Carissa Lyn Photography https://carissalyn.com/ Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:57:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://carissalyn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ms-icon-310x310-1-100x100.png Carissa Lyn Photography https://carissalyn.com/ 32 32 Lake Street Park, Shrewsbury https://carissalyn.com/lake-street-park-shrewsbury/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lake-street-park-shrewsbury https://carissalyn.com/lake-street-park-shrewsbury/#respond Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:52:25 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=7761 This location is back by the soccer fields, there is an entrance to a walking path around a field. It’s easily accessible, safe for the smaller kids and will have beautiful light around sunset. There are also trails closer to the entrance for a more woods-y look as well. There is a sign on Lake...

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]]> This location is back by the soccer fields, there is an entrance to a walking path around a field. It’s easily accessible, safe for the smaller kids and will have beautiful light around sunset. There are also trails closer to the entrance for a more woods-y look as well.

There is a sign on Lake street, look for this sign, turn down the driveway and go all the way down to the fields at the end. The walking path fields are to the left of the playing fields.

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/lake-street-park-shrewsbury/feed/ 0 Breakneck Hill Conservation Land, Southborough https://carissalyn.com/breakneck-hill-conservation-land-southborough/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=breakneck-hill-conservation-land-southborough https://carissalyn.com/breakneck-hill-conservation-land-southborough/#respond Mon, 21 Aug 2023 13:46:13 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=7722 This is a gorgeous spot for sunset light with some wildflowers, tall grass, and a spot at the top of the hill that works for silhouettes.

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]]> This is a gorgeous spot for sunset light with some wildflowers, tall grass, and a spot at the top of the hill that works for silhouettes.

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/breakneck-hill-conservation-land-southborough/feed/ 0 Trout Brook Recreation Area, Holden https://carissalyn.com/trout-brook-recreation-area/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trout-brook-recreation-area https://carissalyn.com/trout-brook-recreation-area/#respond Mon, 29 May 2023 01:24:05 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=7622 Trout Brook Recreation Area should come up in your maps with the main lot on Manning St in Holden (Jefferson specifically). There is no street address but it is close.to the house at 354 Manning St and has a sign visible from the road. This is a beautiful location with lots of options! There are...

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]]> Trout Brook Recreation Area should come up in your maps with the main lot on Manning St in Holden (Jefferson specifically). There is no street address but it is close.to the house at 354 Manning St and has a sign visible from the road.

This is a beautiful location with lots of options! There are 2 different open fields with lots of golden hour light, easily accessible woods, some large rocks, and a nicely flowing river with mossy stones that’s easy to get to/in.

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/trout-brook-recreation-area/feed/ 0 Product Options https://carissalyn.com/product-options/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=product-options https://carissalyn.com/product-options/#respond Mon, 29 Aug 2022 23:08:41 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=7347 The post Product Options appeared first on Carissa Lyn Photography.

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/product-options/feed/ 0 Preparing for your Cake Smash Photos https://carissalyn.com/preparing-for-your-cake-smash-photos/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=preparing-for-your-cake-smash-photos https://carissalyn.com/preparing-for-your-cake-smash-photos/#respond Sun, 10 Jul 2022 15:54:20 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=7158 Cake Smash and first birthday milestones are some of the most fun photos I get to take- your baby is starting to show more personality, show you what they like and don’t like, and becoming their own little person. Because of all those things though, I like to try and make sure everyone is set...

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]]> Cake Smash and first birthday milestones are some of the most fun photos I get to take- your baby is starting to show more personality, show you what they like and don’t like, and becoming their own little person.

Because of all those things though, I like to try and make sure everyone is set up to have the best experience and have realistic expectations. Some babies will *love* the cake smash experience, especially if they tend to be outgoing, like new things, don’t mind getting messy, and enjoy new foods. Some may be interested but hesitant, maybe they haven’t had cake before, or the experience of sitting on the floor with a whole cake to themselves is a lot, or maybe they don’t like to get messy (this was my son- he ate frosting but very carefully with just one finger!) It’s also VERY normal for babies to be overwhelmed and need some time, or even cry. If that’s the case we take breaks, comfort them, maybe help them explore the cake, or put on some music they like. I’ve never had any cake smash where we weren’t able to get adorable photos- but what that looks like for every baby is different and I encourage you to embrace your baby’s personality and realize these photos will reflect what they’re like right now!

The setup

My cake smash setups are very simple, on a tan backdrop so they can get as messy as needed, with few distractions. I do have some greenery drapes I can use, and if you’d like to bring some balloons or a banner you’re welcome to as well. For photos before the cake portion I have various colors and sizes of blankets we can use to add some color, as well as some props like a bench or even the bigger rattan chair, as well as some flooring options (a dark brown faux wood, and a cream colored distressed floor drop). If you have anything specific you like make sure to let me know beforehand!

What to expect

The first thing to know is that these sessions are usually quite short. The attention span at this age is pretty low, and they’re usually pretty mobile, so we work quickly and get a greater range of photos in a smaller time span, while keeping your baby happy.

Generally we will start some some photos without the cake around at all. We can use a different outfit for these if you’d like, and have some extra setup in the studio since we aren’t worried about a mess yet. This usually lasts about 10 minutes. There is always LOTS of encouragement from parents here- either next to your baby if they need that or preferably from over my shoulder. Peek a boo, singing, silly sounds… the name of the game with 1 year olds!

When we’re ready for the cake, we will get everything set up, with the cake out (I have cake stands we can start with, usually the cake ends up on the floor in the end for easy access). I’ll have the parent put the baby back behind the cake, get ready to shoot, and then let them go and we see what happens! Usually they’re at least interested in exploring the cake but something they need some encouragement. If they have a snack they like (puffs, cheerios, goldfish, etc) we can even stick those inside the cake to encourage them to reach in (I can tell you if you look at my portfolio this is happening in some photos but from the camera you’d never know!). What I can almost guarantee will happen is they’ll, at some point, decide to walk or crawl away and the parent will be picking them up and bringing them back (so I can keep shooting). This means the parent will almost definitely get messy too! Overall this can go anywhere from 5-20 minutes depending on how they’re feeling about it all- either end of that range is normal and that doesn’t mean anything is going wrong!

After, everyone can get cleaned up and changed and ready to go- I have a bathroom for bigger wipedowns if needed!

What to bring

  • Change of clothes for *everyone* coming, just in case
  • Outfit for your baby for the cake smash portion (or just a diaper cover or pants if you’d like)
  • Outfit for the milestone portion before the cake smash if you want a different one
  • Accessories if you’d like- a crown, necklaces, cake topper, etc (I do have a gold crown you’re welcome to use!)
  • Baby’s favorite snack that’s finger-food sized

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/preparing-for-your-cake-smash-photos/feed/ 0 Newborn & Motherhood Studio Setup https://carissalyn.com/newborn-studio-setup/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=newborn-studio-setup https://carissalyn.com/newborn-studio-setup/#respond Tue, 05 Apr 2022 00:22:53 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=7046 The newborn studio setup features a bed with neutral pillows and blankets to add texture but also a soft and non-distracting backdrop to show off you and your baby. The bed can also be quickly removed to include a simple backdrop of just curtains as well, and I have a moses basket for another option...

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]]> The newborn studio setup features a bed with neutral pillows and blankets to add texture but also a soft and non-distracting backdrop to show off you and your baby. The bed can also be quickly removed to include a simple backdrop of just curtains as well, and I have a moses basket for another option for solo baby shots. This is a great setup for motherhood photos involving multiple kids as well.

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/newborn-studio-setup/feed/ 0 The Best Places to Buy Dresses for your Photo Shoot https://carissalyn.com/photo-shoot-dresses/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=photo-shoot-dresses Tue, 01 Mar 2022 19:48:32 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?page_id=6945 On of the first things you’ll do after booking your photo shoot is start looking for what you’re going to wear- and that very often starts with shopping for a dress! One of the easiest ways to make your photos look special and eye catching is to dress up more than you normally would. Finding...

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On of the first things you’ll do after booking your photo shoot is start looking for what you’re going to wear- and that very often starts with shopping for a dress! One of the easiest ways to make your photos look special and eye catching is to dress up more than you normally would. Finding a perfect dress means adding movement to your photos, makes YOU feel beautiful and confident, and affects how you carry yourself, resulting in photos that you’ll feel proud to look back on.

Shopping for a photo shoot dress can be stressful though- where do you start? Figuring out your style and your photo goals is the first step. Do you want something flowy, with a train? Fitted and body hugging? A stunning over the top maternity gown? Something more casual to wear for documentary style photos in your home?

If you haven’t figured out the overall look you want for your photos, I encourage you to go read the What to Wear guide first then come back here once you have a better idea what you want to buy. If one or more people in your photo shoot is wearing a dress, it’s best to pick that out first and then build the rest of the outfits around it.

Note: if you’re my client, please make sure before you buy anything you check out both my Client Closet with outfits you can borrow, and my Wishlist of outfits that I would be interested in purchasing if you wanted to wear them.

Next up is your budget. If this is a once-in-a-lifetime photo shoot, or an extra special one, you may be looking to splurge and buy a handmade or one of a kind gown, but otherwise you might be looking to find something that feels special but fits the budget you’ve laid out. The list below covers a wide range of styles and budgets, so there’s something for everyone.

Disclosure: Links contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Carissa Lyn Photography!

On a budget

Start used

Looking for a designer photo shoot dress, but working on a budget? A great place to start can be buying used. Poshmark is a great option, as well as buy/sell/trade groups on Facebook selling lightly used dresses. Here are some great ones to start:

Buying from Amazon

A next step up may be to buy some dresses on Amazon. This is a place you need to be careful- what you get may not match the description. But there are still some lovely options, I just encourage you to buy ahead so you know what you’re dealing with. Also most of these come in many colors so make sure to check out the options!

Dresses

Maternity

Kids

Babies & Toddlers

Renting dresses

Renting a dress can be a great option to try out some luxury options if you aren’t looking to buy. It also gives you the ability to help out clients with different styles without having to have an extensive closet available. Most of these options do require booking well in advance though so keep that in mind.

Ready to Invest? some shops to Check out:

For the babies & kids:

For the adults:

Maternity Gowns

Are you a photographer…

…looking for recommendations on where to buy for your client closet? Once you’ve got some ideas, think about making a client closet page to be able to easily show off your offerings:

For Photographers: Build a client closet page

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]]> How I use Workflows (with Dubsado) to Organize My Photography Business https://carissalyn.com/workflows-organize-photography-business/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=workflows-organize-photography-business https://carissalyn.com/workflows-organize-photography-business/#respond Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:39:04 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=6792 One of the most powerful business tools I’ve found- especially as a business owner with ADHD- is automation. While an important part of my business is being hands on and seeing clients in person and talking directly to them, I find the more I automate any of the digital or repetitive tasks the easier it...

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]]> One of the most powerful business tools I’ve found- especially as a business owner with ADHD- is automation. While an important part of my business is being hands on and seeing clients in person and talking directly to them, I find the more I automate any of the digital or repetitive tasks the easier it is for me to have the time and mental capability to be able to maximize those hands on touch points. I also use my workflows to add to-do items for me as well as change project statuses so I can easily glace at my dashboard and see what things might be waiting on input from me. Below is a summary of my workflow that I use for my clients (family, maternity, motherhood, newborn and milestone photography).

One thing I will note is almost all my automation is *after* someone becomes a client. I do not send fully automated form emails (though I do save basic templates as canned emails but I always customize them to the specific inquiry and getting to know someone). I also do not have different workflows for different session types- if you do I could see automating more of the lead process as well. the only changes I make to leads are manually changing status (sent initial response, sent follow-up, cold lead, etc) after I send each follow-up email.

Any email references in the workflow is a custom canned email I have made, and all emails also have a link to the client portal which is where all their emails, forms, and links live.

My tool of choice- after trying a few- is Dubsado. I find it very easy to use, and both intuitive and flexible. They have excellent support as well which is a huge plus! You can try it for free, or if you want to sign up you can use my link to get a discount: Check out Dubsado

My main workflow is tied to my lead capture form that is embedded on my website

  • On lead submission, create a reminder to me (on my dashboard and via email) to reply to the lead
  • Pause
  • If the client makes it as far as a consult call, I manually unpause the flow
  • On unpause, change the status to Session booked
  • Add the contract and send via email (requires approval first so I can make contract edits as needed)
  • Creates the primary invoice with session fee
  • Once the contract is signed, sends the invoice via email (requires approval so I can modify the invoice if needed)
  • Send an invoice receipt upon payment (just a custom canned email)
  • Adds a link to their portal to my Client Guide
  • Adds a link to their portal with my scheduler group for Studio Visits (try-ons, ordering sessions, pickups)
  • Send them my Getting to Know You Questionnaire (while we are on the consult call I open this and fill it out so it is partly done for them, including a custom field with a link to my recommended location for outdoor sessions) Want to see my custom form? Make sure you check all the boxes to see the logic & options!
  • Sends a reminder about the questionnaire in 3 days if not filled out
  • On completion of the questionnaire, creates a to-do for me (on my dashboard and via email) to make them a Pinterest board
  • Sends an invite to the Client Closet Try-On scheduler (requires approval and I only approve if they want to borrow from me)
  • After the session (based on project date) changes status to “Need to Schedule Ordering Session:
  • Sends the invite to the client to the Ordering Session scheduler
  • When they make an appointment (workflow watches the scheduler) changes status to “Awaiting Ordering Session”
  • After ordering session has ended (again workflow watches based on the scheduler you sent) adds t0-dos for me:
    • 1. Send their detailed receipt (combo of attachment from ProSelect + canned email on the invoice)
    • 2. Send their digital gallery
    • Order their products
  • Pause
  • Unpause manually when all their products arrive
  • Changes status to “Pending Order Pickup”
  • Sends Order Pickup scheduler
  • After pickup appointment passes (workflow watches the scheduler), change status to Past
  • Creates a to-do for me to send a thank you card

Now the main caveat to this which you may notice is primarily about the schedulers- and means I need to have my calendar updated at all times. For me this works because my family uses Google calendar for everything, and any calendar you add to Dubsado it will automatically block off times that you show as busy. I also have an extra “blocked” calendar I can add to if I need to add anything extra- so while I do check in to make sure my calendar is set correctly it generally stays in a pretty clean state already.

Hopefully that gives some insight into my workflow! This doesn’t even touch everything you can customize- you can have canned emails set up as starting points to reply to leads (as well as everything else in the workflow, even if you were to send them manually), you can set up “packages” for your invoices (essentially just any line item, something you charge for with a price and description), lead capture forms for your website, schedulers for things like mini session, contracts, and really any sort of form. It also integrates with Quicbooks, or you can even do basic bookkeeping right in Dubsado too. The fewer things you have to worry about the more you can focus on the parts of your business you really love.

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/workflows-organize-photography-business/feed/ 0 Tiny Studio Tour https://carissalyn.com/studio-tour/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=studio-tour https://carissalyn.com/studio-tour/#respond Sat, 26 Feb 2022 22:10:24 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=6782 Here’s a link to a tour of my 11×13′ studio! I use it for photo shoots for babies, maternity and motherhood, and also as a client ordering session space. If you’re interested in any of my decor, furniture or gear, it’s all listed on my favorite products page.

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]]> Here’s a link to a tour of my 11×13′ studio! I use it for photo shoots for babies, maternity and motherhood, and also as a client ordering session space. If you’re interested in any of my decor, furniture or gear, it’s all listed on my favorite products page.

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]]> https://carissalyn.com/studio-tour/feed/ 0 Favorite Products for my Photography Studio & Business https://carissalyn.com/favorite-products/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=favorite-products https://carissalyn.com/favorite-products/#respond Fri, 11 Feb 2022 01:45:40 +0000 https://carissalyn.com/?p=6644 The lists in this post are some of my favorite products (with links!) I've purchased for my photography business and studio, including photo gear, studio furniture and decor, client closet pieces, and education.

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]]> Starting a photography business can be overwhelming- nevermind opening and outfitting an entire studio as well! You need to buy all your camera gear: camera bodies (dslr or mirrorless, or even film?), camera lenses, lighting equipment (flashes, strobes, modifiers, triggers, and then accessories like white balance meters, flash gels), furniture and ecor for your studio, props, outfits, and then the software to be able to manage and even automate your business. The lists below are some of my favorite products I’ve purchased for my photography business and studio over the years to help you get a head start on where to look.

Disclosure: Links contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Carissa Lyn Photography!

Studio Furniture & Decor

Studio Technology

Lighting Equipment

Software & Websites

Cloudways web hosting (I use them myself and recommend them to everyone, fast, affordable, good support)

Kadence WordPress Theme: Again, I use it myself and even sell child themes for it. Blazing fast and lightweight, very easy to use.

Kadence WordPress Blocks: The blocks are the best part of Kadence, and the plugin lets you use them with your existing theme

Summerlyn Studios: this is my WordPress developer business! Kadence child themes, block packs, new site builds, and more

Dubsado: My favorite CRM hands down. Automate your business, create templates, integrate with Quickbooks!

Cloudspot: I love Cloudspot for client galleries. They let you have multiple sharable galleries per album, so you can share different images with different people with just one album, or keep clients with multiple session photos all in one spot! They also allow you to link a video, and the ability to sell through labs or self fulfill.

Education

Cloudways web hosting (I use them myself and recommend them to everyone, fast, affordable, good support)

Fuel Your Photos SEO Course: Their free resources are excellent but the course is unparalleled in helping photographers with SEO

Client Closet

Want to see where I buy all the outfits my clients wear? I wrote a whole post on that!

The Best Places to Buy Dresses for your Photo Shoot

On of the first things you’ll do after booking your photo shoot is start looking for what you’re going to wear- and that very often starts with shopping for a dress! One of the easiest ways to make your photos look special and eye catching is to…

The post Favorite Products for my Photography Studio & Business appeared first on Carissa Lyn Photography.

]]> https://carissalyn.com/favorite-products/feed/ 0