I look forward to reading your comments and/or speaking with you about an upcoming session. I strive to create photographs that are unique, high quality and representative of your personality.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Chic Critique Forum | Photographer Idol Submission


In the previous blog post, I used this image to describe my style and methodology.  It was taken just this summer and it still lingers in mind despite other photographs I have taken.  When the opportunity presented itself to share an image that exemplified my style I gravitated to this photo once again.  It gave me great joy to showcase such a gorgeous girl in a manner that was true to her personality.  Once I had found the light, everything else seemed magical.  I love that her skin tones are just as creamy as they are in real life, that there is a twinkle in her eye, that she is wearing the hair accessory (versus the hair accessory wearing her), and that the composition draws you in and makes you pause.  Who is this girl?  What is her secret?  Where is she going?  How can that be me?  When a photograph elicits an emotional response then it has fulfilled its purpose.  I am grateful for the opportunity to share my vision via Chic Critique Forum (http://chiccritiqueforum.com/) and the Photographer Idol Contest.  I hope that you stay tuned to see if it is chosen as part of the top ten!

Reminder:  You can follow me on Facebook (*e photography) or visit my website (ephotography.ifp3.com) to learn more. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Q&A

This is the type of portrait that makes me stop and stare.  The model is so serene, confident and luminous.  (You can click on the picture to see a larger version.)


This was taken as part of a commercial shoot for The Bow Chick.  (If you love this hair accessory be sure to check out http://thebowchick.bigcartel.com/product/mint-coral-collection-the-lily-ann - this is such a gorgeous piece in person!)  I am also including the before and after photos for this particular image because I have gotten a few questions recently about how I transitioned from a hobbyist to a professional. 

How I think about my camera, composition, light and editing:
I crop “in camera” 99% of the time.  This means that I frame the image in the camera prior to taking the shot versus cropping the image into something different on my computer.  Although I like negative space in my photos I chose to fill the frame with my subject because I wanted the viewer to focus on how the accessory creates a “look”.  I could have put the headband on the ground and snapped a photo but it was important to me to create a feeling instead of a two-dimensional image of the flower.  I also tend to place my subject with the light behind them so that it creates a soft frame around them. I want my editing to enhance my photo, not fix my photo.  It took me a long time to learn how to get the right exposure straight out of the camera and it is always a priority for me.  As a novice I struggled with this and I tended to over-edit.  (I laugh when I look back at photos that I used to think were awesome.)  Any editing I do now is purposeful.  Some of my edits are “clean” and some are more artistic.  It depends on the client and the intent of the session.  Either way, I stick to my aesthetic and produce photographs that make me happy.


Never forget that it is the vision of the photographer, the capacity to take quality photographs and the ability to edit those photographs that ultimately creates an emotion on behalf of the viewer.  A great camera does not magically produce great photos.  Ever. 

The best advice I can give is to shoot constantly, learn your equipment, invest in quality lenses, find a mentor (or two), educate yourself and ask for feedback in a forum comprised of other professionals.  There is a wealth of information in the cyber universe – just don’t get overwhelmed.  It takes time to improve and I am still learning and growing each and every day.

I genuinely value your support, business and feedback.  I hope that this has given any aspiring photographers a start in the right direction – Good luck!