Continuing Work During COVID-19 | Seattle Elopement Photographer

HOW ARE YOU USING THIS TIME?

Small businesses— how are you continuing to “work” during this time? I understand that it’s not possible to work in the same way you normally do, and I also understand the importance of rest and self-care right now. But what are some things you are finding ways to improve on? How can you use this slower period to gain some insight and perspective? In the last few weeks, my main goals have been to improve my website SEO, to define my brand voice, and to take more time to learn from other photographers. Sam Hurd and Ben Haisch both have amazingly helpful Patreon sites. And Elena Blair shares fantastic content all over the internet! Small business friends, take a moment to realize how lucky we are to live in the digital age and how much we can still accomplish and learn from the safety of our own homes! Here’s to a safe and insightful week ahead. Comment below with what you’re choosing to spend this time on!

MY FAVORITE ONLINE EDUCATION FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

1. Sam Hurds Patreon

2. Benj Haisch’s Patreon

3. Elena Blair’s Website

4. THE HEARNES BLOG

5. Clickin moms website

6. CREATIVE LIVE COURSES

7. Erin Schedler's Instragam Stories

COMMENT WITH SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE EDUCATORS BELOW!

nEWBORN & FAMILY LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY

how to take better photos at home

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and national requirements to stay home, I’m seriously missing my in-home newborn and family sessions. I completely agree that social distancing is the best way to flatten the curve, but a part of me is so sad thinking about all the family moments at home that are going undocumented. If you had one of these sessions in the books, I’m truly sorry it had to be postponed. In the meantime, I’ve put together some tips to help you best capture your own families while you stay indoors. These shoots are a great way to get creative and capture the essence of your family’s personal life while not leaving your property. I hope this blog post inspires you to photograph this week! Stay safe and happy shooting.

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TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WINDOW LIGHT

You’d be amazed how dreamy indoor light can be. The more I shoot, the more I fall in love with all the different ways you can add to the mood of an image using light from a window. Here are a few examples:

1. Front Lighting: The photographer is between the subject and the window. This is the most predictable way of using window light. Assuming the sun isn’t shining directly through the window, It provides fewer shadows and textures and can be very visually flattering.

2. Back Lighting : The subject is between the photographer and the window. I find this one to be the most dramatic and also the trickiest to master. Sometimes they subject can look silhouetted, in which case I’ll take the file into lightroom and pull out shadows while reducing the surrounding highlights. It helps to shoot in RAW when shooting like this!

3. Side Lighting: The subject is to the side of the window (slightly angled towards it,) and the photographer is perpendicular, facing the subject. This angle of shooting is great for providing depth and texture to the subject. The photo can look more naturally contrasty and the shadows add some nice drama to the overall mood. I love converting side-lit photos to black and white!

4. Top Lighting: The photographer and window light are above the subject. This can have lots of neat effects! My favorite is that when the subject looks up and towards the light, you get some stunning catchlight in their eyes. This is where the magic happens, and you’ll find it gives your images more life and emotion.

The subject is front-lit.

The subject is back-lit.

The subject is side-lit.

The subject is side/top-lit.

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CAPTURE THE ORDINARY

What are some things that your family does every day? What makes up your morning routine? Some of my favorite “ordinary” activities to photograph are meal times, sink baths, breastfeeding, and reading. And aside from activities, there are so many little moments I like photographing, like dad tying his daughters shoe before they go outside, or putting up her hair. Turn on the music and let them dance! These moments may not seem special at the time, but years from now, they will mean everything.

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INCLUDE YOUR PETS

One of my favorite parts about home sessions is that you can more easily incorporate your pets! They’re less distracted than they would be at a park or studio, and they make for some precious portraits. If you’re trying to get them to face the photographer, I recommend putting some treats above the camera. And for something more interactive, try putting a dab of peanut butter on one of the family members! After creating this blog post, I’m now realizing I should probably find some cats to photograph!

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INCORPORATE PROPS

I like using props for many reasons. Not only can they provide the image with some quirkiness and personality, but they can make your kiddos feel more present and less focused on the camera. You can use them to celebrate a milestone like a birthday, or capture something meaningful, like a book or a favorite stuffed animal. Don’t be afraid to use the backyard! And if one of your kiddos is having a birthday during the quarantine, I highly recommend photographing a cake smash. Older siblings can help bake and ice the cake, and younger ones will go absolutely nuts at first bite. You can even video chat family and friends to celebrate.

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SOME FUN IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED:

1. Designate yourself as the photographer for the day. Then nominate your partner…or one of your children! You’d be amazed out how different everyones eye can be. After each family member has taken turns, you can even plan a slideshow viewing for your family to share. Or a competition if that is more motivating!

2. Photograph at least one daily activity that you deem as “ordinary.” If it’s something with difficult lighting like “reading a bedtime story,” turn on some ambient lighting! Twinkle lights and lamps provide a nice warm tone to images. Just make sure to adjust your ISO as necessary since you won’t be using window light.

3. Ask your children what they want to be photographed doing. This way you avoid having to bribe them to be in photos. ;)

4. Find a photo from your childhood and try to recreate it with your kids. Or if you have older children, have them recreate one from when they were younger!

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Did you find this helpful? Would you be interested in reading educational posts like this? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! And if you get inspired to do some indoor shooting, tag me on social media! I’d love to see what you create.

Giving Away Free Phone Wallpapers | Stay Home to Flatten the Curve of COVID-19

Not having the freedom to roam makes the world feel a whole lot smaller. Last week I put up some prints in my bedroom and I’ve already found a lot of comfort in reminiscing about these wild places.

To help others get through this challenging time, I’ve decided to share some travel photos that you can save as phone backgrounds. As much as I love and support traveling, now is not the time. Please stay in your neighborhoods unless necessary.

Thanks, everyone! And thanks to all who are continuing to work to keep up safe and taken care of.

How might COVID-19 affect Future Habits and Behaviors | Seattle Newborn, Family & Wedding Photographer

Never underestimate the magic of an evening walk. 

I’m curious which of these new habits will stick around for years to come. Will more families go on daily walks in their neighborhood? Will more children schedule phone calls with their elderly loved ones? Will more parents want to be a part of their child’s education? Will we all learn to “slow down?” I’m starting to accept the idea that things will never go back to being the same as they were in January. But what will that change look like?

Six Ways to support local businesses during COVID-19: | Seattle, WA

1. Order takeout. Haven’t you been waiting for your whole for someone to tell you this?

2. Say thank you to the people working retail & grocery stores. They are making so much possible for everyone else! And try talking about something other than the virus when checking out as they’re probably exhausted of the subject.

3. Buy gift cards to places that you don’t need anything from right now. It may be what helps keep some businesses alive.

4. Like and comment on blog and social media posts. Even better, review them on google! This does wonders for things like set and client discovery.

5. Be patient. A lot of business models have been flipped upside down without a guidebook.

6. When it’s an option, add tips!

Seattle Family Photo Session | Discovery Park | Seattle, WA Portrait & Elopement Photographer

Discovery Park is one of my favorite places to do family sessions because it has so many different corners to photographer in. For this family session, we started at the evergreen trees near the south lot and ventured all the way down to the beach for some photos by the lighthouse. It was such a beauty sunday and the kids had an awesome time playing in the sand. This family lives on a boathouse full time and it wasn’t hard to tell that the outdoors is where they feel most at home!

COVID-19 Rambles

In times when you feel like anxiety is suffocating and fear is taking over, don’t forget that there’s only so much control one has over their experiences. It’s easy to carry the weight on your shoulder of security and perfection, but it’s also impossible. We can not control it all. So when these feelings begin to cloud your judgment, try to comfort yourself like you would a friend. Do what you can to help society as a whole, but also remember to take deep breaths, and be your own voice of reason.

Sharing these words today because I felt like I needed to hear them myself.

2020 Down Syndrome Community Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Dance

As coincidence would have it, my partner’s father is also a professional photographer. When he got shoulder surgery this past winter, he asked if I’d be open to photographing Seattle’s Down Syndrome Valentines Day Sweetheart Dance. His daughter (my partner’s sister,) has Downs, and so he’s been involved in the Seattle community for decades. I managed to rope my boyfriend into being my assistant/second shooter, and we had a blast capturing the magic of this event. If you’ve never seen people with down syndrome dance, then let me tell you, you are missing out. These guys know how to party! Even better, they LOVED getting their photos taken. Dan and I left this event with such big smiles on our faces and hope to help photograph it in future years.

Vashon Kitchen & Bath Remodels | PNW & Seattle Interior Design Photography

One of my favorite parts about being a photographer in Seattle is that every day is different Every project has its people and its own story. Two weeks ago, I spent a whole day traveling from house to house on Vashon Island and getting to know Judith Neary, the owner of Roadside Attaction and a really talented designer. Her Kitchen and Bath work is stunning and covered all sorts of styles. If you asked me which one I’d want to live in, I wouldn’t be able to chose! At first I was intimated to do justice to how amazing these rooms looked in real life, but once i got into the zone, it was a total blast. I’m looking forward to photographing more design work, whether on vashon or in the surrounding Seattle area. Its so inspiring and fulfilling to document other artist’s creations!

Seattle Engagement Session | Discovery Park | PNW Adventure Wedding & Elopement Photographer

This engagement session was such a blast. Cam and I met at Whitman College, though we didn’t get to know each other well until we both graduated and moved to Seattle. He then started grad school for Chemistry and met his wonderful partner, Beth! They went on one of their first Valentines Day dates at Discovery park, so we thought it would be fun to do their engagement photos there. The two of them work so well together, yin and yang but with such a soft and honest love for one another. They are so easy to be around, and they literally never stop laughing. I’d love to say this is a testament to me getting my subjects to open up in front of the camera, but I’d be wrong. This is them in their natural form, and it was such a beautiful thing to capture.

Cam & Beth: I’m so glad you two found each other and I can’t wait to photograph your wedding this summer!

1 year Session | Magnuson Park | Seattle Family Photographer

Amber is an old coworker of mine, and when she reached out about doing some family photos in the Spring, I was thrilled! It had been years since I’d seen her, let alone meet her husband and baby girl! When we met at Magnuson, it felt like no time had passed, and we spent the hour doing everything in hour power to make Maggie smile. Ironically, when we stopped trying at the end, she was FULL of giggles. I’m so happy for these three, and hope to continue doing these photos in years to come.

Seattle Maternity Session | Magnuson Park

I love it when expecting moms to reach out about doing photo sessions over the course of their pregnancy, hospital delivery, and raising their new baby. This mom was so sweet and easy to connect with over the phone that I couldn’t wait to photograph her maternity session. Both she and her husband are from Australia and we had an amazing time getting to know each other while exploring Magnuson for photos. Can you believe how beautiful she looks? And you wouldn’t know it, but the temps were pretty low this February evening. Stephanie was so warm from the pregnancy that it didn’t bother her one bit. Adam and I were a little jealous ;) I’m so excited to continue to photograph this crew, and I can’t wait to meet their baby in May!

S & O | a mom and son session

If you think you need to host a big event for a reason to hire a photographer, let me be the person to tell you that you’re wrong. Some of my favorite sessions have been the most simple or habitual ones. On Valentine’s day, I did a mother and son session with Shauna and her littlest boy, and I felt lucky to capture something so intimate and so pure. They spent about 25 minutes in the spare bedroom being so authentically themselves, together. It was almost as if I wasn’t there. There were cuddles and giggles, still moments and storytelling, and in the end, Shauna lit a candle and sang to Owen for his upcoming third birthday. I’ve always respected Shauna for cherishing the moment and capturing her babies in all of their phases. I’m excited for her family to have these images when Owen is older, and when the thought of him fitting in her lap is a distant memory.

Alpine Lakes Wilderness | Backpacking in the Enchantments Core

Last summer, I backpacked the Enchantments (Alpine Lakes Wilderness,) with seven of my college friends and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced. See my feature on She Explores here. And if you have a desire to get married or elopement in this stunning part of the PNW, get in touch!!

Best Portrait Photographers of the Year | LOOKSLIKEFILM

I was thrilled to hear that one of my images made it in the Lookslikefilm portraits of the year selection. My favorite part about this photo is that it wasn’t planned. That said, can you ever plan how kids will act/react? I was taking newborn photos of this little one’s new sister, and her mom asked for a feeding break. I decided to go hang out with big sister in her bedroom and she jumped up on the bench right as the sun was shining through the clouds. I asked her if I could put “Big Bunny” on the bench with her and she yelled “of course!” and then snuggled him close. Within seconds, the sun was covered and she was all the way on the other side of the room. If there’s anything I’ve learned from family photography, it’s that Kids move quickly! Almost as quickly as the sun in Seattle ;) .

Grab some tea and scroll through the article, there are so many beautiful portraits in here: http://bit.ly/lookslikefilm

Mt. Hood National Forest | Oregon

Family Session | Washington Park Arboretum | Seattle

This Seattle session started with a hail storm and turned into some kind of magic.

Family Session | Volunteer Park on Capitol Hill