Check Out Codi Baer’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Codi Baer.

Hi Codi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I have always loved the wedding industry. I knew from an early age I wanted to be a part of it. I began working at a local venue when I was in my teens and it only furthered my desire to work in the welding industry. I began job shadowing a wedding planner and decided that’s where I needed to be. It was around this time that my love for photography started to completely take off, thanks to my husband. He helped me find my first camera and encouraged me to take pictures of my friends as models.

Knowing my absolute love for weddings, I decided I wanted to combine the two–weddings and photography–and ask local photographers if they would let me tag along to some of their weddings. After my first event, that’s when I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. I began growing a following on Instagram and continued to help build my portfolio. As that began to grow, I began booking weddings and sessions more frequently and got to where I am today through hard work, dedication, and an absolute passion for capturing love stories on camera.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle was committing to my business full-time and quitting my part-time job. At the time I had a little boy, and being able to stay at home with him was a huge reason why I took the plunge. I was told by several other people in the industry to make the leap, so that’s what I did. Remarkably, it became easier after I quit, because I had much more time to focus on growing my business.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a traveling wedding photographer dedicated to capturing love stories on camera. I specialize in both wedding and couple sessions but am not limited to just those. I love to see new places, and I feel very blessed to do what I love to do and travel all over for it. I get to take some incredible photos on a regular basis, unlike other photographers that might be limited to big cities–not that cities can’t be beautiful. (San Francisco comes to mind.) I have family in multiple states (including Phoenix) who completely support my career, and allow me to stay with them when doing so, which can make traveling easier.

Because of my passion, I have had this incredible drive to push myself further and expand my business. I know how important my job is to my clients, as they have given me the responsibility to document the special moments so they can pass those down for generations. I love working with all of my brides and am always thinking of ways to make their life easier, as I know planning a wedding is a lot of work. I let them pick my brain and even have a 70+ page wedding guide for them to use when planning their wedding. I strive to not only be their wedding photographer but a friend to them. I love to go the extra mile and hope they feel completely taken care of by me.

I am incredibly proud of how far I have come, and so blessed by my success.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
On a business level, quitting my day job was a huge risk. That was a sink-or-swim moment for me that I would highly encourage other photographers to take. For me, it was about being taken seriously, and if you can’t take yourself seriously, your clients probably won’t, either. On a professional level, I feel some of the wedding venues I’ve taken on have been out of my comfort zone. I shot one wedding on a rooftop.

As a country girl, that was way out of my comfort zone, but those photos are some of my all-time favorites. Also, networking. I like to stay close to home, but I’ve forced myself to get out of my comfort zone and network with other photographers through retreats and workshops. I’d made so many valuable connections this way that I highly recommend other photographers do the same.

Pricing:

• My wedding packages start at $3500
• My engagement packages start at $450

Contact Info:

• Website: https://codibaerphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codibaerphotography/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/codibaerphotography/

Image Credits
@codibaerphotography