last year, was a turning point in my photography journey. i was on a quest to find my style and what truly defined me as a photographer.

traditionally, i would shoot a full session with one lens. my trusty zoom portrait lens. it produced pretty pictures. but that was NOT enough for me anymore. i would come home from a session so discouraged. the pictures were good, but they weren’t what i had envisioned. i just couldn’t create what i wanted! it was the most frustrating thing. the only thing i can think to compare it to is baking a cake, and realizing that the cake didn’t rise! it was flat. my photography, to me, had become boring.

i had no idea how to jazz it up or if i even wanted to jazz it up! so i made the decision to start shooting completely different than i ever had. it was hard.

i shoot in full manual mode but this year i incorporated a new skill into my shooting…kelvin! i now manually adjust my white balance along with every shot. it has really changed my shooting. it was not easy at first…i had to memorize a chart and incorporate it into my sessions and then actually remember it and implement it! that’s the hard part. anyone can learn or memorize, but can you really put your knowledge into action?? i’m not perfect at it, sometimes i still have to tweak it in post – but it is so worth the extra 2 seconds it takes to change it in camera!

another change i made this year was styling. i have so many people email me wanting something different. they have a vision but they have NO idea how to make it happen. that’s where my creative team comes in. styled sessions are my new favorite thing 🙂 it began here… professional hair and makeup, cannot be beat!

a few more changes were on the more technical side. i upgraded ALL of my gear. i invested in a new camera. top of the line! no excuses!

i ditched the zoom lens and have shot EVERYTHING with prime lenses. and everything finally clicked for me. those few changes have really helped me make my dreams a reality.

most photographers would gasp at me being so open with the public about my process and really discovering myself – but i am in no way, trying to hide anything from anyone. photographers are so secretive with their process of shooting, post production and business. it’s like they’re scared that uncle bob is going to figure it out overnight and steal their business! it’s ridiculous! jasmine star really said it best with an image she posted on her Facebook page a while back…

“no one is you, and that is your power”

someone can have the same camera you have, shoot with the same lenses and shoot in the same places…but they’re not you. they will not produce the same work that you do.

my style has changed and blossomed, for the most part. it is now a clean, elegant and timeless look. i adore the look of film and i like to try and recreate that look in my images.

my website has changed, my gear has changed…

but i am still me. fighting to create some of the most beautiful images that my clients will ever hang in their homes.