I am always reading stories in Photography Facebook groups I am a part of where clients ask or demand all the raw photos from their sessions or weddings. Thankfully, I have only had that happen a couple of times, and my explanation about why I don’t give my raw photos has always satisfied wondering minds.
Read MoreSo you’ve just gotten engaged and are in the beginning phases of planning your wedding…congratulations! What an exciting time! After that initial excitement, however, it can become overwhelming when you start thinking about all the vendors you will need and all the choices and decisions you will have to make. At the top of your list should be your photographer, because after all, your photographer will be tasked with capturing all the beauty and special moments of your big day. You want to make sure you pick one with the skills, vision, and style who will document your memories perfectly. So take a deep breath… and let me share some steps that might help you find the perfect wedding photographer!
Read MoreMaybe you are a budding photographer looking to buy your first DSLR. Or maybe you are the parent of a kid who has an interest in photography. Christmas is just a little over a month away, and I know for a FACT that Santa loves to give cameras to people for Christmas! But what’s the best type to ask him for? I’ve been asked this question by so many people, I thought I would share my advice here!
Read MorePhotography gear and equipment can YEARS to acquire—it can be incredibly expensive, and sometimes you might not know where to start. So, I decided to create a blog post with some of my favorite accessories that have made my life as a photographer so much easier! Some are fairly inexpensive, and some you may already have in your home! And if you think it’s completely random, read the little blurb about how I use it. You might learn something new!
Read MoreEstablishing a strong working relationship between a wedding photographer and a second shooter is one of the most important parts of capturing a seamless story of a wedding day. I consider my seconds as a part of my “team” on the wedding day, and keeping that “team” mindset is why I think I have established such good relationships with my seconds! Keep reading for some suggestions to help the lead and second create a successful working relationship.
Read MoreThankfully, in my 11+ years of being a photographer, I have rarely had an unhappy client. Managing expectations is one thing you have to do well to prevent these types of issues, especially when a client comes to you with a list of ideas from Pinterest or an inspiration board, such as vibrant sunset photos. So here are some tips on managing those expectations from both the photographer and client point-of-view, as well as tips on photographing sunset portraits!
Read MorePlanning a wedding can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially when it comes to organizing the timeline of events leading up to your big day! A well-planned timeline is crucial to ensure that everything runs smoothly AND that all of the important moments are captured. I am not a wedding planner, but I have been a wedding photographer for 11+ years, and many of my clients have been DIY brides without a planner, so I end up being their go-to when planning their timelines! My first piece of advice is this: If you can, hire a planner. They are there to help make your day run as smoothly as possible! But if you can’t hire a planner, or even if you have one and you’re working out the details of your timeline, here are some tips to make sure you create the best opportunities for good photos…
Read MoreFocal length, aperture, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm...prime, fixed, zoom....what does it all mean?!? I recently started a YouTube Channel for photography education, and one of the first requests I had from 2 different viewers was to share about different lenses and what they are for. So I recorded a video and wrote this blog post about just that! If you are trying to understand lenses, what all the numbers mean, and what they are used for, keep reading!
Read More…One of the most exciting things I am embarking on this summer is a YouTube channel, blending my love of photography and teaching. I have thought about trying this for a couple of years, but honestly, the logistics behind it seemed so daunting. And then I thought—how many lessons did I record for my students during the pandemic? How many students did I teach online during the Spring of 2020 and in dual-modality during the 2020-2021 school year? It can’t be much harder than that! Plus, my almost 10-year-old son wants to start a YouTube channel for gaming, so I thought this might be a way to help him figure it out and give both of us a little experience. So, drumroll please….here it is! My first YouTube video, a 20-ish minute tutorial on the three things you really need to understand to master manual mode on your camera, also known as the exposure triangle—aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Read MoreOne of the first questions I ask my clients while we are in the planning process for portrait sessions is if they have any ideas for locations. A few of my clients know exactly where they want their photos taken, but most do not have a clue where they would like to go! There are so many unique ideas for photo locations: open landscapes, greenhouses, botanical gardens, parks, parking garages, coffee shops, playgrounds, bookstores, beaches, lakes, bridges, downtown areas, campgrounds, riversides, hiking trails, alleyways, painted murals, abandoned buildings, sports fields, museums, restaurants, favorite stores, docks, your own neighborhood, yard, or home, etc. I definitely have my favorite spots, but I also love exploring new locations!
Read MoreOne of the main reasons I wanted to learn how to work my camera was so that I could take good pictures of my children. And as Murphy’s law would have it, I have the most difficult children to photograph! I don’t often pull out my “big camera,” but when I do, my kids seem to run in the opposite direction or throw up their hands and yell, “STOP!” Or, even worse, they make ridiculous faces or stick out their tongues (see sidebar for some of the funniest). I swear it’s wired into their brains to do that! I tell my families all the time that I have more, better photos of other people’s children than my own! But on occasion, they do cooperate, and I have been able to capture some treasures! If you’re trying to get good photographs of your own children, here are some suggestions that might help!
Read More“Go with the flow…”
I can do that! I can chill out. I can be flexible!
Who am I kidding?!? The only time I can truly live like that is the one week a year when we’re on vacation, and even then, it takes me weeks beforehand to research the best places to eat, find discounts and coupons, plan grocery lists, and pack.
I am not the type of person that can live my life without a vision or plan. I thrive on structure, schedules, and organization. Knowing where I am going and how much time I have to get there actually relaxes me! For the first few years of running a small business, I had no structure. I was “going with the flow,” and it was burning me out! It often meant lots of late nights, binge editing, and arguments with my husband over how I was spending my free time. Finding that work-life balance was a priority, but it was hard to see from the inside what I needed to do. So I spent a month working with a life/business coach, and she was able to look at things from the outside in and identify some areas that I could easily adjust to make my life easier. One of the most important things she taught me was how to develop workflows for my business and my life. From wedding photography to meal-planning, workflows have become my best friend. So if you’re like me, keep reading…I am going to share a few of my top secret workflows with you. Maybe one will inspire you to get yourself a little more organized so that you can free up time to go with YOUR flow!
Read MoreFirst, you have to understand that photography is literally “writing with light.” As I teach the students in my ELA class every year, “photo” means light and “graph” means write. Aperture, shutter speed, and ISO all have to do with controlling the light you allow into your camera so that you can expose, or make clear, your image. But there are other effects that you can achieve by controlling aperture, shutter speed, and ISO that aren’t light related—bokeh, blur, and grain.
Read MoreWhether or not you want to become a professional photographer or not, learning photography can be one of the most challenging yet rewarding things you can do. There is SO MUCH information out there, but where do you even begin? First, you must master your camera. Then, you must master your craft.
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