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Mary Fehr models a wedding dress. Photo via Mary Fehr
For the past decade, Birmingham-based photographer Mary Fehr has spent time both in front of and behind the camera. Soon she’s heading to Chicago and New York to model plus size wedding dresses. We interviewed her to find out more about her journey. Here she said.
Meet Birmingham based photographer + model Mary Fehr
Welcome to Birmingham. Photo via Mary Fehr
Mary Fehr grew up in Vestavia and attended Vestavia schools through her primary school year. She graduated from John Carroll and then went to college in Montevallo.
In Montevallo she attended a photography course with the award-winning photographer Karen Graffeo during her first semester and fell in love with her.
During her studies, the support of both a wedding photographer and a commercial photographer showed her how it was possible to turn photography into a career.
Her professors encouraged her to continue taking classes, and in 2016 she graduated from Montevallo with a degree in art.
Now in her fourth year of full-time photography, she works in three different fields.
1. Weddings
So much joy in preparing for this wedding. Photo via Mary Fehr
Another love wedding. Photo via Mary Fehr
Mary started her wedding business and now photographs 20-25 weddings a year.
Her particular focus is on inclusive weddings and believes that “every couple deserves to be celebrated. There shouldn’t be any restriction. ”
Find Mary’s wedding work on Instagram at Oh Honey Photo Co.
2. Commercial work
This was a collaboration between basic. + River of Dread. Photo via Mary Fehr
Mary works with companies, agencies, magazines, and even Bham Now.
She loves working with different companies in the community because she meets a lot of people she wouldn’t otherwise meet and shares a little bit of her story.
See more of Mary’s commercial work here.
Personal work
Stay in love with photography. Photo via Mary Fehr
“I think it’s important that my personal work influences the rest of my work and that it’s just for fun because I’m always interested in why I started taking pictures in the first place.”
Mary Fehr
In college, Mary did a lot of documentary photography and also took a fashion photography class.
She loves working with models, with her friends and with all kinds of people.
Mary also loves doing figure exercises by incorporating body positivity and different body types into her work.
Modeling as a way to become a better photographer
Mary started being in front of the camera three years ago thinking it would be a good idea to do some practice.
For a long time she hated being in photos.
“Most people don’t want to be photographed and that’s understandable. We all have our angles. We’re used to selfies and know what we like. So when someone else takes our photo it can be difficult because you don’t really know what to do and how to be. They want to look a certain way and they may not know it. “
Mary Fehr
Today, she says, “it makes my work a lot easier when I know what it feels like to be in front of the camera.”
Confidence curve: Documentation of the journey to self-love
Modeling as a way to become a better photographer. Photo via Mary Fehr
In the beginning, Mary worked with her friends and set up her camera or took self-portraits to practice modeling.
She wanted to be able to tell people how to pose or give them better feedback during the shoot.
Confidence Curved is the Instagram account for this trip.
“I wanted to document the way of learning to love myself and my body, which I believe many people have difficulty with. Obviously, self-love is an everyday journey. You can make a lot of progress and then collapse the next day. But when you are open and vulnerable to people, I find it helpful because they know that they are not alone. “
Mary Fehr
Modeling plus size wedding dresses
Modeling a wedding dress in the city center. Photo via Mary Fehr
When Mary’s friend Christina Sloan moved from wedding planning to the bridal gown business, she opened a plus size bridal shop in Birmingham called Refined Bridal Boutique, which caters to oversized brides.
Mary recently got engaged and looks forward to going into a store as a plus size person knowing that she and others her size can try on a wedding dress and it will feel good.
Mary started working with Christina on photos and social media content. On the way, she started modeling clothes and loved it.
“I loved being the person who can post pictures of me in these clothes and people can look at me and say, ‘Oh, you know what, she looks great in this dress. Maybe I can try this on and have this experience as a bride. ‘”
Mary Fehr
Refined Bridal Boutique worked with a Kentucky-based social media company. You have prepared for a bridal market where stores and business owners can come and see what designers they want to offer in their stores.
“They asked if I would be interested in coming to Chicago to model for some of the designers they have in their agency, so I said yes. I’m going to Chicago next week, which is kind of crazy. Then there is one in New York in October, and I’ll go there too. “
Mary Fehr
Mary Fehr’s Birmingham favorites
Find Mary Fehr on her website or on Instagram at Oh Honey Photos or Confidence Curved.
