Working for myself and being a photographer is a dream. But like every other profession, there can be difficult things to handle. I also enjoy being very real with clients, friends, and collaborators on the peaks and valleys of self-employment and being a creative.

Clearly you know this by now, but I'm really into lists. It's much easier for me to write (as well as read!) content in list-form. So here we go!

1. I am my own boss. This is a dream. Seriously. A DREAM. But it's also hard to figure out what to do next. No one is there to tell you the best next step, or how to grow, or what to do to make sure that you're successful. There's a lot of work in preparing for your future!
2. I have to be creative. Don't get me wrong - I love being creative! But sometimes my best creative work is done when I feel it coming. When I must be creative at a certain time, it takes a bit more effort and thought. I'm definitely willing to do it though!
3. I work from home. Also a dream! But being in your pajamas until 4pm doesn't feel as great as you might think. It's comfy, sure, but by that time I need to GET OUT and be social! Making sure I find a balance can take a lot of work.
4. I create nice images...which means sometimes they get stolen. It's pretty maddening when a creative sees their work used by someone else (without credit). Not only is it maddening, but it's actually fraudulent. I confidently reach out to the person or business using my image, and let them know their options. Works like a charm when I'm firm and kind.
5. I am shocked by some of the things people say. Once, I was at a client's business and one of their employees asked me if I made a living from photography full-time. When I smiled and said, "Yes, I've been happily doing it for about 6 months now!" their response was, "WOW! That must be so easy!" I wish I could've thought about this response in time, but of course I thought of it 20 minutes later: "Yep! Easy just like your job!" 

What about the worst parts of your job? It's always interesting to hear about the parts that aren't general knowledge for people outside your industry.

Happy Friday!
Autumn

While we are often inspired by following folks in our fields, one of the quickest ways to kill your confidence and lose your ability to create great work is comparing ourselves to them.

I have a problem (a BIG problem) with the idea of looking for inspiration in other photographers' work. Sure, I love Annie Leibovitz as much as the next photographer, but I don't look at her work before going to shoots or before editing photos. I don't even really look at websites, social media platforms, or industry magazines in which photographers are featured.

Over the past year, I've gotten really good at knowing what I'm good at, and where I need to grow. (Where I need to grow is another story for another day, I promise.) What I'm good at is realizing how I can help myself grow, rather than hurt that beautiful process of creativity. Here are some things to help you strengthen yourself in the same way:

1. Don't compare yourself to anyone else in your industry. Not anyone internationally-renown, and not even anyone who is really great at what they do locally. You're totally different from that person and will bring a different set of skills to your clients or customers.
2. So what do you do to look outside of your industry? Well, if you're a painter, look at a photographer's work. If you're a writer, look at famous sculpture artist's work. If your'e a musician, talk to a friend who writes poetry. There is so much out there to make you feel inspired. And it has nothing to do with your industry.
3. If you're looking for creative inspiration (or any type of inspiration, for that matter!), do something weird. I don't mean really weird, I just mean stop doing the same things you do every day. Go a different way to work, go to a small art gallery you've only recently heard of, try an ethnic food you've never had, drive around a neighborhood you don't know very well. You'll probably see things you've never seen. That's a good thing.
4. TRAVEL. Oh my god just travel. Anywhere. Travel internationally. Travel domestically. Better yet, do it alone! Whatever you do, just get the heck away from what you think is normal. See other places, other people, other things. You'll be inspired as hell. Plus, you'll have a great story to tell.

I hope these thoughts are helpful. They've helped me get inspired, stay inspired, and best of all, not lose hope about my own work, self worth, and ability to create beautiful things.

You've got this!
​Autumn

The first day of fall is only 6 weeks away! While the vast majority of my work is commercial photography, I still get requests to take lots of family photos every fall. This post will list the things to consider when scheduling fall photos for your family.

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1. Plan ahead! Lots of photographers' fall schedules fill quickly due to the beauty of the outdoors. If you'd like to book a family shoot, feel free to check my schedule!
2. Make sure your outfits coordinate (rather than match exactly). The current trend shows families choosing 2-3 colors and coordinating them rather than making everyone match. If you're looking for extra tips on getting ready, read my blog posts about tips for men and tips for women.
3. Consider the time of day. There's a huge difference between gorgeous "golden hour" photography and really any other time of day. Find a photographer you can trust and let them recommend the time of day for the best lighting.
4. Bring bribes for kiddos if you like posed, smiley photos. I know this sounds horrible, but it works! Recently, one family gave their youngster one Skittle for every photo we took. Worked like a charm!
5. Speaking of getting kids to cooperate, maybe just let them be kids. If you'e not in love with posed photos (or actually prefer candids anyway), just let the kids play and ask your photographer to walk around capturing candid moments. Bring a blanket and a game or a small (not messy!) activity or craft to occupy their time.

I hope these are helpful to you this fall!

All the best,
​Autumn

Have you ever wanted to take a beautiful photo of the moon? It can be accomplished with a nice camera in a few easy steps. Since the next full moon is this coming Monday, August 7th, you'll be all ready to test your new knowledge!

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WHAT YOU NEED

• ​Camera with the ability to change manual settings and lenses (DSLR or mirrorless)
• Telephoto lens (something like this zoom lens; anything that can zoom to 200-300mm)
• Tripod (or sturdy surface with the ability to point your camera at the moon)
• Remote shutter release (optional, but highly recommended)
• A very basic understanding of how your camera's manual settings work

STEP 1: SET UP YOUR GEAR
Place your zoom lens on your camera and attach the camera to the tripod (or place it on a surface that can easily face the moon while staying perfectly still). If you have a remote shutter release, plug it in to your camera. (This is highly recommended since pushing the shutter still makes your camera move slightly.)

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT SETTINGS
This part might take some time, so be patient! Zoom in as far as you can, and be sure the camera is centered on the moon. Set your camera on the following: shutter speed of 1/500, aperture of  f/10, and ISO of 100. Using your remote shutter release, take a test photo. Adjust settings as needed - this may take a while! (Don't understand how shutter speed, aperture, and ISO work together? Sign up for my October 1st workshop!)

STEP 3: MINIMAL POST-PROCESSING
Load your photos to your computer, choose a favorite, and open that file in your preferred photo editing software. Crop the photo so that the moon takes up a large portion of the frame. Brighten or darken, and make any change to color or white balance as you prefer.

Final step: post your photos! I'd love to see the gorgeous images you make, so don't forget to tag me when you post to social media.

Happy shooting!
​Autumn