So for today, I thought we would have a guest blogger:  Jennifer Gilbert is the owner of Naturally Beautiful Photography.  She lives in Brampton Ontario and I love her photo journalistic approach to her photography.  I asked Jennifer some questions about her workflow, what equipment she uses and where she finds inspiration.  I always think it’s a great idea to see how other successful photographers work and then you glean more.  Not that you will copy them, (please don’t do that…please come up with your own ideas) but you can learn a lot from others.

Thank you Jennifer for sharing yourself with us!

So a few things to remember as you plan for your session!

Look at your photogaphers work:  One of the best things that my clients can do for me is to look over my past sessions and pick out the images that they LOVE!  This helps me in several ways.  It helps me to know the setting you are drawn to….if you choose images that are all urban then I know that’s where we should plan our session.  If you choose images that are all close up images, then I know those are a must for me as I shoot.  If you like images that tell a story,  then I know that I need to work at letting your family just interact and capture those.  By looking over the scope of work of your photographer it also will give you ideas about what to expect, that you will most likely be on the ground, that you will be interacting with each other, that I will use backgrounds that might not look “perfect” when we pull up…

Read all the Information sent to you:  Yes, we can sometimes overload our clients, but the information that I send it really important.  It helps you to get to know me and what I expect from you.  I don’t want you to be shocked or surprised when I take your viewing gallery down after 7 days (as it’s in my policies) or I want you to know ahead of time what to expect from me after the session.  So educate your self on what your photographer does and when you can expect what from them, what their policies are what they expect form you.

Don’t Stress! I can’t express this enough!  Everything will be fine, your photographer will capture your kids even if they don’t smile all the time.   Your photographer will be able to fix that pen mark (or should be able to) that your daughter got on her white dress as you got in the car.  Your photographer doesn’t care if you step back for a while and let them interact with your kids….probably she would welcome it as your kids will probably relate better to them if you are not around.    Don’t worry about your husband…your photographer knows how to warm him up and to get him to enjoy your session.   Let me also note, if your photographer can’t do these things, they are not a photographer that you should be investing in

Style you pretty!  Okay so let me be really honest here….I LOVE it absolutely LOVE it when my clients have a great sense of fashion style!  It makes my heart sing when they come to their session with several outfits, lots of textures and colors and accessories…It really does help to make your images GREAT!  But if you feel you need help with this, please ask your photographer..they will have lots of ideas for you.  And no you don’t have to go out and buy new wardrobe for your entire family.  If you need ideas…check out my link here on what to wear ideas

Prepare your kids:  I really do feel that kids do better if they know what to expect!  Tell them that you are going to have family time and that your pictures are going to be taken.  Yes I would bribe them…I would promise a favorite dinner or ice-cream if they do well.  I would tell them that they are expected to listen to the photographer and that will be fun!  I can usually tell the kids/husbands who have not been forewarned about their session …..

Trust Your Photographer:  You are hiring this person as a professional and though you may have ideas that you would like, (please discus those with your photog) but you are paying them to be the photographer and to be the professional.  You need to trust them that they know what’s best!  They know the time of day that’s best for your family session, they know what looks best in a picture (not matchy matchy) they know what poses look best, they know how to work with your kids, they have planned for your session and want to give you the best images so please trust them and let them work!   Let them work with your kids, if your kids are not smiling, then let them work their magic and please don’t say “say cheese”

What do you want to do with your images:  This is a huge help to your photographer as you go through the process.  I was at a clients house the other day (one of my baby plan clients) and she told me up front “I want you to look at my walls and I want to do a wall gallery on several, so can you help me plan this as we go through out the year”  Well, this is SUCH valuable info for your photogrpaher…it will help them as they edit, it will help them as they shoot…if you know you want an album, then your photogpaher will know that they need to add about 10 or 20 more images to your session gallery.  If you know you want a large canvas over your fireplace, well that will help them to make sure they get that one amazing shot of your family or your kids….so discuss this with your photographer ahead of time.

Investment:  It is an investment.  I have clients that wait several years and save so that they can have their portraits taken.  It’s not going to be cheap (if it is, then you probably don’t have a good photographer)  It will cost!    Most photographers will work with you  as to payments but realize that it will be an investment and there is a reasons for that  …that will be another post.   But if you can’t afford your photographer, then just wait, wait until you save and can!  It’s not fair to them to have them take the time to take your images, process them, commuicate with you, etc…and you not be able to afford them.  (now I know that circumstances arise and that’s not what I’m talking about)   I know this may step on some toes but I’m just trying to save you the heart ache and your photographer too!

I hope that some of these tips will help you as you begin to prepare for your session!  I’m so excited about spring and summer…beach sessions are booking, spring sessions are filling up!  It’s all very exciting!

Here is a quick peek of a sweet newborn that I had the pleasure of photographing!

Today we are going to talk a bit more about style!  I get a lot of emails about this and I wrote this post about it here, but one of the aspects about style is definatley editing.  First let me say, if you don’t know how to truly edit an image in photoshop you really need to learn!  Several reasons.

1. Professionals know how to edit!  I’m sorry, its the same as knowing how to process film in a dark room, somewhere you have to learn how to change your images and enhance it.  There is no way you can compete with those in your area who are using photoshop if you don’t!  That doesn’t mean you have to use it to fix your images…it means you know to adjust exposure if you need to, it means you know how to bring up the color, fix the color balance etc…
2. By mastering photoshop or editing you will give yourself and edge in your industry.  There are so many pop up photographers, that are shooting for a lot less than you and you need to separate yourself from them.
3. Your clients will LOVE you…my clients love the way they look in their images and it’s not because I’ve altered them, I just make them look their best.

Editing is such a part of your style for several reasons

• It helps give a unified look to your work.  This is why it’s so important to not fall into all the fads and such in editing.
• When you buy the latest actions and textures your work starts to look like all the other photographers who purchase the popular actions.  You want your work to look like YOU.
• Establishing an editing style helps your clients know what to expect.  The last thing you want is for them to see some images on your website, book you, and then you decide to use one of the popular vintage finishes and they are left disappointed.
• It helps with workflow.  Which as you get busier, is very important.  I have specific things I do on every image…I’m trying to teach this to my How Does She Do That Class …the steps that I take on each image, it’s how I get the look that is me.  It is also how I am able to work faster…I don’t guess as to how I want my image to look, it’s just what I do on every image!

I thought I would have some fun with this and I asked a few my fellow Photogs to help me out.  I sent them all the same image and we all edited.  As you will see, the image still really looks like the SOOC (straight out of camera) we just all enhanced them.  I’m putting their blog addresses so you can see how this image, really represents their style as mine does my style!

Erin is the owner of Z-Portraits.  You can find her here!  I adore her use of light!  and she’s super funny to boot!  Thanks Erin for participating!

Here is my dear friend Evie’s site…Her work is colorful and editorial! (you can see it evident in the image below)  She has a wonderful eye and has won 2 national image competitions!  You can check her out here

Jennifer is a photographer in Canada….she has a wonderfully photojournalist approach to her work  which can be found here.  Her style is very clean and crisp!  Love your work!

Ali is a natural light photographer in Northern Virginia…I have loved watching her grow in her work and seeing her style develop.  She strives to have her images look as editorial as possible but still offers lots of color.  You can find her work here
And last my edit…I too like very crisp clean and colorful images, I also like them on the warmer side and muted just a bit…

Thank you Evie, Jennifer, Erin and Ali for participating ….I love all of your work!

I hope this helps you as you begin to work on your style and you editing!  Let me know if you have any questions!