started it all and provided vital opportunities for me to explore a new passion. It was there that I discovered the photography organization and my hidden passion for creative expression through photography.
Balancing a full-time business student schedule, a campus job, and nearly full-time photoshoots was undeniably demanding. However, with the grace of God, seizing amazing opportunities, enduring countless all-nighters, and embracing persistence and resilience, I successfully navigated college. Upon graduation, I transitioned seamlessly into full-time entrepreneurship in photography.
My husband pursued IT management in college and worked in the field from his junior year until June 2024, when we collectively decided it was time for him to join me full-time. His introduction brings a deep passion for videography to our business, enhancing our ability to preserve cherished wedding moments for couples to enjoy for years to come. Although it took some time to get to this point, we are now dedicated together to serving our clients wholeheartedly through our creative endeavors.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Michael and I specialize in capturing real moments for honest hearts by weaving the romantic narratives of our couples into timeless visual stories. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for authentic storytelling, we aim to preserve the genuine emotions and intimate connections that define each couple’s journey together. Our approach is not just about documenting events but about creating meaningful and lasting memories that resonate with the essence of their love story. Through photography and videography, we strive to encapsulate the beauty, joy, and raw emotions of weddings and special occasions, ensuring that every precious moment is cherished forever
We serve couples in central Ohio, throughout the Midwest, and even around the world!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Just start putting yourself out there!
You are never going to learn and get connected until you do. This can be anything as simple as capturing the natural everyday beauty around you or going with a group of friends and taking photos and videos of them. Beyond just photos and videos, push yourself to capture them in a truly authentic and cinematic manner that tells a story.
Focus on the story, your storyline should come first and the rest will begin to fall into place.
Lastly, don’t put too much pressure on yourself, enjoy every moment, every lesson, and every success.
Pricing:
- Wedding Average Investment – $3,600 – $4,400
- Portrait Average Investment – $400
Contact Info:
- Website: https://honest-hearts.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honestheartsphoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077163306070
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/honestheartsphoto/
