Do You Hate Having Your Photo Taken?

I am not exaggerating when I say that my grade school photos were the worst. My hair was always sticking up and I always had the ridiculous expressions on my face. My senior photos were also terrible. So bad in fact that I ended up not ordering any and I threw away the digitals. My passport, driver’s license, and other ID photos weren’t safe either. These most often resembled mugshots and I can’t help but laugh each time I pull them out. The fact is that I never had anyone take the time to help me in a real way.

It’s because of my own experience that I developed compassion for my clients.

It was later in life that I began to learn photography and I immediately gravitated towards people. I saw myself in my subjects relatively quickly. There is often uncertainty and a lack of confidence that needs to give way before the photography can start. In my experience I didn’t get advice, I didn’t know how to pose, and certainly, no photographer was concerned about my hair looking stupid or there being a fuzzy on my shirt. I want my subjects to be thrilled with their portraits and it brings me so much joy to see their smile when they react to an amazing photo so I spend my time making people comfortable and coaching them until confidence grows and we can capture what’s on the other side.

Great portraits convey emotion.

I believe the most compelling and valuable portraits are the ones that showcase true emotions. Below are a few of my favorites.

My Portrait Photography Style

I first look at colors, textures, and shapes in the background as I begin to frame. Once I’m satisfied with the depth of field, I take a few tests before engaging my subject. Sometimes, I get the shot I want right away and other times, it takes 30-40 tries. My goal is to give as much feedback and information as possible so that we can reach the goals of the session.