Yes, I am alive .

Life has gotten in the way  but I’m finally getting around to doing a post.

Thanks for your patience.

Okay… so this session involved an 11 month old cute-as-a-button little girl and her 5 year old brother. Since I photographed him at around 10 months of age, the focus was really on her.

I shot this session in the  morning (9:30 until 11a.m.) and shot mostly using my 50mm f1.4 lens.

I only saw two options in this house. A bedroom (not surprisingly), and this small sun/play room.

Let’s start with the bedroom. In this case, the main window was 45 degrees to the bed, which was ideal. Here are a couple of shots of the space.

View from the doorway...

Here is a shot showing the proximity of the window (which was facing East)…

East facing window at 45 degrees to shooting area...

I used the window itself, and the bed, as shooting areas. Here are a couple using the bed…

Yummy...

Just chillaxin'...

Here is one at the window which I love…

Sweet...

I also discovered a sunroom that had plenty of light but that was small and quite cluttered. I decided I would shoot with a shallow depth of field, and make use of the dark tv room that the sunroom was attached to.

View from television/rec room...

Here is one of the 3 or 4 windows in this very small space…

Needed to get creative in this space...

You can see how dark the television/rec room was here…

Looking from sunroom into tv room...

Here are some of the shots I took in the sunroom. Shooting up close was important.

Coming in close so that there is nothing to distract from the subject...

Even closer...

Used the dark room off of the sunroom to my advantage (almost as a ‘backdrop’)…

Using the darker rec room as a backdrop of sorts...

And that does it!

Did you find this helpful? I hope so. Don’t be shy. Please let me know in the comments below. Also – feel free to SHARE if there is someone you know who may find this helpful.

Technorati Tags: 1 year old, 5 year old, on-location photography, siblings

I love these posts. Seriously. They always produce a hardy laugh along the way, and today’s guest, Joyce Smith, does not disappoint .

Joyce is not only a talented portrait photographer, but runs Wordsmith - a wicked resource of products and templates for photographers who (unlike Joyce) don’t necessarily have a way with words. As well, Joyce is offering her ‘Extraordinary Workshop’ on May 19th and 20th, 2012, which sounds terrific (not to mention the site promoting her workshop is one of the best little pieces of marketing I have seen in a while).

Without further ado, I introduce the lovely and talented Joyce Smith.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Once upon a time I studies 19-Century British literature (John Ruskin’s fans anyone? I didn’t think so!) and thought I would become a professor. I left academia for photographing Philadelphia’s most adorable children (and pets!) and have never looked back. I share my colonial home (that I desperately wanted to be mid-century modern) with husband, 7 year old daughter, an incorrigible Welsh Corgi Pup, and a truculent senior cat who is still plotting her revenge after our ultimate betrayal of acquiring said doggy.

2. List 3 photographers you admire – past and/or present.

Sam Jones
Anton Corbijn
Mark Tucker

For children’s photographers, I was definitely inspired by Audrey Woulard when starting out and apply some of her business advice to this day. WWAD? What would Audrey do?

And, of course, the work of my lovely photographer friends such as Daveen Lindley, Lisa Maksoudian, Lisa Slotsve, Rebecca Mudrick, Cheryl Muhr, Stacey Woods, Jesh De Rox, and Patti Schmidt, is ever-inspiring. I could name a hundred more.

3. If you weren’t a professional photographer and a teacher extraordinaire, what would you like to be doing?

Maybe a chef, an interior designer, an architect? Which of those could I do in my jammies? I used to be an English teacher but do not see myself returning to that profession.

4. What is your favorite age to shoot and why?

Sitting babies, not yet crawling, who have no siblings. Aren’t the reasons obvious?

5. Something that few people know about you.

I graduated high school when I was 16. I also have a bizarre parlor trick… though I am right-handed, I can write ‘mirror image’ text with my left hand. I can also write with both hands simultaneously in this way. It was a really fun way to freak kids out when I was a teacher and I wrote backwards on the chalkboard!

6. What is the craziest job you ever had?

I spent some time as an activity assistant in a nursing home. I loved it, but calling bingo and remembering who got the sugar and who got the Sweet ‘n’ Low at coffee time was not ultimately my life’s calling.

7. If someone gave you $3000 today to spend on photography equipment, what would you buy?

I’d probably re-buy my beloved 85 1.2L from my Canon days. I’ve switched to Nikon but the grass is always (non-day glow) greener!

8. Mac or PC?

Mac! Although I was raised on PC (Tandy 256K, baby!) I went Mac and never looked back. Shudder.

9. Besides your camera, what is a must-have at each session?

It really is just my camera and lenses. And a sense of humor. I am using reflectors more at the studio, though.

10. What is your favorite movie of all time?

When Harry Met Sally. My wedding programs contained the quote from the movie, “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible”.

11. What is your favorite TV series these days?

Gossip Girl. Yes, I said it.

12. Which is your most-used lens?

Nikkor 50 1.4G. Or Canon 50 1.4. Depends on the year.

13. What inspires you on a regular basis?

Interior design (see aforementioned Gossip Girl!), particularly mid-century modern; the beauty of light, especially when captured impeccably in a film; and above all, music.

14. What 3 words would your friends use to describe you?

Funny. Sarcastic. Type A.

A type A person would be compelled to point out that that’s 4 words.

15. What 3 words would your daughter use to describe you?

For the sake of veracity, I just asked my daughter. Direct quote: “Nice. Hugging type. Likes surprise trips to Disney”.

16. List 3 things you wish you had done sooner in your business.

I was very lucky to have mentors early on and I saved myself a lot of heartache and lessons learned the hard way, I’m sure. Lessons that are best quickly learned? Remember that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. You don’t need to offer a lay-flat or coffee table book if you don’t want to. Try to learn what you’re selling as early as you can. Hint: it’s not products. You are selling yourself, the experience, and your vision. Not gallery-wrapped canvases. You don’t have to get upset when they start selling canvases to consumers at MPIX. MPIX can’t sell YOU. Finally, know that there will always be client outliers and no amount of pre-screening (that I have discovered!) will eliminate them. Even a $1500 minimum will not prevent you have from having the worst client of your life (ask me how I know this!). When you feel frustrated with the 5% that are giving you a problem, think of the clients who are perfection itself. If you have more PITAs than perfectly lovely clients, reevaluate your approach to client education and customer service.

17. What ambition have you not yet achieved?

Why does this question make me think of Pinky and the Brain and their quest to take over the world? I think I have to go with immortality on this one.

18. If you could have lunch with someone famous, who would that be?

Bono [Hey Joyce - not sure if you know this but that was Zach Arias' choice as well!]. We’d have lunch first, and then we’d get married (apologies to both spouses).

19. Which 3 businesses/companies do you admire and why (doesn’t need to be related to photography necessarily)?

Apple

Tea Collection

Disney

Two big brands with branding beyond reproach. One smaller, impeccable brand with a conscience. All three are near perfection. All three make me buy happily.

20. Could you share 3 of your favorite images and tell us why you love them?

I eschewed my “all time favorites” for some images taken last fall, to keep it fresh. The baby in the trees with her thumb in her mouth as well as the little girl in her red dress are my favorite types of portraits – ones that reveal a little something more about the subject than a mere likeness would. I feel that even those who don’t know them would get a sense of their personalities in these two images. The family shot is the type I always strive for but one which is difficult to pull off – it truly requires a comfort level between photographer and subject and the family’s ability to forget that the camera is there if only for as split second. Love!

Technorati Tags: Joyce Smith

[Sorry for my absence as of late. Too many projects and not enough hours in the day!]

I just finished reading ‘Uncertainty – Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance’, by Jonathan Fields. I LOVED IT, and highly recommend you pick it up if you’re looking for a great read.

The basic premise of the book is that many of us (maybe even most of us) don’t reach our potential because we turn and walk the other way in the face of uncertainty or don’t take the next crucial step because of fear. This is especially true for entrepreneurs and it can seriously affect our creativity and our ability to take our businesses from good to GREAT. Jonathan addresses a number of great strategies to help you take on that uncertainty.

There were two areas of the book that really hit their mark for me. The first was with regards to ritual and routine and the second was with regards attentional training (also known as meditation, mindfulness, etc.).

Ritual and Routine

As entrepreneurs, many of us are responsible for running every aspect of our business – even the parts that we don’t particularly like. As Jonathan states:

“This is where ritual and routine, done right, add immense power to the process. Ritual helps train you to sit down when you most want to stand, when you’re forced to work on the part of the process that leaves you anywhere from bored to riddled with anxiety.”

And, I love this part…

“Over time, ritual has a funny side effect. It creates momentum. It becomes habit that builds its own head of steam, one capable of overriding the call of Twitter, Facebook, Green & Black’s Dark 85% chocolate, and trying to learn whether the rumors about Apple’s next product are true.”

I love the idea that [until we hire someone to do those dastardly mundane tasks that we deplore] developing ritual and routine on a consistent basis creates momentum and becomes a habit. A habit. It sounds so simple but I think it’s brilliant.

Attentional Training

Jonathan’s chapter on attentional training speaks to the multiple and profound benefits of various types of meditation. He covers the various techniques and provides some excellent resources for those hoping to adopt meditative processes into their own lives on a daily basis. As well, he talks about research and anecdotal evidence about the positive effects of daily mediation.

On the benefits of attentional training, he states:

“Through daily repetition, [meditation, mindfulness, etc.], they create both physiological and psychological changes that can profoundly alter the way we experience and handle nearly any challenge or endeavor.”

“…it also opens up channels to insight and innovation.”

Essentially, it clears out the chatter and helps to center us, which is particularly important for those of us who work for ourselves, in the creative realm.

I highly recommend you check out Uncertainty. I read a lot of business books and I found this one to be an easy and quick read. In addition, I thought Jonathan Fields was a terrific writer – succinct and to the point but never boring. I found that when I finished the book I wanted to know more about Jonathan himself, as well as wanting more information on some of the various strategies he addressed in the book.

How about you? Have you integrated either ritual and routine or mediation into your daily schedule? If so, don’t be shy – please tell us about your own experience with either practice in the comment section below.

And remember… SHARING is caring. Wow, that sounds so corny – but you get the point .

Technorati Tags: Book review, Jonathan Fields

It looks like it’s a great day for an awesome and complimentary free resource.

After my post last week, Making it Happen in 2012, the lovely Lori Nordstrom contacted me. Many of you may know Lori through PhotoTalkForum,an awesome resource and meeting place for photographers. Lori is generously offering her comprehensive Business Plan Workbook as a free download.

The download consists of two awesome PDF’s. The first is short and sweet and will help you map out some goals for 2012. The second PDF is essentially a comprehensive business plan guide that I highly recommend completing and giving ample thought to if you are serious about taking your business to the next level.

Simply follow this link and you’ll receive instructions to your download pronto…

BUSINESS PLAN WORKBOOK

Enjoy! And hey, you know that SHARING with others is ALWAYS appreciated!

Technorati Tags: Business Plan Workbook for Photographers, Lori Nordstrom

It’s here.

January.

That time of year when most people take a look at the year that lies ahead and [hopefully] make some sort of plan that helps to bring their hopes, dreams, and goals into a reality .

Before talking about what you can do to make 2012 a great year for yourself, I want to really encourage the sharing component of this blog. Please comment/share with others (here on the blog) if you have strategies/ideas/exercises/etc. that work for you. Spread the love – and start doing it today .

Okay, onwards and upwards.

Karen Carey (Karen Carey Photography), who is the master of visualization and goal-setting, generously shared her advice…

1. Make sure your credibility is at stake. This is your biggest motivator.
2. Make sure your goal is your own.
3. Make sure your goal involves a BIG outcome.
4. Make sure you are committed to the long range outcome. Go as far as you can see and the rest will be revealed.
5. Make sure your goals are specific and measurable. Break them down into daily and weekly units. [This one is critical, in my opinion]
6. Make sure you get started. You can’t achieve anything in your head.
7. Write it down and then get started walking it out.

Karen’s THRIVE workshop last fall was incredible (you can read the review HERE). [I think she may have a couple of spots left for her workshop at the end of January (2012), if you really want to get your motor running . You can find the details HERE.]

For me, #5 and #6 on Karen’s list are really important. I would add…

1. Stay true to yourself. Do what feels right – not necessarily what others are doing or others are telling you to do.
2. Take your customer service up a notch – or better yet – up 10 notches!
3. Find/create at least ONE thing that you feel differentiates you from others in your field.
4. Take a look at your process from start to finish and ask yourself how you could streamline it a bit more.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback – from friends or other photographers.

I would love to hear what works well for you in planning your year ahead.

GOOD LUCK! And, as always, SHARING always appreciated. Remember – it’s good kharma .

Technorati Tags: goal-setting, THRIVE workshop

What a year! A year full of new beginnings (The Dedicated Photographer), great workshops, and fresh ideas for Jennifer Pearson Photography.

This post, however, is not about me.

This post is really a not-so-formal-but-very-heartfelt THANK YOU to all of the dedicated photographers out there who have been a part of this blog in some way shape or form. Thank you for showing up, reading up, chiming in, and/or emailing me with your stories, hopes, dreams, and concerns.

You have motivated me to stay on my game and to be creative and thoughtful in ways that might be helpful or educational to others in the field. As well, you have kindly shared your own knowledge with me and others as well.

I hope 2012 is your best year and I look forward to hearing about your trials and tribulations, and spending some quality time with you here!

Sincerely,
Jennifer

Technorati Tags: 2012

I know this is a long time coming, but I am finally getting around to reviewing Karen Carey’s THRIVE Workshop (hosted, for this particular workshop, by Lena Hyde), that I attended in West Palm Beach in September of this year (Karen’s next workshop is in Philadelphia at the end of January 2012).

In a nutshell, it was both educational and inspirational.

Karen’s workshop sells itself as a sales workshop – for those photographers truly wanting to become profitable. Don’t be fooled, however, into thinking that it is all about ‘selling’ per se. That is only one part of it. Karen also delves into analyzing what you, as a photographer, are in fact selling – and puts you to the test to see if a) you know what that is, and b) if it sets you apart from other photographers in your field.

For those who know Karen, she is a no bullsh*t kind of gal. Please excuse the coarse language, but if you have ever had an extended chat with Karen, it is somewhat fitting . Karen tells it like it is. She can come across a little hardcore in some of her policies and strategies at times, but she runs a very profitable studio in Philadelphia, so clearly it works for her. It’s important to remember, however, in any workshop – to take all of the information with a grain of salt. You need to be comfortable enough (enough being the operative word), with the changes you will make down the road.

In the workshop I attended, we were fortunate to have Lena take the reins on one of the two mornings (the workshop was held at her gorgeous studio in West Palm Beach). She ran through her workflow and a typical Proselect presentation. As well, she talked about what works for her. It was short and sweet but full of solid information.

So… here is what I loved about the workshop:

• Karen Carey herself – a brilliant and lovely person all around – a true comedian as well (which never hurts in workshop learning environments )
• Role play scenarios
• Taking a deep and personal look at what is limiting you in your photography business
• Defining what separates you from others in your field
• Sales tactics and information that are tried and true
• Came away totally inspired to improve my business
• Met some great photographers and have stayed connected with many of them since

I asked a couple of other Thrivers to offer some feedback and this is what they said:

“Karen has a true gift for teaching and I will be forever changed because of her.”

“I came home with a whole new outlook on my business and my life. My sales tripled and I reached a personal goal that I NEVER thought I would ever see. Thrive/Karen taught me the confidence I need to move forward with my business. It was truly life changing for me!”

“What I found most effective at Thrive was being able to identify my own unique sales perspective and have the confidence to sell to my clients more effectively. It was especially helpful to see two completely different photographers/personalities/businesses [Karen & Lena] and know that attracting the right customer is not a formula. Each photographer was encouraged to see their own special qualities that would effectively raise their sales numbers by sheer confidence in that.”

Overall, a great workshop with great feedback. This is the second workshop I have attended of Karen’s and I highly recommend that you experience all that is Karen Carey at some point in your future. You will not be disappointed and it will be worth every penny .

Lastly, I had told Karen that I was going to do a post about Thrive and she generously offered the following:

Win a private mentoring session from Karen Carey! All you have to do is ”like” Karen Carey Photography and share this THRIVE Workshop post on your wall. A winner will be randomly selected by December 22, 2011. [Trust me - it will be well worth the effort if you win!]

Technorati Tags: Karen Carey, Lena Hyde, sales workshop, Thrive Workshop review

The title says it all.

If you aren’t doing in-person ordering, it’s time to make the change.

The other day I received the following text from a subscriber (thanks Jen!)…

“Once upon a time ago, you told me that in-person ordering would be liberating. I’m texting you tonight to say thank you for liberating me! ”

And there it is.

The proof is in the pudding .

There are many excuses we can come up with in order not to move forward with certain business practices. The most common ones I have heard with regards to switching to in-person ordering are the following:

• I don’t have the time
• It’s easier to do it online
• I don’t know how to sell
• And the list goes on…

I’m here to encourage you, as the folks at Nike would say, to ‘Just Do It’ – or ‘Just Try It’ at least.

First off, I don’t buy the time issue. Unless you are breastfeeding your newborn (in which case you are hopefully  not thinking too much about work), then you can find the time with a babysitter for your kids if necessary – which will more than pay for itself through increased sales.

Second… is it easier to simply put it online? Probably yes. But online ordering, as many of you well know, comes with a multitude of other problems – less-than-ideal image quality, clients who don’t order on time, and plenty of time for a client to change their mind.

Third, if you love what you do, and your clients love their images – the rest will fall into place and over time you will also learn some tricks of the trade to make the buying process as seamless as possible for your clients.

Personally, I use Proselect to present my images to the client, as it is easy to operate and allows for easy sorting and comparing. I do use a projector and screen but you could simply use your computer or laptop with the client beside you. As well, I almost always show some wall display options (mocked up on a photograph of a wall in their home if possible) – or storyboard options – one or both of which the client typically purchases.

Trust me, I am not great at sales particularly. However, I really believe in my photography and know in my soul that my clients will never regret spending that money once those pictures are in their possession.

So… what’s The Bottom Line?

• Take a deep breath and start to consider in-person ordering if you are currently having your clients order online only
• When you meet with your clients in person, be ready to guide them and provide them with help. You are the expert here.
• Resist the temptation to put your images online ahead of time (I have never looked back since doing it and my ordering sessions take the same amount of time)
• Don’t forget the W.A.I.T. rule (the ‘why am I talking?’ rule – you can see a post about it HERE)

That should do it! Please think about it. If you’ve switched over recently or are thinking about it – please comment below! And… don’t forget to get busy SHARING if you are in the mood. You know it is ALWAYS greatly appreciated.

Technorati Tags: in-person ordering, selling tips for photographers

Okay. It’s official. I’m in the thick of the busy season and therefore wanted to let you know that I may be a little light on posting for the next month and half .

I did, however, want to leave you with a smile. I’m sure some of you can appreciate the images below, as an excellent example of when your subjects are losing interest…

Fun, fun, fun...

Or when things have gone seriously South …

Photographer, what photographer?

Hope you enjoyed those images from a recent session and that you are enjoying this lovely fall season!

And, of course, feel free to SHARE if you like.

Technorati Tags: photographing siblings together

…using your subject’s parents .

I’ve said it before and I will say it again… maximize the outcome of your session by utilizing the child’s parents whenever it can enhance your end result. This works well for pretty much any age – from 3 months to teenagers.

And, of course, we all know it can be just as important to shoot without the parents present for parts of the session, but that’s not what this post is about .

This post is meant to remind you that some of your clients’ favorite images will be the ones you took of their kids looking at them doing something silly, telling a story, or just simply talking to them…

I couldn't see Dad here but I can see he was doing a great job...

Sharing her book with Mom...

The booty shake...

More booty shaking

Loving her Daddy-O...

Just shooting the breeze with Dad...

It’s simple.

But SO important – and can really take your session to the next level.

This post is really just a reminder to actively use the parents in your sessions.

The Bottom Line in using parents (some ideas to offer up)…

• Shake their booty, etc.
• Tell an interesting (albeit not too long) story
• Tell some jokes, engage in potty talk, etc.

I hope you head out to your next session with this in mind .

In the mean time, feel free to SHARE this post with friends – here, there or anywhere . Thanks for coming by!

Technorati Tags: tips and tricks for shooting kids