Not just your average photographer
This is not my first year of being a photographer. I do not consider myself seasoned but I have been doing this long enough to have learned a lot. Don't get me wrong I still have a lot more to learn in this business. We all continue to learn regardless what we are doing. I constantly tell this to my kids. Since they think once they reach a certain age they are as smart as they will ever be. I am constantly thinking of how I can improve my business. How can I keep my clients happy and most importantly how can I make them come back.
Family will always come before work. I feel like that should be the same for the clients. So from the get go I have never charged a cancellation fee. Believe it or not I have not had but a handful of cancellations that did no reschedule in almost 7 years! We all want to be understood and given some grace. So for me that was the no cancellation fee. If you cancel, that just means I get more time with my family. I also want to keep my clients as happy as I can.
I am definitely more goofy with some kids than I am with others. All depends on if they come with a big smile right away or take some time to warm up. I get the know the child a little first before I grab a big camera and say okay look here and snap. I listen to what they are talking about and if they are not talking age yet I ask mom or dad what their interest are. Sometimes I may hide a toy and say I wonder whats under here! I set myself up and wait for them to find that object and the pure look of joy on their faces are captured.
Other times some kids are completely into mom and dad and they have to turn into the clowns instead of me. Whatever it takes to capture that personality.
Then we have the ones that are so content and have that natural smile I do not have to do much. I have not seen many of these so please don't expect this from your child :).
Sometimes you may find me kinda of quiet. That doesn't mean I am not trying. It is quite the opposite. It means I am in my creative mode. I may be goofy one minute and the next completely quiet. Things are constantly popping my my head as I am shooting. I use to worry about who was using who and if they were a friend but using a different photographer. Then I grew into a better person and photographer and realizes people have a choice and may not like my style. You should always look at the photographer's work and understand their style and make sure that is what you are looking for.
Like I stated in my last blog, I will do more capturing through play. I learned through some of my most complicated clients, my kids! They have taught me to be patient and even though there may be tears that can always be turned around. I have started sessions off with kids crying because I think they have had a bad photo session before and think "oh here we go again". But they end up wanting to stay because they are having so much fun.
I do talk a lot about how I capture kids since that is majorty of my business, but also I do sessions with just adults. I get asked a lot if the kids wear me out and if I go take a nap afterwards. I do not, I have had so much fun that I am pumped up. I trutly love doing this and believe that shows in my work. How many people can say their work is not work. Or that their business is soley on referrals? That's right you read that. I do not market at all and everyone comes to me from another client.
I do not consider myself the best and I research a lot to improve myself but one thing I am confident about is my work and how you will feel when you leave the session. I am not your average photographer. I am me.