This session ended up being a great session even though I walked in having no idea where I would end up shooting (which is typically the case). My subjects were two young sisters – 3 months old and 1 1/2 years old (yikes, busy!).

I think the Mom and I had both assumed we would shoot mostly inside. However, that thinking shifted somewhat after having a walk-about and being less than enthused about the available light. At this point, it was time to check out the backyard.

Although it was crowded with various furniture, and quite narrow…

Wasn't sure at first...

…it did look like it had some potential after I took a quick look around. I noticed the back gate and one fenced wall as possibilities – which involved moving some furniture.

You can see both the back gate and the wall I was interested in here. We tucked the fabric from the canopy up and off to the side to expose the fence wall for shooting…

Moved, shifted, tucked... away we go!

Here are the details for outdoor images:

• Weather – cloudy and maybe 10 degrees Celcius
• Used my 50mm 1.4
• ISO 200, 1/400-1/640, 2.5-2.8

These pictures were shot at the back gate. It was cloudy which I find quite challenging at times as I have to be careful that the eyes are not too dark. In this case, I needed her to at least be looking straight at me or looking up at me – toward the light.

Sweet and innocent...

Love this one...

Next up we moved over to the other wall in the backyard, with more fence and some vines to work with.

More impish fun...

At this point, her 3 month old sister woke up. We only took a few of the baby outdoors. Here is one…

This was taken on the gray outdoor bed...

Okay… so now we are off to take some shots indoors.

First stop… the bathroom. Not because I needed to use it , but because it had solid light near the window. Here  is the view from the door…

From the door...

I layered blankets on the floor for extra padding. The reflector here is key if there is no soft covering on the window (one of these days I will buy myself some silk fabric for that exact purpose!)…

Layered blankets for softness...

Here are the details for these shots:

• 50mm 1.4 lens
• ISO 500, f3.2, 1/320s

And some of the images on the floor – notice the nice catchlights from the window…

The only really decent shot of the two of them

Pretty in pink...

Same location but different blanket...

But hey… we’re not done in the bathroom yet!! Mom wanted a ‘tutu at the window’ shot and this window was perfect. The second shot was just an impromptu one that I couldn’t resist.

Love the pink tutu here...

Turning on the taps because... well, why not?!

Okay… almost done. Still thought I’d have one last go in the master bedroom, which was darker, to see if I could get any other shots of the two of them. Here is the bedroom…

From the doorway...

Another angle...

Here are the details for this setting:

• 50mm 1.4
• ISO 2500, f3.5, 1/200s – In retrospect I could have done a lower ISO and larger aperture (i.e. a smaller aperture number), as I did feel the quality was somewhat compromised

Here is an image from the bedroom…

Another of the two which the client actually quite liked...

And lastly, I made sure to ask the client where she thought she might like to hang any displays. Here is the shot I took on the day of the session…

Client wanted to replace these photos with a display...

And here are the mock-ups I did after the session for her. Please note that she decided on the canvas display (which was not her original plan) and bought multiple Storyboards. This really emphasizes the importance of the client seeing the possibilities on their own walls.

Canvas display...

Storyboards purchased for elsewhere in the house...

Okay… that’s it!

We have some solid Bottom Line advice today….

• Leave no stone unturned when checking out your potential location – you may overlook an ideal setting to shoot in
• Don’t be afraid to shoot in the bathroom – I have done it many times
• Don’t be shy about moving furniture
• Don’t forget to photograph potential spots where wall displays might go so that you can show the client some possible mock-ups using your images

That’s it. I will ask you to please SHARE – here, there or anywhere (sort of like Dr. Seuss ), as these posts require a lot of time and thought. Thanks for coming by!!

Technorati Tags: 1 1/2 year old, 3 month old, Photo Session Tips, sisters

I’ve said it before – and I will say it again…

Prepare ahead of time and do your homework before your session.

Let’s face it. There are a lot of things that are out of your control for a session – but you can control how much thought you put into the session ahead of time.

I have had a number of readers say that their mind goes blank during a session and suddenly they can’t think of what to do next, or what to do with a particular child they are working with. This is one reason why bringing some notes along to your session can be helpful.

What do I do?

Well, my preparation is threefold really…

First, I assess the ages of the kids I will be photographing and make either a mental or written note about what I may want to do with each of them, and with them all together (including what we might talk about and poses I may want to do).

Second, I make sure to pack any age-appropriate props (i.e. toys, noisemakers, books, small chair, small bench, large bench, fart machine, or whatever I think will work with the various ages).

Third, I make sure I have asked the parent ahead of time for a lowdown on their kids’ interests. Typically, I put this on a 4″x3″ post-it note. I use a couple of different colors to differentiate between areas of interest. Below you can see a couple from a recent session with 7 year old twin boys…

Main details plus a couple of jokes...

More details for second child...

Overall, this has worked quite well for me. Of course, sometimes things go awry and I need to think fast on the spot and change tactics. Most of the time, however, it does the job.

So what’s the Bottom Line?

• Think about your session ahead of time and how you would like to spend your time
• Bring age-appropriate props if necessary
• Make sure you know a good deal about the interests of your subjects ahead of time

And that’s it!

I hope you are having a lovely fall and that business is building and/or booming for you!

And, of course, if you found this helpful – please SHARE with those you think might be interested.

Technorati Tags: tips and tricks for photographing children

That was the question I asked these three lovely boys recently.

Most of the time I find that when I ask kids that question they are quick to blame someone else besides themselves (usually, they say it’s their Dad ). This time, however, each of these sweet lads was eager to take the credit. Although I didn’t even show this shot to my clients (there were numerous things I didn’t like about it), it did make me smile when I saw it.

Who farts the most in your family?

The Bottom Line…

• Don’t forget your bathroom humor with the young kids – it is typically a crowd pleaser

Thanks for stopping by! Things have been very busy but I promise that I’m back on schedule as far as posting every Wednesday on The Dedicated Photographer.

Technorati Tags: photography tips

[I do ask for some feedback in this post... so here is a little nudge for you to read through to the end...]

So, on most weeks I send out [hopefully helpful] advice about the ins and outs and ups and downs of children’s portrait photography.

Today is a bit different.

I want to pull back the curtain a bit and share something a little more personal.

I was out with my university gal pals recently and we were bringing each other up to speed on where we were all at since our last get together. Wow. I felt like SO much had happened since I had last seen them. Things felt different to me. Something had shifted for me.

In particular, I shared my excitement around The Dedicated Photographer which many of you know was launched in January of this year (2011).  I also shared my excitement around a physical product I have designed and am in the process of bringing to the market in early 2012 if all goes [hopefully] to plan.

Finally, I shared an epiphany I had over the summer…

I love working as a children’s portrait photographer.

That was not my epiphany.

I realized that sharing my knowledge about portrait photography with others who are interested in hearing what I have to say and helping others to grow and learn in their photography and in their businesses is what really gets my engine running. 

This was an amazing moment for me. I realized how next-level passionate I was about this crazy blog  - and teaching others.

I also knew that I ultimately wanted to offer online programs and live, in-the-flesh, workshops. I knew, however, that offering any/all of the above would take a lot of time and hard work – especially since I am a die hard perfectionist. And I do have a portrait business to run .

So… I put it on the back burner for bit.

That is… until I had to take it off the back burner because many of you started asking me about ‘when’ I would be offering workshops, etc. Essentially, you were holding me to the fire .

Thank you (I think ).

I knew it was time. And I also recognized how hungry I was to actually work with some of you face-to-face versus simply through cyberspace. I truly feel that I have so much to offer in that in-person realm.

Soooooooo….

Next week I will make an OFFICIAL announcement about a 2-day workshop for early on in 2012. As a side note (and mostly because I originally promised this even though it’s not ideal at this point)… if you are interested in hearing about the workshop details BEFORE the rest of the online world (including my main subscriber list) then simply click on the Workshop/Programs tab at the top of this blog, and enter your email address in the box provided (or you can click HERE if that is easier).

I will announce the workshop details to the list mentioned above FIRST, on Tuesday, October 4th at 7a.m. EST. I will post the details on my blog (i.e. for everyone else) the following day… on Wednesday, October 5th at 7a.m. EST.

Now… before I sign off I will ASK YOU FOR ONE BIG FAVOR…

If there is something in particular you would LOVE to learn about at the workshop, or a topic you’d love to see on the agenda – now is your last chance to add your 2 cents (via the comment section below). Please take a moment and let me know what your ideal workshop would look like. I promise I will try and respond to each and every comment if at all possible. I would GREATLY appreciate your feedback .

I am SO excited because I know that this workshop is going to be WICKEDLY AWESOME .

Technorati Tags: Photography workshops

Okay… so we’ve heard it COUNTLESS times. Make sure your branding is consistent. Make sure your branding reflects who you are. It’s important to have a brand. Etc. Etc.

What does this look like exactly?

Well, I saw this in action the other day with the master of branding and marketing herself, SARAH PETTY, of The Joy of Marketing and Sarah Petty Photography.

We were having an email conversation of sorts when I  noticed the following at the bottom of the email she sent from her smart phone…

Send from my JOYphone.

Honestly. Freakin’ brilliant. And oh-so-Sarah. I was struck by how much it fit with how she does everything else around The Joy of Marketing. It was just so HER! I really understood at that moment just how successful Sarah had been with her own branding. Talk about practicing what you preach.

As for my own branding, I recognize it is still a work in progress and that there is still much work to be done. I would like to share, however, an epiphany of sorts I had last year that had to do with my hair… and my brand. Yes. That’s right. My hair . I had grown it out (for my husband, really ) and some days I liked it but some days I just didn’t feel like ME (as I have had short hair for majority of the last 20 years). At some point I couldn’t handle it anymore and went and got it cut short again.

Ahhhh. Sweet relief. This is when I had my epiphanous moment – my short hair felt like part of my brand! I felt more like myself, and thus more in line with the face I was presenting to the outside world. It was who I am and represented me well.

Your brand is you – so make sure the two are in alignment.

So what’s your takeaway or BOTTOM LINE?

• Get creative – think about ways you can bring you and your brand into all that you do
• Don’t be afraid to make it fun – if your brand sells fun and fresh – change your voicemail message from the ordinary into something that sounds fun and fresh to a potential client
• Do a ‘brand inventory’ and see if all aspects of you and your business are in alignment

Branding is obviously a meaty topic but I hope I’ve made you take a moment to think about the ‘face’ that you represent for you and your business.

Do you have a branding story of your own to share? Please do so in the comments below. And if you don’t, that’s okay, but please take a moment to SHARE this post around town. You know… ALWAYS appreciated.

Technorati Tags: Branding for Photographers, marketing

Are you optimizing your photography blog for clients, in terms of generating more buzz for your business?

Today you will find the last of 5 parts that were very kindly offered up for your viewing pleasure, by the lovely Danielle Bernier. Part 1 (found here) addressed Contests and Giveaways. Part 2 (found here) addressed Creating Client Friendly Content. In addition, you can find Parts 3 and 4 HERE (Getting Personal and Building Relationships Off-Blog).

Without further ado, I offer you the last installment…

Ask Them

Seems easy enough, right? But believe it or not, this wasn’t something I had thought of doing myself until a couple of months ago! Don’t be afraid to ASK your readers for their participation and to include them in what is going on [just like I do on The Dedicated Photographer!]. Something I have started doing and am enjoying is mentioning at the bottom of the blog post that if the client receives X number of comments, they will receive a free gift (which is typically a free gift print of their choice). I have found that since I started doing this, the types of comments I have been receiving on my posts have changed quite a bit. It used to be mainly friends and fellow photographers offering their feedback on my work. Now the majority of the comments I am receiving are from friends and family members of the client, hoping to help their friend or family member out by adding their feedback. It is bringing all sorts of new visitors to my blog and is exposing a whole new set of people to my work and is getting the new readers involved!

I hope you have enjoyed my tips on how to keep your blog fun, fresh and interesting! If you have any creative ideas that you would like to share or have worked for you in the past, feel free to share them in the comments section!

Wow – awesome Danielle! I love this last one. Seems so simple but I’ve not thought to do it myself.

And thank you. This series totally rocked.

And hey – if all of you enjoyed this as much as I did – please SHARE it in the social media world – or wherever you think it would be a good fit. And please leave a comment to either say thank you or to add your own tip!

Oh… and lastly – it looks like Wednesday will be my weekly posting day .

Technorati Tags: Tips and Tricks for Getting Clients

Are you optimizing your photography blog for clients, in terms of generating more buzz for your business?

The lovely Danielle Bernier continues to offer up some great tips to do just that. Part 1 (found here) addressed Contests and Giveaways. Part 2 (found here) addressed Creating Client Friendly Content.

Today, you get a bonus of both Part 3 and Part 4. The last in the installment will be delivered next week …

Get Personal

I know everyone will have different comfort levels with this, but I’ve found that some of the best connections that I’ve had with clients was because they had read something on my blog about me that stuck in their minds or resonated with them in some way. Perhaps it is that I’m an adoptive Mom, so I often share photos and talk about my children. Or perhaps they read my ‘About Me’ post and can relate to having suffered with anxiety. People feel at ease working with people they feel that they know and can trust. So be your authentic self. Take some time out from posting sessions every once in a while to build and maintain those connections with your readers. Some ideas include posts about you, posts about the photos you take of your own children, or even blogging pictures from your family vacations, day trips, extra curricular activities or special occasions. Let them see that there is more to who you are than your work as a photographer! [well said, Danielle!]

Build Relationships Off-Blog

As I touched on above, building relationships is so important when you run a small business. But the reality is, it is very difficult to establish relationships with and get the attention of potential clients and blog readers with just blogging alone. For me, Facebook and Twitter have both been invaluable for this. So, if you do not have a Facebook or Twitter account for your business – get one! And if you have them already, don’t be afraid to invest in a little time engaging and building genuine friendships with other local businesses and potential clients. You will notice that once you have done this, people will become interested and supportive of what you do. I have not only met some of my favorite clients via social media, but have met some of the most awesome local business owners whose relationships I value greatly. Social media is a wonderful way to share who you are and what you do with people who are genuinely interested. Invest the time and be your authentic self and you will start making friendships and gaining new blog readers in no time! [hey - this is how I met Danielle - on Twitter!]

Thanks again, Danielle. Awesome advice. I am sure others will find this information as useful as I did.

Hey – this would be a GREAT time to SHARE, SHARE, and SHARE – using social media no less! And thanks for stopping by .

The last installment, Part 5, coming next week.

Technorati Tags: photography blogs, social media and photographers

Are you optimizing your photography blog for clients, in terms of generating more buzz for your business?

The lovely Danielle Bernier (Ottawa children’s photographer, Twitter master, and Creater of Blog Buzz – to name but a few of her talents) offered up her time and put together some great ideas for generating more buzz and business for your photography blog. Part 1 (found here) addressed Contests and Giveaways.

Today, in Part 2, she covers…

Creating Client-Friendly Content

Give your clients some useful information and they’ll have a reason to keep coming back! Informational posts like ‘What to wear for your session’ and ‘How to choose the best location’ are awesome. Better yet – take it one step further and create posts that offer tips, such as the following:

• How to choose a camera that is right for  your needs
• Stylish camera bag options for the mom-photographer-on-the-go
• How to take better snapshots of your own children
• Using your camera beyond ‘auto’ mode

By being open, and sharing information like this, you are not only establishing yourself as the authority on these topics, but you are also creating content that is actually valuable to your readers – which will ultimately keep them coming back for more!

One again – thank you so much Danielle for being generous with your time and for sharing your great ideas for generating more traffic and buzz for your photography blog and business.

Stay tuned for Part 3 – but in the meantime, please take a moment to SHARE in cyberspace – wherever you like to hang out. MUCH appreciated!

Technorati Tags: attracting photography clients, Contests, photography blogs

Are you optimizing your client photography blog in terms of generating more traffic and buzz for you and your business?

I’m guessing that for many of you, the answer is no (myself included).

Enter Danielle Bernier of Danielle Lynn Photography. I met Danielle on Twitter (@DLPhotography). Apart from the fact that she’s an awesome photographer , I was immediately attracted to her positive energy and noticed that she worked her client blog in a way that I was most certainly not working mine. I asked Danielle if she would consider a guest post on this topic and she not only said yes, but delivered in spades.Below you can find Part 1 of 5. Stay tuned on Thursday for Part 2!

Here goes (thanks Danielle!)…

Blogging is pretty much a necessity for photographers. Most of you may have a blog but I’m guessing that not all of you are maximizing it’s potential. In a very visual and emotion-driven business such as this, it is definitely one of the best ways to communicate to the world what you are doing and what you have to offer to a potential client.

The reality is that your beautiful work is only part of the reason why people will be viewing your blog and will continue to go back to it. And since you are already rockin’ at sharing your photos, perhaps you are thinking you may want to explore more creative ways to draw them in or keep them coming back. If so, then read on, as I will share with you a number of ways that you could use your blog creatively to build more lasting and meaningful connections with your readers.

Part 1 – Contests and Giveways on Your Blog

Who doesn’t love a good giveaway? We all do! Your potential clients do too! Creating a contest on your blog could be as big or small as you would like it to be. And because it’s your blog, you can get creative with the ways that your readers could win!

Some possible options…

• How about a funny caption contest? Post an outtake from a session or an image of your own kids doing something crazy and have them share their funny caption in the comments section.
• Post a photo that has been edited 2 or 3 different ways and ask your readers to choose which one they like best, by leaving their choice in the comment section.

Once the contest closes you could randomly draw a winner and offer them a prize! This could also be a great opportunity to team up with other small business owners in your area and get creative with some of the prizes.

Wow, thanks so much Danielle for a great start to this awesome series! Your sharing embodies what The Dedicated Photographer is all about – that sharing amongst those in our industry is a wickedly awesome thing to do!

I will confess at this point that this blog post was put together a) while I am on holiday and b) on dial-up (yes – you heard it correctly) so… I would be particularly grateful (as I’m sure Danielle would as well) if you would SHARE this post. Anyway. Anyhow. Sharing is awesome. Thank you.

Oh… one more thing – I’d love to hear about any contests that you have run that have generated buzz!

Technorati Tags: attracting clients, Blog Traffic, Blogging for Photographers, Contests

Many of you have asked for more ‘Anatomy…’ posts so I am answering the call by sitting down today – a DELICIOUS session with an 8-month-old bundle of sweetness and light.

Let’s jump right in.

This house was interesting in that it was narrow and tall, with a few interesting areas to shoot – which is always a bonus in terms of variety. In this case, I photographed the baby girl in 3 different settings. Please note that we also did a few clothing changes to add variety and ensure the outfit worked with the background.

Shooting Location #1 – A Small Upper Loft

This was a very interesting little spot – which was essentially on the third floor – and a very narrow space in which to shoot. I did, however, like the beige wall that was situated at 45 degrees to the window light. Keep in mind I did not open the curtains here fully as the light would have been too strong.

Here is the room from the stairs coming up…

At this point, I'm curious...

Here is another angle, which gives you an idea of the narrowness of the shooting space…

It was crowded - but the wall was perfect...

Here is the wall itself…

A nice clean backdrop...

And some of the results from shooting in that space (please note the various positions and the clothing change)…

Over the shoulder...

Tummy shot...

Her 'Winston Churchill' pose...

Changing it up...

Location #2 – Baby’s Bedroom

Next stop… room with good light, nice chair – with nice dark cupboard to frame it all. Since it was quite bright outside, I closed the curtains a bit and directed the light accordingly…

Left curtains closed a little...

This little red dress was perfect...

Awesome chair - positioned where I want it to be...

And I don’t know about you – but the dress in the images below totally took these images up a notch in my opinion (which speaks to the importance of paying attention to clothing). As well, please note the different crops using the chair…

Love the tones and colors here...

Up close and personal...

Perfect for a canvas...

Full body close-up...

Location #3 – Master Bedroom

Okay… hard to believe this baby still had steam but she did, especially since we were moving locations. I had spotted the bed early on and knew I wanted to get at least a few images there. Light was at more of a 90 degree angle here but I loved the colors and the setting so I went with it…

View from location #1 (the third floor loft)...

Another viewpoint...

And some images from this setting…

Chose this as a canvas...

Love this one...

This was a really great session overall – great shooting options and good light (which isn’t always the case as we know). There are, however, a number of takeaways from this session, which brings us to The Bottom Line…

• Pay attention to clothing – it can elevate your images to the next level
• Look for nice plain walls close to windows – even if it’s only a strip of space
• Change it up if possible for the child – they will be happier and more engaged if you do
• Take stock of all furniture and try and visualize how it would look in a photograph with your subject
• Don’t always throw the curtains wide open, as sometimes it will result in your light source being too harsh
• Make sure to pay attention to cropping (different crops)
• Make sure to pay attention to positioning (different positions)

By golly – we’re done.
I’d really be diggin’ it if you would SHARE this post around town – forums, Facebook, Twitter – any ol’ place you think it might be useful. Always appreciated!

Technorati Tags: 8 month olds, natural light photography, on-location photography, photography tips