Summer is here! Kids are out of school, calendars are filled with fun activities, and along with all that you have going on, your camera is probably going to get a lot of use in the next couple of months.  Isn’t this...

How to Plan & Shoot a Moana Themed Photo Session For all my sessions, I always try to do a lot of research before hand. I find that doing this makes the sessions go a lot smoother. And, the poses and theme deco...

When I first started my photography business, I wanted to do it right. I had seen the way established photographers talked about how newbies were always undercutting the market by charging too little and giving away ...

Saying No For Photographers: When and How to Say No If you are a people pleaser, like yours truly, you may find yourself saying yes to every request and then later regretting it. It has taken years to realize that ...

One of the biggest objections photographers have for in person sales is that they are not comfortable with selling and don’t want to feel like they are pushing people to purchase.  I can totally understand this poin...

Okay.  We’ve defined what an IPS business model looks like and why it might be right for you.  We have also reviewed client behaviors with information on how to target your ideal client.   Now comes one of the most ...

In Part I, I discussed what an In Person Sales business model can look like and why it is right for me and could be right for you.  The concept of doing business in person isn’t a new concept and is the way portrait...

I grew up in the generation and tradition of the Olan Mills experience. My mom would receive a phone call and then shell out X amount for a portrait package with the local Olan Mills. It was a flat rate, get your po...

For many of us here in the midwestern United States, Memorial Day weekend signifies the shift of seasons. Pools open, temps go from mild to hot, kids are home for summer vacation, and weekends start getting filled wi...

I love B&W photography especially when it comes to editing landscapes.  It has a timeless feel and I love turning an “okay” color image into a dramatic B&W.  A few things I keep in mind when shooting for a B&...

I do not use a tripod for every single shot but I always bring it along with me.  A tripod tends to take up more room then the rest of my gear, but it is worth its advantages!  If you do not have a tripod yet, I hope...

Today I woke up and was so happy to see my friendly weather girl reporting the temps were soaring to 74 degrees.  My soul did a happy dance.  Maybe spring really is here?!  I opened the windows, turned on the radio, ...

Today, I want to talk to you about your people.  Your tribe.  Your for better or worse.  Your minions. Your cheerleaders.  Your critics.  Your roommates.  You know the people I’m talking about. A home is just a house...

If you live in a home like mine, what I prefer to call well lived in rather than messy, there probably isn’t a shortage of stuff.  The word might even give you an ulcer because maybe you don’t just have stuff, you ha...

According to the calendar, Spring showed up on the 20th of March.  If you are anything like me, just reading those words makes your creative heart nearly explode.  Warmer temperatures! Blooming flowers! Longer days! ...

Having six children, I feel that I have somewhat mastered this area of photography.  Children's photography is not easy. Telling a child how to stand, where to put their hands, which way to look...it is not for the f...

We were headed to Scottsdale and I was debating on whether or not to bring my camera, that felt like a 20-pound carry-on camera bag.  I decided last minute to go ahead and rent the Canon 5D Mark IV and 70-200mm lens ...

I sat at my desk and did something I haven’t done in a long while. I started looking back through my older work. Not last year’s work, or even the year before that. No, these were images from six years ago that have...

Where We Began For most of us we began our photography journey as a hobby, a side job, or just for love of it. Many of us decided to turn this love into a real job. Some of the first advice we may have received was ...

I need to share these thoughts and actions with you.  Why?  Because you’re going to understand.  Only fellow photographers will understand the depth of my guilt and the ways in which I’ve been wrong.  I only ask this...