We Started 2024 Off With a Bang
On Christmas Day of 2023, I completed my diploma course with the Photography Institute. What a wonderful course. I learnt so much, and am so excited to apply it to my future photography endeavors. I bought a few more pieces of equipment, including a brand new lens that I'm super excited to try out this weekend (stay tuned!) and a few more backdrops because, clearly, a photographer can never have enough studio backdrops - right?
My sweet children ask me often if they can have their picture taken. You would think I don't have over ten thousand photos of them spread throughout my phone and laptop ( more like a hundred thousand). After completing my course, I decided what better way to put my learning to work then to horse around in my studio on a cold day with Daniel, Gwen, Dave and my cameras? And I'm very happy with the outcome.
My little natural model. Daniel is just the kindest and most helpful little man you could ever meet.
Not long after our own little family session, I did a fun business portrait session with Gaille, another seemingly "natural" model. She contacted me in early December looking for upper body photographs for her business website. We worked with a number of my backdrops, but this gray backdrop is by far my favourite. My subjects really stand out and look vibrant against it, and this is something that is very appeasing to my eye.
It's tough to gauge what my favourite part of photography is when someone asks me. I think it's a combination thing. I love the creativity of it, and I love the interaction with other people. It makes me so happy to make others smile. There's something so beautiful in those artistic captures, especially the romantic ones, when I see a couple smiling at one another with real, genuine love and appreciation. I strive for those same smiles toward me - of course I'm not asking my clients to look at me with eyes full of love for me - but those photos where the emotion is palpable and the smile is real. Those photos, as a photographer, are to die for.
I always love those family sessions where the parents immediately warn me, "Ohhh, little Joey isn't in the mood for photos today. I'm sure you won't get any good ones with him smiling, just to give you the heads up." In my entire photography career, I have yet to lose the battle of wills with the child that won't smile - I enjoy the challenge, and I don't let it intimidate me in the least before a session.
The sight my clients see when working with me (this was fun to make - Dave helped me).
My precious children, Gwenevere and Daniel, posing for me like the little pros they are.
I have learnt so much from the Photography Institute. I just signed up for a second advanced module with them that dives deeper into portraiture and lighting. I've also signed up with another online photography educator to learn more about lighting and locations to enhance my wedding photography capabilities, as well as connecting with a well known luxury wedding photographer from southern AB to apprentice with her and gain some valuable insight into real time luxury wedding and portraiture photography. I've realized in a short time that I am greatly enjoying learning more and more and witnessing the result in the improvement of my work in a very short time. It's so rewarding!
I have two elopements and three horse shows coming very soon that I am busy preparing for, and part of that preparation has been scouring the net for more valuable learning material, and practicing at every available opportunity. It's great, and I feel so alive and ready for 2024.
Gaille, one of my newest clients. She was a delight to work with and I look forward to seeing her again.
