Domenica’s Graduation from The University of Tampa
Graduation portraits at the University of Tampa
Congratulations to you, Domenica!
Modern Branding photography for Women, Tampa, FL
Modern branding photography for women. Tampa, FL.
My dear friend Tami came out to the studio for some fresh branding shots. She nailed it. Go check her out when you get a chance! Tami Keehn
Baby Penelope's Newborn Session in Tampa!
Love this little family! I did big brother’s newborn session too! Such an honor <3
The P Family on Indian Rocks Beach
The older we get, the harder it is to get the whole family together in once place, at the same time. Am I right? I love photographing these extended family sessions for that very reason. All family sessions are special of course, but these are just a little…extra special. Plus, they’re usually during a vacation! Vacation mode is a vibe and I am always down for it.
The H Family on Indian Rocks Beach
I love photographing extended families! There’s always so much love at these sessions. Here are some favorites from a recent family photo shoot on the beach. See you in two years H Family! <3
Frankie Turns One!
Had the cutest little Wild & Co Portrait Session with one of my favorite babies! Studio sessions with little ones is one of my favorite things to photograph! <3
How to get naturally emotive portraits with kids!
Photographing families with kids of any age can be a challenge, but it’s one I love, and it’s something I’m pretty good at. I recently had a session with a mom and and her three boys, and the older two were NOT having it. They just weren’t getting along which made the whole session a little chaotic. Here’s the thing. This happens all the time! Kids are kids. They are going to fight, they are going to complain about having to get photos done. And you’re going to have to work through that and perform anyway. That’s what Mom and Dad pay you for! Soooo, here are three easy tips to make it happen…
1. Know your equipment inside and out.
This seems like it should be self explanatory, but you really should be so comfortable with your camera that you’re not even thinking about it. Dialing in settings and changing things on the fly should literally be second nature. Kids aren’t going to wait, or “redo” something adorable because you’re trying to get your camera settings right. If you feel like you’re not as comfortable as you should be, read your camera’s manual. It’s not the most exciting reading material, but the more you know about your gear the better. Another thing I do with each of my cameras is set up the customizable buttons. I have 3-4 custom buttons set up on each of my camera bodies which means I have a super simple short cut to the settings I adjust the most. Focus Area (usually set to spot focus), Focus Mode (usually set to Auto Focus Continuous), and Drive Mode (usually set to Continuous Shooting: Lo). I also have a forth button set up on my primary camera to switch eyes for the Eye Auto Focus feature. I have both dials on each camera set up to control aperture and shutter speed settings as well. I very rarely have to go into my camera’s main menu to change settings, which is great because I don’t have time to click through a bunch of menu pages when I’m working with kiddos!
This guy’s ADORABLE little smile lasted for about 3 seconds before he got upset again. If I didn’t know what I was doing, I definitely would have missed it.
2. You have to be willing to get on their level.
I don’t mean physically, though that’s pretty important too. I mean MENTALLY. You have to get WEIRD. You have to be willing to make an absolute fool of yourself. I burp out loud on command, I talk about butts and farts and boogers, I dance and sing and tell silly secrets, I make up words, etc. It’s absolutely vulgar and ridiculous sometimes, but Mom and Dad aren’t going to judge you, they just want the shot. That’s what they’re paying you for! Now every kid is different and some will not like the burping or will OVER react to something silly, so you have to gauge your audience. I usually start by asking the kiddo “What if I burped right now…out loud…without milk or soda or anything?! What that make you laugh or would that be totally gross?” The verbal answer isn’t really important, but the way they physically react totally is. They may say “that would be totally gross” but have a huge smile on their face as they say it. If that’s the case, I’m giving them a burp. If they look at me with wide eyes and glance at Mom and Dad for help, they’re probably going to be uncomfortable instead of finding it hilarious, so I’ll move on and try something else. At this particular shoot, “butt booger” was the word of the day. We made it up, and every time I said it out loud, the boys just laughed and laughed. You’ve got to be willing to be a total idiot. Hahaha.
Clearly I’ve just done something totally ridiculous. I’m either talking about butt boogers or burping on command. And the resulting image is naturally fun and emotive.
3. Don’t be above bribery.
There’s typically a bribe or two at every one of my sessions. “If you do this, I’ll give you that when we’re done.” Delayed gratification can be hard for kiddos, but it usually works. I always have snacks and treats on hand in the studio, and 9 times out of 10 I’ll offer to let the older kids take some photos with my big camera at the end of the shoot. They LOVE this. They want to push the buttons and be the photographer, and they’ll generally behave for you if you keep dangling that carrot in front of them. Your equipment should be insured just in case, but I’ve never had an issue. I’m always close by to make sure nothing gets dropped or broken.
Showing big brother the ropes.
Taking some very specific creative direction from the photographer. He had ideas!
So here are a few favorites from my example session referenced above. Were there tears? Yep. Was there fighting? 100%. Was there even a little bit of yelling? You betcha. But would you EVER even know that based on these images? Absolutely not!
The R Family on St Pete Beach
When the entire family is together for the first time in ages, you book a photo shoot! Half of this group came all the way from L.A, and then the poor baby got super sick. She clearly isn’t feeling well here, but she was a little trooper about it. She went straight back to the room for some rest after this. Her older cousins managed to have a ball though <3
The U Family at Philippe Park
A handful of favorites from our Petite Session with the U Family. I met these guys when I photographed their oldest as a newborn! And now they’re a gorgeous family of five!! One of the best parts of my job is watching beautiful families grow and change over the years. It never gets old <3
What's In My Bag?
I love these kinds of posts, and I’ve never done one! Whether you’re a fellow photog by trade, or a hobbyist who loves to drool over gear, this post is for you. Haha. I don’t have a ton of equipment, but I love love love what I do have, so I’m always happy to chat gear. I’m linking each piece to amazon so you can research any specs you want.
Camera Bodies
Sony a7iv - My main camera. There’s so much to love about it. The main reason I switched to Sony years ago was their advanced eye auto focus features, and things just keep getting better and better with every new model. The speed with which it focuses is so crucial when you’ve got young subjects who are constantly moving. And I prefer this model to the a7Riv because I just don’t need the insane resolution that comes along with that “R”. In fact, I find it to be a henderance since I’m generally taking hundreds of photos at each session. I don’t want to fill up memory cards too fast, and none of my clients are printing billboard sized photographs. Hahaha. I’ve printed up to 30x40 without any issue whatsoever.
Sony a7iii - Now my secondary camera, but this was my main camera after switching from Canon.
Lenses
Sony 24-70 2.8 GM - On my camera 99.9% of the time. I love it. There’s a newer model of this same lens now, and I’m sure I’ll upgrade at some point, but for now, this one suits me just fine. It takes phenomenal portraits with multiple subjects (families) and it’s tack sharp. Though quite heavy, it’s my number one lens.
Sony 55 1.8 ZA - On my secondary camera 99.9% of the time. I love this focal length for portraits of 1-2 people, and anything Zeiss will hit it out of the park. On top of image quality, the lens itself is small and light, which makes it easier to work with over long periods.
Sony 90 Macro - I go through macro phases where I’ll shoot a bunch of macro stuff for a few weeks and then I won’t touch it for six months. Ha. When I’m shooting macro though, I’m usually using this lens. So so sharp.
Lensbaby Velvet 56 - I have to have at least one Lensbaby at any given time, and this one is my favorite over the years. I love the velvet effect, the focal length is perfect, and it’s also a fantastic macro lens!
Zeiss Batis 85 1.8 - I’ll be perfectly honest. I never use this lens. HAHAHA. I’m just more comfortable in the 50mm range when I shoot… I prefer to be in closer proximity to my subject. That being said, I can’t get rid of it. Like I said, anything Zeiss is droolworthy and I feel like the second I get rid of of it I’ll need it. So, for now, its sits on my desk waiting for a special occasion. The portraits you can take with this lens are insane.
Lighting
Profoto B10 - This light changed my life. Haha. I was so hesitant to embrace artificial light for the longest time, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this thing. I only use artificial lighting in the studio, which seems crazy because the natural light in the studio is so magical. BUT, when I use the light in conjunction with that magical natural light, my white balance is ALWAYS accurate and I don’t have to spend a ton of time in post getting my colors just right. It also gives me more control of my light, I can fill in shadows, I can change the direction of my light source, I can manipulate it to add more drama if I want, etc. I love closing the window blinds and using just my lighting gear to play around. Profoto is an expensive brand, but there is no one that even TOUCHES their quality and ease of use. So if you’re in the market, spend the money.
Profoto A2 - This one is BRAND SPANKING NEW for me, and I haven’t really had a lot of time to play around with it. I’m so excited to about this light though! The “click” series of light modifiiers seems like a dream, and if it’s as wonderful as I think it is, I may start bringing this one to outdoor sessions with me too (it’s a lot smaller). I haven’t decidied yet, but I’ll keep you posted!
Profoto Umbrellas - These are the light modifiers I use. It’s helps soften the light so nothing looks too “flashy.”