Episode 5 - The Power of Photogrpahy with guest: Melissa Hankins

0:10

We've got the slate.

It's somewhere over there, but we.

Didn't bother setting it up we also.

Didn't have a camera.

Angle that got all three of them.

I was going to say I don't know if the slate would do us well in this situation because we have 47 cameras and like 76 mics right now.

None of them pointing the same way.

Bingo. 3 Slates You Need for every Whoa For everybody.

0:27

Yeah, we're going to three slates.

Make AZ.

Got it.

Get your sponsors on there.

I mean, hey, if Chick-fil-A wants to sponsor so it's cool with that.

Pales in comparison to Manscaped.

This is petition #3, technically, because I don't think I've set forth a petition in episode 3.

0:47

So we're on episode 55.

I don't think I set forth a petition in episode 3.

Can't remember if I did in four.

But anyways, this is a petition for Manscaped.

You will eventually sponsor this channel and they need to because my whiskers when they touch the microphone.

1:05

Little little sketch.

If we're if we're talking about these two potential sponsors, one can get you to heaven, yes, and.

The other one just cut some hair.

Can Chick-fil-A actually get you to heaven though?

It is the Lord's chicken.

1:21

It is the Lord's chicken.

It's inspired by the Lord.

Does it offer the same amount of salvation as the Lord?

I do believe it saves an empty stomach and a pinch.

Yeah, 1 Keeps you well groomed on your way.

Yeah, but we're not going to have that body here.

1:38

So true.

OK That that never gets out of the.

Anyways, I'm a big fan of Manscaped the Lawn Mower 2.0.

I believe it is They have out now 2.04.0.

Anyways Manscaped if you can hear this I can't wait for you guys to sponsor channel.

It's going to be really fun.

So.

Speaking of Chick-fil-A, there is a Chick-fil-A on exit 226 Mount Juliet of I-40.

2:00

There is a lady named Miss Judy.

She's an older lady and if you go around lunchtime, you're very likely to see and catch Miss Judy.

And she is the sweetest human I think I've ever dealt with at Chick-fil-A.

2:17

I've had tons of pleasant experiences at Chick-fil-A, Actually very few.

Not pleasant experiences, they're very friendly.

Well, they say it's their pleasure every time.

It's kind of their tagline.

Anyway, Miss Judy, she on the technology like the registers, is slower than her youthful counterparts.

2:38

I think with a name like Judy that lends itself to a slower technological experience.

You're going to you accept that, but she is so thorough and she is so pleasant to deal with.

She recounts everything back.

So she goes, Jared, so I've got this da da, da, da da for you.

2:56

Da da, da da da.

Does that sound right?

And she's just very the whole time you just feel served.

And so I got to talking to her and I said you are such a pleasant person because she brought our food to us.

And she said, honey, I appreciate that she goes, I don't, I tell people all the time, I don't have a job, I have a ministry.

3:15

And this, this comes right off the heels of me crying.

Because I overhear her serving the table next to us, their food and they're also praising Miss Judy and her presence because they're evidently locals and they said can we go see Miss Judy?

That's what their kids say.

3:32

And the the amount of Christ that was oozing out of this lady just brought tears to my eyes.

She didn't hands us our chicken and and we had our discussion, but that is a perfect example of being a light.

Being a light, would you dare say that she makes up for her technological deficiencies with her witness 1000%?

3:52

Nice.

When we go there, I think that's a win.

Win.

I wait for her register.

Y'all handle the computers.

I'll handle the Jesus.

Yeah, that's what she says.

Absolutely.

I dig it.

So it's a It's a great, it's a great example of something so mundane.

She is a she's an employee at Chick-fil-A, but she doesn't see it as a job.

4:11

No, I think that's an exciting thing for her.

Absolutely.

Sono, welcome to Faith and frames episode Episode 5, episode five.

We have a special guest today.

We'll get to that after the break, but first, let's thank our sponsor.

4:27

Today's episode is sponsored by none other than Motion Creative Media, US, Garrett and Jared.

Here at Motion Creative Media, we want to inspire love for active living through photo and video that moves your business forward.

Thank you, Motion Creative Media.

4:43

Thank you, Jared.

Thank you, Garrett, for sponsoring this video today.

Yeah.

I really appreciate you.

I'm glad you're here.

I'm glad you're here and sponsoring this episode so that we can get it out to the masses.

Let's get to the meeting.

Taters, We have a guest today.

Would you like to introduce our guest?

4:59

Well, I call her Melissa.

Some call her Mel.

I call her Mel.

She is a fantastic photographer who've we've had the chance to know personally but also work professionally together.

Correct.

And so we're going to pick her brain about some of the things that she has went through recently in her photography journey in business.

5:20

We'll just get into it.

Good morning, Miss Mel.

How?

Are you?

Hey.

Oh, I'm good.

How are you?

We're good.

We're caffeinated.

All right, Me too.

We've had our potty breaks currently.

Still.

Caffeinating, we're ready to rock'n'roll all.

Right, Miss.

Melissa.

Or male for short.

5:36

Do you want the public to call you male or Melissa?

I just want it to be whatever anybody wants, because I don't want to force people to say Mel, but I'm also totally a love when people call me Mel.

It's endearing.

Roll with it, OK?

She says.

She's going to roll with whatever.

On our first episode, we here at Motion Creative Media talked about a recent rebrand that we had gone through in order to really hone in on what me and Jared want to do with our business moving forward, who we want to focus on.

6:03

And I've noticed through social media you've been going through a similar journey.

You have gone through a massive, we'll call it discovery, rebrand, rebrand what have you.

But I think it started with an event that I guess launched your your new direction.

6:27

So I I guess this morning really the big thing is can we can we roll back the the curtains of time and talk about a what got you into photography to start with maybe even some family history.

You have a wonderful family, Jason, and the kiddos.

6:43

They've talked about how they inspire that and then let's get into this, this recent refocusing that you've had because you are taking massive action from what I can see.

Well, I appreciate it.

It doesn't feel like it all the time, but yes, I understand that.

But you are.

You are on the outside looking, and you're killed it.

Also, like the word that she used, she referenced it as an investment, yes?

7:04

What did I reference as an you?

You referenced that event that the last, that whatever that actually would that workshop.

You referenced that workshop, yeah, as an investment, yeah.

Certainly had a cost, but it wasn't a cost to you, It was an investment and I think that's an important mind shift mindset to think about for sure.

7:24

For sure.

Start us with the history of your photography, maybe your family, and then pause and I'm going to show you a little video that I discovered some research through some research and I'm going to get your reaction to that.

But let's hear about the photography journey, maybe your family a little bit.

7:40

I think, I think that would be very fitting.

OK, yeah, well, my family, like, if you're talking about my.

Big old family.

You know my dad.

I'm one of eight kiddos and from around here East Tennessee met my husband.

7:56

He's also technically from around here.

He's like born in California.

But we won't hold that against him close enough.

And my dad always had a camera for talking like photography.

He always had a camera.

He was the dad that literally had the cameras.

In the birthing rooms, like why my mom was having a baby.

8:13

So we literally have all the pictures of us entering into this world.

Because the dad Cam.

Yes, all right.

Was that?

You guys of the now That is Garrett.

I'm the bad Cam guy.

Yeah.

I love point.

And your kids are going to be, like, so thankful for that they, well, they'll hate me.

Well, no.

No they won't.

8:29

They'll get to a point.

They might hate you, like, maybe teenager like about that, but they'll really appreciate it.

Like when their kids want to see those Your grand, your grandbabies gully.

Oh my gosh, it's not in vain.

It's not in vain.

It's not in vain at all because I really appreciate everything.

Like, my dad took time.

8:45

We always just took pictures.

We'd get ready for church.

You'd be like, everybody get in front of the fireplace.

I love it.

That's me.

We would, yeah, we would literally do that.

And now we have all those, like awkward, you know, family, beautiful photos, and we wouldn't have otherwise if he wouldn't have taken the time to do that.

So photography has always been something that's just been around in my family.

9:02

I've always watched it, seen it, and it didn't really have much of an interest in it personally.

My sister and my dad, my older sister, she always had the camera growing up.

And I feel like I really started when I had kids, as most people do.

9:18

They're like, oh, shoot, you know, I want to use more than my phone.

I want to like this.

Yes.

I want to use more.

I want to document more of their childhood, like in a beautiful way.

So I would like, borrow my dad's camera when I had a baby because he's not like 1 to take it out and be doing shooting all the time.

9:33

It was just in his closet.

So I was like, let me have that DSLR.

And so I would practice with my kids, just, you know, little babies into toddlers and really fell in love with it there.

I fell in love with, like, indoor photography, honestly, because it's.

I just feel like it's Moody and dark sometimes and you stand by a window.

9:52

Those kind of photos are my favorite.

Or you get too far.

I got to stop you right there, because I think it has important editing styles.

You've got one like everyone else, yeah?

And I would say it's definitely more on the Moody side.

For sure which.

Is something that Garrett and I personally love.

That's not everybody's cup of tea.

10:08

No, and that's OK.

Yeah, absolutely.

Actually, little claps.

Yeah, little claps.

But we're we're big fans of the mood.

So, so we just uncovered how you maybe had an influence on discovering your editing style and it stemmed from the environments that you were shooting in.

Yeah, for sure.

Lower light, natural light, Just what's available.

10:25

Because you're not taking a baby out in January to go get a picture of him outside, you would want to stand, right?

But his?

Window, sweetie, and get a picture of them and you're not going to get the plague.

No, no, don't want that.

Or like a hypothermia or anything like or influenza NO.

10:40

So you So you.

OK?

That's awesome.

Actually, I love it.

Love the mood.

OK, yeah.

So standing by the window with baby, getting pictures, that's where I feel like it.

I really fell in love with it.

I had baby, and then I had a baby #2.

Then I had baby #3, and then I had baby #4.

10:57

So I really never like considered it to be something that I would like.

I would take pictures just because when I feel like you start posting photos that are like obviously not iPhone photos, people notice they're like oh you know, can you take my picture, can you do that?

And so like considering it as like some hide, hide, hustle, hide, sussle.

11:17

There you go.

Also have hide sussles I got the sussle.

It's good to have hide sussles.

It's good to have Sussles side hustle.

There's one for the blooper.

There you go, Soyed.

Hustle.

I never considered it as a side hustle just because I was so busy being a mom and so but like, you reach a point where your kids, obviously I'm still my youngest is just two so we're still in diapers or she is not me.

11:43

And we when you get to a point where they're not like they don't need you overnight, they don't need you all day, you can literally drop them off and you know you have a little more freedom.

And so like I said, she's two.

So probably about when she was one, I really started to think, hey, maybe maybe we could do something with this.

12:01

Maybe we could it could like benefit the family financially.

It would just be a great thing to like have some side income and.

Or some high income.

If you talk like I do, yes.

So I followed.

12:18

I don't.

You'll know them probably through me.

I don't know if you knew them before, but like Lindsey, Roman, Evie, Rupp, they they were one of them was at least having babies about the same time I was.

But they're like, you know, kicking butt, doing the thing that I wanted to do.

And they were.

When I first started following them, they were only doing photos themselves like.

12:36

Here's what we do.

We're adventurous, elopement photographers, I think One lived in Hawaii, one lived in California.

And so epic, beautiful photos.

Yeah.

And.

And they would travel, they'd go to Greece, they'd go to Italy, take all these photos.

And it was just an inspiring someone to follow on Instagram.

12:51

Plus they loved the Lord, which was a draw for me.

That's one of them, was a mother.

And I just felt a lot of relatable things with both of them.

So Fast forward.

I think I'll probably follow them for four or five years.

And I've saw and they moved from only photography into like the education space which they have a podcast and I don't know exactly when they started that, but it's the Heart and Hustle podcast you were just on that, weren't you?

13:19

You were featuring Oh.

It was life.

You're a seasoned.

Broadcast come true.

Now I have a question.

OK, go for it.

I'm going to trailer off of that statement with a question.

OK Are you a professional podcaster now?

Yeah.

You're on tour.

You're on tour.

I'm going somewhere right after this, OK?

13:36

She's on tour.

Technically we aren't paying her, so she's not professional in that sense, OK, But she is certainly seasoned.

You are seasoned well.

You're well on your way to being a professional podcaster.

I'll take, especially once you start that YouTube channel.

Boom.

Sheesh, you got to help me with that.

13:51

I don't know what the heck I where to even start with that, but.

So you're ready to go?

I say that same thing each time I fire off an episode.

I'm like, what am I doing?

Just don't tell anybody and it doesn't look like it though, right?

Like when you're in something, people probably think you're a professional and they don't even know it If you're doing it.

Boy, oh boy, if they only knew.

14:07

Fake it till you make it.

Bingo.

Absolutely.

That's a thing.

Right.

That's a thing.

Literally fake it.

Till you make it, face it.

Till you make it.

Is also thrown around sometimes.

Yeah, just face it Till you make it.

Face it, Yeah, face it till you make it.

So plug on through.

14:23

So you met these people?

No, didn't meet them.

Through social media, though, right you.

You.

Followed.

That's right.

That's how you became associated.

Heavily influenced by them, by their podcast listening, and I was just really impressed.

Like, because of podcast, obviously you're not like paying for that.

14:40

They put out so much content that was incredibly helpful, like if you're in all stages of photography, like if you're just a hobbyist, or if you're.

Someone that wants to move into it more full time, all all the things.

And and it wasn't just about photography, it was life.

14:56

And which created more connection for me, 'cause I think they talk about their babies, they talk about their marriage.

Very relatable living room.

Really.

Living room.

They brought her into their living room and we talked about the living room in a previous.

Episode I need to go listen to that.

Sounds intriguing, but yeah, they brought me into their living room.

15:12

You're on the couch and you don't even know it.

So yeah, they I just super impressed with everything.

About connection with them, they had education, they had moved into that.

They were selling like online just with courses and whatnot and they had in person events, But then 2020 hit and then in person events, yeah, kind of stopped.

15:32

And so Fast forward to 2023, right?

Yeah, it was just this year they announced that they were going to do a workshop and that's kind of where their in person events originated, in person workshops where they would have like 25 to 30 women just come and like learn.

15:49

So that's exclusive and one-on-one right there.

That's there's a lot of value there.

Oh yeah.

Oh yeah, for sure.

And hands on, right?

Because.

Very hands on.

That's awesome.

Not an E course, folks.

No.

Nope.

Not at all.

And so now is this the one that you went to?

This is the one I went to.

This was the first one.

They they have another one.

16:04

Like I said, they just announced yesterday.

So time out.

I got to show you a video.

I got to bring a video up.

I'm nervous about this.

I told you, I told you there's.

Episode one of Male reacts.

Yeah, male reacts.

That might be a cool section.

OK, I want you to tell me your what?

Was going through your brain when you made no.

16:21

I just need your gut reaction to this video that may or may not be of you and for the folks listening who can't see the video you're still going to hear the audio we'll we'll funnel the audio through.

But Mel, I'm.

Genuinely nervous.

This is.

I'm also nervous.

I don't.

Know for me, I don't know what's happening.

16:37

Secondary we're both seeing this is Mel reacts to Mel.

Oh, Inception.

Here we go. 321 Tell me what you think about you.

So back in June I went to a workshop hosted by Lindsay Roman and Evie Rupp and it was a photography workshop and it was amazing.

16:55

I posted about it on here and it was truly like life changing and one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had and.

They are having another one.

Like the scream at the end, the yodel at the end.

17:13

The yodel at the end Had me rolling oh OK and had me rolling that.

I don't know how to end videos.

And I was like, just be insane.

We're horrible at endings.

I mean we we say it every episode, like we don't know how to say goodbye, But the yodel at the end, inside the van for whatever reason got.

Struck A struck A chord with you.

17:29

So was that your?

Was that your realization at that point in time whenever you went out there, Was that your realization about what direction you needed to take, or did you kind of know before you went?

I don't think I really knew before I went.

I think I had an idea.

I think I was like, I mean, people do weddings, obviously there's there's good money, like if you can market yourself right with weddings.

17:52

And I like shooting couples.

But like, I don't know for sure.

And so big reason to no.

I think it was even a subconscious reason.

It wasn't like, I'm going there to find my niche, but going there, that was a beautiful side product.

Like, OK, I really love shooting couples.

18:09

I want to kind of move into weddings.

So yeah.

So, so for our listeners, that may be starting photography because we all start somewhere, right?

How long did it take you to get to that point before you realized this is what I love and what I want to shoot?

Shooting a lot of people and a lot of different things with cameras.

18:29

What kind of?

Time.

What kind of time frame though?

Probably since I had a camera like just.

Like a four year journey, yeah?

Four or five.

There you go.

Yeah, that's important to know.

Start as your family.

Yeah, start with your.

Family.

Yeah, for share with kids.

So this is also important to note.

We see it all the time with the people that we watch on YouTube who appear, at least to us, to be overnight successes.

18:49

Right, there is no such.

Thing because I I only discovered them once they're successful, which is what people are going to continue to do with you.

They're going to, they're going to stumble upon your account and they're going to see the success.

But they didn't see the hours, the years that went into that.

And so that's important to keep people.

19:06

I think, yeah.

It's like, look, I'm here today.

Because of the work that went in five years ago, I was going to say that.

It's funny because, you know, when you talk to successful people, they'll say, Oh yeah, I'm an overnight success.

It only took me 10 years to get there.

I I I love it when they do that because we only see the good and and that's true.

19:25

With, yeah, that's true.

With most social media, like, you only see the good.

And whenever you do see somebody, that's an inspiration to you.

We only see the good because we've caught them probably a few years into what they're doing.

Succeeding.

Yeah, yeah, succeeding.

But yeah, it did.

It took them 510, sometimes 15 years to find something.

19:42

It did.

But yeah, I love it when they say that.

Yeah, it only took.

Me 10 years to get there.

I was like, you really hear people say that and then you finish something.

Oh yeah, I I love that it it cracks me up.

Oh yeah.

I think that's important to note though.

It's important for people to understand because I think it's it can be social media can be extremely discouraging.

20:01

It can be and lonely.

Especially as a creator.

You know, comparison is the thief of all joy.

We've heard that a blue million times.

Well, that's because.

We're only ever putting the best out on social media and if you see a YouTube channel that has millions of subscribers and you're using that as your answer to or reason to not start one.

20:22

Or you just started your channel yesterday.

And you get discouraged because it's like I got 4 views.

Yeah, they also got 4 views.

At what point?

So we're still in it.

We're still in it.

That is the blessing and the curse of being creators.

It does.

It keeps you humble.

Sometimes it keeps you motivated.

20:37

Sometimes it keeps you depressed, depending on how you're doing your comparison game.

Yeah.

That's why I think community is important, though community is.

Hallelujah.

I have been opened.

My eyes have been opened.

I've not been opened.

I'm still pretty closed I reckon, but I have been my have been open, I'm.

20:53

Going to Cut Copy that for later.

Let's just keep it cut.

We don't actually need to paste that anywhere.

So my eyes have been opened through various means of the the power of community and I think that's probably something that you got with this workshop.

21:09

Absolutely, yeah.

That was one of the biggest takeaways, honestly.

Like obviously the education and like the experience and going through all of it.

But the community aspect, I figured, like I'd walk away with some pals, you know, couple buds.

Yeah, literally because I mean I'm, I'm generally like a people person.

21:26

I love being around people.

But at the same time it's, you know, like when you were little and you go to camp and you you come away and you're like, oh, made my best friend.

But there was also some people like they were mean or they were like they bullied me or they were just obnoxious.

I really do not enjoy this person.

21:42

Yes, and you're ready to leave.

Like that was just not the case.

And I think that's due to the culture that they've just created with and the people that are willing to invest in that kind of retreat workshop thing.

It's people that are all like minded.

There's that word again.

I was going to say the investment word is important because the the product that they put out, it does take some, it does take some investment financially time wise, but I think that's very important for especially that that niche because.

22:10

I think that weeds out a lot of those meanies.

It does.

It weeds out the bullies, like you're only going to get people there who are pulling the cart in the same direction as you, which is super important, especially when you're trying to build a brand, build a business.

Heck, discover what you even like doing.

22:27

And I'll even ask this question.

You said you kind of had an idea of what you liked whenever you went there.

But through that experience, do you think that you found your niche?

Or did your niche find you?

Oh, what a deep question.

Because you're definitely niche now.

I mean, you are wedding in couples photography, right?

22:44

Right.

I feel like maybe my niche found me because we worked with some like, Oh, my husband's calling.

Me.

Sorry, Jason.

Sorry, honey, hold on.

Sorry.

I think the niche found me because we work with some amazing couples there and they were all like true couples.

23:05

They were either married or they've been dating for a long time.

They weren't props.

No, they weren't just models.

I mean, they were all fine, but they were, they were real people.

And a lot of them like, I think all of them like love the Lord.

Like it was just that that's another thing that just made it so amazing.

23:21

They found people even down to their models, like people that are like, minded.

That's awesome.

And there was one particular couple that I would just love.

I mean everybody loved them but they we shot them out like near Joshua Tree and the they're what you would call your dream client like they are just comfortable in front of the camera which isn't always necessarily like that doesn't it's not well it's not the case and it's that's not necessarily important for it to be a dream client for me like I can it's my job to help you feel comfortable in front of the.

23:50

Camera.

You do great at it, by the way.

Oh, thank you so much.

I.

Appreciate it.

I need to do.

Cameras are intimidating.

Yes, cameras are intimidating.

They are.

For most people, when I get in front of the camera, it's not natural.

I think it's it's like, yeah, scary.

It's natural human reaction, yeah.

Just having a big block black box pointed at you, yes, but they were, they were very comfortable in front of the camera, but like in the most beautiful, like humble, confident way.

24:12

And they were just like.

Genuine, genuinely in love with each other.

They had been married for like 5 years and I was like, I I want to attract this type of person.

I can do this, yeah.

I just want to attract this type of client because it is a joy than to work, because we've all had clients that were not a joy, a little more difficult to work with, presented challenges.

24:35

For the most part, I've had really great people, but there are they're just, they're just don't want to be there.

And I feel like that makes me feel like, oh gosh, you know, I feel.

Like a burden?

At that point, yeah, yeah.

It's like I'm on your way down.

Oh yeah, just like, let's get it over with for your sake, because I don't want you to feel.

Uncomfortable with the love of humanity?

24:51

Please let me get it.

Put my camera up.

Yes.

Yeah.

So I've and I've like last night I shot like the dingus family, the Ding guy, the Ding guy.

It's just a joy when you can work with people that like are and they might not have all necessarily been like super confident in front of the camera.

25:09

They're just a joy as like as a person or or as a as a people, as a Ding guy and.

Similar to a nuclei big the if y'all don't know who we're talking about, that's the family.

Very close family, friends, family.

But like Mom, Dad, Mimi, Papa, Uncle, Aunt Jackson, Lindy.

25:27

Yes, named.

And their addresses show Heartland, oh.

Don't your wife.

Doesn't your wife like the Canadian Cowboys?

Because of the.

The Ding guy.

Oh, so she was influenced by the Ding guy?

Yeah, Sarah was influenced.

She's in the living room now of the Ding Guy and their massive influence.

25:43

Now she's like 42 episodes or seasons in.

Well, there's like, yeah, there's literally 20 seasons on Heartland, and I think she's in season 15 or 16 right now.

Good time out though.

Time out.

For some reason, You know, Canadians say the word sorry.

25:58

Yeah, She hears it every night when she's watching Heartland.

Apparently though.

Coming from your lips, Yeah, coming from my lips.

It's very offensive.

So I take offense, Yeah, I take offense to that offense, 'cause I have Canadian friends.

We have Canadian friends.

Tons of Canadian influence.

So sorry babe, but the story's sticking.

26:15

The story's sticking anyways.

That's a little squirrel, but yeah, the Dingai Radiant family.

Very radiant family.

But it's like who they are is makes the job enjoyable.

And so I feel like on that note like with when you're shooting couples if you can get the type of people that are happy to be there, doesn't even matter if they're comfortable in front of the kid.

26:33

We're just happy to be there.

And they're like adults.

They're not children that are because I primarily did families up into this point and I still do families and I love shooting families because I there's a a connection there because I have families and I know the chaos and I love that.

But when you have two adults that are happy to be there standing in front of you and they are very obedient and they're and they're they're ready.

26:56

They're ready to like get down and do whatever.

Like, I just feel like my creative side really like shines best in that environment and I feel like it's just fun at that point.

And well, you're able to focus on what you're good at.

Yeah, instead of like dancing singing.

Yeah, dance and singing like happy, happy, joy, joy, trying to get them to react like you're you're in your element.

27:15

You can focus on things like all right, composition, lighting.

I can focus on capturing that emotion.

I I think you have inadvertently speaking on the Ding guy.

Brittany Bowles, formerly Brittany Dingus.

Yes, yes, I believe that you have become her.

And Josh's like go to photographer.

27:32

I'm so happy about that.

And.

And it looks like you guys genuinely have a blast when you shoot together.

Yeah, I mean, I do.

I certainly hope they do, but.

And those two are like sloppily in love as well.

So it's, which is my favorite.

Right.

That's good for you.

I'm not the emotional guy, but that's great for you.

27:49

Bring it out of you.

Though there you go, Jared.

Jared's the crier.

I'm certainly the crier.

Cried and cheek.

I've got some good prompts that would make you weep.

Oh, Miss Judy.

I don't need that in my life.

Your wife wants that.

You know she does.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Your kids would want that to see you guys in love at this age, right?

28:06

People, like, think they're getting in front of the camera for themselves.

So I'm like, hell, no, it is for sorry I said that.

It's for your babies, right?

Like, it's for your kids.

It's for them to see you.

Said the example.

So no, not to something like for them to enjoy seeing you happy when they're adults, they're like, this is Dad and mom.

28:22

Like some of my favorite pictures are my mom and dad splashing at the beach where dad set up a probably set it up on a log.

And they're in their 20s and they're like arms around each other like the old film.

Like those are some of my favorite photos that see my parents in love.

Like there's some security in that.

Well also too.

28:37

Back then photo was like still so so much of A what do we call it?

A novelty.

I saw I saw a meme the other day that shows it showed like the first Japanese man to ever be photographed.

And it was so foreign to him.

He thought it was a big joke.

So he's literally just cracking up the whole time.

28:54

We don't have that anymore in photography.

Everybody's so polished and perfect and like, we have to put our best on at all times.

Whenever you go back and see old photos of of.

You know, grandparents, parents, like, it was such a novelty that it's real.

It's so real.

29:10

And that's what I love about film, especially from from back in the day.

Oh my gosh.

Like you can put yourself on that beach, you know, the camera sitting on the log because we couldn't afford tripod.

Yeah, I was going to say Tripod Tribes.

Like I'm pretty sure.

We gained for tripod, we barely got the camera, but like the reality of that moment is to me like it gets chills, It gets chills going.

29:30

Speaking of that though, like.

If you were to compare photos of that day versus anything you see on Instagram, those would widely be considered in the industry a snapshot.

Oh yeah, they wouldn't be a portfolio piece.

They wouldn't be something that you actually composed and shot.

29:48

No, it froze a literal moment in time.

You're just hoping the camera don't fall off the log.

But before it snaps.

But if you look at it, it's so thought provoking.

If you're looking back at an old photo album that you don't remember actually being a part of, but like you're looking back at it, you can place yourself in those images.

30:05

For sure.

For sure.

And I think that's, I think that's, yeah, well, so you mentioned, you mentioned fun couples, you mentioned fun families.

I think I think cameras are extremely intimidating.

We've mentioned that before.

I think they're extremely intimidating and in my experience say it's an hour long session.

30:26

I'd say the first. 10 to 12 minutes are usually poo.

Well, yeah, you're.

They're tough.

You're tough.

Oh, I know.

I don't tell people.

You're trying to warm up.

So yeah, I'm.

I'm giving them softball tosses, right?

I'm giving them.

I'm trying to break down that intimidation barrier because if you will, if you will take that journey with me as your photographer.

30:50

We're going to get to some really good candid moments.

We're going to get to some really good emotion they do, and that's something that.

Got to build momentum you.

Got to build.

Yeah, absolutely.

I think that's important to to note.

It's like it's not, it's not natural for anyone.

31:06

Well, the models, but like most people.

They didn't start off being natural.

They didn't start out being natural takes practice and so I think that's important.

Is like, but good photographers can disarm you.

Yeah, they bring it out of you.

And I think that's, I'm, I'm guessing that's probably something you learned, maybe just, I mean you've always been great with people, but I'm sure you were able to learn cues, things like that.

31:29

So I think that's important.

And I think it's genetic for you because your dad is like people, people, person of the world, Former boss of mine, Mr. Terry.

Wonderful man.

But that's natural for you.

Yeah, well, I feel like it's in my blood, but I feel like Bailey's in general.

31:46

There's still a lot of Bailey's that go to Liberty.

I'm sure, like they'll talk your ear off.

You guys are talking quiet, Bailey.

You guys are talkers.

But it it works.

It certainly works.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So what would you say to anyone who is just now discovering you as an account, as a person, as a photographer?

32:06

What would you say to them if they are?

I don't know on the fence of like I don't, I don't.

I really hate having my picture made, but I think that memory is far greater than the fear.

32:23

The discomfort.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Greater than the fear for sure.

I would say.

I feel like that's the right thing.

Like yeah, push past your discomfort.

I like.

And I said it to you guys earlier, I don't.

It's not necessarily about you.

Right.

32:38

True.

It's about your babies, It's about your grandbabies.

And that's like even part of like my website copy.

I'm like when you go to invest in family photography, a couples photography anniversary shoot, your wedding, whatever it that's it.

Like when you get, you get your video and you get your photos and then that day is gone and then like when you're talking just about doing regular photo shoots, that year is gone.

33:02

I don't understand it when people say, you know, we only get our pictures taken every five years and they have little kids, I'm like, Oh my.

Word.

Yeah, you're missing a huge time.

Oh, my word.

Like, yeah.

And so, like, maybe that's just personal.

I don't know.

And and I don't.

I'm not upset with people that don't value folks as well.

33:19

Like there's a load of people that just are like, I can take it or leave it.

Yeah.

Not for everyone.

Absolutely, 'cause I value.

I value that, but they might really value something that I don't value.

So I get that.

But I do think it's super important to like make time to do that because it's it's for your grandbabies, it's it's for your future generations to look.

33:38

Generational.

There it is.

Yes, right.

And like.

See all those old pictures?

You're touching on something that I think is a whole episode in and of itself, and that is the the power of photography.

Oh yeah, not to be cliche or anything, but that is literally a moment.

33:56

That you froze for?

Isn't that like magical?

For lack of a better.

World of Eternity, I mean, I look at, I look back at, and I still have a sharp memory.

Maybe one day I won't.

But at this point I still have a sharp memory and I can look back at photos from family trips or whatever, and I will see things that I didn't remember.

34:21

I don't.

Maybe I didn't realize how vivid.

The colors were there or or how beautiful the fall foliage was that year.

Maybe I have like Oh yeah, it was a really good year in my memory.

But to to have that visual reminder.

And then you you you mentioned grandparents.

34:38

I mean a lot of people never get the chance to actually meet their grandparents.

So that's their only connection.

That is their only connection.

And if they have, I love looking at old photos.

Oh, I know.

Because even if I wasn't there.

And maybe it's just a photographer in me, but like, I will every photo has a story.

34:59

And I will at that point start to like, think, yeah, what was it like that day?

Was it cold?

I mean all of these details.

What was it like that week, That month, That year?

What were they?

Yeah, so.

What was going on in the?

World, the true power of photography can't be summed up in this episode, but.

35:19

But I think you've cracked open a massive can.

Oh my goodness.

Inadvertently cracked open.

What a can of worms.

We might have to have you back for that discussion too, that that would be fun.

Because I'm again, I get chills thinking about the longevity of photography.

I mean, it's been around since, I believe the first photo was taken early 1800s.

35:39

The actual printed photo was taken early 1800s I believe, possibly 1700s.

And it has literally stood the test of time and we'll continue to do that, I believe.

I think so.

Oh, absolutely, of course.

It might evolve a little bit like it has, right?

35:56

But it it will stand.

It will stand.

I would, I would agree with you, Mel, For anyone on the fence about capturing those memories, freezing that moment, freezing that place on the timeline, go for it and I will.

36:11

I'm going to take it a step further.

Reach out to Mail.

Reach out to Mail.

What is your website?

We'll put it it's just Melissa Hankins photography.

And there, if your family, I have a whole, like, scroll to the bottom of the homepage and you get to a whole another homepage.

No, it's got families.

36:26

OK, stuff in a homepage with a real direction.

Yeah, it's like a whole house.

Like you open that door and there's family stuff over there with stuff over there.

Wedding stuff.

Hopefully it's easy to navigate.

Sounds like a Doctor Seuss book.

I'm a fox in a box and a mouse in a house.

There it.

Is boom.

I thought you're going 1 fish, 2 fish red fish.

36:43

Oh, that too.

There's a lot of good Doctor Seuss, a lot of good content.

There.

Yeah, Thank you.

Yeah, Thank you for being an open victim.

The volunteer voluntold.

Whatever.

Yeah, Voluntold to come.

To the podcast this morning or hide sussle, hide sussles.

37:02

Your Sussles is now your full time gig.

Yeah, I appreciate y'all having me.

I love being on a podcast.

Once again, your your your career in podcasting is certainly blossoming because you're essentially on podcast tour right now and and on tour.

Provided that we don't get cancelled.

37:17

Yeah, we've not been cancelled yet.

There's nothing been offensive like that, I heard in today's episode.

Not to you.

Not to you.

Not to.

You but I'm sure somebody's out there.

That's that's relative.

That's relative.

So trolls, a lot of people don't get cancelled.

There should be future episodes and.

37:34

Always love to have you back.

Absolutely.

And for those of you out there listening, thank you.

Thank you for being a part of this motion creative audience and this Faith and Frames podcast if you.

Could do us a favor.

Big favor this is, this is on the whatever platform you're listening to, they all have a rating.

37:52

They all have a review.

Those things may seem minuscule to you, but what they tell that platform if you rate it.

Is well provided that you rate it good.

No, I want all the ratings.

I want all the ratings.

I want to know.

I want to know.

We certainly need feedback welcomed.

38:08

But that tells that platform and the algorithms, yes, behind it.

Hey, this is good.

People are liking this.

People are reacting to this.

And so this is bad.

They need to quit.

Yeah.

So then it gets pushed to other people.

And so, yeah, ratings and reviews are important.

38:25

Even outside of that, I always love feedback on my images, all my work.

Feedback's good, even if it's bad.

Yeah, feedback's good.

We welcome it on.

And as mentioned in episode four, we would also like suggestions on whatever platform you're on for our photo assignments that we have started capturing local landmarks, freezing those in time.

38:45

Freezing those moments, those places because.

It's a lot.

Of instruction here on the tail end, but again, thank you guys for joining us on faith and frames.

Jared, here's the hard part.

You start us, I'm just.

Going to say goodbye.

See you later, see.

39:01

You hey y'all have a good one.

Bye mail.

Bye Jared.

See you.