That title sounds pretty cocky actually but since I’m writing this semi-humorous line addressing the title I’m hoping I come off less cocky. If you don’t feel like reading this whole thing the cliff notes are basically; I’m saying that as photographers we should be proud of all genres of our work.

I always hear how important it is to find your niche in photography.  On all the photography sites I have bookmarked I see portfolio reviews, editor Q & A’s, etc giving advice about this. Perhaps it’s documentary work, portraits, weddings, pet photography, documentary pet weddings, or whatever.

A certain, perhaps self-imposed, stigma exists for documentary photographers who also shoot weddings or do video (although video now is becoming cool with the intro of the HDSLR). I feel many of us love to even if unsolicited, mention our book projects but don’t want to mention the 3 weddings shot last month that financed them. I’ve been guilty of mentioning my work for “Insert Notable Publications Here” very proudly and then sort of sneaking in quietly if forced by knife that I also shoot weddings or that I had an assignment last week that consisted of photographing a sandwich.

Some think it’s taboo to have wedding pictures on your documentary site because editors will think less of you. I’m sure that is the case sometimes but I’d like to share a little story.

On my first visit to The New York Times before I ever shot one assignment for them I was passed around to different editors to check out my work. One editor asked me if she could see my wedding work. I thought she was kidding or perhaps making fun of me. She was dead serious and she ended up really digging my wedding portfolio. She later told me that she often looks at wedding work to see what a photographer can do under pressure because like news, wedding moments only happen once. That editor later gave me a whole series of assignments that took me to Australia and Malaysia.

I admit I got into photography to shoot social documentary work. Over the years I’ve realized I enjoy all genres of photography, yes-even weddings.  Each shoot presents a challenge and I love a good challenge. At 32 I’m not embarrassed anymore that I shoot everything. I’m working hard to create a brand for all aspects of my photography and trying to implement my style into all my assignments.  I’m sort of a photography whore if you will, wait that has a negative connotation, call me a photographer who agrees with plural marriage.

Living in a country like Vietnam you have to be versatile because it’s not exactly a news hub. The variety in my assignments has kept me fresh and they all serve a purpose for me both creatively and financially.  To give you an idea of how I split my time shooting here is a list of my work for May and June of 2010.

May 8^th-Wedding in Los Angeles, CA

May 15^th-Wedding in Hoi An, Vietnam

May 16^th-Shoot for MTV HIV Awareness Project in Hanoi, Vietnam

May 16^th-Half Day Engagement Shoot Kelvin and Yi Ni, Hanoi, Vietnam

May 17^th-Engagement Shoot Cynthia and Marcus in Hanoi, Vietnam

May 20^th-Commercial Shoot for a global book project in HCMC, Vietnam

May 22^nd-Portrait of Leather Tanning Company CEO for German Magazine in HCMC, Vietnam.

May 25^th-Engagement Shoot Kim and Dennis in Hanoi, Vietnam

May 27^th and 28^th-Shoot for an NGO working with the Bamboo Industry in Mai Chau, Vietnam

June 1^st-Commercial Shoot (rooms, lobby, interiors) for Hanoi Club in Hanoi, Vietnam.

June 6^th, 7^th, 8^th-Assignment for The New York Times Great Homes Section in Chang Mai, Thailand.

June 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th-Assignment for The Dallas Morning News in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

June 14^th, 15^th, 16^th-NGO Shoot for Buckner Orphanage in Ba Vi, Vietnam

June 24^th-Commercial Shoot for Hanoi Club (Exteriors)

June 25th and 26^th- Poh Si and Mayank’s wedding in Penang, Malaysia

June 30^th- Assignment for The New York Times Great Homes Section in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Here is an approximate breakdown of the percentages of income for these 2 months

Weddings and Engagements=45%

*Editorial/NGO’s=35%

Commercial=20%

*If I filed NGO’s under Commercial instead of Editorial the totals would switch significantly.

Weddings  www.esianweddingphotography.com

Commercial and Video www.mottvisuals.com

Editorial   www.justinmott.com