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The Photographer Mindset
The Photographer Mindset
Corey Lynn Tucker - Turning Nature Into the Ultimate Wedding Photography Venue
Corey Lynn Tucker (@elopewithcorey) is a destination elopement photographer, guide, and storyteller who helps couples create wildly personal, stress-free wedding days in breathtaking natural settings. She has over a decade of experience.
In this episode, Corey shares her journey of building a photography business rooted in authenticity and sustainability. She discusses the art of curating unforgettable elopements, balancing creativity with business, and using tools like SEO and social media to grow her brand. Corey also opens up about the challenges of expanding her team and staying inspired while empowering others to embrace their creative passions.
Expect to Learn:
- How photographers can elevate their client experience
- How to structure a workday for maximum creativity and productivity
- How to leverage SEO, blogging, social media, and AI tools like ChatGPT
- How to craft a brand that reflects your values and passions
- Valuable lessons on scaling a photography business
Corey's links:
Website: https://coreylynntuckerphotography.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elopewithcorey
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elopewithcorey
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/coreylynntucker/
Sponsor:
Thanks to WhiteWall for being our lead sponsor this episode! They're the top choice for photographers who want high-quality prints, with a variety of material options, and who want their work delivered fast in 9 days or less!
Use the code TPM2025 at checkout for 15% off and free shipping for all of June 2025! https://www.whitewall.com/
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Thanks for listening!
Go get shooting, go get editing, and stay focused.
@sethmacey
@mantis_photography
@thephotographermindset
INTRO
00:13.50
Seth Macey
Hey, and this is another episode of the Photographer Mindset Podcast. I'm your co-host, Seth Macey.
00:17.51
Aaron
And I'm your co-host Aaron Mannes.
00:19.25
Seth Macey
This is the Photographer Mindset, a podcast where we blend the principles of photography and mindset. Pretty straightforward. We get inside the heads of creators, guests that we have on the show. Sometimes it's just Aaron and I, but more often than not, we have guests on the show.
00:33.43
Seth Macey
We hear about their backstory, how they got to the level of success that they did, and some of the creative principle and principles and mindset principles behind their success. And today we had on who, Aaron?
00:44.57
Aaron
We had on Corey, thanks to Hillary, our social media liaison, suggested her a while back with a very cool niche in photography, the sort of genre that we don't really hit that much, which is wedding photography.
01:02.92
Seth Macey
We don't know much about We don't know much about elopement in wedding photography because we've never done it.
01:04.63
Aaron
What's that?
01:07.48
Seth Macey
I feel like we're complete rookies every time we, the odd time we have those kinds of guests on in those genres.
01:07.57
Aaron
Yeah. Yeah.
01:12.76
Aaron
Yeah. So we're listening a lot and like asking questions and trying to figure it all out. But, uh, she has an interesting sort of, ah variant of that, which is a loping, bringing people to these magnificent places in the world, in the United States, national parks, and having a very meaningful and special wedding day, ah with the people that you love and capturing that all.
01:26.00
Seth Macey
Mm-hmm.
01:39.64
Aaron
Uh, she does lot of the planning, the hiking, the sunrise sunset figuring out. And it was just cool to hear her put it all together and where it all came from.
01:50.12
Seth Macey
Yeah, and how much and ins is involved, ah you know, hiring editors, delegating, planning, all that stuff. So it was interesting to hear the the business side of it and her take on what work-life balance is. So if you like what you're hearing in these episodes, feel free to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. helps us out tremendously, and it's a cost-free, effective way to support our show.
02:10.77
Seth Macey
A word from our sponsor, and then into today's episode with Corey.
INTERVIEW
00:59.13
Seth Macey
Did you know that when I was three years old, I thought that a hat was called a hat on?
01:06.03
Seth Macey
My mom always said, put your hat on. So as a young child learning language, I said, I need my hat on, but thought that the actual object was called a hat on.
01:17.31
Aaron
That's funny.
01:17.62
Seth Macey
just thought i that I would provide that ridiculously irrelevant story
01:20.86
corey tucker
so
01:23.33
corey tucker
I love it. I love it.
01:25.15
Aaron
Yeah.
01:26.24
corey tucker
That's wonderful.
01:26.62
Aaron
That's a good way to start. I'm the only one without a hat today.
01:30.63
Seth Macey
because you have beautiful hair.
01:32.01
corey tucker
Yeah.
01:32.43
Aaron
You know, it's in the, it's in a middle phase. So I've been wearing a hat a lot cause I'm just not quite comfortable with where it's going, but no, right now it's just a clay.
01:38.95
Seth Macey
Are you a gel guy?
01:39.15
corey tucker
Hmm.
01:40.05
Seth Macey
can't...
01:43.77
Aaron
It's a clay set.
01:44.13
Seth Macey
Just greasy, right?
01:45.30
corey tucker
Oh, nice.
01:45.87
Aaron
It's clay and a little bit of water after my ah my walk with the dog.
01:49.87
Seth Macey
So earthy. This
01:51.62
Aaron
Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
01:54.26
Seth Macey
guy's earthy.
01:54.56
Aaron
Got to keep the flow.
01:55.00
corey tucker
pretty cool.
01:55.42
Aaron
Got to keep the texture. You don't want it too frizzy.
01:57.30
corey tucker
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
01:58.93
Seth Macey
Right on.
01:59.87
Aaron
Anywho, I digress. We have ah Corey with us on the podcast today. She has a really incredible business and niche in photography, which I don't see. I don't think many of us see too much.
02:12.36
Aaron
And it's always caught me as a very, like, wow, what ah what a great business model. And what a, especially for someone that loves outdoors, like myself, like Seth, like Corey, a great way to see the world, ah capture people's special moments,
02:29.80
Aaron
and do it while making a living. So with that said, I'm going to allow her to introduce herself and introduce her business and we'll get the conversation started.
02:41.14
Aaron
I do want to have a shout out to Hillary, our social media manager who recommended Corey a little while back and I've been following since. ah And yeah she's on the show. So Hillary doesn't even know that this is happening.
02:54.95
Aaron
Yeah.
02:55.56
Seth Macey
She's goingnna ask for more money now, though, because she's doing socials and client outreach.
02:56.75
corey tucker
She does know. She's not going to be different.
02:58.18
Aaron
yeah
03:00.73
Aaron
Yeah, that's right.
03:01.27
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
03:01.89
Seth Macey
Guest outreach, rather.
03:03.33
Aaron
I can hear her squeal right now and excitement. man
03:07.46
corey tucker
I love that connection. It's so great. Thank you, Hillary. um my gosh. I love it that we're finally meeting. She told me about you too. um and I started following your podcast and here we are today. i love that.
03:20.53
Aaron
Yeah.
03:20.62
corey tucker
Yay. All outdoor lovers. We love to protect those public lands. Right.
03:27.20
Seth Macey
I actually lie.
03:27.32
Aaron
Absolutely.
03:27.88
Seth Macey
I hate the outdoors. This is all for the last five years.
03:29.27
corey tucker
um It's horrible. Oh my gosh.
03:32.44
Aaron
just a facade.
03:32.94
corey tucker
It's like the worst place in the world.
03:35.46
Aaron
Yeah, it's healing. I have ah I have a t-shirt that says nature's my medication, which I do feel is, is true. and anytime I spend time out there, it is, it's a reminder of that.
03:48.91
Aaron
Like, Oh, this is what i've been missing.
03:50.62
corey tucker
Yes.
03:50.97
Aaron
Oh, it's been too long since I've been out here without the hustle and bustle of just modern life.
03:53.16
corey tucker
Yeah.
03:57.63
Aaron
I think.
03:58.90
corey tucker
That's why I always say nature is my church. I need to go to church, and that is outdoors, you know?
04:04.76
Seth Macey
Thank you.
04:06.05
Aaron
Yes. So how'd you get started? Please tell us and the listeners about your, your life, your business, your, your start in this and how it all, how we got to this point.
04:14.79
corey tucker
Back to the... Yeah, thanks. um So I got started when I was a kid. My dad had a Minolta film camera that i he let me borrow. And we they were also gardeners. So we went in the garden and I photographed the natural world there. I used to go hunting with my dad. And um so always had that outdoor connection. And I loved animals, horses, animals.
04:40.09
Seth Macey
right.
04:40.24
corey tucker
um Things like that. And so I always had like a digital point and shoot through the years. I bought my first DSLR in 2009, Canon 7D, I think it was.
04:52.20
corey tucker
um I was dating a commercial photographer at the time and he let me borrow his. ah camera and I was photographing bike races in Bethel, Connecticut. So, you know, motion and things like that.
05:05.91
corey tucker
Um, and then I started working for, uh, wedding photographers as a second photographer, cause I wanted to move more into, you know, making money with doing what I love.
05:18.98
corey tucker
So that's kind of how it all started.
05:22.26
Aaron
Awesome. And what started, what, where are you now?
05:23.37
corey tucker
Yeah.
05:26.13
Aaron
Explain your, your passion, your business model, what your Instagram is all about, ah which is called a lope with Corey.
05:26.69
corey tucker
Wow.
05:32.28
corey tucker
one
05:36.48
Aaron
That gives a little bit of a hint, but go on.
05:39.90
corey tucker
Yeah. So which Instagram account? Cause I have about 10. So I
05:43.97
Aaron
Oh, geez. I'm looking at a lope with Corey. That's the one that.
05:47.06
Seth Macey
My soul left the room.
05:47.60
Aaron
Yeah.
05:48.77
Seth Macey
how do you manage 10 Instagram accounts?
05:51.48
Aaron
Yeah.
05:52.79
corey tucker
so
05:52.93
Seth Macey
You tell me you don't. Tell me you don't do it all yourself.
05:55.99
corey tucker
i do
05:56.88
Seth Macey
a My soul's soul left.
06:02.39
corey tucker
So not only am I passionate about photography, but I really love marketing. I wanted to go to school when I was a kid for graphic design because I always loved art.
06:13.50
corey tucker
And then I moved into massage therapy instead when I was working in the corporate world. um And I loved that career for 15 years. so One of my main things is I love to make people feel good and make a difference in the world. So I feel like with the massage therapy that did that and then again with photography, it's it's making people feel good about themselves and get connected to nature.
06:38.20
corey tucker
um So, yeah, it's like it's such a powerful healing art tool. um So, yeah, I think the whole marketing and social media thing, I know a lot of people are overwhelmed by it, but I actually thrive off of it.
06:53.59
corey tucker
ah Yeah, you are, huh?
06:55.21
Seth Macey
You see me pointing?
06:56.81
corey tucker
Yes.
06:57.60
Seth Macey
I know I've taken us off course, but that was just, i I'm sorry, that floored me.
07:00.05
Aaron
yeah
07:01.54
Seth Macey
We'll get back, I promise, Aaron. I know you were asking for that.
07:03.09
corey tucker
Yeah.
07:03.43
Aaron
yeah no no
07:05.21
corey tucker
Hillary's actually my spirit animal. I wish I could be more like Hillary. She's so cool.
07:09.96
Seth Macey
How do you thrive off of social media? Let me ask you that question because you're talking to two people I think who get pretty drained of it pretty easily. Listeners know we talk about it a lot.
07:18.26
corey tucker
Yes.
07:18.69
Seth Macey
And I love that we have people on like yourself who are like, hey, I run 10 Instagram accounts and I feel refreshed. I feel energized. I'm happy with what I'm doing. We have people who say I don't touch that with a 10-foot pole and everywhere in between. So um kind of explain that.
07:31.80
corey tucker
um I thrive off of creating and sharing the natural world with people. um So when I can share like what the passions are about, you know, protecting public lands is huge right now in our country um with so much going on. I'm just really trying to spread the word about that.
07:51.99
corey tucker
And not only as an elopement photographer, because we get to elope freely in national parks or public lands. If these things are taken away, not only is like outdoor activities taken away, but also access to have your the best wedding venue in the world.
08:08.67
corey tucker
You know, it's and you don't have to pay for it like you do. um you know, a place that has four walls and a roof, right? I mean, you might have to pay a park fee or a permit, but it's nowhere near the cost of eloping outdoors, so.
08:17.86
Aaron
Yeah.
08:24.18
Seth Macey
Thank you.
08:25.76
corey tucker
And I had started um my elopement photography back, I wanted to start in 2017, but it wasn't until the pandemic in 2020 that I was able to help my couples, wedding couples, pivot their weddings and said, why don't you keep your date and elope instead?
08:44.86
corey tucker
And then we'll reschedule your big wedding for when the pandemic is over. So I did a whole bunch of hustling and pivoting during that time to help couples pivot. But about half of my couples did keep their original date.
09:00.46
corey tucker
And then they were like, we're so glad we eloped. It was like not stressful. And it was you made it like super easy. And that's pretty much what I hear from all of our couples, you know.
09:11.73
Aaron
And that's an interesting point there. Again, i think there's two camps around, especially the pandemic and the photography business or videography business, content creation.
09:14.36
corey tucker
Yeah. Nope.
09:20.70
Aaron
There's the the camp that's like, ah what a what a what a tragedy, yes. ah What a disaster, ruined my business. And then there's another camp that's like, I have to pivot with this because I guess this could happen ah any time.
09:36.55
Aaron
Really?
09:36.57
corey tucker
yeah
09:36.87
Aaron
Like, this is interesting in a sense that, whoa, like this was not something that was on my radar in terms of my business and moving forward. My 10-year plan had none of this.
09:47.87
Seth Macey
Thank you.
09:48.01
Aaron
I suppose this could happen again.
09:48.25
corey tucker
Yeah.
09:49.53
Aaron
I need to be ah COVID proof, pandemic proof. How can I do that?
09:53.47
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
09:54.43
Aaron
And you took a situation where you could easily have been like, well, I guess our weddings are done for this year. I guess I'm done maybe for the whatever.
10:01.81
corey tucker
Yeah.
10:03.34
Aaron
What else can I do? And you took it as a, hey, let's let's do this instead.
10:05.28
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
10:08.61
Aaron
this is We're able to do this.
10:09.34
corey tucker
Yeah.
10:10.25
Aaron
Let's keep it going. Let's keep the business flowing. And then it's created into your thing.
10:13.36
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
10:16.46
corey tucker
And especially on the East Coast, right?
10:16.63
Aaron
think that's...
10:18.38
corey tucker
Like most elopements, they're known out on the West Coast in the big national parks, you know, in the mountains, Colorado and things like that. So East Coast was very little known about um eloping, right?
10:32.93
corey tucker
and And I love a good creative challenge. And so it was definitely stressful for me and for the couples, but I also like to help my couples ease the stress in their life.
10:46.09
corey tucker
So, you know, that's one of my gifts is to help people elope with ease, to empower them to think differently, to approach life differently, and also to have more of an appreciation for nature and introduce them to something that they might not have seen before.
10:49.46
Seth Macey
Thank you.
11:05.39
corey tucker
You know, like um when I go out, hike like say for a hiking elopement, I'll do plant identification and they're like, oh my God, that's so cool. And I'm, you know, so it's kind of fun.
11:16.96
corey tucker
Yeah.
11:17.73
Aaron
Yeah, it sounds very fun. It sounds, in terms of a wedding, ah right up my alley.
11:22.04
corey tucker
Yeah.
11:23.41
Aaron
What I would like to do.
11:25.29
corey tucker
Heck yeah.
11:25.57
Aaron
in nature with the the people you love, a small group, then not none of the the hubbub, right? Like all the all the extra stuff. Oh, you want what you want?
11:33.87
corey tucker
And the waist.
11:35.64
Aaron
Yeah, it's ah a great point.
11:36.66
corey tucker
So much waste in weddings, food, plastic, flowers, all of that jazz. Yeah. And this way you can invest in your future together, however that looks for you as a couple. So for some couples, it might be a home.
11:52.13
corey tucker
Other couples, it might be travel and experience. I find more and more people nowadays care a less about things, right? And they want more memories and experience.
12:05.05
corey tucker
And so travel is a huge part of that for couples.
12:08.48
Seth Macey
Thank
12:08.56
corey tucker
I feel like, you know, not just couples, but individuals.
12:10.06
Aaron
Yeah. So when you're a
12:14.81
Aaron
When you're approaching a new couple, i assume at this point, two couples come to you with this idea ah based on your marketing and and what you're showing that you offer. They're coming to you.
12:24.41
corey tucker
Mm hmm.
12:25.31
Aaron
Do they typically have a place in mind or is it almost like a menu where you're like, these are and these are my favorite places. These are... these are the places I like to travel and go to, or can someone come to you and say, i want to go anywhere in the world and you're the tag along that's going to make this happen.
12:46.38
corey tucker
Yeah, so it really depends on the couple. And ah because of my marketing and SEO and my love for that kind of thing and you know continuing education and being in mastermind photographer programs and and doing my own self-study and listening to podcasts like yours and and other you know teachers and mentors out there,
13:11.28
corey tucker
I was able to figure out how to get myself in different locations. So i have my main website and then I build landing pages for each of the locations that I target. So Acadia National Park, Grand Teton National Park.
13:27.74
corey tucker
um Gosh, where else do I have dolomites in Italy?
13:32.40
Aaron
wow
13:32.62
corey tucker
you know um The places that I want to be, I've planted my seeds and I blog a lot. um So that way people find me on Google, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, um all of those platforms.
13:48.02
corey tucker
And especially now with AI and ChatGPT, when you type in a search, how you know best elopment or best places to elope in the US,
13:56.44
Seth Macey
Thank
13:58.20
corey tucker
My blog is like one of the top ones that comes up and I list all the different places. um And then i also hire, I do hire a blogger and Pinterest manager. So she's, that is, we blog about once a month together.
14:13.66
corey tucker
So all of those things help. And then tying it back into what you said, um most couples know, they're like, yeah, we want to we open Acadia. Can you help us plan our day and find the best locations within the park?
14:28.20
corey tucker
And that's when I help them plan based on, you know, Google Earth when the sun rises, when it sets. And I also like to avoid the crowds. So, yeah.
14:37.76
Aaron
Yeah.
14:38.77
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
14:39.41
Seth Macey
Question.
14:40.61
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
14:41.93
Seth Macey
So you're blogging, you're planning with couples, you're photographing these couples, you're traveling to these places, you're managing 10 Instagram accounts.
14:55.08
Seth Macey
What in your life is sacrificed for all of this?
14:58.29
corey tucker
Nothing. You know why
15:00.35
Seth Macey
How?
15:01.43
corey tucker
Cause I have work life balance. You know, it's.
15:05.50
Seth Macey
How so?
15:05.97
corey tucker
Yeah.
15:05.98
Seth Macey
i' I'm asking you to say more because it sounds like maybe somebody who doesn't know you that it's like work, all of it.
15:07.93
corey tucker
yeah
15:13.33
corey tucker
um So I'm passionate about what I do and I don't mind working hard. um I do believe in work-life balance. So, you know, one of the beautiful things about not photographing weddings anymore is that I have my weekends back to spend with my husband. I don't work weekends.
15:34.33
corey tucker
I play on the weekends.
15:34.55
Seth Macey
Okay.
15:36.39
corey tucker
You know, he's a teacher, a musician. He's also an officiant in the summer times and he officiates the thing. So um weekends, you know, I don't work like I work Monday to Friday. um And I'm an early riser and I'm early to bed.
15:53.33
corey tucker
um And my most creative time of day, I really know myself. So I do my work when my brain works the best in the morning. And then the afternoon, I kind of plane out.
16:04.30
corey tucker
And every day I try to get outside, get my exercise, do my kundalini yoga in the morning to like give me energy, build that life force.
16:08.32
Seth Macey
Thank you.
16:13.79
corey tucker
You know, am not perfect.
16:14.76
Aaron
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
16:15.48
corey tucker
I go through phases with that. um But eat well. get my rest, I try for eight hours, I don't get eight hours all the time, but you know, just do my best to be outside and take computer breaks, go outside and garden and pull some weeds when it's been too much for me on the computer. And when I move my body in nature and go on my four mile walks, I actually get more ideas.
16:41.29
corey tucker
it It like releases a stagnation in our bodies and our minds and it releases stress. And then, you know, you get the, what is it? Serotonin or dopamine hits because you've moved your body, you know?
16:54.86
Aaron
Mm-hmm.
16:55.69
Seth Macey
Well, yeah, many people, you know, say and know that you heal the mind with the body by movement.
16:55.91
corey tucker
So.
17:01.28
corey tucker
Yes.
17:01.77
Seth Macey
um So I appreciate your answer. That sounds like I work very, very hard in deliberate times and purposefully not at all in other times.
17:12.54
corey tucker
Yes.
17:12.72
Seth Macey
um
17:13.62
corey tucker
And I outsource when I need to.
17:15.78
Seth Macey
Correct.
17:15.92
corey tucker
You know, definitely outsource.
17:16.61
Seth Macey
Yeah.
17:18.26
corey tucker
I hire people um to help me with, say, video editing. When I shoot Super 8, I ship off the video to be edited.
17:22.89
Seth Macey
Nice.
17:28.55
corey tucker
I'd say my biggest hang up is editing. You know, like I love getting sneak peeks out right away.
17:36.83
Seth Macey
right
17:36.92
corey tucker
And that's really easy for me. But then. you know, it sits there while I'm doing all of my other stuff, but I do have a good, you know, boundary and timeline return, you know, return for my couples.
17:49.11
Aaron
Yeah.
17:49.28
corey tucker
So every, all the timelines get met, you know, and I don't overbook.
17:53.24
Seth Macey
cool follow up
17:55.14
corey tucker
I don't overbook myself.
17:57.17
Seth Macey
is that a common thing in this industry i don't think aaron and i know
18:00.50
corey tucker
Yes. People, one, they don't charge enough and they overbook and they undersell themselves.
18:01.70
Seth Macey
Okay.
18:06.90
corey tucker
um You know, when you're
18:08.06
Seth Macey
Speak to those people for us if you can.
18:09.66
Aaron
yeah
18:09.73
Seth Macey
Okay.
18:10.58
corey tucker
Yeah, yeah, for sure. So when you're starting out, of course, you're going to undercharge because you're like, oh, gosh, I'm just starting. I don't know what I'm doing. And I guess my advice would be to work with a mentor to second shoot as a photographer for weddings and get the hang of things or even get a mentor for elopements if you don't want to do weddings and you want to, you know, ah say shoot elopements and figure out how to do all that.
18:40.69
corey tucker
It's not just shooting elopements, it's planning it, it's location scouting, it's a lot, it's marketing, it's everything. and So um I see a lot of people hustling and burning out.
18:52.92
corey tucker
um I've been photographing elopements solidly for five years, so since the pandemic. um I've had my photography business since 2015 legally.
19:03.54
Seth Macey
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
19:06.33
corey tucker
i started in 2012 photographing weddings. So I feel really confident about what I do and, you know, skills or whatever. um And I just, I want to create like a really,
19:22.05
corey tucker
unforgettable like client experience, it goes beyond photography. To me, it's like the whole package, right? So.
19:30.40
Aaron
Right. I think that's in important. And I think Adam Coppola, who we had on the show, another Connecticut photographer who does a lot of commercial stuff, um just just talked about how much more there is than just the photography.
19:45.63
Aaron
I think when you're creating a photography business and you're offering a product, it's not just the photos.
19:46.24
corey tucker
Yes.
19:49.60
Seth Macey
Thank you.
19:54.70
Aaron
it's the communication it's the planning it's the searching sunrise and sunset it's all of that stuff and i'm curious for for you and in your business is that all thought into the price as you're you're looking at all that you're offering as part of your business
19:54.72
corey tucker
Right. Mm-hmm.
20:17.58
Aaron
Versus underselling yourself and saying like, Oh, what should photography cost? Because it's way more than wedding photography or a marriage photography. It's, it's all this other planning.
20:26.27
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
20:27.36
Aaron
Hey, I have an officiant. I have someone that does music. They're great. They'll bring their guitars on this hike. Like you knowing all the stuff is saving them tons of time and time is.
20:36.72
corey tucker
Yeah, tons of time, Google research, like literally curating an experience for them. Like, you know, my Airbnb lists, my places to eat. Like I have like a client portal that used to be in Google Drive. And this year i up leveled it to Notion.
20:53.82
corey tucker
basically taught myself how to use Notion. I'm not perfect, but, you know,
20:57.25
Aaron
Mm-hmm.
20:58.90
corey tucker
I think technology is really cool.
21:01.29
Seth Macey
Thank you.
21:02.02
corey tucker
I've always been interested in it um since I was younger. So there's so much that we can use all the time. And like I'm a big, I use ChatGPT all the time to help me.
21:13.43
corey tucker
And I have custom profiles based on what I'm producing. So whether it's for elopements or my brand and my rentals, like if I'm going photograph like an Airbnb somewhere something,
21:25.90
corey tucker
you know, rental property, like that language is different than the way I talk to my couples because I get into, i know who my ideal client is or ideal client avatar and ICA.
21:39.90
Aaron
I see
21:40.04
corey tucker
And I have created things that I just speak to who they are and what their values are and what they cherish and things like that. So I really try to speak to that, you know.
21:51.50
Seth Macey
Is developing, what did you call it? An A?
21:54.20
Aaron
i c
21:54.92
corey tucker
ICA, it's called an ideal client avatar. it's simple
21:58.23
Seth Macey
Okay. Okay.
21:59.13
corey tucker
It's knowing who your customer or your client, or for me, my couples, who they are as people, what they like to do, where they spend their time, you know um all of that.
22:11.00
corey tucker
And you know you could go into ChatGPT and say, what is what is an ICA, right? And you know for my line of work, um what does that look like?
22:22.65
corey tucker
And I've, you know, I've paid people who are really experts on ChatGPT and how to um talk to an audience, right?
22:33.33
Seth Macey
Thank you.
22:33.85
corey tucker
um So there's courses that you can take that aren't that expensive that really help you up level what you're doing. Like even you guys could use it for, you know, your audience and who you're talking to.
22:48.06
corey tucker
Yeah.
22:48.83
Seth Macey
That's so interesting. because So there's, I have two questions here. Well, actually one is a, is a question and the other one is a followup to what you just said. Uh, the first question is, so your avatar, are you building that off entirely off of doing research and using a chat cbt or is it built entirely off of anecdote and your experience with previous clients?
23:16.63
corey tucker
Ding, ding, ding. Yes, the latter. So um I have questionnaires that I send to my couples um to get to know them better, more personally, to make their experience.
23:19.48
Seth Macey
Right.
23:28.78
corey tucker
Like, you know, I could ask them, hey, what do you guys like to do on the weekends when you're not working? Like, what is a typical weekend? look like?
23:35.51
Seth Macey
um
23:35.66
corey tucker
Is it Netflix and chill? Are you foodies? Do you like to go out and eat? Or do you like to cook? You know, um are you a knitter?
23:42.35
Seth Macey
right
23:44.09
corey tucker
Are you a gravel biker? Are you a fisherman or a hunter? Whatever it is, right? So knowing them better, like what their hobbies are, um how they spend their time, it's basically what marketers use
23:50.51
Seth Macey
All right.
24:00.10
corey tucker
to get into the mindset, like the photographer mindset, to get into the mindset and put yourself in the shoes of your couple or your client. And then you know how to answer their questions and how to problem solve for them, how to answer their questions on your website before they even have to ask you.
24:20.84
corey tucker
And then they look at you as the expert. because you know what they want and what they need. So you literally have to get into the mind of other people. um And it's taken me a long time to get to where I'm at.
24:34.47
corey tucker
So.
24:35.61
Seth Macey
See, this is so interesting. The second part that I was going to say based on, you know, you said, hey, you guys could use this. I agree with you. The thing that I, I'll speak for myself, that is a
24:48.14
Seth Macey
It's a bit of a dichotomy for me is that I like to try and make episodes, content surrounding this show, this brand, whatever you want to call it, that I like, that I would listen to. And I try to often ignore what everybody wants or what would be the ideal thing that my target audience would want to hear.
25:12.70
corey tucker
Right.
25:12.79
Seth Macey
That sounds like a terrible marketer.
25:15.24
corey tucker
little No.
25:15.78
Seth Macey
And I agree with you. But I think you, in our instance, we could potentially, we potentially often run into the, you could run into the, i don't want to say issue, but maybe this just, it could happen all by itself by accident where, know,
25:17.36
corey tucker
Yeah.
25:32.18
Seth Macey
youre You're just making content that's designed to hit that you're not necessarily passionate about.
25:39.50
corey tucker
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
25:40.33
Seth Macey
We're talking apples and oranges here because your business model is obviously different from what we do. But I just kind of like that's often what goes through my head. Like, hey, I want to talk about this. I hope people like it as opposed to you know There have been times where Aaron and I have been like, let's speak to those people. And other times where it's just more of a, hey, let's talk about what we want to.
25:58.45
Seth Macey
But you I think we do often struggle with that.
25:58.67
corey tucker
yeah
26:00.65
Seth Macey
And and knowing your audience can be hard. you can only You can only understand so much from looking at data and numbers and what does well and what doesn't and who you speak to.
26:11.31
Seth Macey
I think who you speak to, the people we've had a chance to go on retreats with and do one-on-ones with and just talk through Instagram DM. That's more valuable, I think, than any metric I've ever stared at.
26:22.72
corey tucker
Oh, yes, absolutely. and And you are being authentic. I'm being authentic. i'm Everything that I share and i produce and you know things like that is from the heart and is my truth.
26:39.78
corey tucker
And I'm not doing it to people please anyone or to perform for anyone. Everything is coming directly from me and my interests and and sharing the passions, but it's just mirroring what other I'm finding my people.
26:50.23
Seth Macey
Right.
26:57.15
corey tucker
I'm finding my niche. Right. And there are so many different people in the world and there this world is so abundant that there are enough people for us and what we do.
27:10.54
corey tucker
um In our profession, there's enough to go around for everyone, just like having that abundant mindset is so important. um So it's not living in fear that it's never going to be enough or it's not the right thing.
27:25.31
corey tucker
and And how do engage your audiences, do polls on your stories, ask them questions. Like polls, I tend to get a lot more engagement from people, make it easy for people, like have a couple different answers.
27:40.07
corey tucker
And, you know, those are some fun ways to engage your audience.
27:41.14
Aaron
Mm-hmm.
27:45.64
corey tucker
And you're not just speaking at them. You're not just, you know, you're actually trying to get them to, you know, come to you with an answer.
27:54.42
Seth Macey
Yeah, and I think the difference is what you've just described is you're trying to align with each other. You know, you are your authentic self. People are who they are. And you're trying to symbiotically align nicely in a way that matches both your value sets.
28:09.19
Seth Macey
I think where people can often get into trouble is they change to align with what others want. Right.
28:14.76
corey tucker
Yeah, no.
28:15.80
Seth Macey
So going to do stories so that I align with people or I'm going to do polls so that I, you know, so that people engage with me as opposed to I want to see where we meet in the middle.
28:15.93
Aaron
Mm-hmm.
28:16.54
corey tucker
Yeah.
28:19.68
corey tucker
yeah like
28:26.74
corey tucker
Yep. And you know what? And I've created polls and people haven't answered. And you know what? I still enjoy the process anyways. and I still enjoy creating anyways. I still do it anyways, even if people don't answer.
28:41.04
corey tucker
And that's fine.
28:41.57
Aaron
And you can keep on scaffolding down to just find out certain things. Like it's within the genre of eloping. And like if people say, i'd rather not hike in elope and I'd rather get you know married and in a church, then that's not your client.
28:58.67
Aaron
And we're not we're we're not dealing with that client.
28:58.89
corey tucker
yeah Exactly. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
29:01.90
Aaron
But we can say like, I'd rather not do a 10 mile hike. i I think six is my max. And if you start finding out that six is the max, even though you're willing to do 10, you, you kind of adjust to your, your audience that fits your passion.
29:20.38
corey tucker
and
29:20.50
Aaron
So I think of like a, a folk singer who loves acoustic music, plays guitar and piano. And he's asking, do you guys like piano songs better or guitar songs? And most of his audience says piano.
29:32.37
Aaron
They might lean towards, okay, I'm going to do a little bit more piano. with my audience. But if people say like, I'd rather you do a hard rock or rap music, he's gonna be like, well, i'm not gonna, I'm gonna bend that far.
29:42.92
corey tucker
Yeah. Like, sorry.
29:46.28
corey tucker
Yeah.
29:46.36
Aaron
i am just trying to figure out what my people prefer. What are the preferences? Doesn't mean I'm gonna do it necessarily, but i would like to know what the preferences are so I can plan the best for my, my people.
30:00.91
corey tucker
And the beauty of elopements too, sorry Seth, is that um you don't have to hike 10 miles or six miles or even three miles to have a beautiful outdoor elopement.
30:00.91
Seth Macey
I think it's
30:04.01
Seth Macey
okay.
30:12.60
corey tucker
I feel like elopements nowadays are way more accessible. And you don't have to be like crazy physically fit to have a beautiful outdoor elopement.
30:16.24
Aaron
That's cool.
30:22.50
corey tucker
Like I make sure that I have places for people of all abilities to get to. And especially like when the family is involved to find a ceremony spot where everybody can get there safely.
30:35.28
corey tucker
Right. um And that hopefully nobody has issues with that. So.
30:41.00
Seth Macey
Have you ever shown up to a spot and there's been somebody else eloping there?
30:41.16
Aaron
to
30:44.87
corey tucker
For sure. Yeah. And that's why, that's why I love sunrise ceremonies because there's less people around.
30:46.33
Seth Macey
Really? Nice.
30:53.51
corey tucker
um And I try to encourage my couples to do sunrise because, Hey, you only get married once and why not like have something like super incredible and memorable. Like, I think it's, it's my favorite time of day. I think it's so worth it.
31:06.66
corey tucker
Yeah.
31:07.06
Aaron
Yeah.
31:08.70
corey tucker
So we shift a little bit, you know, like,
31:08.83
Aaron
Makes sense. Mm-hmm.
31:11.56
corey tucker
There's other places. There's so much landscape. It's not it's not hard, you know, to find another location close by. Mm-hmm.
31:19.82
Seth Macey
Yeah, makes sense. Rewinding a bit here when I think I asked about how you were, what got sacrificed when you were doing all these things.
31:30.17
Seth Macey
This, this implies you have a tremendous level of focus during the hours that you're working. What does focus look like for you?
31:40.28
corey tucker
Well, I have my calendar and I just put like to do, to do. And if I don't get it done today, I shift it over to to tomorrow. ah So, you know, like focus.
31:49.35
Aaron
Mm-hmm.
31:51.67
corey tucker
I get one thing done at a time and I try not to scatter my energy. Like if I'm editing photos, then just edit photos.
31:59.46
Seth Macey
Okay.
32:01.09
corey tucker
Don't get on social media or email. Stay off of email. I put my phone in the other room You know, because that is a huge distractor. You get on that to go find someone and then you forgot why you got on it in the first place. Right.
32:17.73
corey tucker
Fifteen minutes later, you're like down the rabbit hole.
32:19.16
Aaron
Yeah.
32:20.01
corey tucker
So I try to leave my phone in the other room when I work. It doesn't always happen. And that helps me to focus much better.
32:28.82
Seth Macey
Okay. Yeah. I was just curious if you had a protocol or how you structured prioritization in order to maintain that level of focus. It's interesting you tell me, you don't strike me as somebody who moves their to-do list to the next day consecutively consistently.
32:42.69
corey tucker
Not the whole list, but you know, like if it's like elopement planning or editing photos, cause that always takes longer.
32:42.90
Seth Macey
Yeah.
32:49.61
corey tucker
So I'm like, it's okay. I'll get it done to farm, you know?
32:52.83
Seth Macey
I think it can be frustrating for, there's a, I think there's a tendency for a lot of people to, uh, tomorrow becomes tomorrow becomes tomorrow becomes tomorrow becomes never.
33:01.32
corey tucker
Yeah, no. You know how get the most done to have a deadline.
33:02.82
Seth Macey
Um,
33:05.81
corey tucker
Make sure you have a deadline and then we respond better. It's about, you know, we we respond to our environment. Like if we don't have a deadline on something, then it's never going to get done.
33:18.17
corey tucker
We have to give it ourselves deadlines.
33:18.18
Seth Macey
yeah, I think,
33:21.76
Seth Macey
Yeah, I think it's in the book Atomic Habits. I believe so. Where people have been going so far as to institute a penalty alongside their deadline
33:31.12
Seth Macey
ah to, I guess, make the deadline more the consequences of missing it more severe, which I found interesting.
33:41.08
corey tucker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Gosh, I don't know if I'd respond to a penalty.
33:46.71
Aaron
yeah
33:48.17
corey tucker
I would definitely respond to an award.
33:51.76
Seth Macey
What
33:51.99
corey tucker
ah A reward, not a award. Reward. I think, yeah. Yeah.
33:56.11
Seth Macey
ah what would that be?
33:59.37
corey tucker
Uh, food is always good or outside time, you know, like outside time is super rewarding for me.
34:01.42
Seth Macey
Okay.
34:01.80
Aaron
Oh, yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
34:06.32
corey tucker
I'm like, I'm going to go for a walk after I get this done. You know, I find that if I don't get my walk in first thing in the morning, it might not happen in the afternoon.
34:10.86
Seth Macey
Yeah.
34:17.83
corey tucker
So I try to put myself first Then when I have a full cup, then i can I can offer more to other people. And if I don't get my exercise in the morning, then I get a little cranky and resentful in the afternoon.
34:34.91
corey tucker
So, you know, it's important for me to move.
34:36.89
Seth Macey
right
34:38.95
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
34:39.09
Seth Macey
I think that also brings up, oh, I'm sorry, go ahead.
34:39.15
Aaron
That's really important. And I think I was just just say, that's, that's a really important point that we, we hit on every once in a while and you'll, you'll see it around i like fill your cup first or place the oxygen mask over yourself first before you help, uh, whatever the idiom is that you want to use.
34:41.19
Seth Macey
Okay.
34:46.73
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
34:52.22
corey tucker
Yes. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
34:56.52
Aaron
But I do, do think it's important. I think some people struggle with that, uh, sacrificing themselves for others, you go as far as being a martyr, ah it doesn't it doesn't help anyone the best that you possibly can.
35:14.21
Aaron
And I think a stitch in time saves nine in the sense of like doing the one thing that you need to do for yourself to be able to make it the whole day and give your best and feel good about the day.
35:27.96
Aaron
It's, it's tough if you're not taking care of yourself in, in all the ways, um, in eating, in rest, in exercise, all the things you mentioned, uh, aiming for eight hours of sleep, getting that, that morning walk in.
35:28.38
Seth Macey
you
35:33.84
corey tucker
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
35:36.29
corey tucker
yeah
35:42.11
Aaron
If you know, that's a absolute mood stabilizer for the rest of the day, doing those things.
35:47.54
corey tucker
And you know what, too, like I think is huge that I haven't mentioned is gratitude, right?
35:52.75
Aaron
Mm-hmm.
35:53.03
corey tucker
Like having gratitude for all the things that we do have. um And then that really puts life into perspective, especially because we've all been through hard times and and it wasn't that long ago.
36:05.78
corey tucker
And, you know, that we had the pandemic and the other things that were challenging and we're going through a lot of that now.
36:10.11
Seth Macey
Mm-hmm.
36:14.28
corey tucker
in our country. So, you know, every day is a gift, right?
36:16.07
Aaron
Yeah.
36:18.17
corey tucker
It's what we do with it.
36:20.06
Aaron
Yeah. And I heard, speaking of gratitude, even more than gratitude in terms of what it does for self is what have you done for others lately?
36:30.35
corey tucker
hmm.
36:31.07
Aaron
And listing those and recognizing those, where have you gone beyond me, me, me, me me to to help nature, to help animals, to help people, to help a classroom, whatever it may be.
36:37.07
corey tucker
hmm.
36:45.09
corey tucker
yeah
36:45.40
Aaron
ah Making sure you have a list of that that you can do on sort of a regular basis in terms of ah happiness or being content, Recognizing that on top of gratitude is a is definitely a good practice as well.
37:01.71
corey tucker
Yeah, absolutely.
37:04.05
Seth Macey
I think that's where you do have to be careful. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but I think that can go overboard and contradict the oxygen mask first thing if you focus too much on that.
37:17.02
Seth Macey
you know what i'm saying? If you get your partner, I need to contribute help all the time.
37:18.47
Aaron
Yeah.
37:21.05
Seth Macey
That's when I think you can run yourself thin and forget to look after yourself if you run off the one end of the spectrum that you've just described.
37:28.17
Aaron
Yeah, both.
37:28.35
corey tucker
Oh
37:29.09
Aaron
I would argue, I'd be contrarian here, that there's been a shift in the spectrum of a little bit of selfish thinking, but little bit in a good way sometimes, but I think ah Western culture especially can get a little bit too, if it doesn't make me happy, then F the rest of the world.
37:46.91
Aaron
Sort of.
37:47.96
Seth Macey
Mm-hmm.
37:48.70
Aaron
thinking and gratitude can be taken as like, I'm glad I have this Gucci purse. Like gra gratitude can be taken in a different way than I think it's intended.
38:02.75
Seth Macey
Mm-hmm.
38:03.17
corey tucker
I have a challenge for you guys. This is something that I used to do that occasionally I do now. um On the full moon, I have written hundred things that I'm grateful for.
38:15.57
corey tucker
So that could be as simple as running water. The sun came out today, or I have a bed to sleep in or a roof or my kitty cats, my husband, you know, things like that.
38:22.96
Seth Macey
Okay.
38:26.33
corey tucker
Like keep it super simple. like the things that are right there. I have internet access. Holy shit. I have a computer that works. I have a career or my cameras or friends or community, you know, like you can really go to town with the gratitude list.
38:42.70
Aaron
When we edit this, we'll put your husband before the kitty cats.
38:45.81
corey tucker
Oh, sure. For sure. Yeah.
38:46.99
Aaron
Yeah.
38:47.13
corey tucker
George, George knows he's numero uno.
38:50.73
Aaron
ah Good, good, good, good.
38:54.12
corey tucker
Yeah. Mm-hmm.
38:55.92
Seth Macey
Yeah, I think also, what did you say, Aaron? If it's not good for me, then ah everybody else. Is what you said?
39:04.20
Aaron
Yeah. That's not coming from personal.
39:06.69
Seth Macey
Like, no, no, no, I understand that. You were saying that that is a thought that's creeping in maybe in current times.
39:11.21
Aaron
for example, Eastern, like Eastern culture, a lot of Asian cultures are very much me last family, uh, people that are important, maybe to the other end of the spectrum where it can be self-harming in a sense of like, this is, this is just not fun.
39:22.55
Seth Macey
Right.
39:27.70
corey tucker
i I find that with mothers.
39:29.92
Aaron
And yes, I,
39:33.69
corey tucker
ah Mothers are, I don't, I'm child free by choice. And I've never regretted that decision my entire life.
39:37.01
Aaron
mm-hmm.
39:40.66
corey tucker
And I find that mothers are always caretaking and looking out for the child and putting them before themselves.
39:44.74
Seth Macey
Thank you.
39:49.54
corey tucker
You know, like, don't get me in trouble for saying this. Maybe you want to edit it out. I don't know.
39:55.59
Aaron
No, i don't I don't think you're wrong.
39:56.99
corey tucker
Yeah.
39:57.35
Aaron
i have a very good friend that she's a therapist and her clientele is mothers that are struggling. And i hear often about it and it's stuff that, you know, I think a lot of men don't see or socially we are kind of,
40:03.67
corey tucker
Yeah.
40:14.69
Aaron
socially, not everyone, but you go to work. ah the The lion's share of child rearing and raising and setting up the birthday party, making sure lunches are made, making sure dinner's made, making sure the house is clean, doing the above and beyond.
40:31.83
Aaron
Not everywhere, but a lot of it. And by the way, now expected to work and contribute to income and bills and what have you.
40:39.22
corey tucker
And look hot too and be fit.
40:42.08
Aaron
And look hot.
40:43.83
corey tucker
Oh my God, forget about it.
40:44.86
Aaron
But there is there is definitely a a lot of that. And i think I think mothers have a hard time because socially you are also judged among yourselves of...
40:57.06
corey tucker
Oh yeah.
40:57.40
Aaron
keeping up with the Joneses and making sure this birthday party kicks absolute ass. Uh, there's a lot of stress with that. That is not seen by everyone equally, uh, for sure.
41:09.32
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
41:10.85
Aaron
And I think it is important to do a sort of an audit and her advice sometimes with mothers is particularly is it's okay to drop the ball, drop the ball.
41:20.76
corey tucker
Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. I dropped the ball in cleaning the house like that is not a priority. And that's how I'm able to get so much done. There are sacrifices, you would ask me.
41:31.53
corey tucker
The house isn't perfect. The yard's not perfect. You know, whatevs? Who cares?
41:36.44
Aaron
yeah
41:36.52
corey tucker
Those aren't my priorities. Like when you figure out what your priorities are, like I'd rather spend time outdoors than cleaning the house. And that's quite all right. You know,
41:46.13
Aaron
yeah so back to outdoors and i i want to hear some there must there must be encounters seth and i love wildlife have there have there
41:53.89
corey tucker
Oh yeah.
41:56.89
Aaron
any magical wildlife moments in the middle of ah ceremony, a hike up to where we're getting married, anything, any sort of astrological event or sunflat.
42:02.11
corey tucker
I wish.
42:13.38
Aaron
I don't know. I'm just looking for this.
42:15.20
Seth Macey
An astrological event or an astronomical event?
42:17.81
Aaron
Astronomical.
42:20.10
corey tucker
yeah
42:20.32
Aaron
Astronomical.
42:20.67
corey tucker
um I think I speak more wildlife.
42:21.56
Aaron
Or stars. Astrologic.
42:24.86
corey tucker
Astrology, yeah, love astrology. um
42:26.78
Aaron
Yeah.
42:27.83
corey tucker
ah Not with couples. I haven't seen anything crazy. You know, birds will fly over at a certain time, you know, during a ceremony or like geese will cross over.
42:41.28
corey tucker
You know, I've seen bear on my own. There's bear in the yard all the time, but not usually around couples.
42:46.17
Aaron
Yeah, you're in Can.
42:48.72
corey tucker
Yes.
42:49.49
Aaron
Yeah.
42:50.37
corey tucker
I was coming home the other day, like face to face with one.
42:51.65
Seth Macey
All right.
42:53.01
corey tucker
I'm like, okay, hi, black bear. I'm just going to go in the house now, you know. ah Being out west though, you know, like in Grand Teton, we're heading there first two weeks in July.
42:58.43
Aaron
Mm hmm.
43:04.06
corey tucker
um i'll get my bear spray just in case. So when we're out with couples that I'll have some kind of protection just in case we run and across any, you know, animals that are just doing their thing.
43:12.12
Aaron
yeah
43:15.05
Aaron
yeah
43:16.62
corey tucker
And it's like, just share the space and respect them and know what to do and back away slowly and hopefully no problems.
43:27.19
Aaron
Yeah, hopefully.
43:27.34
corey tucker
Yeah. Mm-hmm. So, yeah.
43:30.01
Aaron
Yeah. but a Favorite park for you.
43:33.67
corey tucker
In the United States, I would say Grand Teton National Park, Grand Teton.
43:35.11
Aaron
Yeah.
43:35.15
Seth Macey
you
43:36.63
Aaron
We'll start there. Yeah.
43:39.46
corey tucker
Yeah, I just love like the mountains. And then there is like a lot of accessibility with the beautiful lakes and, you know, flatter hiking trails.
43:49.49
corey tucker
And then Acadia is like my second home.
43:50.05
Aaron
Mm hmm.
43:52.49
corey tucker
That's my primary market. My folks live in Maine. It's about six hours from me in Connecticut.
43:59.08
Aaron
Mm-hmm.
43:59.37
corey tucker
And I'm there a lot like this year. I'll be there a total of four times. And I just expanded my team. i I took on two other photographers for Acadia because I get so many inquiries and I can't be there all the time.
44:16.17
corey tucker
So I've trained two other photographers to kind of see the world the way I do. And I handle the planning, the editing, and then they show up and shoot and turn over the photos to me.
44:29.55
Aaron
That's awesome.
44:29.85
Seth Macey
Are you, are you selecting these photographers because of, because you like their skill and their portfolio and hang on, hang on, or, and letting them do their thing?
44:30.78
Aaron
Hang
44:38.76
corey tucker
and What's wrong? Yeah. Okay. All right.
44:41.12
Aaron
and
44:45.20
Seth Macey
Or are you asking them and requiring them to shoot in your style?
44:52.15
corey tucker
That's a great question. So my first person that approached me, I wasn't searching. She said, hey, Corey, can I work with you?
45:02.98
corey tucker
I really don't want to plan anymore. And I had been following her on Instagram and I saw that she sees the world the way I do. Like she has a very similar aesthetic.
45:15.69
corey tucker
And we met in person and we Zoomed and I got to know her.
45:17.67
Seth Macey
Thank you.
45:18.81
corey tucker
And then we went on a hike together in Acadia. And I was like, yes, totally in. Like we talked about, you know, boundaries and things like that and her pay. um So then this past May, I had another photographer that reached out to me and said, I'd love to be on your team. So I got all of us together and did two styled shoots together.
45:40.74
corey tucker
so that we could all see how we see the world and we learn from each other. And I blended it all together. And I said, this is what I learned from you and how you shoot.
45:51.75
corey tucker
And this is how I shoot.
45:51.71
Seth Macey
Thank you.
45:53.11
corey tucker
And this is what I would like to see like wide and tight, wide and tight. I'm very like storytelling cinematic. I want to tell something that looks like it came out of a movie, the whole story.
46:05.26
corey tucker
So yeah, We're all learning and growing from each other. I think that's something as photographers that we have to offer. um But when people see my website and they see my style of work, I have to be able to confidently say to people that hire us, when you hire this photographer or that photographer, you're going to get the same experience, client experience and style of photography. So, yeah, you sort of do have to train them.
46:36.11
corey tucker
un poquito, like just a little bit, you know, um to see.
46:41.40
Aaron
That's a really interesting point.
46:42.60
Seth Macey
What that? Un poquito? What is that?
46:44.14
corey tucker
poquito is a little.
46:44.63
Aaron
A little Spanish. didn't even take Spanish.
46:46.62
Seth Macey
You're speaking to a Canadian. I don't speak Spanish.
46:50.63
Aaron
I took French.
46:50.77
Seth Macey
No habla.
46:50.85
corey tucker
ah Un poquito.
46:53.16
Aaron
Yeah.
46:53.56
Seth Macey
is it habla? No habla.
46:55.26
corey tucker
No habla inglés.
46:56.04
Aaron
I, I,
46:56.26
corey tucker
No.
46:58.68
Aaron
i
46:58.78
Seth Macey
All I learned was lo siento mi español es muy bueno when I was in Spain. I just said that routinely.
47:05.66
corey tucker
Or Donde es el baño, right?
47:08.37
Aaron
Yeah.
47:08.95
Seth Macey
Sure.
47:10.20
Aaron
Yeah.
47:10.50
Seth Macey
don't know.
47:11.94
corey tucker
Where's the bathroom?
47:13.36
Seth Macey
um
47:15.39
corey tucker
Sorry, I digress.
47:17.15
Aaron
What I was going to say was, that i mean, this reminds me, your explanation of hiring other people and learning from each other is, you know, some of the best, the best bands in the world have this magical chemistry that, know,
47:24.89
corey tucker
Okay. Okay.
47:30.94
Aaron
a songwriter brings a song to the table and you know that the drummer the bassist or the keyboards of the guitarist is able to add a riff or this or that or a sound and create this thing that's like like how did pink floyd exist or like the beatles exist like yeah zeppelin like that that whole marriage that creates
47:41.93
corey tucker
Yeah. Yeah.
47:48.55
corey tucker
Yeah. Mm. Mm. Mm. yeah yeah
47:54.54
Seth Macey
Thank you.
47:54.98
Aaron
this thing, which I think the sum of the parts not always is greater than the the one, but in in the best cases, a team that can expand the vision and expand your style in the way you that you see the world, you would think would create a just a bigger juggernaut of accompaniment.
48:10.01
corey tucker
when
48:15.09
corey tucker
Yeah. Yeah. And I've I've worked for myself for so long and I love working for myself because I know I'm going to get it right. Maybe not perfect and that's OK, but I always strive to do my best and give the best experience based on what is given to me or whatever my surroundings are.
48:32.19
Seth Macey
Thank you.
48:37.02
corey tucker
um So for me, this is very challenging. It's a little bit uncomfortable.
48:42.51
Aaron
Yeah.
48:42.55
corey tucker
you know, being able to trust other people to deliver the same experience, the same umpapa that I have, you know, like... you know, the passion and, um and also the photographs, the final product, like I will edit them in my style, which people see, but will they see it and get it?
48:58.61
Aaron
yeah
49:02.46
Aaron
yeah
49:05.76
corey tucker
Like the, the trust is huge and not to go off and start their own business in that area that I've shared all my trade secrets. You know what I mean?
49:15.09
Aaron
Yeah. So how, how do you deal with that's a lot of trust. That's not, that's even, that's more than editing in a sense.
49:20.22
corey tucker
Yes.
49:23.42
Aaron
That's the, be that's the end all be all in a sense of like, Hey, if you forget your SD card or you drop your camera on this hike, like we're in trouble.
49:23.86
corey tucker
Yes.
49:33.21
corey tucker
That's why you have two cameras, just in case.
49:33.28
Aaron
Right. And it's of course, but it's, it's your, it is your business.
49:35.91
corey tucker
Yeah.
49:38.29
Aaron
So that's a lot of letting go.
49:41.07
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
49:41.92
Aaron
and It's equal to Seth and I saying, having two people record for us and, and then us kind of edit through it and be like, we liked that conversation.
49:46.78
corey tucker
Yes.
49:50.35
Aaron
That's, that was good. All right. and Let's put it out there. So it's, it's, it's giving the keys to the car in a big sense.
49:57.33
corey tucker
Yeah. Yeah. It's a huge growth opportunity for me. And I know this is like a new area where I'm growing another branch on my tree. I'm evolving.
50:08.83
corey tucker
Like I always relate myself to a tree. Like, you know, I'm growing, I'm reaching for the sky and I'm, you know, until I'm dead, I'm going to keep growing because I love to learn and do new things.
50:19.92
Seth Macey
Thank
50:20.12
corey tucker
um I don't want to be stagnant in life. And I do want to challenge myself to those things that are a little uncomfortable um And I'm going to put my best effort in and hopefully, fingers crossed, you know, things work out well, you know.
50:35.51
corey tucker
But there is but there is the risk that it might not work or people might move on.
50:35.81
Aaron
Absolutely.
50:41.36
corey tucker
And that's what happens when you work with other people, you know. So that's that just happens.
50:46.67
Aaron
Yes, ah of course. And that freed up time. i mean, the, like you said, six hours is not right next door to get up to Acadia or wherever you're going to be able to do that and and enjoy life and do the other things that need to get done.
50:56.98
corey tucker
Yeah. Yeah.
51:04.45
Aaron
is ah is a huge benefit, I would imagine. It's the same as wonderful Hillary helping us out with an Instagram that if it weren't for her would be probably pretty stagnant because we're doing as much as you can do and doing the other things.
51:08.74
corey tucker
yeah
51:18.32
Aaron
So it frees up space.
51:19.05
corey tucker
yeah
51:20.50
Aaron
And I guess at some point, the benefit versus the sacrifice or the trust or the fear ah becomes outweighed, right? Where it's like, this if this goes well, even 90% of the time, it is worth it
51:33.82
corey tucker
Oh, yeah. And, you know, quality time is my love language and spending that time with my husband. Otherwise, you know, I'd be going up to Maine all the time, you know, because I don't want to say no to the awesome couples that inquire. And I, you know, and sometimes they don't want to hire the team. They don't trust that the team will be the same. So I have to work harder at educating people my audience for Acadia that you can trust us. And, you know, so that's what I'm working on right now. That's the next like evolution of my business.
52:08.97
corey tucker
um
52:09.18
Aaron
Yeah.
52:10.22
corey tucker
So, yeah. And I've talked to George. I'm like, Hey, do you want to move to Bar Harbor? And he's like, no, I'm a teacher here, you know? So I'm like, shoot.
52:16.33
Aaron
Yeah.
52:16.83
corey tucker
Yeah.
52:18.32
Aaron
So you can take the cats and head up there.
52:21.12
corey tucker
yeah We've got two kitties. Yep.
52:23.27
Aaron
Cute. Any dogs?
52:24.15
corey tucker
Mm-hmm. No dogs, because dogs are like kids.
52:26.92
Aaron
Yeah.
52:27.83
corey tucker
They require you to be home a lot more.
52:28.32
Aaron
Yeah, they're a lot.
52:30.32
corey tucker
So and I love dogs.
52:30.45
Aaron
Yes, they do. Yes, they do. little
52:32.46
corey tucker
I think they're great, but cats are pretty independent, and you can get a cat sitter easier.
52:36.33
Aaron
bit more self-efficient.
52:38.60
corey tucker
Yeah.
52:38.88
Aaron
For sure. for sure
52:41.31
Seth Macey
What's one piece of advice you'd give your former photographer self?
52:46.33
corey tucker
to be true to yourself. I feel like that's really important. You know, just follow the beat of your own drummer, find your passion, whatever that is. So for me, like I love horses and fashion and that's kind of how I started with my photography is just photograph what you love often and keep doing it, you know?
53:12.43
Seth Macey
Perfect.
53:13.54
corey tucker
Mm-hmm.
53:13.59
Aaron
Very cool. Well, thank you so much for joining us.
53:15.05
corey tucker
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
53:17.46
Aaron
I think it was a great conversation and ah but interesting and great.
53:17.53
corey tucker
It was a pleasure. This was stimulating. Yeah.
53:21.67
Aaron
Yeah.
53:21.88
corey tucker
Yeah. Thanks. It was so wonderful. We figured out how to make the podcasting word Zencasta.
53:30.01
Aaron
Yeah. I have to say Zen, Zencaster sometimes.
53:32.38
Seth Macey
Perfect.
53:33.07
corey tucker
Zen.
53:34.08
Aaron
we should We should air that first 30 minutes of us troubleshooting calmly.
53:34.26
corey tucker
Zen.
53:36.85
Seth Macey
Perfect.
53:37.35
corey tucker
ah my gosh.
53:40.92
corey tucker
Well, pleasure meeting you both.
53:41.41
Aaron
Did you restart it? Did you power on and power off?
53:44.25
corey tucker
but
53:46.48
Aaron
Yeah. ah Well, thank you very much. ah Yeah, that's it. We'll probably end on your on that last question and answer. That's what we like to do.
53:54.63
corey tucker
All right.
53:55.96
Seth Macey
Cool.
53:56.15
corey tucker
Beautiful.