Lessons from wedding photographer Staci Brucks on fear, relationships, and just going for it

Let’s be real for a second. How many times have you talked yourself out of something before you even tried? You’re standing at the edge of a conversation, a pitch, a creative risk, and then your brain just… stalls.

What if they think I’m weird?

What if it doesn’t work?

What if I fail?

Staci Brucks, a wedding and destination photographer based in Wichita, KS, has a pretty simple answer to all of that: just do it anyway.

I know. Sounds too simple. And also scary at the same time. Stay with me

In a recent episode of the Wisdom in the Tangents podcast, Staci sat down with host John Mansfield (aka ME) to talk about fear, doing scary things, and building a business on genuine human connection. It’s the kind of conversation that makes you want to close your laptop and go talk to someone. Here are the highlights.

The Thing Nobody Tells You About Growing Your Business

When John asked Staci about the biggest lesson she’s learned in her career, she didn’t say anything about presets or posing or gear. She said relationships.

Coming from a background in the medical field, Staci was used to a very different professional landscape.

But photography?

It runs on referrals, on word of mouth, on people feeling something when they interact with you. As she puts it, nurturing your relationships and making people feel seen isn’t just good manners.

It’s LITERALLY your business strategy.

And it doesn’t just mean staying tight with your planner contacts (although that’s helpful). Staci talks to everyone at a wedding.

Aunts, uncles, randos on the dance floor.

She’s gotten multiple bookings just because she had a genuine conversation with someone who wasn’t even a direct lead. You genuinely never know who’s quietly watching how you work, how you treat people, how you show up when you think no one’s paying attention.

Her tip for other photographers: treat every wedding like it’s your interview. Because it kind of is.

John often quotes Maya Angelou when talking about relationships,

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel“

Staci Brucks Photography

Getting Out of Your Own Head (but like actually doing it)

Queue up Staci for the mic drop: stop overthinking and just do.

She’s a self-described “doer.” Not a pre-thinker. And yes, that got her in trouble as a kid (her parents can attest), but as a business owner it’s become her superpower.

She has a mission, so instead of sitting there playing out every possible reaction in her head, she just goes. She walks up to the person. She has the conversation. She makes the move.

Because here’s the thing she keeps coming back to. And I need you to hear this. (because so do I haha)

Those thoughts you have about yourself, the ones where you imagine everyone is judging every little thing you do?

No one is thinking about those things.

They’re too busy thinking about their own version of those same thoughts.

Nobody can be you.

Your personality is your competitive advantage. Your weirdness is your differentiator. There are endless talented photographers,

but there’s only one you.

Staci Brucks Photography

The Big Takeaway

Staci’s whole approach comes down to this mindset.

Don’t let fear of the unknown paralyze you.

Feel the fear and go anyway. Talk to the stranger. Submit the proposal. Try the unconventional shot. Reach out to that vendor you’ve been meaning to connect with.

You’ll sometimes land flat. It’ll be awkward. And that’s okay! We need more awkward moments in our lives.

You’ll have conversations that trail off into nothing. And that’s fine. Because sometimes you’ll also make a connection that changes your whole business. You’ll take a shot that becomes one of your favorite images ever. You’ll meet someone who refers three weddings to you over the next two years.

But none of that happens if you stay frozen at the starting line.

So press record. Go do the thing. Turn your brain on later.

Connect with Staci

stacibrucksphoto.com

instagram.com/stacibrucksphoto

Tiktok.com/@stacibrucksphoto

What to dive deeper? Listen to the full conversation with Staci Brucks on episode 280 of the Wisdom in the Tangents Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Or watch on YouTube