All About Booray Perry Photography

Let’s start by answering the obvious question: What is a “Booray?”

It’s a Cajun name.  I know you’ve probably never met anyone named “Booray” before but it’s a real name.  If you were in Louisiana and told someone you were named, “Booray,” they wouldn’t blink.  It’s not like there’s a “Booray” on every corner but there’s enough of them.  

I started taking pictures in the 8th grade.  I had an english teacher who was a photographer and he managed to talk the school into giving him a closet to use as a darkroom.  He taught us how to use the chemicals and we cut our teeth on football games and pep rally’s for the yearbook.  Did the same thing in High School. I don’t want you to get the impression that I was the geeky nerd who carried a camera everywhere and was President of the Chess Club because I wasn’t.

I was Vice-President.

When I started Booray Perry Photography, I planned to be a portrait photographer.  That lasted right up until I shot my first wedding and I was hooked.  Now I photograph about 80 brides a year and I love it.  I still do portraits, headshots, birthday parties and basically anything that comes my way.  One of the great things about being a wedding photographer is that you have to be able to do everything from portraits to photo-journalism, families and kids….bright sun and dark churches.  There’s no other facet of photography that prepares you to do it all like wedding photography.

I’m married to a woman who is incredibly smart and yet dumb enough to not realize she can do better than me (score!).  We have two wonderful children, both girls, who have spent countless hours posing for daddy while he tests some new piece of equipment. I play guitar and ukulele.  The ukulele was a gift and I’ve come to love playing it.  It’s much easier to play than a guitar because it only has four strings instead of six.  So, technically, it’s a third easier.  Also, it’s very small and portable so it’s easy to carry with you when you visit your daughter’s school and sing “Happy Birthday” to her in the lunchroom.  She’s still not talking to me.

The Tampa Area Professional Photographers Association awarded me  “Wedding/Event Photographer of the Year” in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 (I stopped entering after that).  I also travel and teach wedding photography at other guilds and compete in print competitions at the state and national level.  One of the things that keeps me striving for excellence is knowing that my work will be compared to the best wedding photographers in the country.  Every wedding I photograph, I’m looking for the next great image.  Also, a good piece of chicken.

I’m a member of the Professional Photographers of America, the oldest photography organization in the country with over 30,000 members. See that little badge that says, “Certified?” That’s not my mental state, it means I had to take an extensive written exam and have my work reviewed by Master Photographers. Only 6% of the PPA members earn Certification. I’m also a Bronze Medalist in National Competition, A Master Photographer with the PPA, a Photograophic Craftsman, host a popular photography podcast (Photobomb), and host a live show during the 5 days of Imaging USA, the largest photography convention in the world.

If you’ve read this far, thanks for sticking it out!  Hopefully you’ve seen and read enough to consider me for your wedding, Bar Mitzvah, family portrait or headshot.  Contact me and let’s start a conversation.

Booray

Weddings

Bar Mitzvahs

Portraits