Artist Confessions: Tales from the Booth, the Backseat, and the Barn

After 20+ years of weddings, wandering, weirdos, and white tents, I’ve reached a point in my career where I’ve earned the right to overshare. So if you're here for polished portfolio talk, keep scrolling. If you're here for what it's actually like being a wedding photographer-turned-festival artist who’s sold in art shows in eight states—welcome to the inner circle.

Grab a granola bar. Let’s get uncomfortable.

👰 Yes, I’ve Shot a Wedding in a Dress and Hiking Boots

Because when a bride books a “charming hilltop elopement,” what she means is “hope your knees are good.” I wore a dress to blend in, boots to survive, and Nikon strapped to my hip like a wild-west gunslinger with aperture control. The photos were great. My hamstrings still haven’t recovered.

💨 Art Show Setup is a Full-Body Cardio Workout You Didn’t Ask For

Let’s be honest: no one looks cute setting up a 10x10 booth in sideways rain while muttering death threats at bungee cords. But do I still bring tablecloths and hang tags like I’m curating MoMA? Absolutely.

Technical tip:

• Keep your prints in weatherproof sleeves, not “these totes are probably fine” bins.

• Label your boxes, because trust me, nothing says panic like searching for your display hooks while a German tourist is already trying to hand you money.

  
  

🧻 I Once Wrote My Instagram Handle on Toilet Paper

Because I forgot business cards. Again. I’ve also used paper towels, dog poop bags, and once a napkin that already had coffee stains on it. If you don’t want to be this person, print extras. Or don’t. Chaos is part of the charm.

😬 Weirdest Thing a Customer Ever Said to Me:

“Do you take these pictures with the camera? Or do you, like… find them online and Photoshop them sad?” I wish I was joking.

Answer:Yes. I do, in fact, take them with the camera. On location. In the wild. Using things like manual focus, spot metering, and the utter madness of natural light. The sadness? That part’s just real life, baby.

🎪 Pop-Up Tents Are Sentient Beings That Hate You

I once had mine try to decapitate me mid-gust in Philly.

Pro tip:

• Use industrial stakes and 50+ lb weights per leg.

• Bring duct tape. Not “in case” you need it. You will need it.

  
  

🥂 Weddings Made Me Fast. Art Shows Made Me Feral.

In weddings, I learned how to focus, frame, and fake charm under pressure. In art shows, I learned how to hold a conversation while sweating through my bra, adjusting hanging wire with one hand, and swatting bees with the other.

Gear tip: My Nikon D750 survived:

• A cake explosion

• Two toddlers with sticky hands

• A gust of dust that definitely voided the warranty. Still my MVP.

  
  

💬 Festival FAQs I Secretly Want to Scream At People:

• “No, I didn’t paint this. That’s a photo. Yes, really.”

• “Yes, I took all of them. Myself. With a camera. Not AI. Not Google.”

• “No, you can’t buy it for $10. That won’t even cover my booth fee, Susan.”

• “Sure, I take Venmo, Square, cash, or blood sacrifice if the Wi-Fi’s down."

  
  

🧭 The Best Shots? Happened When I Got Lost.

Literally. Wrong turn, dead-end, oh-look-there’s-a-haunted-mill lost. That’s where the magic lives. If you're not willing to trespass (accidentally!), risk poison ivy, and throw your ISO into the abyss, are you even trying?

🎬 Final Confession

I started in the wedding world with backup batteries and fake confidence. I moved into art shows with a folding table, a dream, and two gallons of sweat. I’ve chased light, chased kids, chased down my display after a gust of wind, and somehow still love this chaotic, unpredictable, caffeinated life.

It’s messy. It’s magical. And it’s mine.

Come see the madness in person:🖼️ Gallery at The Windmill – Building 4, Penn Yan, NY📸 Instagram: @MileyJadeDesigns🎨 Shop Prints, Gear, and Regret Merch (coming soon?)