We recently had the chance to connect with James Clark and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning James, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I am always walking a path towards financial independence. Some days, that path is rocky and others smooth sailing.
With every passing day, I get a little closer to the end goal. I don’t focus on any steps backward; I keep my eyes looking forward.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a portrait and wedding photographer and have been since 1994, when another photographer recruited me to perform wedding photography for a couple doing a vow renewal in Key West, FL. I had zero experience in the industry at the time and had no inclination that I would ever try wedding photography. After the first experience, I was bitten by the “wedding bug” and have developed a brand in focusing on the relationships of the bride and groom and their family members to capture those special moments in their special day that are unique to them and definitely not cookie-cutter.
Our relationship with our client is of utmost importance because our relationship enables us to work better together as a creative team for their wedding or photo session.
Almost every wedding image we create captures the sweet relationship between the bride and groom, their friends, and family.
Apart from our relationship with Christ, our most important relationship is the one we have with our client, because we are sensitive to all the relationships important in their lives.
I have photographed many weddings in the Southeast US, including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. One of the unique things about our organization is that we offer a money-back guarantee.
Because we are confident in our equipment, experience, and ability, and because our client’s happiness is extremely important to us, we confidently provide a money-back guarantee.
If our client isn’t delighted with the results, I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure they are delighted – including giving them all their money back.
After a couple of years of dormancy, thinking I would retire from the industry, I have been encouraged by those who love me most to pick it back up again. I am going through our website and branding as well as processes to bring them up to date.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Jesus said to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul, and the second is like unto it, to love your neighbor as yourself.
If we loved our neighbors as ourselves, we would not do half the things that most of us do, and those things are what break the bonds between each of us. Loving our neighbors as ourselves restores the bond or builds it up from where it started.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Never. I was raised in such a fashion that taught me to persevere under any circumstances and I use that in my daily life as well as to overcome hardships in that life.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version of me is a goofball. I like to tell dad jokes to get those around me in a better mood. Sometimes it will lighten the mood and it will definitely break the ice. I learned a long time ago these small little jokes help ease tension and makes a better working relationship so it goes a long way with working with my clients as well.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I find my peace surrounded by God’s creation. There is something about being outdoors and in the woods, near a river or lake that soothes the soul.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://studioraymophotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio_raymo_Photography
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/11170743/admin/dashboard/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/studioraymophotography
Image Credits
Studio Raymo Photography
