Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Natural Photos + Posing



Mike & Courtney (St. Cloud)

I've been thinking about this topic for a while...So, sorry. It's going to be a choppy ride. I love photography. But my FAVORITE thing about it is capturing moments like this. Original moments that a couple shares as if I wasn't even there. I wasn't really paying attention here and Mike just hugged Courtney. It was just a sporadic moment of loving his favorite person. This picture is what I love about what I do. 
Nick & Steph (Minneapolis)

When you guys book a session with me I want you to be on a date with each other. A session date isn't the time to pose like you're at your first prom. It's a time to talk and laugh and dance and hug, just like you'd do if you were talking over coffee, or walking through a park, or shopping, or making breakfast. That's what makes your session unique and special. The best photos are the ones of you guys being yourselves.

 So I'm not sure what the point of all that was...maybe just to say that I want you guys to be natural and real with each other...and me. Cause that's the kind of photography I do. That's how I roll.

Cheers loves,


Friday, May 18, 2018

Mike & Cortney (St. Cloud Rock Quarries)


Mike & Courtney
Last winter I put out some posts about needing some couples to model for sessions. Courtney contacted me, and I met with her and Mike to discuss details. After a quick coffee date, I just happened to browse Facebook and saw that they had gotten engaged THAT AFTERNOON! That made the session so much more exciting. 

We decided to shoot in the Rock Quarries, which are beautiful during spring but have some odd stories and history. If I go there again, I'll bring Pepper Spray, and make sure I'm shooting during the week...too many people up there during the weekends!


I've realized that laughing, in photos, is one of the most unique and precious things in engagement sessions. When a couple giggles over an inside joke or starts to spiral into laughter because one of them blinked at an odd time or said something funny, they create a genuine connection that you can see in the photo. 


So anyway, Mike & Courtney are totally in love, and they're full of life and laughter. I'm so excited for their future together.

Cheers,





Wednesday, May 16, 2018

How to Take Simple Product Photography (for Etsy, FB, IG) With an iPhone


My mom started and owns Waverly Soap Company (if you haven't been on her Etsy page you should go there now, and treat yourself. Once you start with a good product you'll never be able to go back). Anyway, after yeeeears of experimenting with photos and backgrounds and filters, we've narrowed it down to a science. So I though I'd share what we do, because to be honest, I was mildly fascinated with how much we've progressed (in the photography department)...which now that I think about it, is totally my fault, cause I wanted to be the photographer. Wow. Please close your browser and stop reading about how awful I used to be at my current job. I swear I've gotten better at this.

So anyway, iPhone photos aren't the clearest but they work SO well for Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook.

I'd recommend starting with a starkly light or dark background or a VERY blurry one. And absolutely never ever use a printed background. Never take photos against scrapbook paper, or a wrinkly curtain etc. I've tried that (like a million years ago), and now I look back at those photos and they make me want to cry. And never, ever, add little accent things to the picture. You want people to notice your product. Not your pearl necklace or the random "accent" lily in the corner of the picture.


Also, the apple editor on your phone is a gold mine. And that's NOT because they added new filters. No, go past the filters and you can use that little editor to correct colors and lighting. I'd also recommend downloading VSCO for editing. That one is definitely my favorite for changing lighting/saturation/angles. I highly recommend taking photos that you think are "good enough" and adding some contrast. Cause 99% of the time they'll get better.
Since you can manage your Etsy shop an Facebook/Instagram from your phone, it makes so much sense to do photos like this with an app and your phone.
So anyway, I just wanted to share all that stuff with you all cause I thought it was pretty cool. And since it took us so long to pin-point what good product photos looks like, I hope maybe someone can be spared.
Mike & Cortney's session will be up on this weekend. So start getting excited for that!!
Cheers,


Tuesday, May 8, 2018

10 Things I learned...

After this weekend's incredible session, I thought I would share 10 things I learned from it. Quick FYI ,this blog is a bit like a journal/note-to-self, so this is literally my brain on "paper".
So here we go:

1. Partly cloudy weather = splotchy sunshine = weird bright spots on peoples faces and clothes. I think it's better to place people against the sun, so that you can edit bigger chunks of the image instead of a zillion tiny sunshine spots.

2. Pink is not the enemy. I used to hate ALL pink in photos cause it just seemed to throw the photo off and back into the 90s. Not any more. I have come to embrace pink some shades of pink.





 3. Know your expectations. Keep them low. Strive to exceed them, don't beat yourself up over not being perfect. #lifelesson. BTW, this session was more amazing than I could have every imaged it would be.

4. You are in charge of the photos. P H O T O G R A P H E R. Some couples will be super comfortable in front of the camera and some won't be. Respect boundaries. You can't change the couple and you shouldn't. Let them do whatever is natural for them. Colton & Kendra were super crazy into each other and totally relaxed in front of the camera. Which was fantastic.


5. Be helpful and bring blankets if it's cold.

6. Bring tons of extra battery.

7. Knowing your locations ahead of time is way less stressful and silly than winging it. I had no idea where I was going in Montana and it was so awkward to say (to natives of the area) "Yeah we maybe passed a field somewhere on the way up and we should stop back there". Thankfully le boyfriend knew exactly where we were.


8. No session is perfect. There's a 99% chance that you'll have a little glitch to deal with. For example, I dragged an entire bouquet of exotic greens to Montana...and now that I think of it, they're probably still on the kitchen table where I forgot them on my way out to the session. Oops.

9. Be thankful and stay humble.

10. Edit in a timely manner. Don't put that off and let it become a chore. Do it while you're still on a session high.

Alright. That's it. That's some of the stuff I took away from this session...along with a massive stack of adorable photos, a bigger love for photography, a sun burn, and plans to go back to the mountains soon.

Cheers!



Monday, May 7, 2018

Vacation

Heyo, I'm back! I was in Montana for the last few days, and along with being able to see the love of my life graduate college, I was able to do a styled session in the mountains. Which was awesome. And beautiful. And now I don't want to live in Minnesota ;)
Anyway, Matt set up this session (Wut. Yeah. I have the best boyfriend ever), and I was able to do engagement photos for Colton and Kendra in the mountains of Montana. Stunning scenery, beautiful sunshine. I could not have asked for a more beautiful day or beautiful couple. 




I was also able to get my spot on Forever Bride in tip-top shape! Thanks to Colton and Kendra I now have a Forever Bride portfolio and a beautiful looking page on there! That was a huge thing on my checklist. #blessed



TOMORROW, I will be posting the top 10 things I learned from this session. So stay tuned.
Cheers,

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

FOREVER BRIDE TRIBE


Today was a big day for me. I should actually go buy myself a cake and a bunch of balloons to celebrate.
When I joined Instagram a few years ago, I followed this page called Forever Bride and saw their adorable posts about brides and weddings, and I really wanted to be apart of that. I loved wedding photography, and so I kept up with photographers and wedding trends through their page. I had this little dream to be apart of the Forever Bride family someday. Everything about them was so perfect. Then, last week I saw that Forever Bride started following me. WHHHAT. I was freaking out! I called my boyfriend and he got excited with me. <3 And then I got a message from them. Someone from Forever Bride had MESSAGED ME! And then they set up a coffee date with me. Oh my word, I don't think I've ever been so excited for anything. Today finally came. I met with Shauna and Ashley (absolutely beautiful, sweet women), and they showed me exactly what Forever Bride does. My mind was blown and I was dazzled by the possibilities for photographers and the growth they have created.
So now I'm part of the Forever Bride Tribe and absolutely ecstatic for what the future holds.

XOXO,

Sunday, April 15, 2018

RATES (and my opinions)

Okay...here goes.
After a LOT of thought and consideration I have decided to post my "general" rates. These are so subject to change with different travel times, print orders, and location changes.

SENIORS..........$240.00

FAMILIES........$490.00

COUPLES.........$300.00

MATERNITY...$300.00

NEWBORNS....$210.00

PORTRAITS.....$90.00

EVENTS...........$300.00

SEASONAL MINI SESSIONS....$90.00

WEDDINGS.....Please contact me!

So, here's the thing I struggle with. I'm not totally in this business to make money. Like I have to survive and live, but I'm not in this to make a million dollars. I really want to love people through this. With that being said, PLEASE contact me if you need photos and can't afford modern photography rates. I would love to work something out with you. Lots of important things happen in life and I would not want you to miss out on having sweet moments captured because a photographer is not in the budget. 
Alright that's all!

Love you guys,

Sunday, April 1, 2018

In-Home Session: Oliver Picking

My heart is so full right now. I did an in-home newborn session for a family and absolutely LOVED it. It's difficult to carry props around when you're a one-man act, so I went with white curtains (as backdrops), a white baby wrap, and a variety of greens for some trendy/earthy photos. 
NATURAL LIGHTING IS GOLD. As much as studio lights are good and helpful, absolutely nothing beats a room of natural light. 


There's a sense of honor and pride in every session. The feeling of capturing something so pure and perfect makes me crazy happy; A family laughing at an inside joke, a couple smiling at each other cause they are so crazy-head-over-heels in love, or a brand new child gazing at the world around them with awe and wonder. Over the next few weeks I'll be putting out in-depth posts about why I like each specific session, along with the challenges and obstacles I face in each different type. 
So, stay tuned!





Lemon leaves, eucalyptus, and ferns are such a beautiful addition to a newborn photos...






 Oliver's brother Sawyer popped into the session for a bit....much to my amusement :)



Natural Photos + Posing

Mike & Courtney (St. Cloud) I've been thinking about this topic for a while...So, sorry. It's going to be a choppy ride...