Laiyana and the Sunflowers

What a gorgeous day at the park with Laiyana and her family! Although I had to turn down Laiyana's offer of coming to her house after the shoot to eat french fries, we had a super great time, and I couldn't resist posting more pictures of this adorable little lady.

 

Love in Every Photo

My current profession, in some ways, is very similar to my old profession as a coffee-slinging Barista. In either of those careers, there is an artist who crafts her masterpiece with love and tailors it to suit the needs of the individual customer. 

I won't go into the complexities of how such a feat is accomplished with coffee, although I could, but I do want to dive into the creative processing that goes into infusing a digital image with enough heart to make people gasp and smile from ear to ear when they see it. 

So let's start at the beginning...

A person paying for photography services often thinks of their interaction with the photographer (emails, phone calls, pre-event consultations, the day of the wedding, the hour long portrait session, etc.) as the bulk of the photographer's working day, and that when they are paying a photographer, they are paying them just for the time they 'show up', but that couldn't be further from the truth. I can't speak for other photographers, but for Rob and I, we expect that for every one hour of photography there will be four to eight hours of editing and post-processing, and other miscellaneous business tasks associated with that event or session.  

So yes, technically I suppose we do get paid to show up. But just showing up, while monumentally important, isn't where the magic happens. Magic happens when you, as the photographer, establish a connection with your customer, and then in turn with any of their friends and family that you interact with. Magic happens when you use that collaborative connection with your customer to influence the way you edit and present your work to them. You take what you've learned about them, their preferences, their motivations, the things that make them excited, to help you present them with a better finished product. One that is uniquely theirs, and completed with their happiness and wonderment in mind. And doing that, being open to the individual needs and desires of each person you work with, is not always easy, but it is rewarding. It is joyful. It is magic! And that is what you're really getting for your investment. 

I've got plenty of other blog posts (both already on this blog and also in my brain) about what the actual wedding or portrait session is like, so I won't spend too much time on that, and I'll skip straight to post-processing, and why it's important to the overall finished product, and how it is an extension of our connection with each customer. 

As a photographer, there is a fine line between presenting things as they happened and presenting things as they felt. I edit pictures for the emotion they elicit. For how the moment felt when I was there, and how I imagine, using the power of empathy, the moment felt to those who were more actively participating in it. I'll show you an example of what I mean. 

I did a portrait session this past weekend with an amazing little girl named Laiyana, who is so adorable it blows my mind. Here is one of the original, unedited pictures from the session (you should feel super special right now because I never show unedited photos to anyone): 

Good picture, even if the shade we were in made it a bit dark. But here is the way I remember that moment feeling: 

My goal isn't to be entirely accurate about the way things looked at the time I took the photo, my goal is to capture how things felt. To capture the essence of the moment, of the person, of the day, and distill it into something you will want to look at over and over and over again, because it reminds you of a feeling. It brings that feeling back. 

The reason post-processing takes so much time, and is so valuable, is that with each photo, you're gauging what subtle adjustments would allow the emotion of the moment to shine through. Things like crop, white balance, brightness, contrast, and color versus black and white all determine how a finished photo feels when you look at it. Rob and I don't do any batch editing. None at all. Zip. We lovingly edit each individual photo that makes the cut, to perfectly capture all of the beautiful things that were happening at the time we took the original photo, both the tangible and the intangible. 

Nearly anyone these days can pick up a camera and snap some pictures. What is valuable and fulfilling about what we do is the artistry and effort that goes into taking those photos and creating something more than just a snapshot. Creating something you will cherish, something that will take you back to that perfect (or wonderfully imperfect) moment and fill you with all the love, hope, and joy that are there waiting for you. 

Until next time friends, I give you all my photographic love! 

Mallory + Alan at the Lussier Family Heritage Center

Mallory and Alan's wedding was a joy to photograph. From reception decorations handmade by the bride, to the fantastic blue suede shoes donned by the groom and groomsmen, this wedding was as unique as Mallory and Alan themselves. Thanks for letting me share your special day with you! 

    

 

 

 

Erin + Sam at The London Wetland Center

The lovely Erin and her handsome beau Sam (who has a fantastic name, right?) were married at the WWT London Wetland Center in style. One of my favorite details of the day was the pewter colored dress with black crocheted bolero. It was non-traditional and absolutely STUNNING on Erin, as was all the joy and love! 

How to Have a Great Senior Portrait Experience

Much like headshots, we've all seen what we're not looking for in a Senior Portrait, either for yourselves, your kids, or for me, as a photographer. 

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with a giant styrofoam '2014' prop, but what I am saying is that it's not for everybody, and if you follow this blog and you enjoy our work, it's probably not what you're looking for either. 

Unlike headshots, Senior Portraits also double as a rite of passage celebrating a high schooler's last year as a young adult, before the weight of final exams, dissertations, and student loans, otherwise known as 'reality', comes crashing down. It's a lot to ask out of a 1-2 hour portrait session with a teenager who may be feeling awkward, unwieldy, and skeptical as to the importance of capturing this important transition period for posterity. 

So with Senior Portraits, you have two goals, right? One is to get the shot for the yearbook and get the shot to send to Grandma and Grandpa to show them how big this kid is getting and how he's almost an adult! Second is to create an experience that allows this young adult to express who they are, what they want their high school friends (and their family!) to remember about them, and to help them feel comfortable showing what makes them unique. And you can't 'get the shot' without creating the experience and the comfort level. 

Now part of this is just being good at what you do as a photographer, and also good at putting people at ease. That's a big part of it. But it wouldn't be a blog post without sharing some insight, so now let's talk about some questions I get asked frequently regarding Senior Portraits, and what you can do to help create the experience for yourself or for your teenager! 

Wear something you feel comfortable and confident in: 

I know what you're thinking. "But Sam! That's cheating! You gave that same advice in your headshot blog post!" 

And you're right, I did. Also, good job reading my other blog posts. But I repeat it because it's good, solid advice. If you feel uncomfortable in your clothes, you're going to look uncomfortable in your clothes. Period. An exception might be in there somewhere for weddings or joyous events because you're so crazy happy that it outweighs how heavy that dress is or how hot that tux is, but when you're not talking about a special event with unparalleled levels of joy, discomfort is going to win out, every time. And it's going to show on your face. 

Generally I suggest sticking with solid colors or simple patterns that don't distract from your face, but it's about what you feel comfortable and confident in. There is nothing wrong with dressing up or down, as long as you're comfortable and you look like, well, you! This client chose an outfit that was comfortable, flattering, and was very much 'her' style. 

What about hair and makeup?: 

In keeping with the 'be comfortable, be yourself' theme, I would caution against straying too far outside of what your normal hair and makeup routine is, for one simple reason; these pictures should look like you. It's probably not the best time to try a brand new hair color or a really drastic makeup change. Certainly dress up and get fancy to the extent you'd like to, but remember, your friends and family want to see you. This client chose to go without makeup. In her words "I've never worn makeup, and I'm not going to start now!"

Choose a location that has personal meaning to you: 

Now, I don't want to stress people out. There are some teens who really don't have a specific location off the top of their head that has special meaning to them, or not one that their parents would let them get pictures taken in. (Your best friend Julie's basement doesn't count, sadly.) And that's okay! When you can, picking a location(s) that has special meaning is great, but it can also just be a type of setting you enjoy, such as a rustic setting or an urban setting. If you're not sure where to have your portraits done, I'm happy to provide suggestions based on what you're looking for! This client chose a gorgeous wooded hideaway that she'd found while hiking one day. 

Do you need props?: 

The short answer is no. The longer answer is, only if you want them. While I can't specifically recommend the giant foam '2014' and I don't have those laying around anyway, what I can suggest, if you're looking for ideas for props, are things that are important to you. If you play soccer, bring your soccer ball or heck, even your whole outfit! If you love photography, bring your favorite camera. If you are an avid reader, bring your favorite book! We're painting a picture of who you are and what is important to you right now, and your own personal props can be a fun way to do that! This client loved to knit, and wanted to incorporate that into some of her photos. 

What about outfit changes?:

Many Senior Portrait clients choose to have a few outfit changes, but they certainly aren't necessary. Some things to consider when thinking about outfit changes are whether there will be a private place to change at the venue you choose for your photos, and what types of outfits are important to you to have represented in your pictures. For instance, a rugby player may want to bring their uniform, but certainly wouldn't want all of their photos taken in it. Bring as many outfit changes as you'd like, even if you just want them there as options! This client had her chef's uniform and also a lovely summer dress, to showcase several facets of her personality! 

 

I'm hoping that what you take away from this is that being comfortable being yourself is the best thing that you can do to ensure great a great Senior Portrait experience, and a the best way to get results you will be happy with. Give me a holler at contact@robandsamphoto.com if you're interested in booking a session and I'm happy to help brainstorm ideas on how to let your personality shine in your pictures! 

Until next time! 

All my photographic love, 

Sam