Well! I’ve gotta start this post off with a little confession… I wrote this back in February when I blogged my decision to start sharing more about the back-side of my business and I couldn’t muster the courage to publish it until now. But guess what? That self-doubt? It will always be there, whether I like it or not. :) And therefore, I will NEVER feel “worthy” to give advice.

But then I got to thinking… what if other photographers that I admire and respect allowed THEMSELVES to be tricked into this frame of mind? I would never have been able to learn from THEM! So if this new little series, “My Journey Files,” all about this crazy, amazing, exciting adventure of owning and running my own photography business helps just ONE person, then it’s worth it. Sooo worth it. ;)

I think one of the greatest stumbling blocks in my growth as a photographer during the first year or two of my business was that I would take one set of pictures in one pose in a certain location, then almost immediately move on to a new spot to shoot. This occurred over and over again! After thinking it through a bit, I realized that this was doing my clients and myself a HUGE disservice! Since then, I’ve learned that once I find beautiful light and a good location to shoot in, I should STAY PUT!! Here are a few ways this has benefited my business:

+ It creates CONSISTENCY! This is huge! Since I blog so many images, it allows readers to enjoy a set of images, instead of an all-over-the-place selection. It better tells the story and also translates to album design – it’s far more visually appealing to have a cohesive set of images on each album spread.
+ Clients get COMFORTABLE! Having your pictures taken is intimidating to most people and it is my job to ease the pressure and help my clients relax. If I were to rush from place to place, it wouldn’t allow for them to get comfortable in their surroundings…
+ This translates to CONFIDENCE! In my experience, when clients are comfortable, they’re confident!
+ It allows for a higher QUANTITY (ugh just broke my capital words starting with “C” pattern ;) of images in a short amount of time! In not maximizing each location, I am spending half the session time 1) walking to a new area of the grounds 2) assessing the light and setting my exposure accordingly 3) working a couple into a pose and getting them comfortable all over again in a new environment.

Here are a few examples of what I’m talking about! See how I never change locations in these sets of images? Just maximizing each location by shooting wide, close in, changing up my angle, switching lenses, tweaking the pose… the possibilities are ENDLESS!

Neal + Lauren:


Kevin + Jackie:


Brett + Haley:

Whew, that was a lot of info! I’m so thankful for the photographers that have been so willing to share their knowledge with me, and I’m just excited to pay it forward in the smallest of ways. Happy Wednesday, friends!