With a reputation that precedes her and enough charisma to make a bull dog say “cheese,” Laura Murray’s wedding photography has been dropping jaws for nearly 10 years. An ex-pro cheerleader, with the electric smile to prove it, Murray’s romance with photography has been a journey as remarkable as the weddings she shoots.

Along the way, a lot of hard work and a razor focus helped Murray develop the chops to brand her as one of the world’s most sought-after wedding photographers - with the credentials to back up the claim. Her work has been featured with Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides Magazine, Magnolia Rouge, Once Wed, The Knot Magazine, Belle Lumiere Magazine, Hearth Magazine, Green Wedding Shoes, 100 Layer Cake and more.

We sat down with Murray to get her take on the business of photography and to learn some of the secrets of her success. How does she deliver a high-end client experience? Why does she prefer film photography over digital? How does she turn clients into raging fans and how does she balance the juggling act of business and family? For Murray, it’s all about putting first things first.

“I’ve done my best to remove anything from my life that doesn’t move me closer to what I value most. Part of that is realizing I can’t do everything. I need help,” she says.

If you thought the secret to success in photography begins with a passion for it, you’d be right. But for Murray, the path to that passion was a winding one. Trained in mathematics and with a penchant for the technical, early on, Murray had aspirations for a corporate career. Starting out, she set her sights on a career in management with visions of ascending the corporate ladder. She began with business and actuarial internships, worked for a telecom company and as a consultant. But for Murray, none of it felt quite right.

An early mentor said she was “a tough one to figure out.” Murray’s interests were broad and from a career perspective, nothing was a clear fit. Then, at 23, she got married. It was a game-changer. Watching and working with her own wedding photographer, Murray fell in love with the art. Soon after her own wedding, she asked her photographer, now a friend, if she needed help. The answer was “Yes,” and Murray was immediately hooked.

Shortly after, she bought her first camera, and hasn’t stopped shooting since. She found she loved everything about the business – the creativity, the entrepreneurial nature, being her own boss, running a business and the day-to-day variety of wedding photography.

For Murray, finding photography was the beginning of a love affair, with love. “I love, love,” she says. “I love documenting it, seeking it, and making a conscious choice to live with it. It is so special to celebrate with my clients on their happiest of days.”

Today, after over ten years in the business, her website drips with rich, storybook images spanning the majestic, intimate, warm and funny but, above all, true moments of her clients’ lives. Scrolling through her work, one has the feeling of watching magic – finding a hidden moment in time, now captured, never to be forgotten.

According to Murray, “My style is natural. Organic. Timeless. It conjures up feelings of romance and beauty. I draw some of my inspiration from nature, color, family heirlooms, interior design, visiting antique shops, and reading novels.” Her work has gotten her named a top wedding photographer by Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine.

Her Instagram account forces the viewer to break away from the mindless scrolling so common among social media users - and to pause. Her images - dramatic, winding, inspiring and absorbing - make it impossible not to. There’s too much to take in.

Murray has been an Instaproofs user for almost 3 years. “Instaproofs makes my job easier,” she says. Before making the switch, she self-hosted a photo cart on her site, and was hacked. Someone had accessed her PayPal info, substituted their own and began receiving client payments in her place. She was forced to hire a tech firm to fix the problem. Fortunately, she caught the hack quickly, but it was enough of a scare to make her look at more secure options.

“The secret of your success lies in your daily routine,” she says. It’s one of her favorite quotes. And for Murray, her routine includes a relentless focus on what matters most. “Where is my time best spent? I just can’t spend my time on the back end, making website updates. I need to focus on my business and on taking care of my clients and providing a beautiful platform for them to access my work. It’s what I love to do and Instaproofs gives me the confidence to do it.”

Finding the time to do it is another challenge. Based in Denver, Colorado, Murray is the mother of three - 9-month old twins and a three-year old. It makes for long days. Sharply-honed organizational skills are a must. “It’s really important to me to deliver a high-end feeling and experience to my clients,” she says. “And for me, communication is key. It means making myself easily accessible and holding myself to a quick response time, which can be tricky with young kids. I spend a lot of time on email and need to block time to do it. I outsource as much of the other stuff as I can.”

Murray gets a lot of questions from start-ups in the field on how to draw in a high-end clientele. She says it’s all about creating a high-end experience. “What can you do to distinguish yourself and make your services unique? What kinds of things are you doing with your onboarding process? Are you making your clients feel confident they made the right decision to hire you? Are you giving them surprises for them throughout to create a ‘wow’ factor,” she says. Murray also recommends keeping client loads manageable so that you continue to deliver personalized experience. By focusing on quality over quantity, you can also avoid burn-out.

For newbies just getting their feet wet, Murray recommends attending as many conferences as you can manage. “You will find rich contacts you can continue to use as sounding boards as you grow. Go to as many things in person that you can. Start locally. I also started using Dubsado, a CRM tool. It helps me manage events, client relationships, schedule appointments and remember when and how to reach out to clients regarding events. It’s just another way I can save time and focus on what I do best.”

When Murray first got into the business, she shot digital. It didn’t take long before she learned she loved the look of film. Today, she’s a hybrid photographer armed with a hold-fast strap sporting a Contax 645 on one side and a Canon 5D Mark IV on the other.

Murray prefers film, especially for natural light. She’ll use digital in low light situations but works to give them the look of film in editing. Her galleries are a mix with the majority film and a few digital. Her goal is to make her galleries look cohesive so clients can’t tell which photos are film and which are digital. And she advises not to rely too much on digital files with clients. “Clients like to have something tangible. Something they can touch and hold. It’s another way to help your clients become raging fans!”

Murrays’ basic wedding package includes an assistant photographer, 200 4x6 prints and 7 hours of coverage. Additional products and service options are available as add-ons for the clients that want a little something extra.

The full interview can be viewed here: Laura Murray Interview

To view more of Laura's work please see her website, her blog, her Instagram feed, or her Facebook page.

Interview with Laura Murray