How I Curate A Photoshoot
In today’s blog, I am featuring a photoshoot I had the opportunity to do recently with the Bell family. They are the pastors that lead the church I am a part of and their daughter. Pastors Clayton and Kelly have been incredibly influential in helping me to get to where I am today, both professionally and personally so it seems only fitting that I feature them in this blog where I discuss how I curate a great photoshoot!
In this blog I will cover the reason for the timing of when I usually book photoshoots, the importance of connecting with my clients, and how I work to capture the essence of who my clients are in their photos. You will get to see some of the pictures I took during this session and learn some important aspects to consider when setting up a photoshoot with me.
Golden Hour
One of the most important things about a photoshoot is having the best light available. This determines the look and feel of the photoshoot and it bleeds into the final images. In my experience, the best time of day to shoot is during what photographers call the “golden hour”. This is the part of the day that has the best light because the intensity of the sun is softer as it begins to set.
The pictures you see here were shot during golden hour on a slightly overcast day. Having some overcast lighting is helpful because it reduces the harshness of the light and evenly distributes it among the subjects and the environment. When booking photoshoots, I tend to choose times later in the afternoon in order to capture this light.
Making Connections
Getting to know my clients is crucial for me. During a consultation call/zoom I don’t only talk about prices and answer questions, but I also take some time to connect with the clients! Building this connection is important because it allows us to laugh together and get to know one another a little bit. It helps my clients to feel more comfortable and relaxed, especially on the day of the photoshoot.
As cliché as is sounds to say “just be yourself,” this is truly what will create the most amazing photos. My clients and I are working together to capture memories for them to cherish and I want those memories to capture the truth of who they are. This can happen much more easily and naturally when everyone feels at ease.
Capturing The Emotion
The style of photography that I create is all about capturing emotions and telling a story through photographs. In order to do that, I help create interactions with my clients rather than setting them up in different poses. I work to bring out the true essence of who my clients are during our session.
You can tell from a mile away if a smile is genuine or not, and I want to bring out nothing but real smiles from my clients. I aim to capture who a family, an individual, or a couple truly is with all of the authentic and genuine emotion that comes with that. One of the ways I do this is by using simple, silly prompts like, “3…2…1…Look at the person with the smelliest breath in the morning!”
Simple and silly, yet so effective.
These are the three most important things to me in order to create an amazing photoshoot for my clients. The time of day, connecting with one another, and fostering natural interactions will create some of the most magical photos you’ve ever had of you and your loved ones.
A lot of work and care goes into creating a wonderful experience for my clients to enjoy, and that is what I love about photography. It is such a personal thing and I have the honor and privilege of creating and capturing those beautiful moments for people.
Thank you to all of my clients who have allowed me to be a part of their journey so far. For those of you reading this who I haven’t yet gotten the opportunity to work with, I hope this gave you some insight into the way I can help you create moments and I hope we have the pleasure of working together soon.
If you’re interested in learning more or booking a photoshoot, contact me and let me help you create some memories that will last a lifetime!
