Firstly :: that people KNOW what I do and believe in me enough to have invited me to join/attend said group.

Ok :: that’s not really the first thing but I thought I’d throw it in there.

The members do a 60 second ‘commercial’ about their businesses each week and as a newbie, of course got to stand up and try to do one as well. DER. I felt like a moron, but whatever! Afterwards it got me thinking that I DON’T have a commercial for myself… because when people contact me, they already know I’m a photographer, right? So half the battle is done. My commercial starts when I am selling my clients on the experience I hope they will have when the BOOK me as their photographer.

I take my business very seriously and I hope that’s reflected in the way I speak about it. I also don’t want people to roll their eyes when I tell them I’m a photographer. It has to be so much more than that!

Secondly, to identify my target market so I can see them where ever I go.
My target market is anyone who has ever looked into the mirror and not felt good enough about herself at any time in her life.

I have LIVED that scenario in my life. Many times. As a photographer I talk about trust with my clients, because they have to TRUST ME. How often have I given trust to another person to capture me? Rarely.

I have to chuckle when I hear people say… ‘I will NEVER get photographed!’ Why not? It’s a memory from a time in your life you may forget otherwise! It’s all fine to remember the EXTRAordinary moments, but the regular everyday ones are just as special

If you would have told me 4 1/2 years ago, after the birth of our second daughter, that when I quit my {secure, steady, easy, insurance providing, paycheck wielding, Paid-Time-Off supplying} job to “do more pictures on the side” that the ‘easy’ photomomma style photos I was doing would turn into a mini empire I’m now fully in charge of… I would have LAUGHED AT YOU LIKE A CRAZY PERSON.

Believe it or not… just over a year ago I was attending a convention and chatting with some great ladies over lunch and had mentioned that “I didn’t see myself doing photography for the rest of my life” because there are just sooooo many other things I want to be doing. The girls gasped and said… WHAT???

Well… fast forward 1 year PLUS two workshops that changed my entire perspective on photography. I really honestly believe that since I’ve found my niche… I can’t imagine NOT being a photographer. Wow. Deep, huh?

I believe my clients like me and like my work because I’m a simpleton. I want magic in my photos. I want emotion. I want connection. It’s that simple.

I believe with my whole self that making people feel great and then capturing a great image is the most rewarding part of this path that I’m on. I’m not out to be the most popular. The most showy. Because that’s not who *I* am. I just want to make fantastic images of people who may not think they’re very fantastic. Easy enough right?

I am posting this image from the other day… it’s the perfect example of simple beauty. No smoke, no mirrors…

Memories eventually fade, but hopefully the images of these ladies will be passed on to their kids and grand kids and by the grace of time and longevity they’ll be heirlooms for life. A moment remembering that this was a first time Mother’s Day for one, and the first time being a grandmother for the other… What a wonderful gift!

Click this link and cast a nomination for studio 60! Should I reach 250 votes, I will be in the running for a Small Business Grant from Chase & LivingSocial!

Yesterday, knowing I was meeting with a wonderful prospective client AND then photographing a group of ladies from a wonderful new hair salon… I thought I had better pretend I gave a shit.

Funny thing how putting my game face on and dollying up my hair instantly made my self esteem a tad higher. It made my attitude a little brighter… and my business face shows more clearly when I feel better about myself. It’s just hair and makeup Amanda :: get a grip. No. Really. It’s what I was ALLOWING myself to feel which was powerful, confident and willing to share a smile and a laugh.

This is sooooooooooooooooooooooo the reason behind me offering hair and makeup to my clients! I want you all to feel sassy, elegant, hot, exciting, beautiful or even just pampered and pretty darn wonderful. I totally believe it’s part of the experience.

I won’t lie :: when Kayla from the salon did a test run on my hair I DID NOT WASH IT for two days. It looked that good I LOVED it.

I’ll just assume that the reason behind why I booked the wedding yesterday, took beautiful photos of the ladies from the salon AND set up a networking relationship with a great business in town was solely because I did my hair.

Is that not reason enough to book a session with me?

Camera Settings :: My first DSLR :: a 20D with the kit lens set on AUTO. Yep. I’m awesome like that! {on a side note, I really think that this camera is superior to some of the more expensive ones as that I’ve never had issues with it and it’s a TANK, and thankfully for people feeling the need to upgrade, you can find them on Craigslist for a dime a dozen. I should purchase 3 more just to have them around}

REGARDLESS :: about the daydreaming part… I had walked through this house many, many, many times in the 6 years since we’ve built when it was sitting empty and thought about making it a studio. How fun, right? Yep. Until the thought of CLEANING it. AGAIN. after all the work I’d put in to it to make it liveable for a family… The plaster was falling and I’m sure the lead paint was chipping and there’s no AC or heat and it would need a functioning bathroom and probably new steps outside so people could ENTER and sooooo many other things… but all I could see was the glorious way the light shone through the windows and as a photographer you notice how the light reaches things. You notice these things before you ‘see’ the photograph as that is what you train your eye to do. As long as the light is there – you can make anything happen. I’m thankful for this house as it was a start to our family life together with lots of memories made there.

So. No farmhouse studio {or vintage eclectic antique store which also crossed my mind!} but instead a gaping hole that will hopefully become a garden sanctuary in the next year or so

I have ALWAYS had a passion for photography – including using up my moms film to document what my Barbie doll was wearing on any given day. I loooooooooooooove looking at old photographs. I cringe when I realize that in this digital age our children won’t see HALF of what we document behind the lens because people are sooooo eager to make a buck and throw a cheap ass disk of images to a ‘client’ who will then let them sit on their computer – or even better – not even make it past facebook.

I want my daughters to have photos of their parents and grandparents and God willing will allow some of the GREAT grandparents’ photos to make it to them.

My focus as a portrait photographer has always been about the STUFF. The physical print, the album or the framed image on the wall. Something to be handed down for generations and cherished. During the evolution of my NEWEST sessions I always have this fun thought of these ladies, in the prime of their lives, having THEIR granddaughters finding an album of grandma looking elegant, poised and confident. What a treasure!

Mother’s Day is right around the bend so don’t hesitate making those memories… Not only that, but come back year after year to watch your family grow and become even more beautiful!