Tag: photoshoots

How to Stay Comfortable During Client Photoshoots

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Taya Ivanova

There are many articles that provide models with tips on how to pose, feel comfortable in front of the camera, and enjoy themselves during a photoshoot. Though these resources will teach you how to make your clients feel good in your presence, they won’t highlight the importance of your own comfortability. It’s easy to forget your own needs during a shoot and end up feeling exhausted once a session is over. You don’t deserve to feel this way.

It’s possible to meet your clients’ needs and stay balanced at the same time. All it takes is a little bit of preparation and a few handy tools!

Have Pre-Photoshoot Rituals

A lot of people love routines because of their consistency and reliability. Without them, life can get pretty hectic. Even if you’re not a fan of scheduling, you can still prepare things for yourself and avoid the disasters that ambiguity likes to create. Here are a few self-care tips:

Rely on to-do lists.
Like any meeting, a shoot isn’t fun if it involves forgetting, rushing, and worrying. You can avoid this once and for all by preparing your equipment, outfit, and any other essentials a few days before you meet with your client. As soon as you schedule a meeting, make a to-do list filled with things you should pack. This will help you immensely on the day of the shoot.
Eat well before you go out.
A healthy meal will give you energy, lift your spirits, and keep you motivated throughout your session. Make sure you don’t eat too much and that your meal is truly healthy. Your mind and body will thank you later.
Bring a few snacks with you.
Boosts of energy are always a plus, and you can offer them to your clients if they get hungry.
Spend quality time with yourself.
Taking care of your own needs now will help you satisfy your clients’ wishes later. To avoid feeling neglected, take some time – even an hour – to properly relax. Take a bath, read a book that makes you feel warm, call a friend, or simply take a nap.

Be Mindful

“Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you are doing.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn

Client photoshoots are an opportunity to connect with other people and be mindful. Being present will give you peace, inspiration, and openness. The way you move, think, and talk during a shoot will affect your clients’ behavior; the calmer you are, the easier it will be for them to be themselves in front of your camera. Compare this to a frantic photo session that’s filled with awkwardness, silence, and a lack of creativity. In a situation like that, both you and your model will feel highly uncomfortable.

If you want to be mindful, use all of your senses. Listen carefully and observe everything around you, not just what’s in front of you. This will enhance your creativity, give you more opportunities to take spectacular photos, and help you be peacefully present.

Invest in Comfortable Camera Accessories

Equipment that is rough

, bulky, or heavy will add to your discomfort and give you unnecessary problems to worry about. Fortunately, many companies are creating more and more products that are both beautiful and comfortable. There are a plethora of accessories that will look incredible on you and make your professional life easier to manage. A few of these things are:

Soft camera straps that won’t hurt your neck
Lens cap keepers that will keep your lens cap within reach at all times
A memory card case to store all of your precious photos in one physical space
A camera bag that won’t break your back!

Prepare Something You Can Look Forward To

The last thing you want is to rush back home, eat something unhealthy, and edit your photos in a stuffy room. Knowing that you have a clean living space waiting for you is not only refreshing but motivating. Before you go out, make sure your workspace is tidy. Plan something that your future self can look forward to a movie night with friends, a visit to the park, or a day off that you’ve been postponing for too long.

By taking care of yourself, you’ll find all the energy and inspiration you need to have a successful and comfortable shoot. Remember to cultivate mindfulness, practice self-care, and invest in helpful camera accessories. These improvements will enhance your creative experiences and make you a happier photographer. That is what you deserve.

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Photographing Celebrities: Tips and Techniques

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Jennifer Berube

While some dream of fame and fortune, others dream of capturing it. Behind every amazing photograph of a celebrity is a photographer who knew exactly how to bring out the confidence and personality of that particular person.

However, landing photography gigs to spend even a minute with high profile celebrities is no easy feat. When it does happen, you need to be prepared to be professional, work quickly, and be sure of your own ability. That goes for celebrity profile shots done in studio, music photography backstage and up close at concerts or event photography where you need special access.

If you’re looking to break into celebrity photography, here are a few things you should keep in mind to get you ahead of the game.

Mariah Carey by tpsdave @pixabay

Professionalism is Key

Celebrities are bombarded daily by screaming fans in person and on the Internet. Even if you find yourself wanting to gush about how much you love their work, hold back. Before you get to sit down face to face with a celebrity and capture their portrait, you will have to work through many others to get there. Acting calmly and displaying how professional you can be will gain you more entrance than others. Treat everyone with respect and give him or her the space you would any normal individual.

Along with being professional, you need to be confident in yourself and you work. Approach magazines and PR companies that you’re interested in working with. This may be the first step in getting big name clients.

Be Personable

You can’t take a good portrait if your subject isn’t comfortable. Celebrities are no different than other individuals in this regard. Your social skills and ability to connect with people on a personal level help land you gigs.

Your ability to be warm, welcoming, and personable will also help produce the best quality photograph. Find ways to engage your client in conversation. Read their body language and try not to ask anything uncomfortable or pry into their private life. Keep it lighthearted and use these conversations as a way to capture a relaxed side.

Be Prepared: Practice and Know Your Gear

With knowledge comes confidence. Before you approach any magazine or PR company to seek out high profile photography work, practice as much as possible. Take lots of pictures of everything—strangers on the street, friends, family, whatever you can.

You should know your camera and how to use it without a second thought. Lighting is also huge, whether it’s studio or natural. A celebrity should walk into a shoot with you and not question whether the lighting will highlight their best features.

If in a studio setting, everything should be ready to go before the person being photographed walks in there. Research who your client is, what their facial structure is like, and how to make them look their best. Have a game plan in mind of the type of message you’re trying to send through your photograph so your lighting is ready. You may only get a few minutes with a celebrity before they have to move on. This won’t give you much time to re-shoot if something didn’t go right the first time.

Find a Mentor and Start Small

One of the best ways to learn is to work alongside someone further along in their career than you. Reach out to other professional celebrity photographers and see if they need help editing, shooting, or even in administrative work. Through having a mentor, you’ll be able to learn the best way to market yourself to PR companies and magazines, how to carry yourself around high profile clients, and maybe even get on a first name basis through their own connections.

Kit Herington by Amy Sussman (http://asussman.tumblr.com/post/123474224867/in-studio-with-kit-herington)

Sometimes it’s easier to reach out to potential clients, up and coming celebrities, who are beginning their own career and offer portfolio building PR work. They need professional promotional material more than anyone and will be appreciative to have someone represent them. This, in turn, will provide you with more experience, portfolio pieces, and potential connections down the road.

Whatever your career goals are, aiming to be a celebrity photographer is a tough road. You will be up against the very best who have carved out a name for themselves. However, a professional attitude and a creative eye will get you far. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and promote your work. If you show you’re committed and persevere, you will land the jobs you want to and start earning money as a professional photographer.

8 Ways to Improve Your Pet Photography

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Jennifer Berube

Whether you’re planning to photograph your own dog or cat or take on capturing someone else’s, it’s best to be prepared due to the unpredictable nature of animals. Depending on the personality of the particular pet, you may have to have some extra dedication to getting the perfect shot you want.

But, no matter if it’s just a hobby or you want to break out into the pet photography business, here are eight surefire tips to help you get amazing shots that really bring out the animal’s personality and turn them into your best friend on set.

1. Have a Goal in Mind

What type of shot are you hoping to capture? Are you aiming for a portrait shot with an empty background or an action shot? Do you want to include props or will the pet be dressed up at all? Planning ahead of time will take some of the stress off in the moment. Write down a shot list for the day and have an idea of how you can capture each one.

2. Bring Treats

There’s no better way to get an animal comfortable around you than through their stomach. Treats can be a great way to get someone else’s pet to come to you and relax, whereas you can use them with your own to practice tricks they may know. You can also use treats to lure them into positions or into a place that the background is less busy.

3. Get Comfortable

Animals are amazing at picking up on our feelings regardless if we’re outwardly showing them. Similar to when you shoot portraits with people, it’s best to allow your subject to get used to you first before the real magic will happen. Spend time in their environment and allow them to come to you first. This is especially true with cats that can be a bit more cautious of strangers.

4. Your Environment or Theirs?

Where you shoot will depend greatly on what your goal was as discussed in the beginning. If you’re photographing dogs, you’ll be able to capture them wherever their personality most shines. This may be best done in the home on the couch or out at the park with a Frisbee. With other animals that are stuck inside the home, it might be helpful to clean up and “decorate” an area of the home to add some visual interest in the photos.

5. Bring the Right Equipment

Most modern day cell phones are equipped with cameras. Even a point-and-shoot camera will be capable of producing decent quality images. Whatever you’re shooting with, it’s ideal to use a fast shutter speed or Sports mode to help reduce blur. Animals are quick and aren’t able to always sit still for the perfect shot, so you need to take steps to catch high energy moments.

If you’re shooting with a DSLR, a zoom lens might be another great addition. This will allow you to photograph animals that are a bit on the shy side and allow you to stay out of their personal space while still getting up close photos. Another personal favorite is using a prime lens such as an 85mm. These lenses are great for tight portrait shots that showcase the eyes and facial detail.

6. Try a New Angle

We generally look at our pets from above, giving them a very subservient feel, as they are much shorter than us. It can add a lot of visual interest to a photo to get down at their level and shoot there. You can even elevate them into a position of power by getting below them and shooting up, creating a larger than life perspective. Practice with different angles and what type of personality you want to represent in the photo.

7. Think About Your Lighting

As with any portraiture, your lighting plays the biggest role in the overall feel and quality of the end result. When shooting in the home, try to open the blinds and find a spot that has the most natural but diffused light. White curtains can be great for diffusing afternoon sun and can be the best place to photograph. Avoid dark rooms or bright overhead lights that have an orange haze.

If you are planning to shoot outdoors, avoid harsh afternoon sun and aim to shoot in the dawn or dusk hours. You can also move into the shade, which will naturally diffuse the sunlight but still bring out the color in their eyes.

8. Relax and Have Fun

Most important of all is to have fun with what you’re doing and relax. Smile, don’t be too loud or boisterous and let the magic unfold in front of you. When it comes to photographing pets, you may be in it for the long haul if you have a perfect composition in mind. Be prepared to adjust the shot list you originally started with and find special moments throughout the day.

Tips For Your Next Corporate Photoshoot

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Jennifer Berube

If you want to make good money with photography, then corporate photography is where it’s at. It may not be as dynamic and as interesting as street or sports photography, but it is a great way to really get into the photography world. You will find that you develop great contacts and relationships with your clients, at the same time making a great living.

In order to get into the highly competitive world of corporate photography, you need to know what you are doing and you need to know how to get yourself and your work to stand out. Follow these tips to take your corporate photography to the next level, getting you more clients and more money in your photography career.

Prepare Your Subject

When you are taking a picture of a model or an employee, you want to make sure they are prepped to look their best for the photo.

The first thing you should do is to ask that they bring several outfits with themselves to ensure that there are plenty of clothing options. Maybe a certain shirt will look good with the background, and you want to capitalize on that with having different options.

Second, and this is very important, make sure that all the clothes are very clean and ironed. Don’t be afraid to bring an iron with you to ensure that the subject looks clean cut in the photo. Corporate clients want their employees and models to look the best, so this is not something to ignore.

Third, the model or employee should be well-groomed. Make sure that the subject brings grooming supplies with them so they can tackle any errant hairs, brush their teeth, and wash up their face. On that same note, decide beforehand if you want the person to have facial hair or not. Having them shave at home will save a lot of time and hassle.

Guiding the Subject

Once the subject is ready, it is up to you to make sure that they what you want them to do. You should have the subject look directly into the camera. You should also make sure that they are very comfortable and will smile into the camera. You want them to look friendly and happy, not nervous and sad.

Talk to the model and get to know them. This will help them feel comfortable and make it easier for them to be themself. This is especially important if you are taking pictures of an employee and not a model who is used to the whole corporate photoshoot scene. Take an interest in the life of the employee and act natural with them. This will help them loosen up and be more relaxed when you are taking the pictures. Be their friend and you will get some really great photos with your corporate subject.

Lastly, and this is so very important, be positive with your subject. Give them lots of encouragement and tell them what a great job they are doing. They will be happy to hear this, and once again that is going to help them relax with you.

Lighting and Posing

Once you have everything you need in terms of making the employee comfortable, you can get started on the lighting. Just have the subject next to one light while also using natural light. A softbox will also mimic light from a window if you want to have more control over the lighting of the person on camera. Generally, if you are going for a more natural look, you won’t have the subject with the light right in front of them as this is not a natural look. A soft light on the side of the face is much better.

Other Tips for Corporate Shoots

Some other things to remember when you are getting your corporate photos is to have a strong attention to detail, not only of your subject, but of the background and even the people in the background.

A corporation wants the image to speak well of their brand, and you want to show the company in the best light. You want the photos to look professional and dynamic, so use these tips to really get the most out of your corporate photoshoot.

High Energy Photoshoots: Pets and Children

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Jennifer Berube

Everyone loves pets, and everyone loves children. Photographers can get some wonderful pictures of children and pets, but it is often difficult to get the right circumstances where the pets and children behave the way you want them to for the photoshoot. They have a lot of energy, short attention spans, and it can push you to your limits to get the photo, but it isn’t impossible if you just have some patience and a few tricks up your sleeve. Here are some good tips for you to get the best photos of pets and children.

Understand the Challenges

There are going to be several challenges when you photograph children and pets. Understanding these challenges will ensure you get the photos you want.

First, respond to the personality of your model. That’s not only for a child, but the pet as well. You can do this with an individual child, or with a group of children. Let them be children, and let them act naturally for the photo. The best photos of children are they ones where you can really see what they’re like, when you really capture their personality. Same with pets.

Second, you are going to be dealing with fast moving subjects and that means you need to be very quick on your feet.

Lastly, it can be hard for the kids to stay in one spot when you want to take advantage of certain light. Natural lighting is really what you want to go for when photographing children and pets playing.

Have Fun

When you are photographing children or pets for portraits, have fun with it. Understand that they are not going to act how you want them to act. They are going to act how they want to act, so you need to take advantage of that. If the child, or children, have a lot of energy and want to run around and play, then take them outside and get photos of them climbing trees, playing in leaves, running around a field. All of this can make for wonderful, and relaxed, photos that a family will cherish for many years to come.

With pets, you can follow the same mentality. If you are photographing cats, then let them play. Give them some cat nip, work to make them interact with each other using toys and strings. With dog photography, it is much easier as the dog is very eager to please. They will want to do the things you want them to do. Have them sit and stay and capture the picture. You can throw a ball outside, or into water, and get those pictures that show the dog having the time of its life.

Don’t Expect Boredom

What I mean by this is that you should not expect that the children are just going to stand around, or the dogs and cats won’t just sit there and not move. Well, maybe the cats won’t move. You should expect a lot of energy and you should expect that the children and pets don’t want to be bored. In that regard, because of the high energy, make sure you capture everything with a fast shutter speed. Make sure there is a lot of light around you as well. Natural light will be the best for pictures, so being outside is a good option if you want to get the best photos of your pets and children models. If you have to take pictures in the studio, then make sure that you have plenty of light to work with.

Think Outside the Box

When you are getting the photos, especially of pets, then think outside the box. Don’t just have the dogs sit and pose, have them take a bath and shake. Have them photographed soaking wet, or running after a ball, or playing with their favorite toy. With cats, have them play with string instead of just lay on the ground, or have them interact with other cats. If they are just laying around, then make a sudden noise to get their attention and have them look directly at the camera. There are so many options for creating some really great and interesting photos of pets.

We love our pets and we love our children and some see their pets as their children. Help preserve the memories of your dearest ones through amazing photoshoots that capture the high energy and unique personalities of the models.