FAQ

Walk me through setting up a shoot from the beginning to the end…

Each shoot is different, because each client is asking for something unique to them, but I typically keep the energy very relaxed, calm and casual. I encourage breaks for hydrating, having a snack and just having a brief conversation. One thing I love most about my job is working with people, and human connection, so it is important to me that we connect as people as well and have fun.

On a more logistical note – I will typically check out the natural light in the space and note where it is, talk with you more in depth to reiterate what it is you are aiming for, and then we begin. As we shoot, I will likely find other elements – like props, or spaces with light, other poses, etc, and ask you if we can incorporate this into the shoot. Along the way I occasionally will keep you updated on how many more shots I feel I need and will announce when we are wrapping within 10-15 minutes so you know how much longer we have.

Why work with a photographer when my iPhone takes such good photos? 

An iPhone, while it has great quality pixel-wise, is something that almost everyone has, number one. iPhones might have good quality, but they are limited in what they can do – for example, you cannot place a lens onto an iPhone, which limits your field of focus. Digital Cameras and Film Cameras are all unique and offer various optics such as wider angles, macro shots, expansive options for depth of field, and much more. The most important is that there is a trained artist behind a camera they were trained to use, it is a tool that we have studied, and refined our skills in using. This inevitably creates much richer and more evolved images.

What do I uniquely bring to a shoot? 

I always want to see things differently than they appear in reality. I strike a balance between representing my subjects as they are, and noticing a new detail or element, which can be the way light hits a room, a face, or the color that pops when I place a bouquet of flowers in front of my subject.

I’m camera shy, walk me through that? 

I am very camera shy, so I can easily relate! I freeze and have no idea what to do. What I normally do is register the light in a space, then I place my subject, and then I move around them. I ask subjects to relax and act like I am not there, and when I am ready, I will direct their gaze and/or body language. This creates a collaborative interaction in which the person is already in a position that is somewhat natural, while I am processing other elements of the photograph, and then when I am ready to take the shot, they just have to look at me!

What do I wear? 

It is your shoot, so you are free to wear anything you want. Aesthetically, I usually suggest a more ‘plain’ outfit without graphics or a lot of text as this can sometimes be distracting in a photograph and/or look more commercial. If I am photographing multiple people together, I just ask that they not all wear the same color.

Do I need makeup?

The way you look is totally up to you; no requirements on my end!

You work with natural light, so what do you do if the weather’s bad or if it’s a low-light situation? 

I have artificial lights that are portable! These nicely mimic a more natural light and tonality.

We have a shoot planned outside, but we get rained out. What do we do?

I always check in closer to the shoot and if it is really looking like 100% bad weather, we will schedule a new session!