The other side of the camera

05.09.12

osoc

I’m sure I’ve said and posted more than enough about my daughter’s wedding last weekend. But this post is about a completely different aspect of the event. For the first time, I was on the other side of the camera. It was fun, scary, enlightening. I think ultimately it will make me a better photographer.
The lovely and talented Lauren Larsen was our photographer. It was no easy task to find “the one.” My daughter loves Lauren’s style, and she was a perfect fit for the type of photos we wanted.

At first, I know I was a bit of a pain. Pointing out detail shots to Lauren or grabbing her when I saw something I would have shot. I did not intend to be a mother-of-the-bride-zilla. Eventually I got so caught up in the day, that I could let go and let Lauren do her job. I was in awe of how hard she works…wedding photographers do not get enough credit. After the ceremony, she grabbed my daughter and her new husband and whisked them off to an amazing location while everyone drank margaritas and ate macaroni and cheese and sliders. I know she got some incredible shots.

What I really learned as a client is that this is a precious gift. I cannot wait to see the images. I will cherish them forever. It will always be an incredible memory. They day went by so quickly and all we will have are Lauren’s photos to document it. I only took one image the entire day; of the morning sky so that Hailey could remember what her wedding day looked like. After that, I put the camera away and trusted Lauren. The other thing I learned is that it does require a large amount of trust; especially for an event like a wedding. More than ever I realize how important it is to find the “just right” photographer for you that you trust completely. Besides the fact that this industry is how I make a living, I could never, ever trust a less experienced, semi-professional just to save money. Not on one of the most important days of our lives. Right now we are thoroughly enjoying the snapshots taken by friends and family, but we cannot wait for the real deal.

What we have to give as professionals is of incredible value. And the better quality service, trust and product we give, the more valuable we become.

Karey

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Happy Mother’s Day…early

04.25.12

mothersdaycardfront

This year I wanted to do something special for the mom’s in our community. Moms have been the backbone of my business for ten years, and are my best friends. Anyone who knows me knows how much I value my relationship with my daughter Hailey, who is getting married in 10 days. I’m excited to be able to have @LaurenLarsen there to capture us together…. I never am the one in front of the camera.

In honor of Mother’s Day, I will be giving away ten free mother/daughter portrait sessions. Not only the session, but free makeup for mom and daughter(s). Come have fun with us, then go out on the town that evening. It’s a great way to have fun with your daughter(s) and celebrate the relationship you share. Call the studio for more details! 832-521-3759.

xoxo

Karey

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Shooting shoes…what to wear?

04.23.12

I was asked by photographer Carrie Ord what shoes I recommended for wearing during a shoot. I love a good shoe question!
Fortunately, because I work only with portraits and not weddings, I don’t stand on my feet shooting for 8 hours or more. However, I am always up and down stools, dragging furniture around, tromping through mud or grass or twigs or ant hills or all of the above.
I feel that is extremely important to dress to reflect your brand. If you are charging boutique prices, than you should dress like you shop at a boutique. Show your creativity in everything you do…especially your clothes and shoes! Personally, I think it’s really tacky to show up at a shoot in sweats or looking like you just rolled out of bed.
Of course, comfort is key. So for me, that means flat shoes when shooting. I collect cute flats just for this reason. There are a ton out there. Here are three old faithful pairs that I’ve worn on countless shoots. The black Tory Burch’s went on a recent barn shoot with me, the leopard to a park setting the day after a nasty rain, and the pearls were perfect at a bridal portrait session.
Your shoes don’t have to be expensive. I’ve found awesome bargains at Marshalls. It may seem like an unimportant detail, but I think it really reflects your style, artistic flair and creativity.

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Makeover Monday: Looking back

04.16.12

I thought it would be fun to look at some of my old work and retouching, so I randomly grabbed a client folder from 1995. I picked the gorgeous Jenna Howard who was my son’s Homecoming date in 1994. Can’t believe how time has flown!

I chose one of her original SOOC files and retouched it how I might today. This image isn’t lit anything like I would shoot it now; not enough light in her eyes, semi-awkward pose, maybe too much cleavage !?! but I really wanted to show that learning some fairly easy retouching can really help an image.

I’m not sure where Jenna is these days, but I’m certain she’s doing something amazing. She was a TWHS honor student, cheerleader and then a star Aggie. She has an awesome family. She may not be too happy I’m showing the era of her blonde streaks, but she is gorgeous no matter what!

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Penelope - April 19, 2012 - 7:42 am

Wow! Great job! Is this kind of edit possible using PSE?

admin - April 19, 2012 - 11:21 am

Hi Penelope,
This is really just dodge and burn basics, so I’m sure you can do it in PSE. I actually learned to do it in a dark room back in the prehistoric age

Elena - April 19, 2012 - 8:23 pm

This is a great edit! I liked your tutorial post on IHF, thanks for the tips! Can’t wait to have a stab at the photo myself for Fix-It Friday!

Makeover Monday: Be sure to “nail it!”

04.09.12

One of my pet peeves is when photographers don’t retouch simple, obvious flaws that are so easy, yet when overlooked can ruin a great portrait. Fingernails are one of those things. Of course, we always tell our senior girls to make sure their nails look good when they come in for their session, but there are always a few that come in with chipped or crazy-colored nails. It is so simple to fix. Sample or choose the color you want the finger polish to be. Use a small, semi-soft brush and just paint them in. Finishing touches like this make a huge difference; especially when you are selling your work as upscale and expensive. The details count!

Karey Miller Photography