Welcome!!
Here you will find all sorts of things: tips and tricks, book reviews, stories of my adventures, client features, and so much more!
Copyright Ownership vs. Right to Print
One of the questions that I find myself addressing quite often is, “Will I get copyright of my photos?'“ This is, and isn’t, a simple question to answer, because the answer varies based upon each photographer and how they run their individual business. First, let’s define some terms:
Amateur vs. Pro: What's the Diff?
It’s recently become more and more clear to me that most people don’t know a whole lot about what professional photography is, or what a professional photographer (like me!) does. That’s why I’ve written the last couple of posts, but I wanted to provide you all with some context for this course of education before I go too much further, and y’all think I’ve lost my mind (clearly my children have stolen it and sold it on the black market).
Alexandria Sharpe- A Maternity Session at Popejoy Hall- UNM
This is one of those love stories that I absolutely adore! Alex and her husband met IN BAND at Valencia High School! These two are high school sweethearts, and were expecting their first baby- a little girl!- in December (I’m really late writing this post! Sorry guys!).
Dorinda’s Maternity Portraits- Los Lunas, New Mexico
I honestly can’t recall how many years Dorinda and I have been friends now, but it’s been a long time. I watched as her and her husband Nick (also a good friend) became parents half way around the world (Nick was stationed in Japan with the Navy), and again after they’d been reassigned to Chicago. After they finally moved home a few years ago, I finally got to meet and cuddle their sweet kiddos. So when Nick and Dorinda announced they were expecting baby #3, I jumped at the chance to capture her pregnancy this time around!
What You Need to Know About Photography Business Models
I was recently watching a masterclass for photographers, and the speaker- another photographer by the name of Matt Kennedy- was teaching about pricing and business models for photographers. I realized right off that there is A LOT of confusion about business models for photographers, not only among photographers, but for our clients as well! If we can't event figure out what business model we follow, how can we explain it to y'all?! Well, I'm going to try to clear up some of the confusion for you.
What Serving YOU Means to Me
I recently had a conversation with another wedding friendor (a wedding vendor turned friend) about my commitment to customer service- or rather my over-commitment to it. It made me realize that I haven’t publicly shared something about myself and my business that I’ve been hoping y’all would just figure out (and some of you have!!!). What I need to share about myself and my business with y’all is that my commitment to service is not superficial or something that I know I should have because I’m providing a service to you guys. It is an ingrained part of my core being, and something I do, no matter what.
Rebecca’s Maternity Portraits- UNM Duck Pond, Albuquerque, NM
I met Rebecca several years ago in what probably appeared to be a very shady parking lot exchange of Girl Scout cookies. My troop had extra cookies, and her troop needed a few more for the end of the season. Since then, I’ve gotten to know Rebecca even better through Facebook, and I can honestly say she is incredibly smart, very witty, immensely talented, and more loving to her partner Kyle and daughter Adoli than I can describe.
10 Things Your Wedding Photographer Wishes You Knew
There are things we wish we could all tell others about our jobs. But, when you work in a service-based industry, where you work with people who've hired you to do something for them that they can't do for themselves, it's even more prevalent. Following- and in no particular order- are the things I wish I could tell all of my clients, so that they can understand that they're not alone.
Jane and Jake’s Maternity Portraits- Los Lunas, New Mexico
Jane and Jake Larson are some of the sweetest people that I’ve ever met. This past September, they welcomed their first child- a little girl named Payton. I was blessed to capture this special time in their lives- the last few weeks before they became parents and went from a family of two to a family of three.
Monica and Kyle’s Maternity Portraits- Europa Coffee, Los Lunas, New Mexico
I had the opportunity to work with Monica and Kyle Honeyfield a few months ago to capture their beautiful maternity portraits. Kyle is a cowboy in every sense of the word, and they wanted to incorporate this into their session, so Kyle brought his horse, and we got permission from Europa Coffee to use their field. And, I surprised Monica with a flower crown from Ramos Flowers.
What is the Golden Hour, and Why Should You Care?
Even before I knew that this special time of day had a specific name, it was my favorite part of the day. Simply put, the Golden Hour is the 30 minutes before sunset and the 30 minutes right after sunset each day. This is the time of day when the sun is at an angle to the spot you are at on the Earth. Specifically in New Mexico, it's the time of day when we get all those pretty skies and colors. You know- the pinks and purples and blues that have made our sunsets famous.
Why You Should Choose a Local Photographer Over a National Chain
I admit it. I used to be one of those people that went to a national chain to have my family's portraits taken. In this particular case (the photo on the left), it was Portrait Innovations, and my eldest son- Christopher- was two. This was two years before I picked up my camera, learned how to use it, and started creating portraits myself. The portrait on the right, I took myself earlier this evening. Oh, and Christopher is now six.
Vanessa's Maternity Session- Albuquerque, NM ABQ BioPark Botanical Gardens
I love it when I get to see clients again, and again! I first met Vanesa and Davian at my Mother's Day mini sessions last year, and it has been awesome to get to know their family over this last year.
Sabina's Maternity Session- El Cerro de Los Lunas, Los Lunas, NM
Sabina, her best friend, their pooches and I had a wonderful maternity session. Sabina moved here from Illinois recently, mainly because she loves the area, and partly because she wanted to be closer to her best friend.
The Strickland Family- An Albuquerque, New Mexico Maternity Portrait Session
It was truly a surprise when Brittney sent me a message saying that she was pregnant with twins and wanted me to shoot her maternity photos, but I couldn't have been happier for her, Justin, and their older daughter Rayleigh.
What to Wear to Your Family Portrait Session: Part One
One of the biggest questions, and worries, when you book a family photo session- or any session- is “What do I wear?” Or, some version of it, anyway. I know in my family, it’s always the second question asked when we get ready to take family photos- the first being “When are we doing this?”
Why I Love Photography
It occurred to me this last week that I never explained why I love photography- and that I should probably share that with you.
Welcome!
I am so excited to be starting my photography business. I never thought that I would end up here. Owning a business is always one of those things that a lot of people dream of when they’re young, but only a select few actually make it happen. I have to admit, I dreamed about owning my own business- for about half a second. I never thought that it was something that I’d actually want, or be able to do. But, here I am!