Daily Inspiration: Meet Parker Burbank

Today we’d like to introduce you to Parker Burbank.

Hi Parker, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Growing up, my mom always had a camera with her. She would take it with her on every vacation, holiday, birthday, and graduation. Everywhere. It was just a normal thing that I didn’t think too much of and it has just stuck with me ever since I was a kid.

The excitement of taking the film to Walmart for processing, grabbing groceries while we wait, and then getting the prints on our way out was always really fun for us as a family. Having those experiences as a kid really made the greatest impact on how I view photography for not only my family but the couples that hire me as well.

Fast-forwarding to March of 2019, I had just accepted a new full-time job at a local mom-and-pop mattress company (what the heck, right?) where I worked with a guy who was a professional wedding photographer on the side. Up until that point, I had never even thought of doing any sort of professional work. I did it just for fun. But that got me thinking and led me to ask myself “could I do that?”

The answer was yes. So I immediately started watching a TON of YouTube videos on how to take my skills to the next level and started to practice… a lot. It almost became an obsession (still is). I just never thought that I could become a good enough photographer to be paid for it, but there is such a great photography and filmmaking community on the internet who were, and continue to be, incredibly encouraging.

One of the best decisions I ever made in my journey with wedding photography was reaching out to someone who had been in the game for a minute. His name is Kyle Thompson and I owe everything to him for being gracious enough to let me tag along and learn from him.

At the first wedding, I ever shot with him, I mentioned that I was basically learning from a bunch of YouTube videos and he recommended that I check out a Chicago-based wedding photographer and filmmaker by the name of Eric Floberg. I’m so glad that I did. His tag line at the end of almost every video is “lean into what makes you different”. That phrase has made such a huge impact on how I have crafted my own voice in photography and filmmaking.

I still have a lot to learn, but I’m enjoying the grind of the continual search for finding my creative voice. He also has another phrase that he has used over and over: “Community over competition”. In essence, it means that I need to give and receive help freely to see those around me succeed, and, in return, they want to help me with projects and see me succeed as well.

We can’t do it all on our own. It’s kinda like watching a movie by yourself. Sometimes it’s nice to be alone and sit back and enjoy it in silence, but, at the end of the day, I always enjoy a movie 1000x more when I’m watching it with friends and can talk about it with them afterward.

Community is key when you’re trying to make progress in anything that you do in life. If it wasn’t for me reaching out to Kyle through a DM and him letting me tag along, I probably wouldn’t have found Eric’s channel. If I wouldn’t found Eric’s channel, I would have missed out on learning how important community is in creative work.

If I would have missed out on learning how important community is, then I wouldn’t have connected with all of the amazing people I’ve been able to connect with so far. The most amazing thing about all of this realizing they are just normal people, like you and I. I care way more about the friends I’ve made as people than what they have to offer me. People first, business second.

I’m still working on it, but what if helping and caring for people is the goal? How much more fulfilling and fun would running a business be?

So where does that put me today? Good question! I’m still trying to figure that out. I’m on the quest for finding the type of clientele who want to hire me for what I offer because they like me as an individual and they value what I have to offer, even beyond what is listed on my pricing guide.

I want to find a local group of creatives that value the same things I do and open up a studio where we can serve our local community with the gifts that God has given each of us, for His glory.

I want to be a better leader. I want to live simply with my wife and future kids and help others who desire to do the same. I want to push myself and become an even more skilled photographer and filmmaker. It will take time and a lot of hard work, but all of this is possible and I’m so excited to keep working towards it.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not, haha. There have been multiple times when I thought about selling everything and just being a “normal” person with a “normal” job, but I’m so grateful for my wife who has talked me off of that ledge every time.

Owning your own business, especially a creative one, has been a lot more difficult than I ever thought it would be, but I’m thankful for the struggles and doubt because it has shown me that fear is just an emotion. I’m terrified of failing because I still have a lot of sinful pride to work through, but even if my business were to fail, I would still love photography and filmmaking simply because I love people and I love photography and filmmaking.

I will always have a camera to document my life and work on personal projects with it because I truly believe in the value it has for me, my family, and future generations.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
So I am primarily a narrative wedding photographer and filmmaker and specialize in documenting what actually happened on a wedding day.

I’ve never really liked the perfectly polished photos and videos because let’s face it, have you ever been to a wedding where everything went according to plan? Of course not! So why wouldn’t you want to have the photo of when your mother-in-law’s dress caught on fire during the sparkler exit?! (yes it really happened and it was awesome)

I’m known for serving my couples throughout the day. I’ve been the groom who was nervous and stressed out and I just want to help relieve and counter the intense chaos that a wedding day can bring with helpful hands and a calm spirit.

It’s one of the most important days of a couple’s life and I think it’s a shame that so many are too stressed out to actually enjoy it. I’ll always be there with a big smile and a “You good? You need anything?”

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I’ve learned that I don’t know everything and I need help sometimes. And that it’s okay.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://parkerburbank.com/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parker.burbank/

Image Credits
Kyle Thompson