When I first started off in this industry, I would practice on anyone that would let me, mainly my children... and people wonder why they rarely see pictures of my kids anymore! Now that I have my Harley, she is always geared up for a session! Okay, that is a total lie. She hates when I dress her up. She tolerates the posing knowing darn well her cookie will be coming after.
This year, Harley will be going as a Vampire Dog, due to her beautiful smile ;) I thought it was only appropriate and plus, they had a cute collar to match! This year, I will being going as an ER nurse... again! ;) I hope everyone enjoys Halloween this year and is safe! Please take lots of pictures to look back on these fun memories you and your family will make. Enjoy!
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Today I had a session in downtown Willoughby, Ohio with a High School student that I have known for a while now. During this time he has been best known to our family as Bobby, Bob, Robert, our sons best friend from childhood, the one on the drums, the quiet one, my back up shooter, just to name a few...
I was honored that his Mom asked me to photograph his senior pictures. I knew he would be a breeze since he has been to weddings with me and knows how I pose, how quickly I work, not to mention he should feel comfortable around me by now! When asked, I already had ideas or what I felt would be a good fit as far as backgrounds however Mom already had her mind set on a location. We set up the time and date for this location , a few times, but Ohio weather being Bipolar, we had to reschedule. The initial location of the session was to be at a park. I just couldn't see him for an entire session at a park so I started digging in further with Mom as to if this is a must location, why this location, etc... I find out that this is the location that her children grew up playing at and there is a bridge there that has a very special meaning to her. At first, I was like yep, I get it, we will shoot there, no more questions. As I sat on this, I had to think, who is the client? Who am I photographing? Why am I photographing this subject? What is the purpose for this session? The wheels were turning in my head quickly and then I had my Ahh ha moment! ;) As photographers, it is our job to have the creative eye, to take the lead when the other party has not gone through a session or wedding before, to coach or offer them choices and guidance. Perhaps they have their mind set on a certain image from Pinterest and it is not realistic to get an image like this due to weather, location, body size, etc..., that is our job to be upfront and as artists, we hope you want us to have our own creative ideas to offer. Because of this, it is our job to also be an advocate for our clients. In this situation, I know Mom wanted a bridge shot, but after knowing that it was more for her, I felt I could offer her something much better while giving Bobby my full creative attention paying special detail to what his interests. are. What I did not want to do was offend his Mom or discount how important the park was so when I returned to her with another choice for his session, I offered to capture the bridge shot and then move on to the other locations in which I felt may suit him better AND/OR perhaps get a nice image of Mom and her boys on that bridge together at a later date;) We went with the creative option and because of this, Mom will be getting a nice surprise from JWP... her bridge picture with her boys photographed when she is ready ;) I want her to have this special image because this is her memory with her boys and as a Mom myself, I know those memories are priceless! Portrait or High School sessions are something I love to do, especially when they bring a ton of outfits and allow me to chime in as to what I think looks good! I also love when my clients say they "trust" me! The word trust word goes a long way for me. It means you are welcoming me into a part of your life, into a part of your family, your memories and to making those memories. That means more than you will ever know and I am honored and blessed to have this passion of mine to be able to do this all for you ;) Enjoy this preview of Rebekah! She rocked it through the sun, rain and even snow here today in Willoughby Hills, Ohio!
This morning when I showed up at Squires Castles to photograph Rebekah Rae for her High School Senior Portraits, I was a like, OH NO, this poor girl is going to freeze! Of course with it being awesome Ohio, it started to sprinkle, then stop, then sprinkle, then snow. So, being the traveler that I am, I look in the back of my Jeep and of course I have a couple of umbrellas ;) No worries, I got this, I shoot quick I assured Mom and telling her upfront that I rarely shoot inside the castle because I honestly never get good lighting no matter what I have tried. I gave a quick shout out to the big guy upstairs to give us the weather he intended us to have and for a safe, fun session. So after some beautiful photos and outfit changes, we change gears. Mom tells me she wants one with her prom dress on, more of a gothic look. She pulls out this little black dress, blacks boots and a string of pearls which we placed around her wrist to keep her amazing neckline open. Now Its 40 degrees or lower and is really starting to come down. I look over to this open spot inside of the castle and It's like God was looking down saying "have at it Jill, here is your goth shot... go take it!" I could not have asked for better lighting, a better back drop. better weather or a better girl for this shot! Last Christmas, a gift certificate was purchased for a family session to give to their Mom/Grandmother. Initially, it was to be just one or two large poses of the family of 12, however I had a feeling that may change, so I made sure to set some extra time aside that morning ;) Once we met up in beautiful town of Chagrin Falls, Ohio we did a few of the large poses and then Mom/Grandma requested more images, breaking down the session into smaller groups with her and her family members. Good thing I set aside extra time! To be a successful photographer, not only do you have to have the knowledge, skills and gear, but you also have to be able to prepare for "what ifs" and go with the flow. I already prepared that morning to stay longer knowing that this was a gift involving 12 people including smaller children. This session could go a few ways such as: A. Really smooth and quickly with just a couple large group poses they initially requested. Done in 15 minutes. B. Super quick because the children saw the Popcorn Shop across the street, had a meltdown, and that was about that. 40 minutes due to standing on my head, d0ing flips in the air and singing every kid song I know looking like a total @ss since the Popcorn shop wouldn't be open until noon. C. Fantastic because the Lord above is just awesome, the kids are rockin' it, the weather is perfect and because all of this the family requested more photos. 60 minutes. When asked how long my sessions are, I simply reply with, I work quickly, except with newborns, I work on their time. It simply depends on what you want to get out of the session as well. Always keep in mind "what ifs" always happen. Traffic, weather, outfit changes, etc... so allow enough time for your clients and yourself to be able to get the perfect shot and have a great, relaxed session. I will end with this... how beautiful is this Mother/Grandmother?? Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoyed your gift from JWP! |
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