Meet Marshall Terry | Wedding Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marshall Terry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marshall, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve never been great at sitting still or following directions. I did well in school but knew early on that I didn’t want to spend adulthood sitting at a desk doing what someone else told me to do. My mom and the rest of her family have always been small business owners and entrepreneurs so the idea of starting a business seemed natural.

My first “venture” was in high school. I would buy polo shirts in bulk and sell them out of my backpack at school. That lasted a few years until I got into photography.

I can’t imagine having it any other way at this point.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I grew up in the family wedding business from a very young age. When I picked up photography as a hobby around 16 years old, I had very little interest in shooting anything other than weddings. Still to this day, the only way to get me to shoot something other than a wedding is if you’re a close friend or family member. Specializing in one category has been of huge benefit.

I’ve always heard you have to do something for 10 years to really master it. When I was newer into the industry I didn’t quite understand that. But after 15 years of capturing weddings full time, I can confirm that it really does take about a decade to be truly competent in the craft. Maybe there are a few prodigies that can master a a skillset instantly. But for the rest of us regular folks, putting in the time is necessary.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would head up towards the mountains. Maybe start off with a little trout fishing in the Saluda River and then head further north into North Carolina. If this friend has never been to the area, we would have to go through all of the touristy attractions…. Biltmore Estate, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Harrah’s Cherokee… all of the fun spots in Western North Carolina.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom has always been a big inspiration and if it weren’t for her I would most likely be moderately successful in a mundane 9-5 career just counting down the years to retirement instead of enjoying work and life.

Website: www.marshallgrahamphoto.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/marshallgrahamphoto

Facebook: www.facebook.com/marshallgrahamphoto

Image Credits
Marshall Graham Photography