Blog Archives

Workshop dates announced for 2018!

4/27/2018

I always pay attention to the questions I get about photography. Some are technical. Others are about composition. And lots are even about iPhone photos!

When planning 2018 workshops, I wanted to be as helpful as possible. So here are the plans...

I'm covering two topics this year:

Phone Workshop
You've had a smartphone for a while. It seems like others are taking amazing photos from their phone. What are you missing? As surprising as it may be, I have a long list of things you can do to get better photos. We will go over lots of tips and tricks that will help you take better smartphone photos, especially for social media!

DSLR Workshop
Did you spend a few hundred dollars on a camera you don't know how to use because the settings are overwhelming? Don't worry - I can help! We will go over basic settings, the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), and any questions you have!

WORKSHOP TICKETS

How to hold your spot at the workshop:

Visit the ticket page
Choose a date: June 3 or September 9
Choose a workshop: DSLR, Phone, or the bundle of both
Put it on your calendar :)

Hope to see you soon!
Autumn

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I paid for headshots and only liked 3 photos

4/20/2018

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I have so many things to say.

Last fall, I paid a photographer to take some updated headshots of me. We spent about 45 minutes together, and she took (this is my guess) roughly 150 photos.

When she sent me the processed/edited photos, there were about 19 of them.

And I liked (which means I can use) 3 of them.

I have so many things to tell you about this. Read on.

This is one of the 3 photos I liked.
It is one of my favorite headshots ever. :)

I paid $50 (it was a Black Friday deal she ran) for this photoshoot. Was this worth it?
OMG YES. This was a steal! Three images for $50 is insanely cheap. I would've paid $300 for these photos, if not more.
Why didn't I get all of the images she took?
Just read this.
I only liked a small percentage of the photos. Can't she fix the ones I don't like?
Well it depends on what I didn't like about them. Did she forget to remove a huge zit on my cheek? No, but if she did, she could remove that. Did I ask her to give me an image with a darker backdrop? I didn't, but if I had, she could fix that. Am I uncomfortable with my body and I don't like the way I look sometimes? On the days when I don't feel beautiful, no one can fix that except me.

It is absolutely a photographer's job to make photos that clients like. What's tricky is when there are components of the work that the photographer doesn't have control over.

Happy Friday!
Autumn

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I opened a Print + Digital Shop!

4/13/2018

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I'm honored any time someone mentions that they saw one of my photos, and love it so much that they want to purchase a print or a canvas.

To make it easier, I've built a website where I've loaded the most commonly requested images for prints, canvases, and even digital download. Images of Columbus, Cleveland, Hocking Hills, Asheville, and the Total Solar Eclipse start at $25.

Print + Digital Shop

Below are some highlights of the images that have been loaded to the site.

I'll continue adding new images as I take more, but I'm also very interested in the type of images you'd like to see! Feel free to comment below. :)

Happy Friday!
Autumn

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Why this crazy business move is ok

4/6/2018

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Last year was my first full year of self-employment. I comfortably supported myself ...and got lots of sleep. :)

This year, I plan to double my work (yep, without losing any of that sleep).

Am I crazy?! Maybe. But I've spent lots of time considering if this is possible.

Do I enjoy what I do, and want to do more of it?
Yes. Easy question. Next?

I'm really organized...but like...enough?!
I had extra time during all of 2017. Did I like it? Yep. Did I need more work? Nope. Did I want more work? Always. So if I had tons of extra time in a year that I comfortably supported myself, why not double it during year two and see how it goes? Here are the extra things I had to consider:

How much work can I add to my schedule? I can probably double it and still enjoy life and relaxation in the way that I want.
Will my clients suffer from me having double the work? For clients who plan ahead (reaching out to me 2-4 weeks in advance to schedule a shoot), there will be no change.
Will all this work make me happy? Yes! I'm not happy when I don't have a full schedule.

Do I think I'll be too "busy?"
NO. In "Tools of Titans" by Tim Ferriss, he talks about being "busy." And I love him for it.

"Every time people contact me, they say, 'Look, I know you must be incredibly busy...' and I always think, 'No, I'm not.' Because I'm in control of my time. I'm on top of it. 'Busy,' to me, seems to imply 'out of control.' Like, 'Oh my God, I'm so busy. I don't have any time for this shit!' To me, that sounds like a person who's got no control over their life."

Lack of time is lack of priorities. If I'm "busy," it's because I've made choices that put me in that position, so I've forbidden myself to reply to "How are you?" with "Busy." I have no right to complain. Instead, if I'm too busy, it's a cue to reexamine my systems and rules.

I'll update you on how my doubled business goes a year from now. :)

Happy Friday!
Autumn

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Focus Friday

Workshop dates announced for 2018!

I paid for headshots and only liked 3 photos

I opened a Print + Digital Shop!

Why this crazy business move is ok

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