Anything give you some ideas? Pin any of these photos to Pinterest!

Wondering if you’re speaking to your ideal client as clearly as these ladies are? Find out now!

I could not have felt more welcome by these ladies! Amanda Knapp is the CEO & Founder of Sitting Made Simple, a franchise that connects families with babysitters, and these are her current franchisee owners!

Once she was all booked for her personal brand photo session, Amanda & team started sharing on Instagram about their upcoming shoot with me right away. It was so sweet, and made me even more excited to work with them!

Amanda is the “strong female lead” (as her white t-shirt so accurately proclaims) in the black-rimmed glasses, and she is every bit as awesome and badass as she looks. Let me tell you, head-to-toe and website-to-social, this lady has her personal branding DOWN PAT. If you’re wondering how you can knock yours out equally as awesomely, check out my FB group, Create Your Badass Brand!

Our shoot was a walking brand shoot in the Gulch area of Nashville, TN. I love walking shoots. You just walk around an area that you know has some good stuff, and then you stop when something inspires someone! With all the fun walls and murals and textures in the Gulch, we found tons of picture-perfect locations!

Since the franchisee owners are all around the US and them being altogether is rare, Amanda wanted to make sure we got ALL. THE. PHOTOS. We did big groups, small groups, tons and tons of pairs, lots of fun with the Nashville babysitters, then everyone did a wardrobe chance so we could zhuzh it up a bit, and then we shot some more!

Bright pink is a main brand color for Sitting Made Simple, and these gals came ready to rock their brand photos. There were all kinds of pink and red wardrobe choices from shoes and jackets to dresses and skirts. Everyone looked great and totally on-brand individually and group photos worked out perfectly!

They also do an AMAZING - like, UH-MAZING - job using the images from their brand photography shoot on their Instagram feed & in their Instagram stories. Go check it out & see if you can spot all the clever ways they’re using their photos!

Want to rock your IG feed like SMS? Click the button, yo!

If you see something inspiring, save it to a Pinterest board!

“Wait, why are you calling ME?” is what I asked Ashley when she told me she lived in Kentucky. “Because I looked around here for brand photographers and there was no one I wanted to work with. I’m fine driving to Nashville to work with you!”

I mean, why would you ever turn down a client that’s willing to drive quite the drive just to work with you?! Ashley was finishing up a course with a nationally-acclaimed coach so she could launch her own coaching business helping women walk through divorce. She was walking right into this new venture with very much the “been there, done that” story, determined to help other women not only navigate the dark, wooded path of divorce, but to come out the other side with a plan of joy. A way of approaching life that wasn’t about merely surviving alone, but thriving through intentional creation of a life that women adore.

I’ve redone my packages recently, but Ashely did the one that was the equivalent of my current Getting Started brand photography package. It was perfect for where she was in her business as it would provide a great new headshot/profile photo and lots of great 3/4 and full-length options, which are always great for about pages and “work with me” sections. The fact that we were in one location just walking around meant that she could do a few outfit changes, which would provide a nice variety for her Instagram!

As usual, we talked about her ideal client first so we could choose outfits and shot styles that would speak to them best. If you’re still struggling with figuring out your ideal client, I have a blog post all about it!

Her brand is definitely a little more badass and hard-edged than what you might expect, but it speaks very clearly to her ideal client and it stand out, for sure.

If you’re working on your brand, come join my Facebook group all about creating your beautiful, bold, badass brand!

If you hate the thought of posting on Instagram and find it difficult to come up with ideas for photos and captions and just generally want to throw in the towel, you’ve got a problem:

You have no idea who you’re talking to.

In fact, if this is you, you’re likely not really talking to ANYONE. My guess is that you have not-a-one person in mind when you’re posting.

Your brain goes like this (usually right when you’re trying to fall asleep at night, right?): 

Oh, my gosh, I haven’t posted in FOREVER! I need to post something ASAP so people don’t think I’ve gone out of business! I hate posting, I don’t know what to post. Ok, let me scroll through my camera roll and see if I’ve taken any Instagram-worthy photos lately…hmm...this one of all of us at the skating rink is fun. Skates are cool, right? It shows I’ve gone out, been social, that I do things…. Yeah, this’ll work. I know I should probably post something about my product or service, but that seems so SALESLY and I don’t want to be all yucky, so I’ll go with this shoes-with-wheels deal! 

*writes post, which consists simply of “Fun times!” or possibly “Fun times with friends!”*

*uploads post*

*feels immediate pit in stomach that was the entirely wrong thing to do*

Sound familiar?! Yeah. No game plan = last-minute posting of horribly-lit photos that have nothing to do with what you’d love to actually get paid for.

I GET IT. I have been there more times that I can to admit and more recently than I care to admit.

It’s SO EASY to forget that we are on Instagram FOR A REASON (which is NOT “make ourselves feel bad about our lives,” btw). We are on Instagram to GROW OUR BUSINESSES.

That means we need to connect with potential clients, people who could possibly help us, share about what we do, what we offer, how we are unique and, most importantly, how we solve a problem for our ideal client.

AH. There it is. That evil phrase: IDEAL CLIENT.

Why do we resist really digging in and figuring out who our ideal client is?! Well, it takes time and thought and planning and usually stepping away from the computer. It’s a process that doesn’t have a quick “check THAT off the list” feel to it, so instead, we skip it and do things that we CAN check off our lists quickly (like posting a photo that has nothing to do with anything).

So, we can’t get our ideal clients to pay attention to us, let alone want to part with their money for us, if we aren’t even talking to them.

Imagine this: You are standing in the doorway of a beautiful boutique storefront - it’s YOUR storefront! You have made it pretty and you have honed in on your product or service and you are standing there as hundreds and hundreds of people walk by, all ready to spend money at all these different boutiques! Suddenly, a group of grandparents and their little grandkids walk by! How cute! Oh, they’re so adorable! You start chatting, asking what their plans are, telling the little kids that you love their shoes and their hair bows and then you wish them all the BEST day as they walk by. As you wave goodbye with a huge smile on your face, you look past them on the other side of the street and you see them: a group of women wearing outfits like you sell! They have margaritas and cute coffee mugs - that’s what you have inside! Suddenly, you realize they are YOUR PERFECT CLIENT!!! But it’s too late! They are too far down the street and you were too busy talking to the little kids. They didn’t even know you were there. And they would have LOVED everything about your store. 

This is what happens when you don’t do the work. You waste time talking to the wrong people. And guys, you can talk until you are blue in the face, but it won’t matter if the right people aren’t hearing you.

This goes for Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, your website, your emails, EVERYWHERE that you show up as your brand. 

So what can you do?

The work. You figure out who the heck you need to be talking to. You figure out everything you can about them. 

But let’s make it easier. Let’s make it check-off-able so it’s not so overwhelming.

First, let’s get a rough idea of who you might be talking to. Just something blurry for now, okay? If you have had a few clients already where you’ve thought, “YES! THIS is how I want every client experience to be!” Then use them as your starting point. If you haven’t yet, you get to dream! Just think: Who would I LOVE to work with?! Could be a specific person you dream about working with or could be made up right from the start. 

Ultimately, you want to describe a SINGLE PERSON as your ideal client. You’ll even want to give them a name! This helps create things for them on a more personal level! Don’t worry, this is just your focus point. You’ll still attract plenty of people within this circle who might not be exactly this description. You know when you look on a map and it shows the center and then a 20-mile radius in a circle around it? That center dot is your focus point, your destination, your SINGLE ideal client. If you get to that, you’ll have a circle around you that you’ll hit in different ways - some will identify with parts of your ideal client and some with others, but, either way, you’re reaching that whole radius of people!

Now, let’s answer some questions that are check-off-able to help you knock this step out RIGHT NOW!!

If you really like checking things off and you like pretty checklists, I’ve created one for you for free that you can download! They’re the exact same questions as right here, but they just give you that yummy satisfaction of filling in your answers and checking off your boxes! And you’ll also have a pretty printout with all your ideal client info for easy reference!

TIPS: Keep in mind a few of your favorite clients. Ask a few people these questions who you think might be your ideal client. Look at some clients or friends on Facebook that you think might be your ideal client and look at the groups they are a part of and any other interests.

1. How old is your ideal client? 

2. Are they male, female or identify in some other way?

3. What is their marital status?

4. Do they have children? If no, is it by choice? If yes, what is the age range of their kids?

5. What time do they wake up?

6. What is the first thing they drink in the morning?

7. What do they eat for lunch?

8. What is a typical day like for them?

9. What podcasts do they listen to?

10. What books do they read?

11. What is something little that bothers them?

12. What is something big that worries them?

13. Do they work? What do they do for work?

14. What are 1-2 personal goals they have?

15. What are 1-2 business goals they have?

16. What do they wish they had more time for?

17. What would they do with an extra $1,000/month? An extra $5,000/month?

18. Where do they live? City? Suburbs? New construction house? Apartment?

19. What is their shopping guilty pleasure?

20. Who or what inspires them?

21. As it relates to your product or service, what is something they complain about that you can help with?

22. What do they worry about outside of your product or service?

23. What do you offer that can help them the most?

24. What 3-5 words would they use to describe themselves?

25. If they got to design their perfect living room, what would it look like? Color scheme? Where would the furniture be from?

26. Your ideal client walks up to a bar. What do they order?

27. What is their dream vacation?

Alright, if you answered those (and checked them off as you went!), you should have a pretty clear idea of who you are talking to!

What now?

Well, if you’re ready for the next step, I have another free resource for you! It’s a 16-page guide with 6 printable worksheets: “Is Instagram Repelling Your Ideal Client?. Now that you’ve got some ideal-client-clarity, it’s time to learn how to talk to them visually! Learn if you could even be repelling them, and learn what to do about it TODAY!

When I arrived at Meg’s home, my immediate question was, “Why is this not ANYWHERE in your Instagram feed?!” See, Meg is a painter, whose style is distinctly like her mother’s, and she is also a non-practicing architect. And, with her architect’s eye and skill, she designed her current home. And it’s stunning.

I was immediately thrilled about her upcoming brand photography shoot just two days later.

As I walked through her home, hearing how she simply hated the entire process of posting on social media, I knew that showing the beauty of the spaces around her house would only serve to lend legitimacy to her artistic eye as a painter.

Not only do people love seeing behind-the-scenes, they also want to see evidence that you’re good at what you do. That you not only talk the talk, but that you walk that gorgeous walk as well, and Meg certainly does. As we walked around and chatted during her pre-session consultation for her brand shoot, I began talking about showing her house along with her art. I talked about how she could share her artistic process, how she learned painting from her mother, how she designed her home, her favorite spots in her house, what motivates her as a painter, etc.

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Often, we’re not excited about social media because we don’t know our ideal client and we don’t have a plan.

See, like most women, Meg wants to be able to leverage Instagram to sell her paintings, but she’s been inundated with the idea that she has to share all kinds of private things in order to be successful. MANY women tell me this. They say, “I’m a private person, but I know I need to be on Instagram for my business.”

Like I talked about in a recent weekly live in my Facebook group Create Your Badass Brand, you do not need to spill personal and private details about your life in order to be successful, I PROMISE! For someone like Meg, simply sticking to the categories of things I just mentioned would give her plenty to talk about, AND feel like her audience was getting to know her!

We can talk about things we love, things that motivate us, things that can get us stuck, dreams we have, even a favorite eye cream - all without divulging intimate details about our marriages or our finances or any other private matter that is no one else’s business and still make it so that we have created a connection to our audience.

Once we got through that and the ideas for images and content started rolling, Meg began to realize how much easier it was going to be posting on Instagram once she had the photos to help her say what she wanted to say! By the end of our consult, she was telling me she was EXCITED!

Two days later we had a beautiful shoot, which resulted in not only a unique brand photography session that showed off her super artsy in-home studio and her at work, but also the beauty of the home around that she created. I can’t wait to see what she does on social!

If you’d like to see more of Meg’s work and what she’s up to, check her out on Instagram!

You guys! I got to shoot this family’s VERY FIRST family photos!

Oh, and why, yes, that is The Home Edit’s Clea Shearer and her badass celebrity photographer husband John Shearer (um, power couple? Yeah.) And, YES, they are funny and super nice, because I know you were wondering.

John and I met maybe two years ago or so and sat down to talk shop from each of our “sides” of the photography industry - him as a celebrity photographer and me as a family photographer (I wasn’t doing brands yet) - and talked back then of a photoshoot for his family, but he and Clea have the nuttiest schedules so it took literally two years to get this on the books!

It’s funny - after we got him scheduled, there were several times (and at the shoot) when either he’d mention something or I’d ask something and he’d be like, “Yeah, just do your thing,” and I’d be like THIS IS MY THING. Haha! The way I work with EVERYONE - families and brands alike - is to get to know them so that I can choose locations and tailor my shoot to work with each family or brand specifically. And then, once we start shooting, if someone has a suggestion, I’m always like, “Yeah, wanna try that? Sure, that sounds great!” I ALWAYS have a vision and a direction, but am ALWAYS open to what my clients feel like doing or suggest. (Unless, of course, it’s just the worst possible idea because it will result in a horrible photo and then I’m like, “YOU KNOW, maybe we’ll try that if we have time!”)

This shoot was fun, too, because John’s cousin’s family was in town for Thanksgiving and both families and all the kiddos are besties, we did a double family shoot! We’d shoot the Shearer’s in one location, and then the cousins! Then we’d move and do the Shearer’s and then the cousins! haha!

The thing I loved about the cousins was the little boy. He was in no way feelin’ this shoot, as many kiddos are apt to feel about family shoots, but the best is that the parents were just like OH WELL. This is the IDEAL reaction to having a kid lose it every time the camera comes out. Most parents start to bribe and get upset and then end up looking all angry and pouty themselves in the photos, but not these two! The dad, in particular, would just laugh and try to cheer him up! That’s why the kiddo is hanging upside down in the later photos!! Seriously, my fav.

And then Clea was wearing these to-die-for Louboutin shoes and this wild jacket literally from the show Schitt’s Creek, and really, I expected nothing less from a woman who organizes for the likes of Kim Kardashian. Anyway, I had an idea prior to the shoot of some adult piggy back rides (that sounds a little wrong), so I had to do a sly little, “How do you feel about jumping on John’s back at the end of this?” question asking because I wanted it to be a surprise, and, honestly, not every wife would have fun with a piggy back and would look at me resentfully the whole time, so I need to check with the wives for a lot of stuff first. ;)

BUT, everyone was game for the piggy-backing fun and it was hilarious!! Man, it’s hard not to crack up hopping on your husband’s back and having him run you around in circles! haha!

And my secret surprise I had for everyone at the end was a rainbow parachute. Like I said, I like to customize my shoots (even if they want a more traditional holiday card photo like the Shearers did), so I had pre-purchased the ‘chute just for this. The almost bummer was that I hesitated on ordering because at first it looked like the cousins woudn’t be joining us and I thought whipping out a huge parachute for two adults to hold would obviously be a dumbass move, so I didn’t order it until they were back in. It was supposed to be delivered THE DAY OF the shoot and I kept praying it would arrive before I left, but it DIDN’T.

Right when I started my shoot, I got a text from my AMAZING husband saying, “Parachute just got here. Want me to bring it to you?” And I was like I DO. About 15 minutes in to our shoot he pulled up and handed me the ‘chute in a bag (so I could keep it a secret) and we were golden!! The kids loved it and there were lots of smiles and laughs from the parents, too. Score.

Check it out! Clea shared some on her Instagram, but you get a little more of a peek right here!

(Totally swiped this from The Home Edit’s IG because it’s adorable.)

Good gosh was Diana a treat to work with! She’s a clarity coach for millennials (how cool is THAT?) and helps them make decisions! You guys, I’m technically a “Xennial” (those few 6 years right between Gen X and Millennials where we didn’t have the internet growing up, but we applied for jobs online), and I’m pretty sure I could use her help, because I can TOTALLY get stuck in second guessing myself! Anyone else?

Diana was already working with a web designer and re-brand coach, Tiffany Tolliver of The Emma Rose Agency, when she found me. Working with the two of them was AMAZING. The funny part is that I met Tiffany at Amber Housley’s intimate event, Inspired Retreat, last May and she didn’t know Diana had chosen me to be her brand photographer, so when we each found out were were like HEY, GIRL, HEY!

Tiffany had done tons of work already on Diana’s new brand, including all her brand colors, her brand words and they even picked out this amazing Air BNB called Niido’s Treehouse in a super trendy apartment complex in Nashville! How cool is this place?! GAH!!! The photos of it had me drooling before I even got close to the building!

Don’t worry if you don’t have someone helping you with all that yet! When we work with my On Fire packages, I help you figure a lot of that out! Also, if you need to get clear on your ideal client, I have a blog post to help you do that and have fun at the same time! And THEN, once you’ve got that, I’ve got a freebie guide + workbook where you can figure out what kind of imagery you need to use to ATTRACT that amazing client on Instagram!

I was also excited to work with Diana because this was my first brand photoshoot for an African American woman of color, and goodness, you guys, is this an under-represented area when it comes to not only female entrepreneurship, but entrepreneurship in general! I was like, “Yes! I will give you amazing photos to support you in doing amazing things!” (Which is also how I treat all my amazing ladies.) Just the other day there was a woman in of my biz groups on Facebook saying how hard it was to find inspiration on Pinterest for women of color brand photography, and IT IS!! So, we’re definitely getting Diana’s shoot on some boards!

So, as I was ogling all the photos of Niido’s Treehouse and the common areas we would be able to shoot in, I was dreaming of beautifully lit photos on the green couch, sun streaming in, soft diffused light…and then…it rained. Like, so much rain and darkness and thick clouds. And Diana’s schedule was squished and we only had a certain window and, because of the weather, the whole place got DARK. FAST.

We definitely got some amazing shots of her in the apartment in front of that to-die-for muted green bookshelf with that golden frame that worked so gorgeously with her skin, so that was a major plus! As for the rain outside and the darkening sky, it wasn’t what I’d pictured and it wasn’t ideal, but you know what? WE MADE IT WORK. I’d even go so far as to say WE ROCKED IT.

I had brought one of my lights with me, so I just moved it around until I found a spot I liked and we kept shooting!

So, one of the things I like to do, even with my Getting Started packages, is to make sure my clients have a few shots that will help them tell stories - either of the creation of their brand or something more personal (though, they are often one-in-the-same) - so when Diana started talking about the high expectations placed on her at an early age, I knew we needed something for that.

Toward the end of the shoot, back in the room, I had the idea of her “casually” knocking a bunch of books off the table as a way to represent breaking through that perfection syndrome for her. She loved it, so we shot it.

In designing her shoot, Tiffany & Diana had decide on a shoot that was:

• Regal

• Classy

• Velvety Smooth

• Like a masculine-scented candle

We needed people to see her photos and feel:

• Safe

• Like Diana could be a friend and a guide

• Inspired

• Confident in Diana

Personally, I LOVE her shoot, (even with the dark clouds!) and I love even more how Tiffany so brilliantly and beautifully incorporated the photos into her brand!

CHECK OUT DIANA’S WEBSITE TO SEE HOW SHE USES HER PHOTOS
CHECK OUT DIANA’S INSTAGRAM TO SEE HOW SHE USES HER BRAND PHOTOS TO TELL HER STORY

Last week, I kicked off a 5-part series called “Kiddo Personality Portraits” that stems from the power portrait minis I did several weeks ago.

You can check out Part 1 HERE!

The only thing people had to do to get some photos was to purchase one of Kate T. Parker’s books “Strong is the New Pretty” or “Heart of a Boy,” and they’d get a 5-minute mini session for one kiddo. I know 5 minutes doesn’t seem like a lot, but we got a TON of pure gold.

Kate’s books are all about celebrating children for who they are, just as they are. I fell in love with the images, story and heart in “Strong is the New Pretty” and wanted to share it with others. In keeping with the sentiment behind her book (and in keeping with how I prefer to work with children, anyway), I told parents to let their kids dress themselves. That meant that some came in bathing suits, some in pajamas and even one girl came in a swim cap, goggles, rainbow tutu and mardi gras beads! It was perfect!

This week we’ve got a sister & brother, another sister & brother and then their adorable new-big-brother cousin in a cape!

A shoot like this can be purchased as well if you want something similar for your children. They make great images for playrooms, kids bedrooms and common areas!

A few weeks ago I had the BEST time doing the BEST shoot for 3 hours in the heat and I didn’t get paid for any of it.

The only thing people had to do to get some photos was to purchase one of Kate T. Parker’s books “Strong is the New Pretty” or “Heart of a Boy,” and they’d get a 5-minute mini session for one kiddo. I know 5 minutes doesn’t seem like a lot, but we got a TON of pure gold.

Kate’s books are all about celebrating children for who they are, just as they are. I fell in love with the images, story and heart in “Strong is the New Pretty” and wanted to share it with others. In keeping with the sentiment behind her book (and in keeping with how I prefer to work with children, anyway), I told parents to let their kids dress themselves. That meant that some came in bathing suits, some in pajamas and even one girl came in a swim cap, goggles, rainbow tutu and mardi gras beads! It was perfect!

Before each kid got their photos, they had to show me their favorite page and tell me WHY it was their favorite page. This part was amazing & heartwarming. So many kids connected to so many of the kids in the book. And parents who had never heard of these books before were telling me that their kids pick up the book and look through it on their own, and that it created dialogue among parent and child that had never been before! How beautiful!

I’ll be sharing some of the images over the course of several posts. For Part 1, I have one boy who was by himself and then I had a brother and sister. As I’m sure you’ll be able to quickly tell, I’m really partial to the black & white images!

First, let me show you their favorite pages, then on to their images!

And, don’t forget, you can always book a regular session with me and we can do something like this!

CHECK OUT PART 2

This is my FOURTH year doing birthday photos for this set of cuties! Well, technically, fourth year with the oldest two and second year with the youngest. Last year the baby turned one and we did a smash cake session along with all the usual photos, and it was ADORABLE.

Their mom does the neatest “show their growth” thing that I have ever seen a mom do. We all know that many moms will document baby’s first year month-by-month with a onesie that says the number of months or maybe a nursery blanket, but this mama captures each year in a very special way. She has her daughters “wear” her wedding dress (“wear” in parenthesis because it’s a loose term when you’re putting it on a two year old - haha!), and she has her son wear one of his dad’s white button-down shirts. As they grow, they begin to fill out these items more and more.

It’s a sentimental and magical way to document the inevitable passing of time.

It’s also kind of hilarious to document how their personalities change over the years because THIS year big brother and sister were not nearly as amused by me! They’re getting to that stage of being more self-conscious and they were definitely not as into smiling readily, but more into giving me all kinds of anti-smile faces. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t crack ‘em! Haha!

The littlest one was just the sweetest. I have always had the oldest girl grab the sides of the dress and spin from side-to-side, so this year the two year old was old enough to stand up and try the same and she LOVED IT! She just spun and spun and threw the dress in the air. It was the sweetest. It’s a perfect way to capture a birthday milestone in photos.

After we finish with the dress & shirt looks, we always move on to something a little more fun! We do a different background each year. This year, for their 2nd, 6th and 7th birthday photos, I did a background of all different color streamers. It looked so festive!

This type of shoot isn’t a traditional lifestyle session like I normally do, but I’m all about customizing my shoots to what works for my clients so that’s what we do here every year!

Lindsay Stafford, the owner of Prickly Dame, mama to two adorable kiddos & wife to the original guitarist of the band Train, makes some dang cool jewelry. She started woodworking in 2015 and now makes jewelry out of reclaimed wood.

She recently launched her business online and wanted some photos for a “creator card” that she’d be putting with each purchase as well as having some new personal branding photos for her website.

In our current online consumer world, potential customers and clients want to see your face. They want to feel like they have a general idea of who you are, and having a variety of photos on your website - especially where you are looking directly into the camera (basically, virtually making eye contact with your customer) - can help achieve that. If you’re not a recognizable giant brand like Target or you don’t have that personal connection point, people are simply not as likely to purchase from you as they are from someone willing to share a bit about themselves.

Now Lindsay, like most women and business owners I’ve worked with, came to me going, “I HATE getting my photo taken.” She’s obviously very photogenic, so it’s not about whether or not “the camera loves you.” For anyone who is camera shy, it’s about feeling awkward, feeling like you don’t know what to do and like you don’t know how to relax and be natural so that the camera can capture the real you. So, how do we overcome this?

It’s all about your photographer, truly. You’ve got to make sure that whoever you choose to do your branding photography is someone that you feel comfortable with. It helps if you can laugh with them and even feel like the two of you are friends. A photographer doesn’t just hold up a camera and snap photos. A photographer’s job is to help you shake off your camera anxiety and have some fun. For this shoot, Lindsay even asked if my neighbor - a friend of hers - could stop by to help her loosen up! OF COURSE I said that’s fine! I’m always game for anything that can make my clients feel less self-conscious!

We blasted some music that she loves, had her friend there, laughed a lot and maybe poured a small glass of champagne (not me, ladies, I need to keep my wit’s about me when shooting)! And we did the whole shoot in about 30 minutes.

The result? Photos that she LOVED and that are getting tons of Instagram love and that are now all over her website. Why? Because they accurately represent who she is and also show off her awesome jewelry!

When I realized that my sweet pregnant friend, Kristina, had a look-alike (not twin) sister and that they were both pregnant only a few weeks apart, I just about BEGGED them to let me photograph them! At first I was thinking a drone shot of the two of them lounging on pool mats in a fancy pool would be AH-MAZING, but they were feeling too “pregnant-y” for that (you mamas know what I’m talking about) so we scrapped the swimsuit idea.

We ended up going to Kristina’s house and her sister brought over some dresses and we did a very casual maternity photoshoot with the two of them that probably lasted maybe 30 minutes.

My vision was to have them on the front porch together, shoes off, just enjoying each other’s company. The image I had in my head was to give the photos a current-day take on the photos we see now when we look back at our grandparent’s images - not a lot of background blur because that wasn’t really a thing yet, black & white and simply showing daily life.

We did some maternity photos like that, but then her sister also had these matching lace kimono things and I was like OH. WE NEED THESE. I pictured them with backlight pouring through, accentuating the feminine designs of the lace & the obviously feminine lines of two baby bellies.

BUT FIRST - haha! - I got there before her sister arrived, so we just hung out in her bedroom looking for good light and chatting, so I had to snap some images in there. The painting above her bed is her own! Her artwork is amazing and you can see more of her work HERE.

If you’re looking for maternity photos, let’s chat!

Your vacation was awesome. But your photos are…only okay. Or maybe you got home, looked back at your photos and went, “Oh! How did we miss taking a photo of that bird that came and sat on the deck every morning?!” Didn’t you love that bird? You know you named him.

Amazing vacation photos aren’t just about great light and beautiful beaches (but that helps!), it’s about capturing the routines, details and unexpected surprises that happen so that you can always look back and spark that same joy that felt ON that vacation.

Have you ever had a family vacation that was less than you’d hoped? Maybe it rained too much or the kids fought too much or you missed getting on the sunset cocktail cruise, but then, months or years later when you look back at your photos, you find yourself feeling nostalgic? You think, “That was a good time.” You laugh about the rain and the fights. You’re painting over your initial memory with these good feelings. It’s so important to have photos of summer vacations!

Let me give you some tips. I’ll do some here and then - I normally don’t do this - I’ll comment between photos as you scroll down to talk about specific tips relevant to some of the images. So, scroll to the bottom for more tips!

• ROUTINES

  • Even if you’ve never been to this place before, you have a routine. You have an unpacking routine, a “let’s go explore” routine, etc. For us, the girls always run around the rental house, choose their rooms and then immediately head to the beach with Papa (we vacation with my folks a lot).

Part of our routine is to assess the shell situation for shell-hunting adventures!

Ugly bags of snacks are normally not our routine, but it simply shows that we were fresh off the airplane because they were eating their airplane snacks!

I love when my girls first investigate the water. They check the temperature and feel the ocean water on their feet reminding themselves of what it’s like to be at the beach.

Back to the house to unpack and get on some bathing suits!

Husband’s routine: Immediately unpack in a very orderly manner while girls explore with Papa. Then, put on his vacation hat, grab a drink and head down!

Nana’s routine: Unpack all the groceries and put them away neatly while girls explore with Papa and husband (mine) unpacks. Change into something beachy, grab a glass of wine and watch everyone swim!

Enjoying that first ocean dip!

Typically, the houses we rent also have a pool, so the girls will dip in the pool before drying off and getting ready for dinner.

Night One: We all watch Jeopardy! hahahaha!

Night one sunset beach walk.

• TIP: Your photo will automatically make a shot like this way too bright because it thinks you want to see all the details of your gorgeous child’s face. But you don’t. So, on your screen, darken your image by dragging down with your finger until your subject is silhouetted!

Our rental at night. I just thought it looked so cool.

• TIP: Back up further than you think! This was our little spot on the beach every day. It’s so easy to take a “normal” shot of it, but if there’s something you can stand behind that will act as a frame, then try it!

• DETAILS: Don’t be afraid to chop people’s heads and limbs off like it’s the French Revolution if it means getting some good detail shots.

• ABOVE: I just loved her little turtle tattoo - so perfect for my beach girl.

• BELOW: Papa ALWAYS makes sandcastles and he always finishes them off using this technique. A detail shot is great here - this will be a Papa move that the girls will remember forever and they’ll always have this image to remind them.

Can’t beat enjoying the water.

• TIP: I LOVE beach photos in black & white. Try using an app like Color Story or Afterlight to turn a few your photos into black & white. Images with a lot of sun are the best!

My oldest always makes these sand balls and starts a collection of them. Who knows, but it cracks me up!

• TIP: Put your phone camera in Portrait Mode so that the background is blurred and focus on an object in the foreground while the people in the background are blurred! Both the ABOVE & BELOW photo show this.

Morning seashell walks with Papa before everyone else is up is a standard.

• TIP: Most of us shoot all kinds of photos as the sun sets over the ocean, but don’t forget about that lovely morning sun! Try to catch it just to the side of your subject!

• TIP: Try different perspectives. Shooting down at the pool from the top of the stairs shows way more of the scene than had I taken it from the ground. Great way to remember our little home for the week!

I just love that they’re both getting ready for the boat trip in their own way - opening snacks and figuring out the map! He’s always our navigation guy!

Papa drives & the girls get to steer!

Boat silliness. Love shots like these because boat sillines will change as they age, so capturing this kind of stuff is like creating a mini time capsule.

• TIP: Give someone else the camera! I know you can’t see my face, but getting in the frame with my little one and my husband is so important! My kids need to remember I was there, too! haha!

More black & white. Doesn’t it look so timeless?

• TIP: This is the kind of shot that most people remember to take all the time, “Everyone look at me and smile!” But it’s actually the shot that I have to remind myself to take or I’ll miss it! I absolutely think there’s a place for everyone to snuggle up and look at the camera! It creates a wonderful connection to the outside viewer, and in a few years it will be you looking in and younger versions of all of you looking back.

• TIP: Everyone knows to capture the goofy stuff, right?! It’s the best!

• TIP: Capture other parts of the scene to better tell the story.

  • I could have just focused in on my girls actually getting along and being all squished up and adorable, but I also included my husband navigating in the background. With his back turned, his focus on the sea in front of him, it makes the world of my two girls even more secret feeling.

Because when you kid actually looks at you and smiles without you begging, you take a photo!!

Goggle shots, you guys. Goggles for the WIN.

• TIP: Capture the scenery when no one is around, but make sure it shows evidence of your vacation.

  • No one is in this photo, but when we were done swimming we’d hang up our towels to dry. Lets us remember what our rental looked like and the towels are like writing “We were here,” in wet cement.

Always a tradition of Paper looking for fish with my oldest!

• TIP: Be sneaky. Reading always means that you’ve got a moment to yourself. A moment when no one is bothering you and you can focus and get lost in a great story. Capturing my husband in his vacation hat (he seriously brings it on all our vacations) reading, and doing so from behind - lends itself to that quite time when no one is bothering you.

• TIP: I know you’re at the beach or in some exotic land, but don’t forget about the moments that happen in the in-between. The downtime when everyone is resting or gearing up for a new adventure. So much love, connection and even rest and renewal happen during these in-betweens.

You’ve always got to write in the sand.

• TIP: Another great way to use portrait mode is for something like this image with the heart-shaped shell. Have your subject hold it out toward you at arm’s length so that your subject is blurred.

WATERPROOF CAMERA - So, I have a special case for my big girl camera so that I can bring it in the water. There are also tons of very affordable options on Amazon for waterproof cameras (though I have no idea how good they are) and even options for iPhone waterproof housing. I have to say, being able to take my camera into the water is one of the BEST ways to capture a great beach vacation!

• TIP: Having everyone repeat the same action is fun way to create a mini photo series!

Again, hand someone your camera. I love that I have a few when I’m just loving on my big girl.

• TIP: Have your husband wear a Hawaiian shirt and drink whiskey and pretend he’s talking to a big crowd. haha!!

Again, don’t forget the indoor in-between times.

I love to end all my beach photo collections - and albums - with people walking away. It’s like they’re saying goodbye for now.

There’s an amazing group of photographers from all over the world that participates in weekly self-portrait challenges, which I am proud to be a part of. It’s for all of us to push ourselves creatively, to make sure that we are IN the frame and not always behind the camera, never showing up in our own visual histories, and way to take time for ourselves without the timelines or pressures of business & simply create.

Each month there is a theme and although we are encouraged to shoot within the theme weekly, not a lot of us do (but some do!). I’ve actually gone a few months without participating, but I’m fine with that. I kind of jump in here and there when the inspiration strikes!

“Shouty Color” was one theme from last year, and it was a blast. I bought this dress and that loud-ass hat from Target, along with some colorful wrapping paper that I tapped to one of my foamcore backgrounds. Then, I flung my hair a lot. haha! I had one or two lights set up, and that was it!

Each month, the creator of the group, Adri de la Cruz, chooses a collection of images to share on the Dear Photographer blog. The first one in this series was chosen for the Shouty Color month! It’s an awesome collection, and I highly encourage you to check out.

So, here’s what us creative photographers do when we have a few minutes of downtime:

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Looking for a creative shoot for your personal brand or just some creative fun?

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Oh, my goodness, this was the BEST smash cake session! If you’re not familiar with smash cake sessions, they’re when a baby turns one year old and they get a small cake that they are thoroughly encouraged to SMASH and eat all for the sole purpose of capturing adorable photos to celebrate baby’s 1st year!

This is Miss J and I took her older sister’s smash cake photos a few years ago. I was worried I wouldn’t get to do Miss J’s because her family moved to Atlanta last year, so I was thrilled with mom texted me and said they wanted to come up for photos!!

Her older sister’s shoot had a lot more color, but this year mom wanted to go with a more neutral palette, which I thought was just lovely. Now that we’re in our new house, I have a room up front for my studio and I finally have a space that has wood floors, so I can do smash cake sessions in my in-home studio now!

We always do at least 2 setups and we start out without the cake - obviously! I loved the way the background I had complimented her little purple paisley outfit. I edited these just a little more softly than I typically do. I tend to alter my editing styles just slightly to match the mood of the shoot and the people in it. I don’t think there’s a one-edit-fits-all!

The last cake smash session I had was a while ago, and she was NOT into her cake, which is more typical then you might think! But Miss J was ALL ABOUT IT. She even tipped over the entire cake stand at one point! It was hilarious and so perfect!

Warm weather is HERE and it’s time to pull out the sprinklers and pop-up pools! Summer is so ripe for photos with it’s long days of sunlight, colorful palettes and large, popsicle-stained smiles!

We want to be able to capture that summer magic in photos. It’s so fleeting and the years move on too quickly, so having memories of our summers is so important. While I love gathering all the kiddos in one big group and asking them all to give me a crazy grin, I’m REALLY a fan of candidly capturing these hot-day & warm-night moments.

Now, I am always available for a summer lifestyle session - which I fully believe more people should do!! No one ever thinks to have a summer day or night professionally captured and it’s just THE BEST!!! But, since I can’t be there for you allllll the days…

…I want YOU to be able to be the best memory keeper that you can be for your family, I thought I’d share some of my top tips when it comes to taking candid photos of your kids!

And what would photo tips be without photos?! haha! DUH.

I’m often not far from my camera, and when we blew up this darling little MiniDip pool from Target for the first time, I KNEW I had to grab it and capture the first dip of “summer!” (Summer in quotes because it’s technically still spring.) And it has shows just about all the tips I talk about!

That brings me to my tips:

1. Capture the FIRSTS. First dip in the pool this summer. First steps into the ocean. First lick of an ice cream cone. First one to cannonball into the pool without even feeling the water beforehand!

   In these images, it was our FIRST time in this adorable pool!

2. Capture the LASTS. The last one out of the pool. The last one left cleaning up. The last one to fall asleep. The last neighborhood gathering before school begins again.

3. Never ask anyone to look at you. That’s the whole point of CANDID! You don’t want to bring anyone out of the moment - it’ll stop the moment and ruin all the candid fun. Try to be a fly on the wall so that you can truly capture your kiddos all caught up having a good time (or maybe pouting in a corner - haha!)

4. Move around. Stand up. Lie down. I talk a lot about changing your point of view when shooting the same scene. Most people simple stand there at the normal height they normally and shoot normally. Normal is no fun! haha! Get high and get low and move all around!

5. Take photos of DETAILS. You don’t always have to see everyone’s face to tell your story! Don’t you love baby butt cheek hanging out of a swimsuit?! It’s the best! Take a photo of it! Wet hair, grass-covered feet, little fingers and little toes, even details of the objects that you’ll probably forget about years from now.

6. Make it so no one can see you. If it’s possible to get completely hidden, but still get some photos, this is the BEST for capturing candids! On this day, once my girls started inviting some neighbor kids over to play, I went inside and shot through our kitchen window. They had no idea! haha!

BONUS TIP: Use a black & white filter on some, especially ones that you took in bright sunlight. They look amazing and it will add a “moment in time” feel to your photo!

So, take a look at my little backyard shoot and see if you can see my tips at play!

A single subject and a white background. I’m such a sucker for this look! It’s so clean and classic, and puts all the focus right on your subject. It’s hard to go wrong with this, especially for some personal branding fun.

Caitlin here proves my point. The undistracting background lets viewers and potential clients focus completely on her and get an instant sense of her personality and what she might be like to work with - fun, bold, trendy, sassy and personable.

We laughed a lot through our session, which is always a goal of time in order to help my clients relax and feel like themselves. Whenever I showed Caitlin some sneaks on my camera, her response was always, “Oh, yeah, that’s so me,” which is how I want everyone to feel! And, bonus, she had her bestie come by for the last half of the shoot. If that’s something that will loosen someone up and not make them feel self-conscious, then, I’m all for it!

This Work ‘n’ Play shoot was mainly for Caitlin to have some images to use on her new website for her graphic design business and some for social media posts. She’s got tons of great options for her landing page, about page, how it works section, and just about any other kind of section she could want!

For those influencers and online entrepreneurs needing more variety of branding photos and a consistent stream of images for social media, a personal branding package would make more sense, but this type of shoot can absolutely be integrated into that!

Are you looking to uplevel your branding game?! Click the button for a free chat with me!

2014. TPAC stage. A woman with brilliantly curly hair reads her story of being pregnant with and the early months of having triplets almost 14 years prior. A photo flashes on the large screen behind her of three barely-toddlers in yellow Fisher Price swings - all of them fast asleep with their arms limp and necks hanging in those funny ways that only babies’ bodies can when they’re exhausted. The woman reads that this was the only way she could get them to fall asleep at the same time.

That show was called Listen to Your Mother, and I got to share the stage with that amazing mom and many more as we all read stories of motherhood. (If you’ve got 10 minutes and want a laugh, this is mine! haha!)

Four years later, she called me and said they were graduating high school and wanted me to be their senior photographer. I was honored!

We shot in downtown Nashville, where the family likes to spend time together. I pretty much fell in love with all three of these kids during this shoot - they’re all so different and smart and creative and so open and ready for the next step in life. My friend and her husband have raised three beautiful humans with three beautiful souls and it was awesome to photograph them. Unlike my other senior sessions, shooting triplets was definitely a first!

Ah, my favorite Miss Gia! I have been shooting her birthday photos for three years now, and her mom and dad always want something unique, which I LOVE! We met originally because our kiddos used to attend the same school in Franklin, TN, but now I love being able to call her mom, Corbi, a good friend AND a stellar realtor. ;)

This year Corbi wanted to incorporate some of Gia’s love of all things kick-ass, namely, her jiu jitsu skillz. Oh, yeah, with a “z.” She is one of the only girls in her class and she totally thrives on beating up guys! haha! If she were my kid, I’d be like YOU WALK IN FRONT - haha!

The photoshoot is really about her as her mom always uses it to create an annual album for her grandma, but Gia still insists her parents promise that they’ll hop in a few with her & make it a little family shoot. Isn’t that adorable?! My kids are so over photos that they just want it all to stop!

We knew we wanted to do a little face paint to make her look even more fierce, but I was a little nervous! Normally, my hair & makeup gal, Brittany, is all over that, so I had to bring out my face paint skills (no “z”) for this one! Thankfully, it wasn’t too difficult. ;) And, it only made sense that we head to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere to utilize their amazing property and jungle-like jungle gym! Such a fun shoot! I have to imagine Gia will show these at her wedding, RIGHT?!

Love this sweet family! Their daughter and my oldest used to go to preschool together, and each kid learned everyone’s first AND last name, so our daughter would come home talk about each kiddo using both names, so I will forever think of lovely Miss V here as both her first and last name together! haha!

Now, they wanted a family session, but they really wanted a lot of focus on their daughter. They’d done a shoot with me a few years back and hadn’t done anything since then. I have to say, I adore shooting this age. She, like my oldest, is 8 and they have this very interesting developing sense of self where they are not game to simply smile and giggle at you anymore! They want to be serious and they want their serious side seen. And I LOVE Miss V’s serious side! Could she be any more gorgeous!

Since the focus was mainly on V and since the family wanted some more traditional “looking at the camera” shots, this went a little differently than my usual lifestyle sessions. It was a little more posed, but nothing too stiff. And V was kind of in model mode for a while, so I just embraced it!

It’s always sweet to me to photograph mom and daughter and then dad and daughter. Each relationship can be so different, but still so special. I love making sure that moms and dads have those. And having just one child makes it easy!

How is your relationship different with your kids than your spouse’s? Let me know!

You have photos, right?  Dumb question, I know.  I personally have over 12,000 on my phone alone – that doesn’t take into account all the ones from my “good” camera, of which I have plenty, being that I’m a photographer. (And a mom. I think my kids are over the camera in their faces).  

I get it.  I get photo overwhelm.

I also get the desire to want to print some photos!  And *gasp* maybe even FRAME them?!  Haha!  Isn’t that the dream? Gorgeous Pinterest-worthy walls of adorable vintage-filtered square shots with giant white mats and skinny frames?!  (Um…I want a wall like that.)

But what about something starting somewhere easier, like a frame on the mantle?  A canvas in the hall?  Something to replace the years-old photo of your family – the one that doesn’t even include your youngest – sitting on your husband’s desk at work?  And hasn’t Aunt Donna been asking for some updated photos forever?

Oh, and let’s not forget that professional family photo session you just had!  Love, love, love the photos, but now you have to decide either which images you want to purchase from the photographer, or maybe you got ALL the images (go you!) and now you need to pick a few to print.

Picking photos to print and display is not as hard as it seems.  I promise.  It’s just because we have too many dang choices.  

Let me help you get those images off your phone and into your home with a few questions to ask yourself.

1. Who wants a copy?

This question is especially useful after a professional photo session or if you feel you just took some really great photos of everyone on your phone.  Go through each family member, even really close friends who are like family, and think if they would appreciate any printed images. For example, grandma & grandpa on both sides, what do they want? An 8x10 of each kid? And then another, smaller, 5x7 of the kids together? Ok, check that.  Do you have sisters and brothers who would like some?  Go ahead and text people, too! “Hey, I’m finally printing some photos of the kids! Do you want any to frame?” 

Make sure to ask, too, which kind of image they prefer – a standard, looking at the camera smiling one, or one that shows more personality?  My mom always picks at least one where my girls look grumpy! Haha!  She says they make her laugh!

Here’s my biggest tip on this point: ask your kids to pick a few.  So many times parents pick photos, print them and put some frames in the living room.  But, you know what?  Kids LOVE photos of themselves and their families in their own rooms!  They love to giggle at silly photos, feel all warm and fuzzy with family photos and, best of all, they feel so confident when they are surrounded by images of themselves that they think they look great in.  Have them sit on your lap, and go through and see what they want.  Then, create a little space on a dresser or on the wall where they can display their memories!

2. Where are the photos going?

Take a look around your home.  Is there a wall you’ve always wanted to decorate with glorious photos?  A few spots on your built-in shelves?  Maybe something in your bedroom or even in the bathroom!  You know, a really funny or sweet photo can be great in a laundry room.  Now’s the time to walk around and look at shelves and walls and think about some places that could use some style!

I feel like there’s always a need for an updated photo in someone’s office.  Even a home office – treat it like an “away” office!  I like to keep a couple of frames on my desk in my home office, and my husband does the same in his “away” office.  Maybe twice a year or so, we simply print some new images and swap them out!

Like I mentioned above, don’t forget kids’ rooms, their bathrooms and their hallways.  It makes kids all kinds of happy to see faces they love around them! (Especially silly ones!)

Here’s the small hallway that leads to our master bedroom. We had a photoshoot done last April during our 10 year anniversary trip to NYC. I thought this was the PERFECT place to put photos that were just of my husband and I - without the two of us together, we wouldn’t have a family! So, I decided to make it kind of a like mini art gallery and hang some of my favorite photos in frames all at the same height.

3. Which do you simply love?

You know you’ve got ‘em.  A few photos that you just LOVE.  You’d show them to the checkout guy at Kroger if he wasn’t 17 and talking to his friend who’s bagging. Aw, heck, you’ll show them to him anyway! 

Even if you have no idea where you’d put these photos in your house, print them.  Print them in a standard size and then look for frames.  Or, print them on a giant canvas.  OR, make an album out of all your favorite images from the last 3, 6, 9 or 12 months! 

Especially print them if you have some images of YOU that you love.  You deserve to have some photos out of you looking super fab also! 

That’s how I was with this project. I had found these frames MONTHS ago at TJ Maxx HomeGood - if you find something you like there, you have to snatch it up fast! I bought them before we moved into our new house and only knew that I loved the frames. Then, after our trip to the lake in October, I had some photos that I also loved, especially the one with my daughter’s hair blowing in the boat wind

It didn’t make sense for me to blow these up really big, but I just love them as a clean collection in my living room. They sit on either side of the fireplace and make me so happy! And, it’ll be super easy to change them out seasonally!

NOTE: These work because there is a cohesiveness to them. The frames are the same style and the prints are from the same location with the same editing style. :)

4. Now go forth and print!

Hopefully, you’ve got some good ideas to get your photos off your phone and into your home!  For prints and canvases, I highly recommend mpix.com.  For great albums and other photo products at a great price, I recommend Shutterfly.

Good luck!  Come get inspired & share on Instagram with me @lizahippler or on Facebook if you get some photos up!  I’d love to see!