Meet Courtney Welden of Courtney Welden Photography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Welden.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Courtney. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I vividly remember fumbling to load film into my first camera. I was 19 years old, waiting on a train in a bustling station in Paris, France.

After several failed attempts at loading the film, I desperately asked a stranger for help. During that summer, traipsing around Europe, I discovered my love for photography. I shot through dozens of rolls of film, not missing a single sight. Once the film was developed, I realized only a handful of photos turned out. Most were completely blown out or underexposed. That didn’t seem to discourage me though; it was only the beginning of my love for photography. Over the years I went through countless point and shoot cameras until I finally bought my first hand-me-down Digital SLR camera from a good friend. While standing on a busy street in San Diego, my friend attempted to give me a brief lesson on the camera. I took my first photo-a portrait, with natural light, and a shallow depth of field.

From that moment on, I knew I was hooked. A gypsy at heart, my passion for travel has followed me for well over a decade now. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to photograph some of the world’s most diverse locations. My husband’s love for mountains and my love for the ocean has taken our little family of three around the world, and has been the backdrop for many of my favorite images. More recently, I’ve fallen in love with telling personal stories through photographs. It has been especially rewarding to meet couples and journey with them through their most monumental times in life. Documenting engagements, weddings, pregnancies, newborns, and families has been incredibly gratifying. Photography has given me a creative ability to share personal stories and images of the world.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Creating a business, while staying true to my art hasn’t been especially easy. Over the years, I’ve run into obstacles that conflict with my art form. For example, my love for telling stories, and creating beautiful images doesn’t always coincide with the sometimes daunting business side of marketing, finance, sales, etc. When I lose my focus, I lose my passion, and creativity. Time and time again, I am forced to evaluate my intention, which is to capture beautiful images, to create art, and to connect with others.

When I work hard to stay true to my purpose, everything else somehow falls into place. I’ve learned that I must take risks in my life and in my business, and I try not to head down the dark path of perfectionism, self-criticism, or place value on the criticism of others. One of my favorite quotes is by Theodore Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…” This quote strongly resonates with me on both a personal and professional level.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I specialize in natural light, artistic, portrait and wedding photography in San Diego, California and surrounding areas. Nearly all of my sessions are outside- at the beach, in a field, or in a forest. The best photo sessions are when couples and families interact with each other, and just act genuine. I capture real smiles and real moments between couples and families. If you don’t love the camera, don’t worry about it, you have a beautiful story to tell, and I want to tell it! I am the most proud of the recent growth of my business, while maintaining the high level of quality and customer service.

My intent is to exceed my client’s expectations, all while creating artistic yet classic images. I’ve learned some tough lessons along the way, which has encouraged me to focus on quality vs. quantity, not to mass produce images, and to pay attention to every single detail in every single photograph, both while shooting and processing.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
San Diego is an ideal city to start or own a business. With San Diego’s large population comprised of so many skilled and talented individuals, it demands that I stay fresh and current, with the mindset to learn, grow, and improve. San Diego is one of the most picturesque cities in the world. With the miles and miles of serene coastline, rugged Laguna Mountains, the stark beauty of the Borrego Desert, urban Downtown, and trendy South Park, there is literally a background for every image.

Pricing:

• Portrait, Engagement, Newborn, Family Sessions – $479
• Wedding Packages starting at $2999

Contact Info:

• Website: http://courtneyweldenphotography.com
• Phone: 858-337-7148
• Email: courtney@courtneyweldenphotography.com
• Instagram: @courtneyweldenphotography

Image Credit:
Courtney Welden Photography
Marie Monforte Photography

Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.