Hustling

So, I’ve reached a sort of in-between/middle ground/limbo in my journey toward becoming a wedding/portrait photographer. I have the website. I have the gear. I have the studio. I have the post-processing equipment. I have the PPA (Professional Photographers of America) membership. I have the knowledge and resources and a healthy dose of experience. Now it feels like a hurry up and wait period. I don’t do well with that but I am trying to be patient and put in the work to coax this thing into fruition. I have taken many wedding/engagement/bridal photos, but they have all been as a photographer employed through a local wedding venue in Driftwood, TX, so I am unable to use these photos on my website or as part of my marketing. I do have a few photos here and there from personal work, but not enough to present a strong wedding /portrait photographer presence online. So the struggle is being able to book clients who believe in my work without having a lot of work to present to them in order to get them to book me. It’s a catch-22.

I was listening to a Master Photography podcast the other day and they mentioned second shooters. I had never considered branching out to other photographers looking for second shooters. I didn’t even know that is a thing! I feel like I have stumbled upon a proverbial breakthrough (cue a ray of light and a heavenly orchestra sort of soundbyte), or at least another avenue to explore, and at the same time, I feel a little sheepish for not thinking of this possibility already. So now I’m a member of several Central Texas second shooter groups (can someone PLEASE come up with another name for this? It just doesn’t sit well with me in this day and age!), attempting to network with other photographers in and around Austin, TX in order to build my portfolio. These second shooter groups are AMAZING. Even if I am unable to get a gig through these, there is so much useful information available – people are discussing appropriate pricing and sharing their websites in my area – it’s a goldmine of inspiration for me!

I also received an email the other day regarding one of my favorite photographers, Jen Rosenbaum (www.jenerations.com, www.jenrozenbaum.com) who is presenting at a Precision Camera workshop in October…which just happens to be in my area! Precision Camera University (http://www.precision-camera.com/pcu-weekend-2018-registration/) apparently presents this workshop annually, another fact I just learned recently, and I am amazed at the variety of classes offered. I even saw one for a lucha libre wrestling match photo session. They set up a wrestling ring outside of the store in the parking lot, you take a class beforehand, and then you get to be ringside, snapping photos of the wrestlers. I believe they even allow you to use Canon gear that they have available. I'm definitely considering attending the University weekend in the future, but this year it's just not in the books for me, with my trip to Imaging USA 2019 in Atlanta in January.

Imaging USA 2019 will be held at PPA's headquarters in Atlanta in the middle of January and hotels are NOT cheap in the area. I'm still pretty pumped to go because they're celebrating 150 years and the parties are sure to be amazing! I applied for one of four available scholarships that could potentially cover a business workshop and/or some pre-convention classes, which are usually hands-on experiences that I think would expand my knowledge immensely. I may need to alter my flight plans a bit if I win, but it would totally be worth it! 

So, I hope everyone out there is having an amazing summer and getting some good practice shots in, in between all the work you do. I'm excited for summer to end and to get some cooler (is that even possible in Texas?!) weather here. It looks like mid-November is going to be busy for me for wedding photography at The Wildflower Barn, and I can't wait to see the late-year decor and wedding dress trends for 2018. Next weekend is Labor Day Weekend, and I'm working on a special photo project involving a local filmmaker and his cast, and I can't wait to share those photos with you all in the next couple of weeks.

Lazy Summer Days and a Rant about Choices

I'm just going to warn y'all now, that this is a rambling post!

So, here in Central Texas this weekend it's supposed to be over 100 degrees. We're talking 107 today, 108 tomorrow, and 109 on Monday! It. Is. Hot. And it's a dry heat with no breeze, so when you go outside, it's like you're walking into a baking kiln. Because of the heat, everything I needed to get done today I did before noon, which included a round of headshots for Chef RL Cubit of Central Texas Culinary Solutions (www.centraltexaschef.com), a family trip to our local library to pick up some books, and a stop at the grocery store for dinner and some staples. Anyone else think you've picked up everything you need at the store during the week, only to find out Saturday morning you were out of something you use on a daily basis and didn't notice (i.e., creamer for my coffee and dog food)?!?! The next few days will be spent editing Chef Cubit's photos so he can prepare for the school season to start, which is boom time for his personal chef services business. I'll share a few when I'm finished to give you all an idea of what to expect during a headshot session with me.

I'm also super-excited to start working on editing the photos from my trip to NYC at the end of June with my husband. I can't believe it's been a month since we returned - we had so much fun, and it feels like we were just there, getting lost in Chinatown and exploring the sights. I can't wait to go back and visit - I'll share some highlights soon.

Today I want to rant a little about something that I initially thought would be off-topic and boring for y'all. But when I think about it, it's totally relevant, and not just to my situation. It recently came up in a group conversation that Austin is becoming super-expensive to live in and some jobs pay much less than what is necessary to cover the expenses to live and work in the city. This is something I have known for a while. When we first moved to Austin, we lived within the city limits in a small one bedroom apartment for just under $1,000/month. It's pretty much impossible to find something for less than $1,200 a month for that size now. We knew Austin was booming - that's why we moved here in 2013. Jobs were (and still are) plentiful. It's culturally-diverse and the opportunities are endless. But after a year of living in the city, we predicted it would soon become unaffordable, so we relocated to a small, neighboring city while we could still afford to. We now own an energy-efficient, decent-sized house with a yard in a nice neighborhood that we bought brand new and we pay less for it each month than most people in Austin pay for rent. The downside is the commute. The upside is the monthly payment and the privacy. My point is that we made choices. In the group conversation, some people stated they didn't have a choice but to live in the city and work several jobs in order to afford to do so. And I have a problem with that. We all have choices. They may not be easy choices, and there may be sacrifices you have to make, but there is always a choice. We moved to Texas from Virginia Beach because the economy is better here and there was the potential to get a better job with more stable income. Was it easy to pack up a Uhaul and a Prius and two dogs and drive all the way to Texas over the course of two days? Heck no! But we made the choice. 

To tie this in with photography, I thought about the choices I make, being a working mom with a side job and a two year old son, trying to also launch my own photography business. I could make the choice to drop my job as a photographer with The Wildflower Barn so I have more time to spend with my son on weekends during the wedding season. I could give up my entrepreneurial dream. But what kind of example would I be setting for him? And what kind of quality of life would I have, if I gave up my creative outlets? I want my son to know that it's not the amount of time we spend together, it's HOW we spend our time. I want him to respect that his mother works very hard to provide for him and to care for herself emotionally and creatively, so that she is available for him. I want to teach him how to make choices that enable his dreams to fall into place, and I want him to be comfortable with failure, because it's going to happen and it's not something to fear. 

You see, when I hear people say they don't have a choice, what I hear is, "I'm too afraid to choose." Because let's face it...when you're faced with a decision, you don't know what the result of your choice will be. There's a certain amount of inherent risk in choosing between two options. Your choice could end horribly...or it could lead to success and adventure. It's all in your mindset. It takes a certain amount of bravery and maybe even calculated recklessness to make a choice. Some people would rather ride a wave of comfort than face the UNKNOWN and the possibilities that lurk in its depths. So, I say to you - get in there! Kick off those shorts, tie back that hair, and jump into that icy darkness. Challenge those sharks and be fearless and ferocious and seize your dreams! Don't be afraid to fail. At least if you fail, you know that you tried. Because the only thing worse than not doing that thing you wanted to do, is REGRETTING that you didn’t do that thing you wanted to do.

Wedding at Three Dudes Winery, San Marcos, TX, April 28, 2018

This was such a fun, intimate event! I shot a wedding at Three Dudes Winery (www.threedudeswinery.com) for one of my husband's clients at the end of April, the day before my son's birthday. It was a late afternoon ceremony and the day was just breathtaking...bright, blue sky, cotton ball clouds, a soft breeze, not too hot (surprising for Texas, even for springtime). I'm embarrassed to say I never even knew this venue existed, and so close to my neighborhood! Set back from a country road and lined by a cute wooden fence and towering trees, this little gem was nestled between the Blanco River and farmland. In fact, if you looked over the embankment, you could see tubers making their slow, languid way down the river. There were cows grazing in the nearby field, birds all around...it was such a charming, peaceful venue! The venue coordinators were friendly and attentive to the couple and their guests, and answered my awkward "first-timer" questions.

I did have a couple of off-beat moments (BLUSH). Disclaimer: I had never met the groom or bride before. They had booked me for an hour but I wanted to make sure I captured all the high points of their day, so I arrived a little earlier than the ceremony time to scout the venue out and get some shots of the scenery and details, as well as the bride getting ready. I was introduced to the groom, RL, and came across what I thought was a sister of the bride, so I asked a few questions regarding ceremony time and whether she was coordinating the wedding...it turned out I was speaking to the bride! Oops! Mia was very gracious, as was her husband to be. I felt right at home mingling among the guests and snapping away! 

The light was just gorgeous, both throughout the ceremony and after. No off-camera flash was ever needed and I couldn't have asked for better scenery or conditions. The sunset was so beautiful, I couldn't help but work well  past the hour snapping some romantic shots of the couple on the deck. My only regret was not sampling the delicious desserts - they were made by RL himself! He is a culinary chef operating out of Central Texas (www.centraltexaschef.com) and these little goodies looked amazing!!! All the guests were gushing about how delicious his food is and I could have kicked myself for not trying one of these cute little custards.

The bride's flowers were absolutely on-point for such a sunny day, as were the sunflower accents throughout the venue. The bride's Grecian style dress was stunning - she was truly glowing the entire time! I enjoyed the calmness of this event and the peaceful landscape and can only hope that all of my future couples are as sweet and in love as these two obviously were. It was such an honor to photograph their wedding. Check out some of the adorable decor and photos of the newlyweds below.

How I Prep for a Shoot

How I prep for a shoot:

6 MONTHS PRIOR:

Ok, by now you should be booked with me if it is a big event (wedding, sporting event, etc). We have worked out the date, I’ve calendared it, you’ve maybe paid some/all of the deposit by now and hopefully we’ve met for coffee and flushed out some ideas/discussed what look you’re going for.

2 MONTHS PRIOR:

I like to check in with clients about once a month to see how they’re feeling and find out if they have any changes, new ideas or fresh inspirations. Anything can happen in a month’s time, so I like to be prepared. Is your cousin from Thailand attending? Maybe you haven’t seen her in several years and you want to make sure I get plenty of photos of you with her. Maybe you’ve updated your photo list for formal pictures after your wedding, due to a recent divorce within your family and there’s a little tension I need to be aware of so that I can make sure to keep certain people separate during photos. Maybe your 4-year old niece is your flower girl and she doesn't like photos so I'll need to bring my lens buddy Elmer (a squeaky elephant that wraps around my lens and elicits many smiles from little ones). Maybe you’ve decided your ceremony time is too late and you will miss the opportunity for Golden Hour photos if you don’t adjust the timeline of events. Maybe you just want to shoot me a link to your Pinterest board, where you have found some super cute ideas for engagement/senior photos. I like to be IN the KNOW. 

A month or two prior to our scheduled shoot I will be doing MAJOR homework. I love, love, LOVE Pinterest, and I have created many boards for both scheduled and potential clients. I will share a few of these with you at the end of this post. I like to share my boards with clients who may be struggling for ideas, whether it's for outfits, makeup, accessories (jewelry, scarves, etc.) locations, poses, props...Pinterest also keeps me inspired, especially when I shoot at the same locations often. I'll check out other photographers and venues and gather some sweet new lighting ideas or discover new angles for capturing jewelry or bouquets.

A week or two away? Now we're getting down to the nitty gritty. I'll check in with you and make sure you are excited as I am about your upcoming date! Any changes? Be sure to let me know. If we're shooting at a location or venue I haven't shot at before, this is when I'll go visit and do a “BSW,” or my “Brain Storm Walkabout.” I'll scout out the area and get an idea of what kind of surroundings I'll have, what kind of shots would look amazing, and what lenses I'll need for those amazing shots. If it's a wedding, I'll check for power outlets so I know whether or not to bring portable chargers. I also try to think about coverage in terms of location in case it rains. We all know Texas weather can sometimes be a little unpredictable, so I like to have a backup plan in case you are unable to reschedule the shoot. Did I mention I like to be prepared?

The day before? Oh my gosh, remember when school would be about to start and you would be sleepless the night before? Yeah, that's totally me. I spend the day before readying my equipment. Batteries? Check. Lenses cleaned? Check. Flashes and camera body functioning? Check. Holster straps secure? Check. List of photos requested by you? Check. Timeline? Check. Extra batteries, lenses, etc.? Check. Plenty of memory cards to capture those awesome shots? Check. Then I double- and triple-check the starting time. This is also about the time I hope and wish and pray to the fair-weather gods to keep the skies beautiful for us the next day. Sometimes they are listening...sometimes they aren't! So much goes into my preparations to capture forever for you...in a photograph.

Pinterest Boards:

https://www.pinterest.com/IvyTendrils/bridal-party/

https://www.pinterest.com/IvyTendrils/groom-groomsmen/

https://www.pinterest.com/IvyTendrils/family-photos/

Big Day!

I have time for a short post this week - tomorrow is my little boy's second birthday, so it's been a flurry of cleaning up the house before the grandparents arrive, both to celebrate and watch my baby while I shoot my first solo wedding for my business this afternoon. I have given up on trying to keep him clean and presentable today - right now we are chilling on the patio where he has graduated from drawing on the concrete with chalk to drawing on my laptop and his clothing. But he's so stinking cute! 

It's supposed to be a gorgeous sunny day in the low 80s, perfect wedding weather! I'm so excited to check out Three Dudes Winery in San Marcos - this will be a new venue for me to shoot at and from what I could see online, there are some amazing spots where I can capture some memorable shots. It will be a small first job, but I am okay with that - it seems like the best way for me to launch this dream of mine - start small and work up to something big!

Today I'll be shooting with my Canon 5D Mark IV and a 50 mm lens for some amazing portraits. I'll also be bringing my Nikon D5100 and a 55-300 zoom lens for those special close-up ceremony moments. I can't wait to share some photos with you and let you all know how it went! Enjoy the day!

Vision

Sorry, everyone, it’s been a while since I last blogged and I apologize! I’ve been SOOOOO sick. For those who don't know, I have asthma but it’s usually dormant. Once a year or so, generally at the beginning of the year when it’s still winter (aka between 60-70 degrees in Texas), I’ll come down with a cold or sinus infection and it will trigger my ASTHMA OF DOOM. I can’t breathe, I can’t stop coughing, I can’t seem to clear out whatever is stuck in my throat. It’s terrible. This year, the plague snuck up on me in March and it pummeled me. At one point I think I had strep, asthma and an ear infection all at the same time. It was UGLY. I think I even worked two weddings in the middle of that funk and looking back, I don’t know how I managed to not drop from exhaustion and the effort of trying to breathe. LOL. But seriously, I decided I needed to rest and get better so I put blogging on hold and now I’m back!

Today I want to bare my soul and tell you about an idea for a project I've been thinking about for a while. I’ll start with a little background about me. I grew up very sheltered in a small, historic town on the banks of the Ohio River. I'm talking brick streets and giant sternwheelers rolling down the river. If you don't know what a sternwheeler is, think Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. There was very little cultural diversity of any kind in my town and at the time, the three economic classes (high, middle, low) were very delineated. Homelessness was unheard of, something you only witnessed when the 6 o’clock evening news referenced a big city, something you read about in the “National News” section of the local newspaper. I personally did not see my first homeless individual until I was in my early 20’s in Charleston, West Virginia, and TBH, I’m not even positive he was homeless; he was just scruffy and bedraggled and begged me for some change for coffee on the sidewalk. However, my reaction to the experience highlights my point that homelessness was not something I was accustomed to seeing, nor was it prevalent in my neighborhood or region.

All of this changed when I moved to Austin, TX in 2013. In Austin, I saw homeless men and women, shuffling down the sidewalks with blankets tied around their shoulders, pushing beaten Walmart shopping carts piled several feet high with scraps of their lives. I saw entire camps carpeting the concrete under the overpasses, some campers having only a flattened cardboard box for a sleeping surface, some with tents, others perched on chairs with their faithful canine companions lolling on the ground nearby. I used to work at the Municipal Court downtown on 7th Street. There would be scores of transients (by the way, I hate that word and I’ll explain why) sheltering under I35 across from the Court and police department. And then one day, they’d be gone – it was like a mass exodus. I later found out from a police officer through work that it was more like a mass eviction. He explained that whenever a celebrity or high-ranking individual visits Austin, a sweep is done. The homeless are arrested and brought to jail for various reasons to get them off the streets while the high status individual is in town, to give the appearance that the city does not have such a huge homeless issue. I have not personally confirmed this but I became more aware of the disappearance of the homeless camps during political seasons or when large events occurred downtown (SXSW, ACL, etc.).

I hope it’s not true that Austin tries to hide its homeless population. They are as much a part of this town and its culture and vibe as anything or anyone else. When we refer to them as transient it connotes that these people are “in between” or here for a brief stay, or temporarily without shelter. Maybe this is our attempt to avoid the shame or pity we feel toward these individuals. Why do we have a place to live and food to eat and clean clothes to wear and access to medical care but they don’t? We don’t like to face the possibility that we have failed as a society to care for our own people. It scares us to look these people in the eye and know that they could be us. We may make up reasons why they are homeless…maybe they have an addiction they refuse to get help for. Maybe they made a bad business decision and lost everything. Maybe they hurt someone in their family and were kicked out. Or maybe the truth is that there isn’t a good, definitive reason, it’s not their fault and it could happen to any of us. Maybe that’s the scariest thing of all. But calling them transient ignores the problem, IMO. They are homeless. They have no home. For some and possibly many of them, this is not a temporary issue. Some, if not many, may never recover their footing and may always be without shelter.

Anyway, I am getting off-track. My idea for a project is to chronicle the character of Austin's homeless population through photography. I want to capture the raw qualities of living life day to day without shelter, in a photojournalistic style. While I think it might be a bit unnerving to delve into that territory, I think presenting the many faces of Austin's homeless people to its citizens in startling black and white imagery would be beneficial. It would shine a light into a very dark corner of Austin's reality. It may even direct enough attention to the problem in order to generate a little more feedback and assistance from the community.

Sorry if this post seems a little dark to some. I just wanted to give you all some background to my inspirations.

Farewell to Austin's "Graffiti Park" (HOPE Outdoor Gallery)

My husband found it amusing that I wanted to write a farewell to the Graffiti Park in my next blog post. "You've only been there once," he reminded me. Yeah, it's true. I've lived in Austin for five years now and last year was my first and only visit to the Graffiti Park on Castle Hill. To be honest, I kept hearing about this park and had no idea where it was. Even crazier - I was driving by this location for over a year, and working less than five blocks away the entire time I've lived in the area, without a clue how close I was to the park. One day in July last year, my husband and I took a trip there with our 16 month old son, to check it out for the first time. It was spread out, chaotic, dusty, littered in some places with empty spray cans...I think I was expecting an environment that was a little more controlled. But really, it's a free-for-all sprawling canvas of half-demolished walls and underbrush and overgrowth, without an empty space in sight! People basically come armed with spray paint and paint whatever they like over whatever they want! No rules, really. It's amazing, other than the trash littered here and there by past visitors. It was a steamy afternoon for a touchy climb to the top in a park with no trail or a sidewalk, just a dirt/gravel path. And maybe I didn't get the full experience since I didn't bring a can of spray paint: all I brought was my camera. But I recorded some pretty hip art.

A month ago I found out this park is under plans to be demolished. For those of you not familiar with Graffiti Park, its true name is the HOPE Outdoor Gallery. It's at 1012 Baylor Street and was started in March 2011, just after a SXSW event. The rumor is that the site of the park is a failed housing development from the 1980s.

More than 300 documented artists have left their mark here. It's the only "paint park" in the United States, averaging 500 visitors a day since 2013. Photos are being taken to memorialize the park so that a full record of its existence can be preserved and archived at the Austin History Center, because on Monday, January 30, 2018, Austin's Historic Landmark Commission voted 8-0 to demolish it. Despite the fact that Graffiti Park has become a cultural icon and tourist hotspot (and a pretty unique and awesome artistic outlet), it is not considered "historic." 

The plan is to relocate this park to 9507 Sherman Road, near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. One of the concrete slabs from the current location will be transported to the new location, which boasts 6 acres/48,750 square feet of artistic space, open to aspiring artists some time in late 2018. You only have until June of this year to enjoy the current site. It will likely be replaced with a multi-family unit development. I'm a little sad about that, so this blog is my farewell to a pretty far-out piece of Austin. The new location is in an area I don't frequent unless I'm traveling by plane. Maybe I'll make it out there once in the next five years. Ha! To view more images from this awesome, iconic location, link to my gallery: 

https://www.amandajgreenphotography.com/gallery/aj9g9r0amho984w2u77hs5yar2otxn

Creative Inspiration - Wedding Season 2018

Wedding season is almost upon me, and I’m starting it with a BANG this year – two weddings back-to-back on Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24! I’m super, super stoked for this year’s wedding season! I have a new camera, a Canon 5D Mark IV that I’ve had my eyes on for well over two years now. I caved in and bought it in January as a Christmas present to myself. These first weddings of the season will be my first opportunity to shoot professionally with my new camera, and I can't wait! Imaging USA this year really got me pumped up about using off-camera flash more creatively and I came away with all sorts of ideas on how to pose large groups (read…FAMILY and BRIDAL PARTY), thanks to Michele Celentano and the Canon Live Learning Stage. Michele gave me a totally new perspective on how to pose families and bridal parties. She teaches you to treat heads and shoulders of individuals as puzzle pieces and to utilize sitting, standing and kneeling postures to create depth in the photo (and fit all those lovely people in the picture!). I can't wait to try out these ideas at the end of the month!

I’ve also been reading Roberto Valenzuela’s Picture Perfect Lighting, in which he discusses the five properties of light and the ten circumstantial light elements (CLEs). Many of the 10 CLEs deal with using your environment to manipulate the light in such a way that your photos are amazingly lit. I’ll definitely be using more reflective surfaces (walls, sidewalks, streets, fences, etc.) to bounce beautiful light toward my subjects. I’m already thinking of the lovely bright yellow outside walls of the bridal suite at The Wildflower Barn venue! I also have a really nice set of reflectors that I purchased last fall that I haven’t had a chance to really play with so I’ll be incorporating these into future shoots as well. 

This past week I was invited by a friend to join Booray Perry’s Take Better Pix group on Facebook. Booray was another amazing speaker at Imaging USA this year and I took a ton of notes on his recommended camera settings for different lighting situations. Although his Take Better Pix group is geared more toward beginner photographers, I really enjoy his approach to learning/teaching. You can post photos in the group and he will give up-front, honest advice on what is missing, what you could improve, sometimes what is just plain bad. It’s a great group to join, even if you just take pictures with your phone (I mean, who doesn’t?). Just be open to constructive criticism – others will also jump in with suggestions and it’s all to help you become better at taking pictures.

It’s a little silly now when I think about it, but it was terrible at the time - I had the WORST nightmare Thursday night. I dreamed that I was photographing a wedding but I either completely forgot how to operate my camera, or it completely stopped functioning - none of the buttons or knobs were doing what I thought they were supposed to do and I was missing all the important pictures – the first look, the procession, the vows, the first kiss. I was in panic mode and almost in tears! Not cool. I can tell wedding season is almost here! 

Preparing for Portraits

So you've booked a date for your portraits...now what? Well, believe it or not, we photographers aren't alone in doing the work - you have some preparing to do. Here are a few pointers on things you can think about and plan for before picture day:

Expression

• Practice often and well. There is no rule that says you have to smile. Some portraits really pop with a serious expression, and if you are getting headshots taken for a business, a smile may not even be appropriate. Check with your employer for guidance. Sometimes no smile is better than a toothy grin! When you don't smile, the viewer's attention is drawn instead to the eyes, which can be more expressive than the mouth. Also, a practiced expression does not mean a rehearsed one. It’s important to be relaxed so the photographer can elicit a natural expression from you, not one that is forced. Just take some deep breaths, relax, have a good time and be confident that the photographer will capture your best images!

Posture

• Bad posture = bad photos. If you slouch, you will look tired, bored, sick, and generally just not your best self. Standing or sitting upright with a straight spine, relaxed shoulders (don’t shrug them up to your ears), chin up – all of these things work wonders and you will shine with confidence in your portraits. A good photographer will cue you on how to stand, sit, kneel, tilt your head/chin, position your arms, etc., but having great posture makes his/her job easier and goes a long way toward improving how you look in your photos.

Props

• Depending on the type of shoot, props give your photos personality. Pinterest is a great place of ideas (isn't it always?!). Examples include a bike/motorcycle, sentimental piece of jewelry,  musical instrument, handcrafted sign, favorite book, trophy, uniform, sports equipment, pet, your favorite flowers, sunglasses, a parasol, etc. Even little accessories can really give your portraits a zing – a hat or scarf can add some dimension and fun to your photos.

Clothing

• For the most part, this is up to you and also depends on the look you are going for. Avoid clothing with a lot of spandex (sunlight can reflect off of this material, giving it a see-through quality). If it is an outdoor shoot, keep your location in mind and wear colors that will help you “pop” out of the background. For example, if your photo shoot will be in a grassy park, stay away from wearing greens – too much green can be overpowering and the focus will be on the color and the background, not you. Neutrals are great if they complement your skin tone. Bold, vibrant colors can be fun. Patterns are also fun. If it’s going to be a windy day, stay away from a breezy skirt or dress or you may be too self-conscious about keeping it from billowing up around you to be able to relax, have a good time, and present your most natural, vibrant personality in your photos. Wear comfortable shoes. That doesn’t mean they have to be frumpy. Just be prepared to stand/walk in them. 

Good side

• Many people have what they refer to as their “good side.” At the 2018 Imaging USA convention, on the Canon Live Learning Stage, I believe it was Peter Hurley (but don’t quote me on that – it could have been Lindsay Adler or one of the other many amazing photographers/speakers I saw) who explained that this is a real thing. Faces are not always completely symmetrical and some people are very self-aware – they know immediately what side they want toward the camera. Often, it’s the side your hair parts naturally on. If you’re wondering if you have a “good” side or a “bad” side, take a look at previous pictures of you (hooray for social media!) and look for a trend – do you tend to turn to one particular side in most photos? Do you look awkward in the other photos? Ask a trusted friend to give an opinion. For me, my nose is a little crooked. For real. It’s very slight…you have to be extremely close up to notice it. But I have noticed when I turn my head to one particular side, it’s a little more noticeable and my nose is not as straight in profile. Trust me – it took MANY years for me to realize this. 

Least Liked Feature

• We all have one. Well, most of us do. I won’t tell you mine. But it’s there. I have tried for years to minimize it, to change it, to disguise it… So, if you have one, let your photographer know. It might be something he or she can work with to make you feel a little less worried about it becoming the focal point of your portraits.

Goal

• Let your photographer know what your vision is. Ask to go out for coffee (who doesn’t love coffee?!) so you can discuss your ideas. Create a Pinterest board (I do this all the time!!!) so that you can quickly share your vision with your photographer. Just be open to guidance and suggestions – some visions need a little tweaking due to light conditions/weather/backgrounds, etc. We don’t want to tell you that your idea isn’t possible, but a photo with you surrounded by exotic zoo animals or a dozen white stallions probably isn’t going to happen. Even with Photoshop. Sorry.

So, you have your homework. Hopefully you have time to prepare! Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.

The Photographer's Photographer

It's funny…my son had picture day day at his daycare on Wednesday and my husband was a little skeptical about purchasing the photos. He insisted that I could take better photos and (BONUS!) we wouldn't have to pay for them. As a non-photographer, my husband doesn't understand that in my off-time, I don't necessarily want to take photos. Don't get me wrong, photography is my passion, and if you check my storage devices, you will see that about 90% of my photos are of my son. But sometimes I need a break, whether it's because I am in the middle of wedding season and I am feeling the time crunch of balancing my full-time job and shooting weddings on the weekends, or I'm enjoying my time off with my family and working on promoting my business. Sometimes, taking a photos is the last thing I want to do. It's also worth mentioning that my son is at the age where he could outsquirm a water snake. NO one wants to wrestle a nice pair of pants and a snazzy shirt on a water snake. NO one wants to chase said snake through a house and comb his hair. 

I received proofs of my son's photos the same day they were taken. He's so adorable! He has an amazing natural expression and the photographer did a great job capturing it. But are they the best photos? No. Could I have done better? Maybe…the photos were not straight, the cropping was a little strange…but taking pictures of little ones running around a daycare cannot be an easy job. I have a hard enough time collecting my little one…a whole room full of them has to be a challenge! But you know what? Letting another professional photograph my son showed me how others view my son. The photographer on Wednesday captured my son's ornery, adorable little smile. She captured his curiosity, his playful demeanor…all aspects of his personality that I see every day. 

And oh yeah, I spent $75 on photos from his daycare photo shoot. ;)