Assistant Photographer(s) Training Manual

My new goal is creating a training manual for all current and future assistant photographers to use when they start working in the studio. I want to create a variety of images on all of our backgrounds to show posing, lighting patterns, and inspire creativity. So I sent out a call for anyone that wants to model for me on Twitter and Facebook and my neighbors across the street were ready to help. From the session today we did a few different backgrounds but my favorite photo is this one.

Set up was simple. Main light on camera left, and background light from camera right. The thing I like about it is the profile position and obscured eyes give it a little bit of mystery.

Here's another one from today.

The second image has the key light in the same position and a very low powered background light that is not directly pointed on the background. I've found that this particular canvas looks best when it's not directly lit. The colors can be overwhelming at times but it worked nicely with his skin tone. Oh and did I mention I love hats? Always a great way to add character and interest to a photo. Both images are shot at 1/200 @f 8. That aperture in my mind in perfect for adult portraits. There is enough depth of field to handle a few people in one shot, but not so much that the background show every wrinkle. If I was to do anything different it would be on the second shot. I would add a small fill card directly below the subject on camera right. The black jacket has no detail, which is okay, but I would have liked a little more information in the shadows.

Terice's Training Sessions

Although Terice has been working with me for a few years now, most of her experience has been on location. When our studio opened in August a lot of different possibilities became available to her and I both. Since that time we've intermittently done training sessions to help her master some of the basics and become more comfortable with this working environment. Today we photographed a very nice family of four as part of this training. I think she's doing quite well and here's a photo to prove it.

Our subject is 3 month old Emmit. Isn't he darling? The image is very simple to do really. The baby is laying on his stomach being propped up by a Boppy pillow covered in a white fuzzy blanket. The background is  the same blanket. I'm holding the blanket up behind him. The single light source provides a pretty broad lighting pattern while keeping some shadows for dimension and that all important catch light in his eyes.

As I mentioned yesterday, we used a remote to release the shutter and tripod so as to focus on getting the little guy to smile. His mother was also a great help in getting his attention. The pose is one of my favorite parts. Three month old babies are normally very good at holding their heads up in this position, but keep in mind they tire easy! Another good position for babies this age is on their side. Prop up the baby on the back and side so he's "lounging". Also keep the parent close at all times ready to jump in if the baby begins to slide or needs any help. The last thing any photographer needs is an injured child! I always keep my infant subjects as close to the ground as possible since the idea of a baby falling off a posing table scares me to death.

For this shot Terice was laying on her stomach to be at the baby's level and the tripod was extended to it's smallest height of 24 inches. Having the right equipment, and a little flexibility can really pay off!

Exposure: 1/200 @ f11 ISO 200

Tips that will Help any Mom Shoot like a Pro.

This is a re-post from my business blog done in October 2009. I have two sick kids tonight and I thought this article worth another look. Enjoy!

Yesterday a friend of mine and I photographed her daughter in my studio. My friend is an amateur photographer, but a quick study. Hanging out with her and sharing some tips on how to use her fancy new camera gave me the idea of posting a few tips for every Mom or Dad who wants to take better photos of their kids at home.

1. Look for great light: Forget your on camera flash.
Either take your kids outside and use the best light source in the universe (you know, the Sun?) or during the day use the lovely soft light of a window, skylight, or open door. Keep in mind that photographs are a 2 dimensional representation of a 3 dimensional object. Using the on camera flash creates flat, straight forward lighting that will make your kids look lifeless and many times, overexposed. If you are using a SLR camera you can adjust your ISO to increase the camera's sensitivity to the light. Keep in mind this also increases noise. Many point and shoots also allow you to increase your ISO or they automatically adjust to lower light. Most of all keep in mind that photography is all about light and that it might not be a good idea to always shoot in low light conditions if you want good images. In the image to the left you can see a slight shadow on the left side of Hannah's face. Here the light source was from my right side, about 45 degrees from me and the camera. This subtle shift in the direction of the light makes her look natural. The flat lighting of an on camera flash would have also created harsh shadows under her chin and along one side of her body; not attractive. Good images have a great balance of light and shadow. In summary; they mimic the way our eyes are used to seeing things in real world.

2. Pay attention to your shadows.
Once you've found a good light source, consider where your shadows are falling. If you are photographing your kids outside, think about the time of day. Early morning and later in the afternoon will give you more dramatic directional shadows. I love to shoot people about an hour before sunset. The light is still enough to get a good exposure but no one is blinded when facing the sun. If you do happen to find yourself shooting at noon day, a good way to avoid harsh shadows is to find shade. ( I know, it sounds counter-intuitive, but just go with me here.) Find the shade of a large tree or the open shade of a building. In these spots the light is dispersed and you'll have less of a chance of unattractive shadows. If no open shade is available, try turning 45 degrees from the direction of the sun on a bright day. Luckily, if you live in the greater Pudget Sound, like me harsh shadows are rarely a problem between the months of November-June. Cloud cover provides a natural diffusion of the light (ie- the direction of the light is broken up as it passes through the clouds creating soft shadows and the same kinds of light you'll find in open shade).

3. Get Closer.
Not every image needs to be a panoramic photograph. Instead try to fill the viewfinder or screen with only information you want and nothing you don't need. Portraits are about people. Feel free to include them specifically. This doesn't mean you never take a full body shot of your kids, but it is good to think a little bit about how the composition will look and if additional "stuff" will be distracting.

4. Play with angles.
It's fun to see things from a new perspective. Try getting high above, or down low. Even tilting the camera a little so your subject isn't perfectly perpendicular to the horizon. Images photographed from eye level (the view you see normally when standing up) is well, boring. Mix it up. Just ask any of my clients. I'm not opposed to laying on the ground for a photo. Some of my favorites come from this angle.
This photo of Hannah is photographed from above which emphasizes her size and face.

5. Don't always worry if they are smiling. My favorite photos are many times the ones where you can see what the kid is thinking. Have fun with them, don't make them hate photo time by always requiring perfection. My kids love to have their pictures taken because I let them do whatever they want.

Now at 4 and 3, they have developed their own favorite poses and they even ask "Mommy, can we take pictures?" What I love about this last picture is the "baby pout" on Hannah's face. Those Gerber baby cheeks are accentuate and she's staring right at me. Plus look at how blue those eyes are? Super cute, but no smile. I love it.

Thanks Heidi for the fun afternoon and such a cooperative model.

Equipment Needs for Starting Your Own Photography Business

No photo today, instead I'm answering the question I hear all the time, "If I want to be a professional photographer, what do I need?"  So today I'm playing  personal shopper.

Since I started shooting professionally my work habits and subsequently my equipment have evolved. With each new toy my style shifted towards a new method. For the bulk of my career I have been a location and event photographer. My desire to eat and pay off my school loans was more pressing then having my name displayed across a store front window. This last year was my chance to" have it all" you might say. I took advantage of the extreme desperation of many landlords in the commercial real estate market and got myself a studio. Unlike a lot of other photographers, I've never wanted to work for National Geographic or Rolling Stone. I always wanted to be my own boss and retire early thanks to the success of my portrait studio. This year I'm one step closer and feeling like I should generously share some of my wisdom with someone standing in the same spot I was 10 years ago.

If I had it all to do over again, and the desire to max out a credit card, this is what I'd buy to help me start my photography business. I'm cheep, so I chose affordable but quality products. That said; be prepared for sticker shock.

1. Camera:  Nikon D3s is what I'd but tomorrow if I needed another camera, even though it's a little weightier then I'd like. I would just need more VR lenses. Currently I'm using a D300 which I love, but it's missing a few things the D3s has, like a full frame sensor and HD video. $5,200.

2. Lighting equipment: I've looked into and used most equipment on the market. I used Speed-a-tron and Profoto almost exclusively in college. (So many trips to the rental counter at Glazers.) When I finally decided to jump in I bought a White Lighting monolight kit after months of research. For what I do (weddings and portraits) I've been very happy. I bought my equipment one piece at a time since that's all I could afford but the best deal is their professional package. I wouldn't use their light stands though, not my favorite. Price tag: just under $2400 for pretty much everything they offer in one package. You'll need to add a vagabond battery pack or two for $300 each to complete the shopping spree.

3. For when you plan to be a little more portable, I like the Nikon Speedlight series. I suggest having a half a dozen on hand if you plan on going this route and skipping the "big lights" all together. Buy a SB900 for it's ability to control all of the other units and the range, then finish out the group with SB600s since they will be just working on remote. You might also consider the R1C1 flash since this is great for fill on portraits as well as macro.

4. Lenses: Which lenses you buy depends on what you shoot. Portrait photographers can't be without a  85mm and 50mm. If you're shooting weddings like me, you'll want to add a wide angle, say 12mm) and a telephoto, like a 200mm (or whatever you like best) for those weddings where you can't leave the choir loft of the church. It's up to you if you decide to do zoom lenses or prime. This is where you want to spend your money though. Choose a lens with sharp glass that can open to at least F3.5. Here are some of my favorite lenses:

Nikon 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX Nikkor Lens

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G Autofocus Lens

Nikon AF-S Zoom Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF Lens

Nikon PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm f/2.8D ED Manual Focus 

Nikon Telephoto AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF Autofocus Lens

 Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG APO Macro HSM AF Lens for Nikon

 5. Reflectors! I've mentioned before you can use foam core for a white reflector and many craft stores sell these in large sizes. $20.00 is a nice price for a solution. You might also want to pick up a few collapsible reflectors. A silver and gold both can come in handy and having larger sizes help to light more people on location and in studio.($80 each) Most importantly, a large translucent reflector for when you need to use speedlights but you want to diffuse them over a wider distance. Smaller reflectors can come in handy too, plus fit into an overhead compartment.

6. For Backgrounds I use a white vinyl seamless since it's durable and easy to clean.($250) For a less expensive option you might try seamless paper, but be careful, one crease or puncture can equal many cumulative hours of post processing time you'll never get back. 

7. You'll also want to pick up wireless transmitters for the "big lights", light stands and modifiers and filters, a lifetime supply of duct and gaffer's tape, some very sturdy hard cases to hold your equipment, and a bachelor's in business management. 

I'm not kidding about the last one. Going pro isn't necessarily about being talented and hoping "the work will sell itself." That's your job. You'll need to study up on current marketing trends and write a business plan for the loan you'll be taking out to pay for all this junk. Once that's done you'll need to spend a lot of time praying! I promise you no successful small business owner is an atheist. The first thing you realize when you strike out on your own is that you need divine assistant if you're ever to get off the ground. No matter how talented you are or not, you have to be incredibly self motivated to work freelance or be a business owner. Be honest with yourself and analytical before committing to anything. You're in for more then a full time job, since you'll be an accountant, receptionist, customer service team, tech support, and if you're lucky you'll have time to shoot once and a while! So, why do I do it you ask? Because I wouldn't want to live any other way. To those that share my sentiment, I wish you great success and I hope to be reading your blog soon!

Last tip: Never stop learning. Read every blog, book, or magazine even remotely related to photography. Always try new things and constantly work to improve your portfolio. Challenge your self to do things differently and learn from every bad exposure. Be prepared to bore anyone that asks you a photo question with long winded answers that go above and beyond what they actually wanted to know, and hire an assistant that you want to hang out with. 

Tomorrow:  Now that you've decided against being your own boss, how to get a job as a photographer... Just kidding, those jobs are all taken. Semi colon right side parentheses. ;)

 

 

Studio Lighting Part 5: More for your Money

I like black backgrounds, white backgrounds too. Gray I would have to say is my favorite though. Why? Gray is fantastic with skin tones. No matter the ethnic background, a neutral gray will help to create saturation and classic look. Cool thing is, you don't need to own three different backgrounds. Control your light and you can do a lot of different colors with the same background.

A few gels and a half a stop under exposure turned the background from 50% gray to purple, then blue, and red all in the same shoot. (Though I don't have a good example of the red- not fond of the model). For Yellows and greens and other lighter colors I'd suggest using a white background as a base and underexposing the background more. Plus you need to create a lot of density by using several filters. Use all of the same color for the primary shades or a combination of two different colors for secondary shades. If that's confusing please Google "color wheel" and you'll see how endless the possibilities are. Experimentation is the key to success here, but it's better done on your own time, not your clients.

Gray can also be done on a white background. Just turn off the background lights!  Always light your subject and background separately when trying these techniques and you'll be just fine. Shoot some and post links. I want to see! Don't have a seamless white background?  Try a white bed sheet. If you own accessory flash units you probably own a variety of filers and don't even know it. My Nikon Speedlights came with a bunch all designed to fit into a specially designed holder that came with the SB-900. Very handy little guys.

Tomorrow: Looking for a beginners list of what you should buy for a home studio? Well tomorrow's your lucky day...

Studio Lighting: Part 4

Black backgrounds are exactly opposite of white background when it comes to technique. Instead of lighting the background for a 1-2 stop over exposure, the point is under exposure.  The key lighting is the same, but fill is often needed as well as a hair and rim light to separate the subject from the background. By keeping all light from directly or indirectly hitting the background you'll get an even background. If you want gradation, a flash unit on a low power can do the trick. Here's a couple more examples of some of this season's high school seniors all shot on a black background.

 

Studio Lighting: Part 3- Shooting on a white background

 

The key to photographing on a white background is simple, over expose the background while avoiding lens flair, and exposing your subject correctly. Sounds easy yes? Well there are a hundred and one ways to do it and depending on your subject matter the techniques change. I'm going to focus on portraiture since that's what I do, but below are some links to tutorials that discuss how to work with a white background when shooting products, on location, etc. For the family portrait above the set up is simple. Key light is at camera right with two background lights pointing directly on the background.  Exposure is 1/200 @F13 ISO 200. The background lights are parallel from each other. This keeps the background evenly lit so there is no shadow or gradation of tone where the light would fall off. There was no need for any other fill lighting since the white background actually does a great job of acting as it's own fill card.

 For the next image Terice is modeling (She loves to have her photo taken which is good because I'm always using her as a stand in!) The set up here is your classic three light pattern: Key at camera left (and about 20 degrees from me for a broad light across the face), background light directly behind her, and rim light for the hair and a little fill. Oh and Terice (since I know you're reading this) that was a great hair day for you. Exposure for this image is 1/250 @F7.1 ISO 200. The thing I like best is the rim light on her neck and jaw. I love it when my shadows are delicate and the light is playful. It makes people look great and in turn they think I'm some sort of magician. 

Later this month I'm photographing a huge family group. There are two many of them to shoot all together so instead I'll be shooting them on a white background individually and then creating a panorama in photoshop. The white background makes it easy to combine (no long hours required) and shooting the people individually makes for great smiles on everyone instead of a group photo that is so-so. Don't worry I'll blog about that with details of the shoot and post processing. For now you'll have to spend your time pouring over these other blogs and become a master at the trendy/timeless look of the seamless white background.

http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/Video-Tutorials/Search-Results/Camera-Techniques/Studio-style-portraits-for-under-a-fiver/

http://digital-photography-school.com/whiteseamlesshowt  

http://reviews.ebay.com/Photographing-products-with-a-pure-white-background_W0QQugidZ10000000001921152

http://www.photoaxe.com/how-to-photograph-white-object-on-white-background/

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http://www.gregrphoto.com/blog/2007/01/14/shooting-with-a-white-background/comment-page-1/

http://www.zarias.com/?p=71

Studio Lighting Basics: Part 2 Using a fill light.

If you did your homework yesterday and studied the vocabulary words I gave you, then you are ready to talk about using fill. There are a lot of different methods for adding fill light. The easiest is using a fill card or reflector. I have white foam core (the kind used for mounting prints) in a couple of sizes that I use for fill cards. I also have a collapsible 4-in-1 reflector that I take everywhere. The reflector is far more portable then the foam core but both are often needed when trying to use one light head to create two sources of light.                 

Our first picture (top left) is with a single light head placed at 45 degrees from the subject (my husband) and me on camera left. You can see how the contrast between the highlights and shadows is pretty dramatic and a good portion of the face is quite dark.  On the second image I added a white fill card. Notice how the shadow side is now about a  half stop lighter? The lighting ratio has gone from 4:1 to 3:1. Most traditional portraits are either a 2:1 ratio since it allows for some shadow but there is still detail. (See earlier posts for more info on this subject.) The fill card is positioned at 90 degrees from Caleb. Next the white fill card is replaced by a silver reflector. The quality of light on the shadow side has changed. The silver reflector is brighter then the white fill card. Now we're up to a 2:1 ratio. Finally I flipped the reflector over to the gold side. The intensity of the light is about the same as the silver side, but the color shift is the most obvious change.

Keep in mind a reflector does just that, it only can bounce light already available in a new direction. If you want a greater intensity or light from an angle not directly proportional to your main light you'll need to use flash as your fill. On the next image (right) you can see the fill light on camera left bringing up the shadow side of his face to be as bright as the main light, maybe even a little brighter. Because the fill is positioned slightly behind the subject instead of next to him like a reflector might be, a small sliver of shadow is created along his temple and cheek bone. This kind of lighting style really adds three dimensionality to the image. The key light is diffused where the fill is not, and because of the angle, the fill light has become very textural.                           

Can you guess how old this kid is? Would you believe me if I said 3? It's true, the posing and lighting make him look older then his age and I did this intentionally. I had plenty of photos of him being goofy like all little boys are, what I wanted next was something that spoke to a different emotion.  Unlike shooting on location where you have a sense of place to help tell a story, in the studio you have only the light and your subject. Light is your only tool to create a fresh perspective.  That challenge alone is what keeps my job new and interesting.

Before anyone asks, about how I got the white background to be clean and even I'll admit that I did something I don't normally do, I used the fill light as both a background and fill light simultaneously. Most of the time I use a light for the background separately since I want to be able to control each layer of the scene, but I was able to get away with this for a few simple reasons.                 

  The background I used was only 5' wide and my subject is standing pretty close to it. Normally I try to put distance between the subject and the background so no shadows fall on the vertical plain, but I didn't need to worry about this because the fill light was positioned in such a way that it's light illuminated both the side of the subject and the background. The fill light was powered to full and with it's close proximity to the background it was far more intense then the main light which was only at half power. This is what caused the background to loose all detail since the camera's exposure was set to match the main light's setting. (1/320 @ F6.3 with ISO 200) In simpler terms, I over exposed the background.

Next up we will talk more in detail about shooting on a white background and the traditional three light setup that has defined studio portraiture.

Studio Lighting Basics: Part 1 "Feel the Light"

In college one of my more ego maniacal  instructors (keep in mind they ALL fit into this category) brought in a single light head on a stand with a soft-box to class. He had the entire group stand with arms out in front of it repeating "I feel the light!" as if we were impersonating a gospel choir. His point? At a certain level you need to act instinctively about how you use light. Studio photography is the best example since you have complete control over every light source and direction. So I want to take the next few days and go over some of the basics about how to light in a studio and why the classics work so well. Then I want to talk about breaking out of the box and doing things differently. That's where the whole "Feeling the Light" really matters. So please to anyone reading, take what you see here, and apply these techniques creatively; by all means make it your own! That's what art is all about, yes? I'll provide the method you're responsible for the mood.

First thing first, think of light as your most basic tool. Keep in mind how changing light alters the emotion of an image and where it's placed is the key to telling a subject's story. And everything has a story. How interesting it is, well, that's up to you.

So let's start with some lingo.

Key (or main) Light: Just what it sounds like. This is normally the brightest light in the set up. Often times it's that big glowing ball in the sky.

Fill Light: This is the light, or sometimes a reflector that fills in the shadows to help reduce contrast or illiminate shadows all together.

Background Light: The light that illumniates the background.

Hair Light or Rim Light: A light positioned behind the subject and sometimes what helps to separate the subject and background from one another.

Monolight: Flash unit that is self contained and uses AC power.

Lens Flair: Light that is reflected back into the camera lens. Not fun to try to remove in post processing.

Lighting ratio: A mathematical way of describing how bright the main light is compared to the fill light.

Wireless Remote: Sounds redundant I know, but these little guys, AKA radio transmitters, signal flash units from the camera so all units fire simultaneously.

Diffuser: A device used to disperse light and soften shadows. A few popular ones are: softboxes, unbrellas (reflective and translucent) a beauty dish and diffusion sock, etc.

Specular Highlight: A bright spot of light that appears in shiny objects. Often called catch lights when observed in portraits, this is the glow you see in people's eyes. It is also the easiest way to determine how a photograph was lit. I simply look for the reflection in the subject's eyes to tell me how to recreate the same shot.

Reflector: A surface that reflects light. (Obvious I know) They come in many varieties. Gold and silver reflectors add either a warm or cool tone to an image where white stays color neutral. The bigger the reflector, the more diffused the light. The closer the reflector is to the light source the greater the intensity of the reflected light. 

Okay let's start off small. Let's talk about lighting with just a key light and go from there.

All you Anne Geddes fans here's a knock off for you. This image used a single key light and my husband draped in black fabric. I know what you're thinking, and no he won't wax his arms for a re-shoot. This kind of image is very popular (can't quite figure out why) and easy to do. My key light was a single unit pointed towards the ceiling at a 45 degree angle to give it some direction and its positioned a little bit off of camera right. By pointing the light up it filled the whole room and broadly lit both baby and my toga wearing husband. ( I should have gotten a photo of him to show you. Especially since the whole thing was held on by a few "A" clamps in the back. Pretty hilarious actually.) Here's a diagram to help illustrate. I used an umbrella since it was already on the light-stand and any extra diffusion is okay with me, but the ceiling is really what did the work. As I said before, the larger the area light can reflect off of, the more dispersed it will be. Nine foot ceilings painted white are a portrait photographer's best friend when on location. Luckily for me the same trick works in my studio as well.

One thing I do need to mention here is that this lighting method (sometimes referred to as a broad lighting pattern) means that in the original image there was a good amount of detail visible in the black material around Caleb's body. There are two ways to correct this:

1. GOBO the light. This stands for "GOes Before Optics" and is basically anything that is dark that will be put in front of a light source to change how it looks. Black matt board is a cheep and easy solution. Hang a few of these from light stands or have an assistant hold them in place so as to remove light that was falling on spots it shouldn't be.
2. Use the Dodge and Burn tool in Photoshop. 

I'll admit I chose option two since it was more convenient at the time, but GOBO's are  especially useful and something no photographer should be without. The best part is how creative you can get with one. Anything can be a GOBO. Just as long as it casts a shadow. Scrims are similar to GOBO's but they are translucent and they are used more as a diffuser then a light blocker. I have a 7' by 10' collapsible scrim but I've seen other photographers use white sheets, shower curtains, etc.

One thing you have be careful of when using one light source is separation. Does the shadow areas on your subject blend into the background? This mistake is most commonly made when the subject has dark hair and the background is black or they have on dark clothing. It creates what I like to call FHS or Floating Head Syndrome. Again this reinforces the point I made earlier, you must "Feel the Light" and that means controlling it! When one light won't do, you add another, or a reflector, until you've correctly lit your subject in a way that is pleasing and distinguishable.
Tomorrow we'll expand on this same idea and move up to two lights sources.

The Top 5 Reasons to Have Portraits by Irene Jones Photography this Season

Today Alex is 11 days old and I wanted to fill this blog post with nothing but photos of him and our family to show what an average session looks like. Now that I have a few family photos I like, I'm going to let by baby vacation for a few weeks before he has to come back to work on his 1 month birthday. By then his newborn cuteness will have changed into a pudgy Gerber baby motif and more photos will be required. (Whoever says that that parents only photograph the first child and forget about the rest didn't know any professional photographers/mothers.)  If you can't get enough of this little guy please visit my Facebook page for Irene Jones Photography and become a fan. New photos of him are available there. So while Alex is doing his best to fill his days with long naps, meals every three hours, and persistent diaper changes, it's your turn. Now is a great time for holiday portraits and Christmas cards. If you are on the fence about having professional photos this season let me help change your mind.

1. Family portraits. Lots of us, myself included, only get around to taking a family portrait on a yearly basis. Yet far more people out there only get around to this important tradition when someone is born, married, or dies. I consider this a personal tragedy. My approach to family portraits is a mix of the traditional and more modern. I know it's important to the average person to have the shot where everyone is smiling at the camera, but it's always fun to include images that show more then faces, but say something about your family. For our family photo I wanted to highlight our newest addition and so our portraits focused around him. The photo above was actually the first time that the kids wanted to hold Alex. Up till now Tyler wanted Alex to hold his finger but Audrey was completely uninterested in the whole idea of touching him. I'm glad I was able to capture a special moment like this. I've also included one of everyone smiling just because I never noticed until now that my daughter and husband have the same smile. Portraits are good at helping us see things like these little similarities.

2. Flexible sessions. Many portrait studios only allow for a few images per session and discourage combining different groupings into one session. They want to maximize the number of sitting fees where in contrast my goal is to maximize the number of great images provided. That's why I don't limit the number of poses, groupings, locations, or clothes changes in any session. I even allow space between each session just in case we go over, that way no one feels rushed when the next session arrives. Ultimately, I feel customer service is equally important as creating beautiful images and I don't hesitate to go out of my way for my clients.

3. Only tasteful props are used in our portraits. If a prop doesn't add to the image, i.e. help tell a story, we don't use it. The connection between the subject and the prop should be obvious. My studio doesn't stock fake daisies or turn of the century costumes. That's not what I do. However we do have a range of other props that fit a variety of different interests. If you have something specific in mind, please ask when you call to schedule your session and if I don't have it, I'll do what I can to find it for you.

Don't forget that even though the weather outside might be gruesome, location sessions are still great this time of year. My studio equipment is fully portable and can be brought to just about anywhere. By photographing on location (your home, a special place you like to go, even a fancy hotel) another dimention is added to the image that otherwise wouldn't have existed in the studio. Can't think of a location? I can so please don't hesitate to ask for suggestions.

4. Groups of all sizes and ages welcome. Have you ever photographed 10 kids under the age of 5? I have several times. What about groups of 25? My studio can handle both and I've had plenty of experience with every possible combination you can imagine.

5. A better value. When you book with me you're getting more then my time, you take part in my never ending pursuit of doing things better. I want each client to walk away with images they love and want to share. Each photo should tell a story and hold personal meaning; something you can't put a price tag on.

To book your session please visit Irene Jones Photography Online for pricing information, portfolios, and directions to our studio. Please note that all sessions are by appointment only. To schedule your portrait session please call 425.367.4781.

I hope you've enjoyed my collection of family portraits! Tomorrow's blog post switches gears entirely as we discuss shooting and "stitching" panoramas in Photoshop CS4.

One more thing: Here is a video about how I set up the shot of Alex hitting the books.