Today we’d like to introduce you to Phern Cain.
Hi Phern, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was very lucky and found photography at the age of 15. It started with the iconic website, PicMonkey/PicNic. I obsessed over editing photos, often asking friends on Facebook if I could edit one for their profile photo. The game changed for me when I realized I could take my own photos based on my editing ideas instead of coming up with how to edit someone’s selfie. I used my parents’ little point-and-shoot camera to master the self-timer and create content for myself to stay up all night working on. Phern Sendin Photography was born when I got my very first DSLR, the reliable Canon Rebel T3. I practiced all. The. Time.
I made my sisters, neighbors, and friends model for me as I played with every setting. I Googled every acronym on that camera and tried to absorb the information before going out to test what I’d learned. I was so infatuated with photography and immersed in the process of learning not only my camera, but the software to polish my photos (Lightroom and Photoshop) since growing out of PicMonkey.
Looking back, it’s incredible to think on just how much I’d learned on my own. It wasn’t even a year before I got my very first paying clients. At 15, when not very many places would hire you, it felt powerful to be able to say I was taking on clients.
Over the years, Phern Sendin Photography has rebranded to Pherntography and Phern Joy LLC before finally landing on my favorite: The Wild Phern.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t have super supportive parents, so my biggest hurdle was balancing a full time job, being a young mom, AND running a photography business as a “side hustle”.
It was tough because of how much I loved photography, and not feeling like I wouldn’t succeed if I went all in. I finally did it after the COVID shutdowns happened. I was a pharmacy technician, so we were suddenly required to work overtime and I couldn’t justify spending MORE time away from my toddler at the time.
Another big hurdle after going full time was building towards a sustainable business. All of the sudden, this was my only source of income to support my daughter with, and it turns out, running a business isn’t free. It was a tough learning curve to navigate the business side of things without supportive parents. The most hurtful part about it was when I talked with my mom about raising my pricing for weddings and she hit me with, “no one will every pay you that much to just take photos” and that kept me stuck for years.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a wedding photographer, and I like to think I’m known for the experience I give my clients, along with the true-to-life photos I deliver that encompass emotion, connection, and a little whimsy.
I’m most proud of how I treat people who trust me enough to let me photograph them. That’s a big deal. Photography, when it comes to people, is an intimate art requiring vulnerability. For them to choose ME out of so many talented people? I am so lucky. And the thought that THEY think I did such a great job that they would tell THEIR friends and family to work with me too??? That’s so invaluable and irreplaceable to me.
Over half of my business comes from referrals and word of mouth. I think that that is a great accomplishment.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Believe in yourself and tune out the negativity. It’s a competitive field and I can’t say that every encounter I’ve had with those in the industry have been perfect. I know what I stand for, how I treat people, and the effort I put into my work. That’s good enough, and it’s okay that not everyone is for me.
Pricing:
- Average wedding photography investment is $9,000
- $750 for engagement/couples
- $600 families
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thewildphern.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewildphern
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewildphern
