Waiting for a Good Thing

I love photographing nature. It doesn’t move unless its an animal or the wind is blowing too hard. Its easy to work with. But where is the challenge in that??  My favorite challenge?? Photographing people. They are funny, beautiful and from time to time full of surprises. I love human expression. Its one of the most beautiful things to see someone genuinely smile, to see enjoyment on someone's face, or simply be aware of how they feel inside.

My favorite style of photography is something called lifestyle photography. My version of this is a little different than what you normally see from someone who says they are a lifestyle photographer. A typical lifestyle photographer takes people out into a controlled environment. They typically try to recreate a "magic moment." When I'm shooting a portrait session I want to interact. I want to try to connect with you. I want to witness the "magic" come to light, not force it. I want you to laugh and genuinely smile. I want you to enjoy yourself. The biggest reason? When you aren't comfortable, it shows.

I've had a lot of clients who absolutely were not comfortable in their own skin. It took a LOT to get these people to realize that I was indeed their friend. My absolute favorite example of this is Yasmeen. Yasmeen was VERY nervous about the shoot. And in the first 50 frames it really showed. However the further we got into the shoot, the more "magic" I began to see.

 

Unless your some kind of pro or you've done way too many photo shoots to count, NERVES ARE NORMAL. 

One of the most frequently asked questions I get on a shoot is "What do I do?" I hate this question. lol. If I tell you what to do, its not natural. If I don't tell you what to do, eventually you will figure it out, but at least the first 50 frames are going to suck. lol. Its a real dilemma I have to face every time I shoot.

At some point, regardless of what I say to you, your nerves will melt. Even if it is just ever so slightly. 

It seems to be a trend that the longer you spend in front of a camera, the less you think its and evil instrument out to get you.

My crown jewel of the day??

That's it to the right.

The perfect, let your guard down, shot. :)

So perfect, its the only picture of a sort of stranger hanging in my house. lol :)






-Peace :)