12 years ago when I began my journey as a photographer I had no interest in studio work. I told myself that I didn’t like studio photography and I would be strictly a natural light photographer. I now see how limiting my beliefs were. Truth be told, I was intimidated by all that is needed to be a studio photographer.
Professional Head Shots – For Myself!
If you are a regular reader of this weekly blog. Or if you have looked at my website lately you know I have needed to update my own head shots. It was challenging for this photographer to get her photos taken. I did learn a lot during my own photo session and I thought I would share it with you today. What I learned was how much a professional photographer contributes to the quality of your photos and your photo experience.
What to Expect with Studio Photography
Many individuals have shared with me over the years that they don’t understand why photographers cost as much as they do. What is that magic number? Where is that line? When I see “reasonably” priced photographer I often wonder what that means to that person? How am I to know what is reasonable for one person versus another? I don’t, so I have to establish pricing based on several factors. These factors include – what I offer, my years of experience, the costs I have running this business, etc.
Many people think that all a photographer does is press the shutter. There is more to it 🙂
Here are some things I learned during my studio photography session.
Things I believe should be highly valued when looking for a photographer.
- Relaxed comfortable environment – Being able to do a photo session in an area that offers a dressing room, bathroom and space to move around is a real plus! Not to mention it was warm and dry. These were all really nice advantages of this session.
- Personable – My photographer did not engage with me. A photographer should be asking some questions, drawing you out, helping you relax and feel more at ease. There wasn’t any energy for me to feed off of! This really challenged my ability to relax and be natural.
- Posing – This was my biggest challenge! My photographer did not guide me at all! He didn’t keep an eye on my clothes (are the rumpled, unbuttoned, crooked, etc)? Is my chin too high? Does my smile look natural? Should I smile big, soft, serious? What do I do with my hands? Or face, body, shoulder, leg….. I stay behind the camera. When I’m in front of the camera I forget everything I tell my clients. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable in my body. I would have really appreciated some guidance with my poses and body positions
- Lighting – This is the area I have taken the longest to learn. There is still so much to learn! Working with a photographer who understands how to use the light in the studio is really important. My photographer didn’t have a clue.
- Editing – My photographer didn’t do any editing! I had to go through every single picture myself. The ones with my eyes closed, where I was posed in an unflattering way, the pictures that were snapped when I wasn’t ready – all of them. Then I took the time to crop them, whiten the teeth, adjust the exposure etc. This takes a good amount of time!
Who was my Photographer?
At this point you may be wondering who my photographer was. 🙂
I decided that I wanted to take the opportunity to have my head shots taken here at the studio. I was confident that I could set up the backgrounds and lighting that I wanted here. Once I set up the camera and told my sweet husband (who does have some photography experience – outside) where to stand he could be my photographer.
Jeff truly did a great job. His framing was great and the sharpness of the pictures were what I needed. It was the rest of the experience that had me reflecting on all the other things I, as a professional photographer, bring to my clients. Working with someone who helps you relax and guides you through the poses is incredibly helpful! Honestly I was a nervous wreck! I had to tell myself over and over again to relax and focus on what poses I wanted. Some of the poses I thought I would like will never see the light of day!
Ultimately I’m glad I made the decision to have Jeff take the photos. It was a valuable learning experience for me. One that I believe will help me work even better with my clients.
Thank for stopping by,
Shelly
