SAM SULLIVAN, NEW YORK PHOTOGRAPHER

We spoke to New York wedding photographer, Sam Sullivan. Creating moody, romantic imagery through New York and the Hudson Valley, Sam’s work stopped us in our tracks (and our feeds!) and we had to get to know who was behind the work a little better.

HOW DID YOU START ON YOUR PATH? I don’t have one of those stories about how I took photography classes in high school or college, or I studied graphic design. I work for an insurance company and I live a pretty modest life. My story started in 2018, while my husband and I while planned our wedding (should I say just i) haha. People would often ask me if I’m stressed and how I’m holding up. The answer was always “no, I’m not stressed at all”. In fact, the answer was always “are you kidding me?! I love this!.” when our wedding was over, I knew I needed to find a way to immerse myself in this creative environment. I reached out to my own wedding

photographer, Dawn Honsky, for advice and she asked me to tag along with her whenever I wanted. My husband had a Nikon d3400 sitting on a shelf collecting dust. So I picked that up and literally took photos of anyone that would let me! Eventually, I started to book clients for things like maternity and holiday cards and before you know it, I booked my first wedding at Gather Green! What a dream. It was then, meeting Jackie and also working with vendors like tammy from Hudson Valley vintage rentals, that I finally felt part of this. Part of this wonderful community of creatives that push one another towards success and seeing their dreams come alive. I feel so incredibly blessed, honestly. If you would have asked me two years ago, if this would be in the stars for me, I would have laughed and called you crazy. But I’ve learned that nothing is crazy if it serves you. No one can ever say to me that I didn’t give it my all. Now, this version of me would say to the version of me two years ago, you are crazy if you don’t try.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR STYLE? I would say my style is a bit moody, and vintage. I am definitely not the light and airy photographer. I knew then when choosing my own wedding photography. I love intimate, I love raw and I love a kind of grungy, if you will, aesthetic.

WHO IS YOUR IDEAL CLIENT? Ah, my idea client. I know this term and it kind of throws me off, because I feel like it can be a little discriminatory. Let me start by saying this, as far as looks, I don’t care if you are tall, short, skinny, fat, blue or green. My ideal client serves me with love, with compassion and with an open heart... my ideal client is someone I talk to on the phone, and store their number bc we’re now friends. My ideal client texts me funny memes about wedding planning and says things like yasssssss when they see a photo of mine. They become my friend. I’m part of their story, but they are so incredibly part of mine. Part of MY journey. My ideal client feels like home.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF A WEDDING? My favorite part of a wedding is always the first look. Whether it be planned ahead of the ceremony, or during. The first time the bride and groom sees each other will always make me ugly-almost-cry-holding-back-a-tear-behind my camera.

WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION? I find that the more I look at things like Instagram, the more I question myself and my skills. So I’ve tried to limit that for my own mental health. I try to keep things fresh for my own portfolio in doing things I haven’t done before, which at this point in my career, are plentiful.

WHAT IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR BRAND? I think I am what is unique about my brand. It’s easy to take good photos (kinda) I truly believe that when a couple talks to me for the first time, I- Sam Sullivan- am the driving force behind their decision to sign a contract. I’ve had couples talk to me, and then I assume talk to a few other photographers, and come back to me saying they just “clicked” with me... and I totally know the feeling. I cuss, I sometimes have no filter and I may accidentally get off the phone and say love you, byeeeee!

I’m the kind of photographer that is literally my couple’s cheerleader on their wedding day, engagement photos day and throughout their planning process. I can’t help it. And the clients that book me likely did so because of how I made them feel.

GIVE US A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU! I’m the kind of person that is always happy. I know that sounds like a cliché and total BS. But I’m just not wired for grudges. My dad used to make fun of me saying I had a goldfish brain because I couldn’t stay mad at someone, and its so true! My father passed away in 2016, but he taught me that life is wayyyyy too short and I honestly just don’t have time for unhappy and unhealthy people. Don’t get me wrong, I get pissed off at things and I’m not a pushover, but I like to think that I sort of dance to my own beat. Everyone in my life has confirmed this theory and some people love me for it and some people not so much. It’s who I am and its not changing ya’ll are stuck with me!

WHERE CAN READERS KEEP UP WITH YOU? You can keep up with me at samsullivanphotograhy.com and @samsullivanphotograhy on Instagram.