GETTING THE SHOT

There’s something so special about photographing people and getting THAT shot! Imagine all the photos that mean so much to you. Do they have people in them? There’s a high chance they do. People matter to your life, no matter where you are. Portraits are important to have, no matter who you are. These are images that will carry on from generation to generation. You’ll want to keep these portraits clean and simple. And nothing is cleaner than a white wall. As a photographer, you must make room for the unlikely to happen, an imperfect photo might actually be the most perfect photo in your gallery. You’ll want to create comfort, whether you’re the one shooting or you’re the one being photographed. Comfort is so important because an uncomfortable photo isn’t fun and neither is an uncomfortable photoshoot. Capturing genuine expressions of people can be really hard and most people often freeze up in front of a camera. It’s important to learn how to use our own personalities to draw out the desired reactions from the person we’re photographing, to break down walls and form a real connection with each other. When photographers do this, their photos often come out with real, honest, and raw emotions in present life rather than posing and positioning the whole entire time. Throw in some jokes, tell a story, play funky music– whatever gets in some real laughter, we’re down for it!

Now, anyone can take a photo. It takes real talent to be able to capture beautiful moments. But it also takes having the right tools. Knowing your audience is always important, especially as a photographer. You don’t want to invade anyones space, whether you’re shooting a session or you’re out downtown practicing getting shots, asking people if you can photograph them, etc. You never want to come off as a random person with a camera, it’ll give you a bad rep. But when you have the right tools, you look professional and you look like you know what you’re doing (and actually do know what you’re doing) then people are more likely to trust you and take a photo of them, especially during a session. As a photographer, you should be prepared for real and raw emotions, at all times. Especially during maternity sessions and family photos. Sometimes even family photos can be awkward and you don’t know how to feel. You’re allowed to ask your clients to fake laugh until they really laugh. You’re also allowed to ask them questions about who they are. Asking questions can potentially loosen up their tenseness and allow them to be more relaxed around you, because you want to hear from them and that makes people feel good.

Take your camera EVERYWHERE, photographers! Taking your camera with you everywhere can give you the perfect opportunity to capture a moment of your own family. Precious moments that normally are missed on camera and never happen again. I don’t mean taking it when you go to the grocery store but taking it when you go on vacation, visit family members, going to a school program/event, or even a day out. Capturing these memories not only allows you to capture them forever but it also builds your portfolio and allows people to know that you’re not just a professional photographer but someone who values and honors family, and people want that when they’re looking for someone to capture something so spectacular!