Focus Friday
BLOG + VLOG of AUTUMN THEODORE PHOTOGRAPHY
If you have any additional questions about 50mm lenses (or anything else, for that matter!), comment below, or reach out via my contact page. Happy shooting! Autumn
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Last month, I wrote a blog post on the same topic - except that it was geared toward women. As expected, I got some requests to write the same type of post for men. "What do I wear for the photoshoot?!" is still one of the most frequent questions I get asked. The three tips I have for men deal with three Cs: 1. Clothing, 2. Cut, and 3. Chill. 1. Clothing
The most important thing you can do is consider why you'll be using these photos. Are they for LinkedIn? Your website? What do you want people to think when they see the image? That you're a buttoned-up, suit-wearing professional or that you're a laid-back, casual creative? Or maybe somewhere in between? This is the first choice you need to make. The only other clothing request I'll make is that you avoid patterns and stripes. Keep any clothing that you wear fairly simple. 2. Cut When does your hair cut look best? Day of? Week later? This is important, so be sure to schedule your photoshoot accordingly. Same goes for facial hair - be sure to make a note of when to shave before the shoot. 3.Chill This is like...so basic, but SO helpful. Lots of folks (not just guys) hate having their photo taken. I'm one of them - it makes me really uncomfortable! But the more you chill out for the photoshoot, the better your photos will look. Try to smile naturally (I'll try to make you laugh!), sit naturally, and just be you. It won't take long, I promise! If there's anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable, please let me know! (Pro tip: no drinking before photos. Sure, you'll feel more comfortable, but your eyes and smile won't look their best.) Happy posing! Autumn Generations often love to prod at each other, saying how their generation is better than the next/last. While I try very hard to avoid this ugly banter, I far too often hear Gen X-ers complaining about Gen Y-ers or Millennials "playing on their phones. Below, you'll find a list of how I "played on my phone" last week. Here is the non-exhaustive list of WORK I did on my phone while shooting Cause Collaborative event highlights for nearly 9 hours this past Friday:
I caution folks who might assume "kids these days" are endlessly scrolling through Instagram, shopping online, or playing a game. My ability to embrace technology allows me to grow my business faster. (While occasionally scrolling through Instagram or shopping online - I can admit it!) What are genius ways you use your phone? What stellar apps do you love that bring you joy, ease, and efficiency to your life? Comments are welcome below! Happy Friday! Autumn Whether you're a business owner, restauranteur, or photographer, planning and shopping for a series of styled food shoots can take hours. The last thing you want to do is also spend a lot of money on props. Thanks to a little creativity and a lot of DIY-ingenuity, I was able to design and purchase props for 3 separate shoots - for UNDER $100! STYLE SETUP #1: $17
STYLE SETUP #2: $33
STYLE SETUP #3: $49.50
Thanks to Vue for hosting me for this this triple shoot! Another thank you to Andrea at Metro Cuisine for connecting me to Vue, and for the linens! It's always a pleasure to work with such kind partners. Happy Friday! Autumn We all use Instagram filters, right? WRONG. I could sit here and write a long post about all the time photographers spend to create images. And how those images shouldn't be further altered because they already look pretty darn good.
But this will be a short post, because I really only have one point: be very clear with your photographer on the type of images you want. Are they light and airy? Dark and dramatic? Editorial? Creative? Do you have sample images? What is the purpose of the images? Your photographer will create images based on the direction given to them - without you having to touch it up afterward. Plus, should you further alter your images, they will no longer look consistent among the other images they created for you. As a former marketing professional, I can tell you that consistency is key! Now go hire a photographer who can give you EXACTLY what you need without resorting to gross Instagram filters. Happy Friday! Autumn P.S. Yes, everything creative is subjective. At the end of the day, you do what's best for you! :) One of those most frequent questions I get asked is "What do I wear for the photoshoot?!" What if I told you it was easy as 1-2-3? Would you believe me? I'll definitely write about tips for men on another blog post, but for now, let's consider the three Cs for women: 1. Comfort, 2. Color, and 3. Communication. 1. Comfort Want to look really bad in your photos? Wear something that's uncomfortable - I promise it will work! (Ok ok so that's a joke, but this tip is very real!) Many women make the mistake of going shopping for a new outfit prior to a photoshoot. There's nothing wrong with this, but just be sure that you're NOT purchasing something that makes you uncomfortable. Is it too tight? Is it too trendy and you feel like you don't have enough confidence? Is it too loose? Do you feel like it makes you look frumpy? Do you feel like it makes you look too young or too old? While comfort certainly does apply to clothing, it also applies to makeup, hair, shoes, and accessories. Consider your look when you're most comfortable, and then start from there when planning your photoshoot outfit. For example, I love to wear black and white, flat shoes, minimal makeup, and I think I look best with my hair down. Those are all easy rules to follow (while still having lots of styling options) while preparing for a photoshoot. 2. Color When people make color mistakes, it's usually one of two things: lack of contrast or being too matchy-matchy. Contrast means being different from something else, so in the case of a photoshoot, you wouldn't want to wear a bright green dress if most of your photos will be taken in a park with green grass and green trees. you're looking for contrast. Consider your backgrounds at your photoshoot location as you plan your outfit. Once upon a time in the late '90s, the cutest thing a family could wear to a photoshoot was white shirts and khaki pants. All of them. Every single person in the family. This may have been cute for a few years, but if you don't want your coworkers laughing behind your back when they see your family photos, let's make sure you're not going to be too matchy-matchy. While you shouldn't match exactly, making sure that there is some coordination is key. Look at the families above to see how they did a great job at sticking to 2-4 colors for the whole family. 3. Communication
Always be sure to chat with your photographer about any final questions, concerns, or preferences. Did you just twist your ankle and don't want your Ace bandage to show in the photos? It will be avoided! Do you really love the earrings you're wearing today and want to show them off? Consider them featured! Do you hate a birthmark on the side of your arm that you don't really like? It can be removed! Don't sit in silence and hope the photographer will avoid certain parts of your body or flaunt others - we talk about these things all the time, and are comfortable hearing what you need! Happy posing! :) Autumn What are the questions you think to ask when hiring a photographer? Some of the most common questions might be:
Photo by Angela Fortin Studio Photography Those are definitely important! But there are additional questions that will help you help them get the best photos possible - and deliver them efficiently, and to your specifications. Here are some to consider:
What other questions have you asked photographers that really helped both of you? I'd love for you to share in the comments below! Happy Friday! Autumn Well maybe not EXAAAAACTLY. But there are an insane amount of similarities. Doubt me? Keep reading. I started my business in the summer of 2012, which means I'm about to celebrate my "baby's" 5th business birthday! Ever since, I've taken lots of mental notes (and talked to lots of other business owners) about the strange reasons we can justifiably call our businesses our "babies." Businesses = babies because...
Whether you're raising a business or a baby, you're doing a great job and I promise all your hard work will bring you lots of joy. Happy Friday! Autumn |
Writing and vlogging to entertain, educate, expose, and encourage.
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